Is a 26" barrel too long for hunting?
Is it irritating to hunt with, is it f.ex. scratching ground, stuck im trees when moving...
And what about the balance?
Want to decrease the muzzleblast.

All of my rifles have 26" barrels.I have hunted deer,elk,moose,pronghorn,goat and bighorn under varying conditions and have had no problems at all.I actually prefer the balance over shorter barreled rifles.

Compared to my 29" Swede, it is almost a carbine. What's the problem?

Seriously, I've carried my Swede on deer hunts, and it's not THAT different from my 24" 30-06. And it does deliver mild recoil and modest muzzle blast.

The optimum length varies considerably from person to person, situation to situation, and location to location. For bear, I'd favor an 18" 45-70. For general big game in the West, I favor a 24" 30-06. If you're trying to squeeze every last drop of energy out of a cartridge that is a bit light for your application, like 308 or 7mm08 for elk, then the extra few inches might be a good choice.

Not if the barrel is on a Ruger No. 1 or other good single-shot action!!

My 338, 9.3x62, 404, 300 H&H, one 416, one 375 H&H, and my 270 all have 26" barrels....I have a 416, 8x57 and 7x57 with 24" barrels and one lonely Savage 99 308 with a 22" barrel and a couple of Win. M-94's with 20" barrels..they all have a place....but for hunting on foot under any conditions I will take the 26" tube...even in the thickest of thick bush. How can 2 to 4 inches of barrel possibly make any difference in usability.

In fact I can shoot a 26" barrel much better offhand than any other barrel lenth and I can shoot better with my iron sights with that extra distance between sights...

I have used them from Alaska, and Mexico to Africa and Australia with not a problem...The early Americans and African hunters knew a thing or two and they liked the long barrels. With the exception of hunting horseback I like the 26" barrel although I have a couple of 24's, such as m 416 Searcy, that shoot so well that I have forgiven them for their circumcision.

I agree with everything said so far, I have found my 25" .416 Rigby to be better to shoot off the shoulder than my Ruger MK11 22" 30/06, even despite the recoil I can shoot better off hand with this rifle due to little extra muzzle weight I think. My .585 I am having built (neally finished) will have a 25" barrel with 3" of break. I was going to have it 24" with 3" break, but I thought that a little extra would not hurt after shooting so well with my .416 on a recent hunting trip.

In finishing up, go with what ever you feel more comfortable with.

So what hunting production rifles with 26" barrels are available. I`m not thinking of thick and heavy target and varmint rifles.

rigfer,

Remington 700
Winchester M70
Browning A-Bolt
Ruger (single shot)

Production Sporter weight rifles with 26" barrels that quickly come to mind. These are generally in belted magnums and ultra-mags. All the info is available on the manufacturer's websites.

MM

From time to time we gun nuts get bored and get a hankering for something different...

Normally I dislike barrels less than 26"'s but I have been looking at a 416 Rem M-70 Custom rifle I have for sale...since I have two 416 Remingtons mayby I should whack that barrel off to 20''s and make me a quick pointing bush gun for Buff...and take it off the market.

Now thats the last thing I need and I even know that I won't like it long enough to take it to Africa next year ( I already sent in my Ser. #'s for this year)but the damn idea keeps haunting me..This is not the first time I have suffered this and other maladys of simular persuasion. Normally I weaken to them..especially if I get bored.

Hey,
Dan'l Boone and Davy Crockett got by with longer barrels. My 470 Capstick and 416 Taylor have 26" barrels, and I like them as is. I also hope to get 2400 fps <honest> out of the Capstick with 500 grain bullets.26" Barrel length is just the ticket for me.

I was going to ask a similar question about my 404 Jeffries and my 475 Rigby projects.You'all have helped me make up my mind.
Thank You
Paul K

I've never understood why a 24 or 26 inch barrel is considered "long and cumbersome" in a rifle and a 26 or 28 inch barrel is on the "short" side for a shotgun.

At any rate, for stalking, etc., I find a 26 inch barrel no impediment. If you are in and out of an automobile or a restricted space like a fixed blind, then a shorter barrel is advantageous.

As to being faster on target, I find little difference.

Until recently I thought 26"" bbls. to be unwieldy in the woods. My Blaser R93 in .300 Win Mag has a 25" bbl. but the telescoping bolt makes for a short OAL. My Ruger MKII Varmint (.22-250) and Rem Sendero (.300 Win Mag) aren't that handy to tote around but is it because of their length or bulkiness ? Recently, I had my .338 Win 70 rebarrelled with a 26" Lothar Walther bbl. and find it quite a handy rifle to handle, especially for offhand shooting.

I am of the O'Connor school,but it depends how open the country.A the range my sons perfer to shoot the old 26" barreled Eddystone"17 sporter,"you can't miss"

I agree, I have a 28", a 26" and 29" too. I can't see what all the fuss is about. I also use a 20" '94 winchester.

I am not a long tall Texan like Ray, but a short, fat Floridian! As a result, my 26" 30-338 stuck up entirely to high on my trip to Namibia in 2000. As a result, I came home and had a barrel band installed which dropped the barrel height to what it would have been at 20". With such adjustments, a 26" barrel is no more trouble than a 20 or 22 inch barrel. Somre bore diameters cry out for longer barrels. I wish my 9.2x62 had a 26" barrel on it. Ku-dude