I want everyone to chime in here and give us your opinion as to the "best" Mannlicher barrel length. Use any criteria you want, even if it is '"just because I want it".

Too me in the 18" range. Made a 600 at I believe 16.5 years ago it was sure pretty. I have one that is 20.5 and too me it is WAY too long. Just doesn't look right.

I agree, 18 inches seems perfect to me.

I am a fan of the Commercial Oberndorf type "M" stutzens. They usually have pretty light 20" barrels. They just look good and balance well between the hands. I think the type "S" is the same except for the not having a forend cap.

I would favor a short barrel to keep the rifle handy and as light as can be.

The two full stocked rifles I have are not light.

One is a ZB Brno in 7.9 that's 0.610 at the muzzle and weighs 7# 14oz with it's Kahles 2-7X. The barrel is 20".

The other is a Steyr Daimler 358 Win that's 0.640" at the muzzle and weighs 8# 8oz!

The Steyr is at the top of this picture.

I used to think 18-20" was the right length.... until I saw an H&H 24" barrel mauser in 375 H&H with a full length stock and it was a thing of beauty. That's why my 10.75x68 has a 22" barrel.
I have others, from 16" on up, and like them all.

This one I recently finished, Sako in .243, has a 21" barrel. I think it looks pretty good proportionally.

I agree that the shorter carbines are the best candidates for a Mannlicher style stock. However, there are innumerable examples of full stocked rifles in all kinds of different length barrels, (Kentucky rifles, muskets, Mausers, Enfields, etc.) so the question is completely in the realm of personal preference.

My friend thinks 23" is perfect!

All those full stocked rifles you mention handle like fence posts, except for swamped barrels on flintlocks.
The correct answer is 18.5 inches.

quote:

Originally posted by Toomany Tools:
This one I recently finished, Sako in .243, has a 21" barrel. I think it looks pretty good proportionally.

I only like varmint caliber Sako's, but I have to say that looks absolutely outstandingly!

quote:

Originally posted by dpcd:
All those full stocked rifles you mention handle like fence posts, except for swamped barrels on flintlocks.
The correct answer is 18.5 inches.

That must be a misprint, because I'm absolutely certain it's 20".

quote:

The correct answer is 18.5 inches

That's good because I'm not sure I can measure close enough and my 18 might be 18.5

quote:

Originally posted by dpcd:
All those full stocked rifles you mention handle like fence posts, except for swamped barrels on flintlocks.

Well, a full stocked carbine will be much more handy that a full stocked long rifle, just like a half stocked carbine will be handier than a half stocked long rifle. If my "customer" wants a full stock on his 23" barreled rifle then that's what I will give him.

quote:

The correct answer is 18.5 inches.

It's your post, you decide what is "correct"!

Ramrod gets a gold star; Matt gets a frowny face.

It depends somewhat on caliber. I wouldn't want a .243 any shorter than 20", but a .358 would be okay at 18", simply because of the different expansion ratios of the cartridges, and therefore the speed of the powders and need for barrel length.

That being said, I have a Sako 7x33 Mannlicher with a 23.6" barrel and it's a real looker on which I wouldn't change a thing, even though the diminutive cartridge would do fine out of a 16" barrel.