20, 22, 24 or 26...

fast14riot

fast14riot

Joined
Oct 27, 2010
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It's time for a new barrel on my .30-'06. It's made it just over 96 years with the same barrel and is now getting long on head space. This is a GP hunting gun. Would like to shoot steel at 1K occasionally, but also gonna jump some coyotes while hiking. Barrel profile is rather light, but not feather weight. I'm leaning toward 22 or 24 inch.

Just kinda getting some ideas on what's popular or what you like. Barrel comes 26" and I would be cutting and crowning during the install. No shorter than 20.


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I don't see much need for a few extra FPS out of a 30-06. I'd cut the barrel to 22 handy inches. I guess the only thing that would make me leave it longer is if the balance point was too far back due to the light contour.

MY (minus Elk) big game rifle is a Rem 700 6MM-06 with a #2 contour 24" Douglas barrel. I needed at least 24" to realize more of the FPS that this over-capacity round can generate ---- but a 22"er is always a bit handier.
 
Id go with the length that highlights the round,give you the distance you want, and a length that is what you concider easy to manipulate ! I'd say if the barrel lengh doesn't add to fps or stability of the round take it down or don't take any off,but that's just my opinion and without really looking into it more this is just my general advice. I'm not a gunsmith or an expert by any means.
 
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I'd go 20" personally, you won't gain much FPS with the extra 6". The extra length will not only increase weight, but also affect barrel harmonics negatively which will give up potential accuracy.
 
What was the original barrel length? If you liked it, keep it how it was with the same contour. If you didn't like it, shorten or lengthen as you see fit. For a rifle you have so much time with, you will have the best opinion on it.

I think balance trumps anything you gain or lose with regards to speed and/or muzzle blast.

Don't fix what aint broke.
 
Original length of the new barrel is 26" current barrel length is 24". Being a light profile, balance will not be affected much from 22-26". 20" it might be noticeable though.

The .30-'06 out of sporter weight barrels is good out to 500-600 yards+ for hunting with moderate loads. A max load and a 180 or 200 grain bullet will give supersonic velocity out to 1100 yards with a 30" barrel, I'm not interested in that kind of performance for this gun though.

The velocity difference between 20-26" for this gun is a moot point for my usage.

For handling I think I might go with 22" this time. Dunno yet though, once I get the barrel I'm going to be cutting it, so maybe I'll just do an inch at a time and see how I like it. Just hope I don't want it to be longer, kinda hard to put it back, lol!


-X
 
I have a 22" barrel on my Remington 700 BDL .30-'06 and think it is about the longest barrel I would want to use for hunting out of a tree stand.

That's the only thing I would think about, is if the longer barrel would get in the way if you are hunting up in a tree and have to swing your rifle barrel with tree branches in the way.
 
Swampdog nailed it ! Where are you hunting ?

I have a pre '64 Winchester in a 24 inch bbl (270 cal) for deer out West. I have a Browning 30/06 Safari Grade in a 22 inch bbl. I used it across America.. I have a Ruger Manlicher 20 inch bbl in 308 cal. I use that in Florida mangroves on pigs. What geographic location do you hunt? That will dictate what length bbl you should use.
 
If you are rebarrelling, I'd consider a barrel with the chamber reamed for .308 Win. Ballistically the cartridges are equivalent, and in the long run. 308 Win will be easier to get.
 
Ever try and shoot 220gr bullets with a 308? Besides, why waste an extra long action on a 308? It just isn't gonna happen. I'm a gov't .30 fan, all the way.
 
fast14riot said:
Ever try and shoot 220gr bullets with a 308? Besides, why waste an extra long action on a 308? It just isn't gonna happen. I'm a gov't .30 fan, all the way.
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No need to. You can push a 200 grain .308 bullet 2400 ft/sec loading .308 Win below max pressures. That'll provide more than enough energy (2500-2600 ft-lbs at the muzzle) to take any sport game in the US. That said and as an aside, the .30 government is really the .30-40 Krag cartridge.
 
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