Barrel length for my Remington 700 .308

[Terryw123]

Can somebody hook me up with some info on making an educated decision on a barrel length for my .308? I'm just not sure as to specific considerations that would lead me one way or another. Right now it is between a 21" or 24". If anyone has a link to previous threads that would be awesome too. Thanks!


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[308sniper147]

If you plan on shooting 175smks 20" is perfectly fine to right at 1000 especially if you reload. If you want to scream 155gr lapua senars and send the .308 to a much higher level ballistically then 24-26" is a distinct advantage.
Most do prefer the shorter barreled .308s for the portability and weight.

 

[emdeucee]

I remember reading a thread stating that 308 does not gain anymore velocity past 20", I'll try to look for the thread.

 

[valkyries]

I always figured you would gain about 25fps per inch of barrel length. Every centerfire ive owned had a 24" barrel. Considering the potential gain of 100fps over the 20" barrel, I think its worth it. I have never had a chronograph to confirm velocity gains but I think it would be interesting to hear from someone who has tested it.

 

[Notso]

Can somebody hook me up with some info on making an educated decision on a barrel length for my .308? I'm just not sure as to specific considerations that would lead me one way or another. Right now it is between a 21" or 24". If anyone has a link to previous threads that would be awesome too. Thanks!

It depends on what the gun is for and how you intend to use is. Start with your requirements first and THEN and only then decide on hardware that best meets those requirements. You may find after figuring out the requirements that a 21-24" barrel doesn't meet your needs or mission statement at all. It may be that after figuring that out, you need something that is <20" or >24". Answer the requirements first and the answer becomes MUCH easier.

Here are some simple questions off the top of my head that every new shooter should consider before asking "which gun" or "which ____" (not all inclusive):

Primary use - hunting, tac matches, paper or steel plinking
min and max ranges the gun will mostly be shot
Method the gun will be shot - Bench, prone, slung, standing, kneeling, lots of odd positions, etc.
How far or how much will you carry the gun around - from trunk to bench or all day in the woods
Do you reload? What bullets?
If factory ammo only - ease of access to types of ammo. Match, hunting or plinking rounds
Suppressed or unsupppressed


There's probably lots more, but you get the point.

 

[corey4]

I remember reading a thread stating that 308 does not gain anymore velocity past 20", I'll try to look for the thread.

i'd very interested in that. mine is 20", shooting FGMM 168. i had mine chronoed a few weeks ago. 2560fps.

 

[Niles Coyote]

Having a bunch of 308’s, this is my take when using the same loads in all. I was just testing 175smks and 155 scenars at the time with varget in Winchester brass.

In factory Remington’s 20” vs 26” almost exactly 100fps gain for the 6 extra inches ~2540 vs ~2645 with 175’s and ~2730 vs ~2850 with 155’s.

In a custom rock creek barrel 21.75” long, velocity was within a couple feet per second either way of the 26” Remington barrel depending on which bullet weight was used.

In a factory Winchester stealth with a 26” barrel the 175 with the same load will run ~2740 and I have not tried the 155’s in that rifle.

In a aftermarket 18” AAC barrel that is nitrated the load I was using with 175’s was running ~2570 but accuracy was very poor (well out of the node) and a little warm for my case longevity. I ended up dropping down to a lower node that is around 2500fps in that rifle.

I am of the opinion that 23-24 inches would be the ideal length for the 308, unless you need to go short for use with a suppressor or max portability and ease of carry in field conditions... hiking, hunting and the like. I look for my short tubes when I plan to do most of my shooting under 700-800 yards and take the longer barreled rifles when I want to shoot into the forth digit.

Food for thought... At my first tactical/sniper match I attended (last fall) there were very few short barreled 308’s present and the only 18 incher was a custom 223, IIRC. We were shooting out to 650 yards and while there was a stage or two that having a short barrel made things easier to move, it was not a “game changer” unless you were just a piss poor planner on how you would attack the stage.

 

[corey4]

niles,

what is considered a "short barrel"?

in your match, what was the typical barrel length of the 308s? you didn't state this in your post.

what is the draw back of only losing 100fps running a 20"er?

 

[armydog]

I like my 24"over the 20" I had, it get my another 100fps Android I have better hits at 1k yards.

 

[Niles Coyote]

[MENTION=65123]corey4[/MENTION],

Short is in the eye of the beholder and for me that is 20 and under.

While I didn’t carry a tape measure at the match (about the only thing I didn’t carry, LOL) the vast majority of rifles were in the 22-26 inch range that I recall seeing. One stage had us moving through a van and taking shots while moving through it and another stage had us on an outside stair well where shots were taken through latticework. A little preplanning went a long way as well as prior practice taking shots from support side.

The drawback is just that, losing 100-200 fps depending on the comparison. When given a choice I side with every advantage I have at my disposal.

 

[corey4]

for an ignorant FNG like me, 100fps is just a little slower. am i missing some bigger picture here? is 100fps a big deal? inquiring minds want to know!

i understand what you guys are saying that you can make better hits at 1000yds and taking every bit of an advantage you can get. am i over thinking it, under thinking?

i have heard/read that with my 20"er, at 800yds, the round goes subsonic and starts to tumble. is this why y'all want to gain the extra 100fps to reach to 1000yds?

sorry for hijacking OP. i hope my posts are stirring up the discussion you are looking for.

 

[emdeucee]

The Truth About Barrel Length, Muzzle Velocity and Accuracy | The Truth About Guns

...With a grain of salt...

 

[mg386]

My opinion, if you only shoot factory ammo, get the 20. If you reload, go as long as you are comfortable with. My 308 at 26" barrel shoots the 208gr amax at 2640 with reloader 17 and does great out past 1000... Fwiw.

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[308sniper147]

for an ignorant FNG like me, 100fps is just a little slower. am i missing some bigger picture here? is 100fps a big deal? inquiring minds want to know!

i understand what you guys are saying that you can make better hits at 1000yds and taking every bit of an advantage you can get. am i over thinking it, under thinking?

i have heard/read that with my 20"er, at 800yds, the round goes subsonic and starts to tumble. is this why y'all want to gain the extra 100fps to reach to 1000yds?

sorry for hijacking OP. i hope my posts are stirring up the discussion you are looking for.

Just off the top of my head....
Longer supersonic range
Less time of flight(so less external factor effect on bullets)
Meaning less effect by the wind
Flatter shooting so more likely to hit if slightly off on range estimation on UKD target stages
More time for powder to fully burn behind the bullet
If you want a shorter barrel eventually(assuming you have a bull barrel type of barrel) you can get the barrel cut back(because the rearward rifling goes first)


I'm sure there are other benifits I just don't feel like contemplating it anymore. Lol

 

[Terryw123]

Yes this is exactly what I'm looking for. I'm 99.9% I am going to switch my order to the 24" even if it is a mental thing. The reality is this is my first build and for at least the next year it will be a safe queen. The furthest I will be shooting is around 900 at my local range. This is why I felt .308 was a perfect round to start with. Plus it's in a McMillan A4 so I wight as well keep it looking like an M40A3. It won't be to spec but, since I never made it to Scout Sniper school I'm not 100% attached to a perfect cloned rifle. Thanks for all the help.


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