A short barrel 7mm rem mag?

[calamjn]

So I been toying with the idea of chopping my Tikka T3 barrel down from 24” to somewhere between 16”-20” to use easier with my suppressor. I haven’t really seen too much on it except for for 1 guy on YouTube from New Zealand, but he had a lot of success and still somewhere in the ballpark of 2700 fps at 20”. I’m thinking if it was 18” at 1:9 that would be 2 full twists. Wouldn’t than be plenty to stabilize the bullet? I’m not looking to hunt long range with it as almost all of my shots would be 200yards or less. The main reason I’m even considering it is because the 24” barrel with the 7” suppressor = a very unwieldy gun in a tree strand. And I have tons of 7mm mag ammo. So my questions for those smarter than I, would it be dumb to make a 16” or 18” 7mm mag? Would I get full powder burn at that length? I realize there are more efficient 7mm options for shorter barrel length but 7wsm or saum is not really an option for me as I don’t reload and have the 7mm mag on hand. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

 

[FuhQ]

I cut my custom Browning A-Bolt II 7mm RemMag down from 26” to 22.5”. I swapped powders to a slower powder with a better full ratio, Improved my entire load, and now it shoots 2,931 FPS average, with a 3 ES and 1 SD…

 

[calamjn]

I cut my custom Browning A-Bolt II 7mm RemMag down from 26” to 22.5”. I swapped powders to a slower powder with a better full ratio, Improved my entire load, and now it shoots 2,931 FPS average, with a 3 ES and 1 SD…

Awesome! What are your opinions on an 18”? Too short? I’m not really looking for maximum velocity. I’m sure the Barnes TTX doesn’t have more than 2700fps for proper expansion.

 

[FuhQ]

Awesome! What are your opinions on an 18”? Too short? I’m not really looking for maximum velocity. I’m sure the Barnes TTX doesn’t have more than 2700fps for proper expansion.

I’d do tons of research man. I really don’t know much about the low expansion velocities for the Barnes bullets, or the super short barrels for magnums.

 

[lou400a]

So I been toying with the idea of chopping my Tikka T3 barrel down from 24” to somewhere between 16”-20” to use easier with my suppressor. I haven’t really seen too much on it except for for 1 guy on YouTube from New Zealand, but he had a lot of success and still somewhere in the ballpark of 2700 fps at 20”. I’m thinking if it was 18” at 1:9 that would be 2 full twists. Wouldn’t than be plenty to stabilize the bullet? I’m not looking to hunt long range with it as almost all of my shots would be 200yards or less. The main reason I’m even considering it is because the 24” barrel with the 7” suppressor = a very unwieldy gun in a tree strand. And I have tons of 7mm mag ammo. So my questions for those smarter than I, would it be dumb to make a 16” or 18” 7mm mag? Would I get full powder burn at that length? I realize there are more efficient 7mm options for shorter barrel length but 7wsm or saum is not really an option for me as I don’t reload and have the 7mm mag on hand. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Make sure your can is rated for 18” barrel and mag chambering

 

[calamjn]

Make sure your can is rated for 18” barrel and mag chambering

That’s a good point.

 

[xphunter]

So I been toying with the idea of chopping my Tikka T3 barrel down from 24” to somewhere between 16”-20” to use easier with my suppressor. I haven’t really seen too much on it except for for 1 guy on YouTube from New Zealand, but he had a lot of success and still somewhere in the ballpark of 2700 fps at 20”. I’m thinking if it was 18” at 1:9 that would be 2 full twists. Wouldn’t than be plenty to stabilize the bullet? I’m not looking to hunt long range with it as almost all of my shots would be 200yards or less. The main reason I’m even considering it is because the 24” barrel with the 7” suppressor = a very unwieldy gun in a tree strand. And I have tons of 7mm mag ammo. So my questions for those smarter than I, would it be dumb to make a 16” or 18” 7mm mag? Would I get full powder burn at that length? I realize there are more efficient 7mm options for shorter barrel length but 7wsm or saum is not really an option for me as I don’t reload and have the 7mm mag on hand. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

I run a 18" 7mm Dakota (175's and 180's) and a 17" 7mm Rem Mag Improved with 180's. They both shoot fine (no problem with stabilization) past a grand.
It will easily kill way past your 200 yard line.
What bullet weight do you typically use?

 

[xphunter]

Let this answer the powder burn question, since the 7mm Dakota (Similar to a 7mm STW) uses more powder than a 7mmRM.
1000 yards, doing first time drop confirmations.
I mentioned I was going to come down at my first shot at a grand, but changed my mind to confirm with a second shot. Then, I moved it down and shot two more.

Don't worry about powder burn...You are good to go.
Letting a newbie shooter use it past a mile.

 

[DangerRanger]

21” 300prc

215 hybrid @2850

I wouldn’t think twice about a 20” 7mag. Give yourself a realistic velocity with the bullet you’ll use and pop it into AB. If it meets your needs rock and roll. Efficiency is for civics.