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Optimum Length for Barrel

Ferryman

Sergeant
Full Member
Minuteman
Dec 13, 2009
174
1
76
UK
Hi Guy

I am of ordering the barrel for my build, a 300WM.

I was thinking 28"

What length of barrel would you go for?

Build spec

AICS
Left Handed Rem 700 Action (Blue printed)
Holland Recoil Lug
Roedale Brake


I have 2 Standard Rem Triggers in the draw but would like a better trigger with Safety, remember this is a lefty.

Forgot to mention this will be mainly prone shooting.

Thanks
 
Re: Optimum Length for Barrel

I am putting a 30" broughton barrel with a custom brake on my
30-378 right now and am looking at doing some long range hunting with it. So I guess it depends on what you are going to do with it.
 
Re: Optimum Length for Barrel

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Ferryman</div><div class="ubbcode-body">
Forgot to mention this will be mainly prone shooting.
</div></div>

28" will be fine for that.
 
Re: Optimum Length for Barrel

Application lacking from the OP. Prone, yes. Competitive?

Guessing yes.

First, it would pay to check whether muzzle brakes are allowed in the class of competition you anticipate. Usually, they are not.

Shooting an unbraked .300WM can be a dazzling experience. Meaning, you just may come off the line very duly dazzled. Or perhaps, addled.

Unless you're counting on the chambering to deliver 'Fist of God' terminal performance, you may benefit from a diminution of the chambering capacity. A paper target really doesn't care whether the .30 caliber bullet that just nailed it came out of a .300WM or a .308Win; it's just as defeated. But firing forty for score and maybe another ten spotters can rather quickly acquaint one with the fatiguing effects of sustained heavy recoil. Black eyes and blooded noses are not uncommon.

You can get .300WM trajectory performance from a .30-'06, and .30-'06 trajectory performance from a .260 Rem. Both will deliver more energy at the farther downrange distances than the .308.

I had no trouble knocking over the Rams at Whittington with the .260.

A .260 with a 28" barrel would scare hell outta me at 1200yd if I were a restless Taliban.

Greg
 
Re: Optimum Length for Barrel

Hi Greg.
Just for my personal pleasure shooting long range.(no competition)
I will also use it for demonstrating various sighting systems and Lasersights.
I had a left handed 7mm Rem Mag that had sat in the gunsafe for years.
So I decided to rebarrel and turn it into 300WM
it was originaly a FS-ADL
 
Re: Optimum Length for Barrel

OK; I think you're in for some fun.

Some thoughts.

Repeated recoil can be fatiguing, and can induce inaccuracies despite a shooter's best efforts.

The heavier the gun, the longer before fatigue sets in.

The .300WM is very versatile, and does not need to be loaded to full power in order to perform well.

Greg
 
Re: Optimum Length for Barrel

Mine is barreled with a 25" (and threaded, of course).

If you have no need for a can, then 26" or 27" would let you develop some additional velocity with your loads.
 
Re: Optimum Length for Barrel

just to put one more variable into tha mix what about some of tha guys that get a little more lenght so that when the throat starts to erode they can cut barrel down instead of getting whole new barrel , is this feasable on 300winmag , im no expert just wondering if there's anything to this whole cut down thing
 
Re: Optimum Length for Barrel

Ok guys

I have gone with 28"

Will let you know how it performs once the build is finished.

I am sure the rifle will be capable of far better than I am.