Questions for people with ~18 inch 308s

[lonely_wolf]

I have a 20 inch Rem 5R 308 that I am very fond of. It is all factory spec. I don't find it too loud and the recoil is fine.

I recently came into possession of a second Rem 5R 308. I'm thinking about cutting it to 18.5 inches. I've read a lot about SBR's on the site and even asked a few questions in the past. Velocity and range are not a concern. I have not found any information about how recoil and noise are influenced by barrel length.

I would appreciate hearing the experiences of anyone running 18.5 308's. Will I notice a difference in recoil or noise compared to a 20 inch barrel? Will muzzle flash significantly increase?

Keep in mind suppressors are illegal where I live. I also won't be using a muzzle break.

 

[Qld4390]

Re: Questions for people with ~18 inch 308s

Can't speak for 18" barrels, but I am currently running a 16" 308. The recoil isn't any more harsh than my 20" 308, but it is louder, much louder. It also pukes out a fireball like you wouldn't believe. You said that velocities and range wasn't a concern, but I just chronographed a load of 168SMK's at 2600 fps, and I've taken factory Federal GMM out to 800 without problems. That being said, you shouldn't have any issues with 18.

 

[Will Fennell]

Re: Questions for people with ~18 inch 308s

I just had APA put together a 18" barreled 308 bolt gun, in anticipation of taking delivery of my first suppressor. I love the rifle, but if I wasn't going to be screwing a "can" on the end, I would have left a few more inches on the end of the gun.....probably 20", mainly to move the blast out further from my face.

 

[vtb]

Re: Questions for people with ~18 inch 308s

was: 20" rem XCR no muzzle break - small recoil, huge front blast, can shoot without hear protection.

now: 18.5" with AAC Blackout 51T brake - smaller recooil, not so huge front blast, but without hear protection you'll be deaf.

 

[HPLLC]

Re: Questions for people with ~18 inch 308s

What kind of velocity are you guys getting out of 175 grain SMK's with the 18" barrels?

 

[lonely_wolf]

Re: Questions for people with ~18 inch 308s

VTB- That’s why I don’t like breaks. They are fine at the range where I have plugs and muffs, but in the field they are not so pleasant.

Qld4390 & Will Fennell- Thank you for sharing your experiences. Fennell, my thoughts are running similar to yours. I can’t use a suppressor so I’m wondering if the ‘portability’ of a missing 1.5 inches is worth the potentially increased noise and recoil. I can go either way. If there is a negligible difference, 18.5 it will be.

Also, if muzzle blast/ fire ball is going to be big then I will add a flashhider to the 18.5, but then I’m back around 20. I might as well just have a 20 inch barrel in that case, as I don’t find my current 20 that bad for blast… (?)

Hoping to get more people to chime in…

Griffin- It’s not my intention to be rude, but please stay on topic. Velocity from short barrels has been discussed plenty. Perform a search and you will find a wealth of information.

 

[redbullitt]

Re: Questions for people with ~18 inch 308s

I am running a 19inch barrel savage.

2550fps with 175 smk is pretty normal here.

2600fps with the same load from a 21 inch Douglas

 

[stretch1934]

Re: Questions for people with ~18 inch 308s

I have an 18" on my tango 51 and a 20" on my LTR that I cut to 19" and added a VAIS break. Can't say there is any recoil increase on 20" vs 18". Don't really notice much difference in blast either.

 

[HPLLC]

Re: Questions for people with ~18 inch 308s

Thanks for the velocity. I'm cutting my AR10 to 18".

To get back to topic, I've shot 16" guns and they are very loud, and I've shot the 20" SR 25, 21" M14 and 24" M24. The M24 is pretty tame. The M14 isn't bad, nor is the SR25 20". The 16" .308 gun had a sound like a .300win mag. It was very loud.

I don't know where 18.5" stacks up. That someone else will have to answer, but if you are concerned about sound, buying a sound suppressor is the way to effect real change there.

My 20" bolt I never fired without the suppressor that I can recall. With the can, it was comfortable with no ear protection at ~133DB at the ear. The can of course killed recoil and muzzle rise too, and the gun grouped 5/8MOA (5 rounds @ 200 yards.

 

[angsniper]

Re: Questions for people with ~18 inch 308s

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Griffin Armament</div><div class="ubbcode-body">What kind of velocity are you guys getting out of 175 grain SMK's with the 18" barrels? </div></div>

I'm running an 18.5" Krieger on an LR308. With issue M118LR I get 2572 fps and 2600 with 175 SMK handloads. With issued M118SB I get 2525fps.
I get approx. 30 fps faster running a can.

 

[redbullitt]

Re: Questions for people with ~18 inch 308s

Forgot to list the gas gun and truck gun.

With that same load of varget and 175 smk I am seeing about 2560fps out of a 20 inch ar10...

Again, same load of varget and 175 smk, 16 inch barrel Ruger scout rifle is seeing 2480fps.

Hope it helps a bit even though none of them are 18 lol.

 

[Malcky]

Re: Questions for people with ~18 inch 308s

as the blast is a few inches closer to your face, You'll notice a difference in noise, recoil not much and as for muzzle flash, a bit more than your used to as the powder hasn't burnt just as well! why not use a brake? make a 308 feel like a 223!

 

[j-newton]

Re: Questions for people with ~18 inch 308s

just a bit more noise because of its closer. but not bad

 

[USMC_LB]

Re: Questions for people with ~18 inch 308s

What advantage would you gain from going from 20" to 18.5" ?

Making it short for a suppressor I can understand.

LB

 

[pshell]

Re: Questions for people with ~18 inch 308s

I have a 18.5'' barrel on my M700 and I think you will love it. It's louder than a 24'' PSS , but the recoil is the same.
The benefit of having a short gun really come to light after you have lived with it a while. Everything is easier; moving through the woods, in structures, around obstacles, transporting your rifle, getting in and out of vehicles. I could probably go on. I have given up nothing capabilities wise, only gained.
I really don't have anything to compare the noise to. It's not as bad as shooting a real SBR. Compared to 10.3'' M4, it's tame. No sting on the face or anything like that. I don't think you will be sorry.

 

[lonely_wolf]

Re: Questions for people with ~18 inch 308s

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: USMC LB</div><div class="ubbcode-body">What advantage would you gain from going from 20" to 18.5" ? Making it short for a suppressor I can understand.</div></div>

That's the logic that made me chicken out of a 18 cut last time.

 

[flyrodder]

Re: Questions for people with ~18 inch 308s

I shoot one .308 with a 18.5" barrel w/ a YHM Phantom QD flash hider, sometimes with the can, and sometimes without. I shoot two other .308s with 24 barrels but almost always suppressed. I also shoot a couple of .270s with 22" and 24" barrels and an '06 with 24" barrel and none of those have any muzzle devices at all. I always wear hearing protection if I'm not shooting with a can. I don't notice a significant difference, other than what one would expect from catridge changes, in noise or recoil other than suppressed vs. unsuppressed.

 

[lonely_wolf]

Re: Questions for people with ~18 inch 308s

Thanks for all the replies. I'm going to stay with 20. The differences seem to be minimal, so I'm not going to change what already works for me.

 

[bchibb]

Re: Questions for people with ~18 inch 308s

I have an 18" XM3 and with a surefire brake and the recoil is no different, however it is louder. Make that an 18.5"