Barrel length mid size game hunting - 20 - 22"?

[Duke55]

Looking at a new deer rifle, the candidates so far are:
Browning X bolt or Browning AB III
Tikka T3X
Winchester M 70 featherweight
~ looking at 308, to partner with the 300 wm

Would one see much difference shooting between a 20" or 22" barrel? This would be primarily a hunting rifle, bush and 100-300 yd shots typically in the Alberta forests/hay fields

thanks all

 

[darkangel_r2]

50ish FPS faster with 22". The animal will never tell the difference. I'd go with 20", lighter, handier, and a little stiffer barrel if same profile. At 300 the drop difference will be minimal. I like the tikka for a hunting gun.

 

[Toptom]

I have a 20 inch 308 on a bighorn origin and really like it. For out to 300 yards which is as far as I’d ever get a shot with where I hunt I wouldn’t have gained anything with 22 inch. My vote would be the Winchester 70, I am a big Winchester fan like everyone else in my family. All of our model 70s have always shot good for us.

 

[Duke55]

I have a 20 inch 308 on a bighorn origin and really like it. For out to 300 yards which is as far as I’d ever get a shot with where I hunt I wouldn’t have gained anything with 22 inch. My vote would be the Winchester 70, I am a big Winchester fan like everyone else in my family. All of our model 70s have always shot good for us.

what type optics do you have on your 308? I just acquired a Bushnell elite 3200 4-12 in trade so was thinking of that over a Leupold 3-9

 

[284winner]

Looking at a new deer rifle, the candidates so far are:
Browning X bolt or Browning AB III
Tikka T3X
Winchester M 70 featherweight
~ looking at 308, to partner with the 300 wm

Would one see much difference shooting between a 20" or 22" barrel? This would be primarily a hunting rifle, bush and 100-300 yd shots typically in the Alberta forests/hay fields

thanks all

Doubt it's even close to 50fps. More like 22-25 fps per inch of barrel loss. The heavier the bullet, the less loss seen per inch. Light bullets for caliber may see 30-40. 20-25 for heavy for caliber. This has been my experience. I chopped off 4" from my 26" .308 win barrel. Started out with 2880 fps with 168s. Now that number is 2790. I lost 90fps losing 4" of barrel. I can live with that very easily. That number changes with the cartridge. Faster cartridges lose more obviously.

 

[Toptom]

what type optics do you have on your 308? I just acquired a Bushnell elite 3200 4-12 in trade so was thinking of that over a Leupold 3-9

On that particular 308 I put a Burris fullfield 4.5x14 on it. It is first Burris I have had and for the price it is quite nice. That bushnell elite would suit you really well and they were know for being good scopes. We had a few of the elites years ago on groundhog guns in the 6x24 and always liked them. Also in my eyes can’t ever go wrong with few extra magnifications even for deer in case you ever need it.

 

[284winner]

On that particular 308 I put a Burris fullfield 4.5x14 on it. It is first Burris I have had and for the price it is quite nice. That bushnell elite would suit you really well and they were know for being good scopes. We had a few of the elites years ago on groundhog guns in the 6x24 and always liked them. Also in my eyes can’t ever go wrong with few extra magnifications even for deer in case you ever need it.

It's my experience that the quality of the optic is as or more important than the magnification. I say that because I have some 6-24s and 8-32s that aren't real great glass and even at higher power, the images aren't real clear. I have some 4.5-14 and 3-15 Leupold's that at the highest magnification which are about half of the other scopes give me much better picture quality and allow me to shoot further more accurately from the better quality glass. The 14-16 power scope will work easily at 1200 yards on ground hogs let alone deer if the scope has real good glass.

 

[Duke55]

It's my experience that the quality of the optic is as or more important than the magnification. I say that because I have some 6-24s and 8-32s that aren't real great glass and even at higher power, the images aren't real clear. I have some 4.5-14 and 3-15 Leupold's that at the highest magnification which are about half of the other scopes give me much better picture quality and allow me to shoot further more accurately from the better quality glass. The 14-16 power scope will work easily at 1200 yards on ground hogs let alone deer if the scope has real good glass.

I agree 100% - quality of optics is the most important part of hunting...scopes and binos

 

[Toptom]

It's my experience that the quality of the optic is as or more important than the magnification. I say that because I have some 6-24s and 8-32s that aren't real great glass and even at higher power, the images aren't real clear. I have some 4.5-14 and 3-15 Leupold's that at the highest magnification which are about half of the other scopes give me much better picture quality and allow me to shoot further more accurately from the better quality glass. The 14-16 power scope will work easily at 1200 yards on ground hogs let alone deer if the scope has real good glass.

Ya I can agree with that I have vx5hd on other guns and a Swarovski z5 on a 243. There is no comparison in the deer woods on clarity and light gathering capabilities early in morning. Also just over the years I have bought cheaper price as such Burris and bushnell and have been happy with them at the lower cost for my needs in the pa woods or groundhog fields.

 

[284winner]

Ya I can agree with that I have vx5hd on other guns and a Swarovski z5 on a 243. There is no comparison in the deer woods on clarity and light gathering capabilities early in morning. Also just over the years I have bought cheaper price as such Burris and bushnell and have been happy with them at the lower cost for my needs in the pa woods or groundhog fields.

We shoot ground hogs in Ohio at extreme ranges. Extreme in my case anyway. We use the Leupold Mark IV scopes in 4.5-14 and 6.5-20 usually. Since the last trip I purchased a couple VX5HD scopes. One in 3-15 and the other 4-20. Both superior glass optics IMO. Better clarity than the Mark IV. Not sure about there durability but that's not an issue for those shoots. 14 power gets us on ground hogs easily. Duplex crosshairs dead center mass doesn't cover the entire body at 1000 yards That's the difference between good quality and decent. I'm sure any scope will do in the whitetail woods where 300 yard shots are the furthest but for small animals at those ranges, better glass is the ticket. Hard to argue with Swarovski glass.

 

[B23]

For me, of those three choices the Tikka would be the only choice. Whether you go 20 or 22 doubt you'll notice any difference in either so pick whichever one appeals to you the most and go for it.

Also, sometimes the shorter barreled model Tikka's are a little harder to find so if you find one with a longer barrel and it's not fluted you can have it cut down to whatever length suits you.

 

[HandgunHTR]

I will vote for the 20" barrel as well. In the past 3 years, I have built 3 short action rifles. A 7-08AI (20") barrel, a 260 (20" barrel) and a 7TCU (18" barrel). I use suppressors so having the shorter barrel is great. But, even when shooting without a suppressor, I really like how the shorter barrels handle. As for loss of velocity, I have taken game out to 380 yards with the 7-08AI and shot steel out to 600 yards with the 260. No problems at all. While the longest shot with the TCU has been 90 yards, I have no problem taking a 200 yard shot with that one too. In fact the deer in my avatar was taken with the TCU.

 

[HTSmith]

So less velocity, more muzzle blast, and harder to hold steady are good things?

 

[john 800]

I could go either way on a 20 or 22 with a 308, with a slight preference to a 20. but one thing i do not like is a short action rifle that is not a short action. The tikka is built that way I believe, someone correct me if i am wrong. It’s probably only a few ounces and a fraction of an inch but if i am going to carry the same action around you may as well shoot a 3006. Some may say i am splitting hairs and they are not wrong but that always bugged me. I think tikka builds a very nice rifle other than that.

 

[pintopete]

Below are notes that I made when contemplating replacing the barrel on a 6.5x55 military Sporter that has a barrel cut to 17-1/2” and unfortunately a very poor bore. I know the OP was leaning towards a .308. I’m sure a similar comparison could be done for it.

“Replace with 22-24” barrel. Velocity difference from 26” to 23” is only 70fps with 140gr bullet, 64fps with 130gr bullet. The existing 17-1/2” barrel gives up 187-202fps with 140gr bullet, 194-208fps with 130gr bullet.”

I’m uncertain how much difference 200fps will make on a whitetail. Could be noticeable.

 

[choprzrul]

The Browning XBolt Long Range rifles come with a heavier barrel than their Sporter versions, albeit at 26” in length. I bought one in 30-06 with cheap black plastic stock.

I had the barrel cut down to 22” and threaded for a Little Bastard brake, set it in an At-One stock with the factory pillar that was then bedded, added an Mcarbo trigger spring and a VX3HD and went deer hunting with it this year. Hovers right over 1/2 MOA

 

[CharlieNC]

I have seen my buddy and several other guys shooting Rem Milspec 5R, and all have been great shooters in 308 out to 1200yd. One of the best factory jobs I have seen. I also like my old Tikka, smooth as silk.

 

[South Paw Sammy]

20 or 22 it’s six in one hand and half a dozen in the other. Either way you’ll be just fine for what you are wanting to do with it. Get what your comfortable with and what gives you confidence.

 

[ZenArchery]

2” in a .308 for 300 yard hunting. Get 20”. I’d build even smaller if hiking around with this set up.

 

[howl]

Little more weight out front hangs better for field shooting and longer barrel allows milder report. Im faster with short action carbine, but surer with long action, magnum contour rifle.

Tikka cycles smoother because it supports more of the bolt. Winchester cycles not as well. XBolt needs trigger spring.

Hard to call between XBolt and Tikka. I'd go with what matched other rifles I already have