Thread: Reloading For short barrels

Since joining the forum, I have begun to notice the shortie version of a normal hunting rifle.

It occurs to me that this might be a fun thing to have, one day.

Reading Ryan's account of his new 270, it occurred to me that I really know nothing about the specifics of reloading for short barrels.

What kind of powder do you use as a general rule, and are there any other things to take into account?

If I got a shortie, It would likely be 308/7mm08/243.

In general you want to use something faster burning than what you would use in a long barrel but there are restrictions to this as you will find pressure earlier with a faster powder, there seem to be some exceptions to this rule such as reloader 17 which seems an excellent powder for most calibers in a short barrel, despite being designed as a powder for large capacity magnum cases

As an example I know a few guys who run 308s and were using the likes of 2208 to run 130gr projectiles in a full length barrel but then went to the slightly faster 2206h with a short barrel and didn't lose a lot of performance

You are trying to balance good burn efficiency and maximize velocity.

As for loads it depends what you want. If you are a sub 300m point and shoot guy then going to a lighter projy (and usually faster powder) to maximise PBR is the way to go.
If you like to turn turrets then you can still load long heavy-ish bullets and just turn a few more clicks

I was assuming that I needed something to shoot effectively to 200m. anything beyond that is a bonus with a short barrel.

16” 308 using 2206h launches 165s out to 500 no probs

Originally Posted by Gibo

16” 308 using 2206h launches 165s out to 500 no probs
Attachment 91052

Yea I was launching 178s out of mine at around 2550fps, good grouping at 450


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Originally Posted by Smiddy

Yea I was launching 178s out of mine at around 2550fps, good grouping at 450


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What barrel length for 178's at 2550?

Originally Posted by Echo

What barrel length for 178's at 2550?

16in


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Originally Posted by Smiddy

16in


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Thanks what powder and grains? (obviously I'd need to start lower)

The best powder for velocity is the best powder for velocity.
Maximum pressure is obtained in the first few inches of barrel.
If you are getting more by going from say 2208 to 2206h you are loading to higher pressures and may as well just up the 2208

Happy to be proved wrong by anyone who can back it up with hard data.

Originally Posted by veitnamcam

The best powder for velocity is the best powder for velocity.
Maximum pressure is obtained in the first few inches of barrel.
If you are getting more by going from say 2208 to 2206h you are loading to higher pressures and may as well just up the 2208

Happy to be proved wrong by anyone who can back it up with hard data.

Might give it a go, got some in the shed somewhere

Originally Posted by veitnamcam

The best powder for velocity is the best powder for velocity.
Maximum pressure is obtained in the first few inches of barrel.
If you are getting more by going from say 2208 to 2206h you are loading to higher pressures and may as well just up the 2208

Happy to be proved wrong by anyone who can back it up with hard data.

Good luck mate, but the idea that you benefit from a faster powder in shorter barrel is ingrained in many and, in general, humans are hard to shift from their initial belief. Much like caliber vs cartridge.

Originally Posted by veitnamcam

The best powder for velocity is the best powder for velocity.
Maximum pressure is obtained in the first few inches of barrel.
If you are getting more by going from say 2208 to 2206h you are loading to higher pressures and may as well just up the 2208

Happy to be proved wrong by anyone who can back it up with hard data.

I agree with you Cam, I think however that you can get a more efficient load by going to a slightly faster powder.

For example a load that is tailored to a 24” barrel that gets almost a complete burn will likely throw a lot of unburned powder out the end of a 16” barrel, which could be quite hard on a suppressor as it will likely ignite in the suppressor.
A lower charge of faster powder would possibly give you the same initial pressure and similar MV while not wasting as much out the front and being kinder to the suppressor.


I have no data to back this up but would seem logical? Happy to be corrected though!

Originally Posted by Spudattack

I agree with you Cam, I think however that you can get a more efficient load by going to a slightly faster powder.

For example a load that is tailored to a 24” barrel that gets almost a complete burn will likely throw a lot of unburned powder out the end of a 16” barrel, which could be quite hard on a suppressor as it will likely ignite in the suppressor.

That scenario is something I'd prefer to avoid.

I'd rather have a milder load, sacrifice a few fps and have a lower mpbr with a powder that has burned out in a short length of barrel, than turn it into a flame thrower.

Then again...my sense of humour begs to differ with my desire to avoid a fried suppressor.

(Kind of like a "Malcom In the Middle" episode when Malcom throws his lunch box into a bark chipper. It comes out in a shower of blue plastic.
His fathers reaction:" MALCOM !! .....actually that was kinda cool " )