Thread: Barrel length

I had a 16" 243 and i still got 3020fps with 85/87gr bullets, it was around 3200fps when it was a 22"

In the thick shit it doesn't matter how fast a shortened 243 goes, it's still a 243.
Unless your only hunting Fallow in the Blue Mountains or similar, I'd look at exchanging the least favoured 243 for a 308.

Shptyened my mates 243 to 16"and suppressed it great bail gun and still perfect to shoot 200-250 easy and he's got his 22" 708 for more range good combo

Another mate runs a 18" 243 for most general hunting out to 350-400 no issues and has a heavier 26" one that he has pushed out to 700 on light game

Gunwerks podcast in the states do a good episode on barrel length. worth a listen. They do talk about their rifles a bit but there is alot of relevant information.

I see you’re in the hawkes bay so you probably have fun in that front country scrub around the kawekas. If you genuinely drag yourself through bush and scrub on the regular then just chop it and forget the rest. Everyone’s hunting persona’s are different due to the style of hunting they prefer or the terrain they favour using, as a result opinions on setups vary.

I have a 28 inch barreled gun, used only for target shooting. I cannot imagine taking it all round the hills. Be heavy and awkward. Is it accurate, yes and it has plenty of clout but definitely awkward

All my other guns are shortened. Longest is 20 inch 300WSM and shortest currently is a 308 @ 16 inches. I shoot heavy for calibre projectiles generally I would have no issues with carrying a suppressed 10 inch 308 if I could find a regular stock with a shortened forend.
Yes you will lose energy with a short barrel (180gn Amax @ 2073 out of a 10 inch barrel holds over 1000ft/lb energy to 350m) but again the reality is if it will do the job well then........................................ its really down to your particular use.


For what they get used for shorter is better and if I am honest all the deer I have shot in last few years are closer than 350m. All have either been in the bush or on the edge of it.

A short light handy rifle is much easier to maneuver virtually everywhere and lets face it carrying it is what you will be doing mostly.

If you only hint the tops or open ground then a longer barrel would /maybe more sensible but its a personal choice

Originally Posted by mikee

I have a 28 inch barreled gun, used only for target shooting. I cannot imagine taking it all round the hills. Be heavy and awkward. Is it accurate, yes and it has plenty of clout but definitely awkward

All my other guns are shortened. Longest is 20 inch 300WSM and shortest currently is a 308 @ 16 inches. I shoot heavy for calibre projectiles generally I would have no issues with carrying a suppressed 10 inch 308 if I could find a regular stock with a shortened forend.
Yes you will lose energy with a short barrel (180gn Amax @ 2073 out of a 10 inch barrel holds over 1000ft/lb energy to 350m) but again the reality is if it will do the job well then........................................ its really down to your particular use.


For what they get used for shorter is better and if I am honest all the deer I have shot in last few years are closer than 350m. All have either been in the bush or on the edge of it.

A short light handy rifle is much easier to maneuver virtually everywhere and lets face it carrying it is what you will be doing mostly.

If you only hint the tops or open ground then a longer barrel would /maybe more sensible but its a personal choice

I use the LSS chassis for my little 308s, smallest being 10 inches, although optimum without losing too much velocity without going to crazy fast burning powders is 13 inches. The latest 13 inch got to 2750fps with 150s, which is perfectly fine for well, anything really.

The 10 inch gets the 150s to just over 2550fps. Rem700 action, trueflite ultramatch, with a Sightron s3 6-24x50 sits at 3.2kg.

Yeah I'm in the shorten it category. If my 16" barrel .223 can kill deer fine at 250 yards with minimal energy then I think any larger caliber will be fine.
I think matching the projectile to the range you're shooting is far more important.
I also purchased a .243 last week and after putting 10 rounds through it to make sure it was shooting fine it got cut to 18". 18" seems to be a good happy medium for velocity loss. Shot 5 Red stags with it so far and none have made it further than where they were standing, out to 250 yards.
Approximately 40fps per inch as seen here:
https://rifleshooter.com/2016/04/243...h-on-velocity/

Thanks for all the comments. I think I'll chop it to 20 and see how it goes... I have access to a machine shop so not a drama to chop more at a later date.

enjoy it....dont overthink it and have fun.

Haven't noticed my 18 inch barrelled .223 not killing deer, which makes every other cartridge/barrel length question seem ludicrous. Anything works, chop it down

Originally Posted by gimp

Haven't noticed my 18 inch barrelled .223 not killing deer, which makes every other cartridge/barrel length question seem ludicrous. Anything works, chop it down

Amen. My 260 is currently 19” but i’m gonna take her back to 18” with a new suppressor just because short is just so much nicer to hunt with and when I miss it’s never the fault of my barrel length..

[QUOTE and when I miss it’s never the fault of my barrel length..[/QUOTE]

Great comment stagstalker!