One of my rifles , and the one I probably use the most, isa Remington Model 7 in 7mm-08. It has a 20" barrel on it and I love it. It is light, handy, and easy to carry. It is manuverable in a box stand or in a tree stand. It points well, and has all the knock down power you need. The extra 3 " would only yield around 120 FPS, and if you are overly concerned about that aspect, just shoot Hornady light mag ammo. You will more than make up the difference, and still have the benefits of a short barrel.

I also have a Ruger M77 Compact and it has a 16 1/2 in barrel. I love the gun, and it shoots well, but that barrel is almost too short. The barrel tends to jump a bit, and there is a little percussion and muzzle blast effects around the shooter, but as far as killing ability goes, even that short of a barrel does a really good job. BTW , that one is a .243 cal.

And if you are still not sure it is adquate, look at all of the hand cannons with a 10, 12 , 14, or 15 " barrel such as the TC Encores. They take tons of game and have power to spare. More than anything, I believe the keys are bullet construction ( type / brand of bullet ) and shot placement.

Hope this helps.

God Bless