Barrel length is strictly a compromise. What is your goal?? Velocity?? Ease of handling?? You have to establish your parameters before you determine your barrel length. For me I have two types of Varmint rigs. I have fixed position rigs and fast handling rigs. On my fixed position rigs I prefer a 28 inch heavy barrel. For quick handlling I prefer my 20 inch barrel. So how will you be using it??

I also GH hunt in SW PA. I washunting with my RR Varminter last year when a State Trooper came along. We talked for about 20 minutes, and I gave him a cold Pepsi(thank goodness). Before he left he told me to put my AR back in my truck.He said he could have arrested me, but he thought I was a nice guy. So he warned me about the AR being illegal in the GH field. I got lucky on that one.

By the way the barrel length on my RR is 20". It is one fast handling son of a gun. Tom.