Ideal barrel length?
 

What would be your ideal barrel length amongst the following cartridges? how about minimum acceptable?

243win.
25-06
257wby
270win

270wsm
7mm rem.mag.
30-06
300 wsm

General rule of thumb is: 22''-24'' for standard calibers 24''-26'' for magnum calibers. Minimal for standard caliber rifles I believe is 20'' and for magnums the minimum is 24'' but a 26'' is recommended.

What 13 said....................

+1

When I rebarreled my .243 several years ago, I went with 24 inches...

243win. - 24"
25-06 - 26"
257wby - 28"
270win - 24"

270wsm - 26"
7mm rem.mag. - 26"
30-06 - 22"
300 wsm - 26"

Bulls,

Please explain the 22" barrel for a .30-06 ?


Thanks in advance !

Powder capacity vs. bore diameter.

Obviously if you are hand loading to higher pressures and velocity than factory loads, which is easily done, I would use a barrel of 24 inches but not longer.

If you throw in the .308 Win I'd take a 20" barrel all day long.

Read 2 articles recently which I found interesting.

One said the 25-06 really needs a 24" barrel over a 22" to shine.
Noticed browning xbolts are 22" barrels on the 270 & 30-06, but 24" on the 25-06.

The other compared a 257wby in 24" and 26" and amongst factory loads velocities were nearly identical, or less than 30 fps slower in the 24", I think the 2 rifles were the weatherby MKV vs. the vanguard though, so not exactly apples to apples for barrels.

.243: 22 inches
.25-06 24 or 26 inches
257WBY: 26 inches
270win: 24 inches
270WSM: 24 inches
7 mm rem mag: 26 inches
.30-06: 24 inches
300wsm: 26 inches
.338 win mag: 26 inches