Couldn't Resist Just One New Addition At The Show Today, Blame deepwater

[billt]

16" is way too short for that round.  I would not go under 20.

+1

I'm seeing a lot of overly short tactical rifles. It's the new craze. An 18" .308 gives up way too much performance for not much more handiness. When you go below 20" in barrel length you really start to lose velocity. It really adds up when you start getting out to the longer ranges of 500 yards and beyond. Weatherby supplies their rifles with 26" barrels. They do it because that length of barrel extracts the most performance from all of the new, modern slow burning powders that are avaliable. There is even a new market for these factory, "magnumized", high performance rounds that are becoming more and more avaliable from outfits like Hornady, Nosler, and Federal. To buy this type of high performance ammunition and shoot it through a sub 20" barreled rifle is like driving a Z-06 Corvette with the parking brake on.  Bill T.

[PegLeg45]

I think it all depends on the purpose and need for the rifle when it come to barrel length. A good friend (and long range rifle competitor) has several purpose-built .308 rifles. He had a few spare components and wanted a good hog killing gun for use in a ground blind (it was also a chance just to screw around with spare parts). He took a Remington action and a spare heavy barrel and cut it down to 16 1/2" so it would swing well inside the blind. It turned out to be one of his best shooting rifles. It is a tack-driver out to 300 yards, which is well beyond hog shooting range in the area he is shooting in. There was some velocity loss (I don't have the numbers handy) but not enough to dampen the effectiveness on a hog.

That being said, my personal preference would be in the 22-24" range and no shorter than 20....but that's just my opinion, without the grain of salt.

 

[twyacht]

I already have a "sporterized" 1891 Argentine Mauser 7.65x54 cut down and re-crowned by my Grandfather, it is fine the way it is. MB and I wish it were original again, as he has one also in the "Secret Bunker", but alas, that is another post..

This one I'll just leave alone, (makes a walking stick too, with steel buttplate  ).

I went not really looking for anything to buy, although, Winchester Ranger, 12g Low Recoil, Ranger 00Buck, was cheap...had to get some more,... Never have enough.... Bought 100 rds. 230gr. 45ACP FMJ, from Georgia Arms for $25.00, and actually haggled and won a box of prvi-partisan Mauser 174gr SP's, for $15.00 for 20rds.

But this one Moisin cried out,... "Take Me Home".....So....

IMHO, no point cutting this one down.

[shooter32]

Well done tw, another great addition no matter who's to blame! 

[MAUSERMAN]

I like the fact you can buy  cheap yet effect surplus fireams and ammo. I started out with Mauser rifles then Enfields a few SKS's and now Mosin Nagants. Its something you can do without jumping through like the CMP makes us do, if U.S. surplus rifles were like this I think we'd all have a few more toys to share.

[Sponsor]

[billt]

I like the fact you can buy  cheap yet effect surplus fireams and ammo. I started out with Mauser rifles then Enfields a few SKS's and now Mosin Nagants. Its something you can do without jumping through like the CMP makes us do, if U.S. surplus rifles were like this I think we'd all have a few more toys to share.

Excellent point. I tried to buy 3 Garands from the CMP last year and after 3 months they cancelled my order after I jumped through all of their "hoops". They are far too bureaucratic, and simply too much of a pain in the a$$ to deal with. Never again. I just wonder how long it will be before they manage to screw up C&R purchases?  Bill T.

[Hazcat]

Excellent point. I tried to buy 3 Garands from the CMP last year and after 3 months they cancelled my order after I jumped through all of their "hoops". They are far too bureaucratic, and simply too much of a pain in the a$$ to deal with. Never again. I just wonder how long it will be before they manage to screw up C&R purchases?  Bill T.

Bite your tongue!

[david86440]

16" is way too short for that round.  I would not go under 20.

I have a Mosin that I shortened to 17" and I thought it was the cats meow until I made one at 21". At 200 yards it was dead on.

Also the 21" balances better than my 17" but it may have to do with the stocks I used. One is wood, the 21" is synthetic.

Beyond 200 yards I have my sniper Mosin!

[billt]

I have a Mosin that I shortened to 17"

YEAH, BABY ! The "Riverboat Gambler" Mosin!   Bill T.

[fightingquaker13]

YEAH, BABY ! The "Riverboat Gambler" Mosin!   Bill T.

Finally, a left handed model!
FQ13