30 caliber rifles

[GSP4EVER]

So, not to long ago I decided to get out of the 270. I sold the rifle, ammo and reloading components. The rifle I will use at least this year for a couple of days is a Remington 700 VTR .308 Win. I like this rifle and it gives me pretty decent accuracy. This rifle has a 22" barrel and 20 of that is rifled and 2" is muzzle break. I come to you guys (and gals) to pick some brains. I think I want a rifle with a longer barrel maybe 24-26" range. I should probably search and find out how much of an increase in velocity I will have with a longer barrel. So if your only choice of a rifle was a 30 caliber bullet, and 308 or 30.06 is the direction I am thinking, what would you choose and why?

Other calibers don't interest me at the moment. One of the reasons for getting rid of the 270 was I was running out of room for supplies for hand loading. Now with the 308 or 30 06 I already have the bullets. I don't need to go buy another calibers bullets. I have bullets in the drawer that I couldn't find a good load for in the VTR. If I had an 06 or a different 308, I could use them in a different rifle. On the other hand, if I stayed with the same caliber, I already have more 308 brass than I need. I would need to start getting 06 brass, dies so on and so forth. The first thing I need to do is figure out if there is any benefit to having a few more inches. What do you guys think.

If I am to buy another rifle, I ill probably go with Howa or Savage and it will probably be .06 or 308. Unles you guys have other 30 caliber suggestions. My 270 was a Howa and I wouldn't think twice about getting another one and I also have a couple of Savages with accutriggers (243 and 223). Other than paper whitetails are the main game. I am hoping to get out west someday for elk and pronghorn,

 

[1_pointer]

You'll probably gain around 25fps for every 1/2" of barrel. I doubt you'd be able to notice the difference in the field and I doubly doubt the critters would notice.

I wouldn't buy another rifle, I would get an custom barrel put on the one you have now at the length you want! If you really are unsure of what length, go longer as you can always trim some off, but stretching them longer is VERY hard.

 

[noharleyyet]

30-06 would marry nicely with your action if you go pointer's suggestion. 24" un braked.

 

[mtmuley]

I've always wanted a 26 inch barreled .30-06 to shoot 165-168 grain bullets. mtmuley

 

[Bambistew]

I know I read an "experiment" done on cutting the barrel on a 308, one inch at a time and determining velocity loss. It may have been a 223, but I'm 99% sure it was a 308. I thought it was Accuratereloading, but I couldn't find it. From what I remember, they started with like a 28-30" barrel, cut one inch at a time, down to like 10". They used 3-4 different loads and chronyed each section.

The consensus as I recall was that some loads lost about 20fps per inch while some lost 5-10 between the standard lenght barrels, 26-20".

Personally, I like a 22" barrel, on a short action, a bit shorter or longer wouldn't hurt/help.

I've grown pretty partial to the 308 as of late, been shooting 243s, and 260's for a a long time,but never owned a 308 until recently. I could never warm to the 30-06, more so due to bad experiences with it elk hunting in years past than anything else, then comparing those experiences to a 7rem mag. I think I own about ever child of the '06 family sans the 25-06, and love the performance of all of them, still own an '06 but haven't hunted it it in 15 years. Performance wise the '06 is capable of about anything you want to hunt, and really not much of a gain over the 308, at least not any appreciable difference.

If just to tinker, I'd get a new/longer barrel and see how you like it. You can pick up a new take off barrel on eBay for $40-50.

Good luck and have fun.

 

[sbhooper]

The .308 does not gain enough with a long barrel to make it worth having the extra weight etc. About 22 inches is all you need. The .308 is a very efficient cartridge and works well in short barrels. With 45 grains of Varget behind a 165 Interlock, I get around 2600 fps from an 18-inch barrel. A long barrel would probably push it up around 2800, but it would also make the rifle a lot more cumbersome. I would like to go to a 22-inch, though.

 

[GSP4EVER]

I really wasn't thinking about changing barrels on the VTR. I bought it because I thought it looked neat with the triangle barrel. It is accurate though. Maybe I am making something out of nothing too. I do appreciate the info though. Sometimes its nice to speak to a crowd of regular guys instead of asking these questions to a salesman. Kinda like the one time I asked the "reloading expert" at a store and asked about bullet weights for the 308 and the 1:12" twist barrel I have. He said that a twist rate doesn't really matter. I asked how come twist rates matter so much for other caliber (223) then. He then went to try and sell me a different caliber rifle.

Some of the reading I was doing since posting this has suggested that the shorter barrels for the 308 is the best. The VTR is a little heavy (11 pounds with scope and bipod) but I can get used to it. Maybe after "thinking out loud" here, I don't need to get another rifle or bolt action anyway. Take my money and get that 35 rem lever gun Ive had my eye on.

 

[jryoung]

11lbs is a load for a hunting rifle, id much prefer to carry something in the 7lb range which is easy with a 308 and a 20-22inch tube.

 

[ccc23454]

308-just as good with short barrel. The 06 to me isn't a big enough difference to justify a new gun, if you did say you needed a light weight carry rifle it would work but 24" Max of barrel. If you want to see some 308 improvements (u do reload) move up to a mag (I am weatherby guy) but a 300 win is a great rifle that will give you endless options for bullets and velocity in a 30 Cal.

CCC

 

[Gunner46]

In my experience published volicities by ammo manufactures are to be viewed with a suspect eye. Popular specs for a 180 gr out of a 30/06 claim 2700 fps, out of a 24" test barrel. The best I could ever confirm on a chronograph was around 2600 fps out of a 22" barrel.

A .308 180 is usually published at around 2550fps, again out of a 24" barrel, but I'm able to get that +25 fps from a standard box of Win 180 semi spritzers. This out of my Rem 600 with an 18 1/2" barrel !

Each rifle and ammo combo will give you surprisingly different results.

If you have a 308 that shoots to satisfaction....just stay with it. I've been carrying one for over 40 yrs.

 

[danr55]

I believe the experiement with the .308 wa sdone by Layne Simpson and they found that you lost velocity going up or down from 22". 22" is the ideal lenght for the bore to chamber capacity ratio.

 

[GSP4EVER]

Update: I did sell the Remington VTR and went with a Browning BLR 308. This gun was my dads and was only fired a handful of time in the last 15 years, so I jumped on it when he offered it up for sale and gave me first option. We will see how she performs when I hit the woods this weekend for MN whitetail.

I still want an 30-06 but I am thinking I want a semi auto. I am really looking hard at the Browning LongTrac BAR. Any of you shooting this rifle. I will probably hunt with it, as I am planning on coming out west in the next couple of years, but its mostly something I want which is good enough reason for me to grab some overtime.

 

[sbhooper]

The BLR is a good rifle as long as you shoot it enough to get used to the long trigger/hammer fall. My .243 was a sub-minute shooter.

If you buy a new rifle, I think that you will be much happier with a bolt rifle than a semi-auto. The bolt rifles will generally be lighter, easier to clean and usually a bit more accurate. Auto rifles can give you more feeding problems when hunting in bad weather.

That BLR will do everything that you want out west, anyway. I would load it with 165 Partitions and go hunting!

 

[HSi-ESi]

The BLR is a good rifle as long as you shoot it enough to get used to the long trigger/hammer fall. My .243 was a sub-minute shooter.

This for sure - the long trigger takes a little getting used to.

Also - get a set of small-base dies since it sounds like you'll be reloading this. I've been reloading for my BLR81 in .308 since I was 12. You can have some feeding issues if you don't use the small base dies.

Also, mine doesn't really like the 165 gr Partitions. I've always shot 150 gr Partitions with it.

 

[GSP4EVER]

Thanks guys. I had about 60 rounds loaded for the VTR that I ran through the BLR. They grouped ok but I didnt really expect them to since they werent made for this rifle. I also put about 40 rounds Federal Fusion through it for the upcoming hunt so I know what to expect from it.

I will be loadinf for it. Ill have to see what I have for dies. I bought the Lee 3 die Full length set. Out of those 60 loaded rounds, I had two that I dismantled because the bolt wouldnt close fully. I have 150 grain Hornady Interlock and SST and some 165 grain Nosler Ballistic tips. We will see what the weather holds for this winter but either way Ill be building some ladder test loads.

I am also looking at a bolt action. A friend of mine let me shoot her 25-06 XBolt and that is a sweet shooter. But I havent decided on caliber. Maybe this should be my 30-06 that I want.

 

[GKimPrice]

one "beauty" of the 308 is that you can get away with shooting (read carrying) a lighter weight gun - 308/165 is a very nice combo