22" vs 24" velocity
- Thread starter Sqdqo
- Start date
I've known of 1 person who cut a 24" 300 WSM down to 22". He lost 70 fps after the cut. The 300 WM starts out with about 50 fps advatage anyway, so you'd be looking at about 100-150 fps difference.
If you want a lightweight look at the Kimber in 300 WSM. You get the 24" barrel which will all but equal a 300 WM, but in a 6 lb rifle.
If you want a lightweight look at the Kimber in 300 WSM. You get the 24" barrel which will all but equal a 300 WM, but in a 6 lb rifle.
I'm at a loss as to why someone would want a 300 WSM, in a lever action gun.
For me the whole purpose of a lever action is to get the shortest, lightest, fastest handling traits, with a large diameter bullet, (aka .444, .450 Marlin, 45-70.) for taking into the brush.
The 300 Win Mag, and 300 WSM don't seem to fit the bill as a brush gun.
For me the whole purpose of a lever action is to get the shortest, lightest, fastest handling traits, with a large diameter bullet, (aka .444, .450 Marlin, 45-70.) for taking into the brush.
The 300 Win Mag, and 300 WSM don't seem to fit the bill as a brush gun.
Art Eatman
Staff in Memoriam
There's no such thing as a "brush bucking bullet". A brush gun is merely a gun that's quick and handy to bring into sighting on a target.
A heavy bullet won't break up on light brush, as will lightweight high speed bullets, but it will indeed deflect from the point of aim.
A heavy bullet won't break up on light brush, as will lightweight high speed bullets, but it will indeed deflect from the point of aim.
I'm not suggesting shooting "through" brush. Simply that a "brush" gun is more aimed at short distance shooting, with lots of energy, in a short handy package.
Henry's have proven plenty accurate over the past, what 100 years with 45Colt.
For a "brush gun" I personally use a NEF 20ga.
Short, light, fast handling, accurate enough for me to about 50 yards, with enough energy to drop a deer, or at least make a bear think twice. Or not think at all.. lol
Henry's have proven plenty accurate over the past, what 100 years with 45Colt.
For a "brush gun" I personally use a NEF 20ga.
Short, light, fast handling, accurate enough for me to about 50 yards, with enough energy to drop a deer, or at least make a bear think twice. Or not think at all.. lol
The muzzle blast must be horrible.
My 300 H&H has a 26" barrel and at the fullest extension of the chronograph cable it was blowing the shades off.
I was using a ball powder. IMR 4350 did not blow the screens off but it was still very loud.
Please shoot that thing on the other side of the range.
At least if you get lost at night, people from miles away can see the fireballs!
My 300 H&H has a 26" barrel and at the fullest extension of the chronograph cable it was blowing the shades off.
I was using a ball powder. IMR 4350 did not blow the screens off but it was still very loud.
Please shoot that thing on the other side of the range.
At least if you get lost at night, people from miles away can see the fireballs!
A popular test that was done on this a while ago was when a 270 Weatherby Magnum's barrel was cut down to 22", you got performance identical to a 270 Winchester shot through a 22" barrel. The take away is ALOT of the performance in a magnum is with its 26" barrel to properly burn all the powder.
So what if you loose some fps, the animal won't notice the difference. That's the only reason I can see wanting a .300 Magnum in a lever action is that you're planning to hunt with it. Lighter and handier will always trump speed when I'm chasing elk at altitude, but I rarely hunt with a magnum as .270, .30-06 and my newest .338-06 does all that I need.
Mystro said:
Because he wants one, that's why. A 22" barreled magnum will still offer better performance than a .30-06 with a 22" barrel. I just used my rifles as an example to what I prefer, and they work well in a 22" barrel. However my .270 and .338-06 both have 24" barrels, and they balance and carry well.
Are magnums better in longer barrels, the general rule of thumb is yes. However I don't the WSM's suffer much from being ran in a shorter tube when compared to the .300 WM or larger. Just remember whatever powder offers the best velocity, does so regardless of barrel length.
Any of WSM's will work much better with a shorter barrel than conventional magnums. That was part of the design. Conventonal magnums are designed around 26" barrels, with the WSM's, 24" is plenty and 22" isn't that bad. Ruger used to make a 16" version.
Because a 22" 300 WSM will still be 200-300 fps faster with the same bullets than a 24" 30-06. If he buys the Kimber it will also be close to 2 lbs lighter than a pump or lever.
The best brush guns are the flattest shooting, most accurate rounds you can find. The idea is to shoot through tiny OPENINGS in the brush.
Because a 22" 300 WSM will still be 200-300 fps faster with the same bullets than a 24" 30-06. If he buys the Kimber it will also be close to 2 lbs lighter than a pump or lever.
The best brush guns are the flattest shooting, most accurate rounds you can find. The idea is to shoot through tiny OPENINGS in the brush.
With identical barrels except for length in the same rifle and shooting system, there's about 25 fps per inch of barrel length velocity change for a given load.
If you're comparing two different rifle barrels in two different rifles, a 22 inch barrel in one may well shoot a given loads's bullet 30 fps faster than the 24 inch one.
More often than not, folks comparing differnt barrel lengths for a given load unwittingly use barrels with different internal dimensions as well as actions with different firing pin striking force. Instead of changing only the barrel length, they've changed half a dozen or more things that cause muzzle velocity variances. To say nothing about the fact that two folks shooting the same rifle and load can easily get a 50 fps difference in muzzle velocity.
If you're comparing two different rifle barrels in two different rifles, a 22 inch barrel in one may well shoot a given loads's bullet 30 fps faster than the 24 inch one.
More often than not, folks comparing differnt barrel lengths for a given load unwittingly use barrels with different internal dimensions as well as actions with different firing pin striking force. Instead of changing only the barrel length, they've changed half a dozen or more things that cause muzzle velocity variances. To say nothing about the fact that two folks shooting the same rifle and load can easily get a 50 fps difference in muzzle velocity.
some rounds loose more than others. I find big heavy pumpkin shooters such as the 45-70 loose less speed than the fast super magnums with a shorter barrel.
But all that said get what YOU want! Dont let others tell you what you "should" get. Ever one has there own tastes. I know guy that has always wanted to get a 30-06 revolver with a short 4-8 inch barrel. If he ever finds one I am sure he will get it.
I have been told that a 45-70 would not work well suppressed but I did it any way and I love mine. I have been told that the 45-70 makes a poor hand gun but I love my BFR and have taken a deer with it now!
The moral of my rant is get a gun "you" want not what others tell you...
But all that said get what YOU want! Dont let others tell you what you "should" get. Ever one has there own tastes. I know guy that has always wanted to get a 30-06 revolver with a short 4-8 inch barrel. If he ever finds one I am sure he will get it.
I have been told that a 45-70 would not work well suppressed but I did it any way and I love mine. I have been told that the 45-70 makes a poor hand gun but I love my BFR and have taken a deer with it now!
The moral of my rant is get a gun "you" want not what others tell you...
I find it as a very general rule... But larger bores and shorter cases with less powder capacity tend to suffer less velocity loss from shorter barrels, or another way of putting it, gain less velocity from longer barrels.
25fps per inch is a good general rule, but with some cartridges you could be gaining closer to 50fps per inch. It also depends on the barrel lengths you are comparing. The longer the barrel, the less you gain from adding more length. For example. with a .308 you might get 120fps between an 8'' barrel and a 9'' barrel, but you might only get 10fps between a 27'' barrel and a 28''
25fps per inch is a good general rule, but with some cartridges you could be gaining closer to 50fps per inch. It also depends on the barrel lengths you are comparing. The longer the barrel, the less you gain from adding more length. For example. with a .308 you might get 120fps between an 8'' barrel and a 9'' barrel, but you might only get 10fps between a 27'' barrel and a 28''
Art Eatman
Staff in Memoriam
"Overbore" is a term for cartridges which are relatively long for the diameter of both case and bullet. Most of the historic magnums are in this category, with such as the RUM being a very strong example.
Cartridges such as the general family including the .25-06, .270 and .30-'06 are regarded as "somewhat overbore".
In general, the overbore cartridges work best with the longer barrels and slow-burning powders.
Short magnums and cartridges such as the .308 are regarded as being more efficient in the burning of the powder and work well in the shorter barrels.
Regardless of comparative performance, shorter barrels are louder.
Cartridges such as the general family including the .25-06, .270 and .30-'06 are regarded as "somewhat overbore".
In general, the overbore cartridges work best with the longer barrels and slow-burning powders.
Short magnums and cartridges such as the .308 are regarded as being more efficient in the burning of the powder and work well in the shorter barrels.
Regardless of comparative performance, shorter barrels are louder.