7mm Magnum...26 or 28 inch barrel?

L

Logan9885

New member
I have a TC encore and want a 7mm mag barrel. The pro hunter barrel is 28in and the other is 26in., which is better??? The 28 seems a little long, but would that make it more accurate??
 
I seem to remember reading, somewere that after 24 or 26 inches a bullet starts to lose fps in the barrel (extra drag). Would an additional 2 inches give better accuracy? I don't know, but carring that long a rifle in the field could be problematic. What distance are you shooting? (600 yards or longer?) I could see it (28 inches) as a bench rest rifle, but hunting???

Jim
 
Doubt it would make it any more or less accurate (every barrel is different) but if the purpose of using a 7 mag is for increased velocity then get the 28. Will make a little difference. Not much, but a little. Trade off is a little more weight and a little less handier to handle in most hunting scenereos.
 
I seem to remember reading, somewere that after 24 or 26 inches a bullet starts to lose fps in the barrel (extra drag).
Click to expand...

I'm not sure this would apply with the case capacity of the 7 mag, especially handloads and the slower powders (not that he said he handloaded). Someone with QuickLoad could figure this out in a hurry.

It could make the rifle somewhat unwieldly...........
 
I've read as well that 28" seems to be better for the 7mm Rem Mag. Mine has a 28" and it does make the gun a lot long when used for hunting however. Those extra two inches seems like an extra two feet at times.
 
A 7mm Mag won't gain much velocity with a barrel over 24", but it certainly won't start to lose any either. If it were in a bolt gun I'd say 24" is all you really need unless you are planning on pushing the round to the fringes of it's capabilities.

Up to a point barrel length is more about how the gun looks and balances. On the TC Encore, the receiver will be about 3-4" shorter than a bolt gun, so even a 28" barrel will have about the same overall length as a 24" barrel would on a bolt gun.

Get the one that you think looks best to you and suits your hunting style. The 26" barrel will be shorter overall and handier in thick stuff without sacraficing velocity.

Barrrel length does effect velocity, but 2" either way is not enough to ever notice any difference in performance in the field. The length has almost zero effect on accuracy with scoped rifles. If anything the shorter barrel would be more accurate in theory. Stiffer barrels are usually more accurate. Everything else being equal, a shorter barrel is stiffer than a longer barrel.
 
If a person wants a long barrel then go for it. However, there is a trade off in a hunting rifle regarding weight and handiness vs velocity. I do not think that longer barrels result in better accuracy.

For my own hunting in Alaska and Southern NM I determined that for standard cartridges the 22 inch barrel, and for Magnums 24 inch barrels strike the best balance.

I would not even consider a 28" barrel for anything I would have ever done with a rifle.

I always remember that Jack O'Connor wrote that "You carry a rifle more than you shoot it."

Regards,
Jerry
 
Depending on how much "overbore" and what powder is used in a cartridge will determine its optimum length. 7mm mag will get a little more fps in 28" than in 26". The barrel length really dosnt effect the accuracy that much.

The faster the bullet, the less time that gravity has its effect on the way to the target. So, what it really effects is the trajectory.

The only place that barrel length has a pronounced effect is when iron sights are being used. The longer the length between the front and rear sight the easier it is to hold on target.
 
My custom built 7mmSTW (a step up from 7mm Mag) has a 25 inch barrel and shoots 0.7 MOA when I do my part. So I would guess a 24 to 26 inch barrel for a 7mm Mag would do fine.
 
I would get the 28, your rifle will be no longer than a comparable bolt action, and I think the longer barrel will make it quieter.
 
I just sold my 28" 7mm rem mag, going down to 24". No difference in noise until I had a brake installed (holy sh_t!). No big difference in FPS, unless you are talking about how fast I can walk with it. With the break it became just over 30" and caught every friggin bush branch and rock. It would get snagged in a 40 acre field. Starting over with another Savage, but not a barrel longer than the ex-wife's ass is wide! 24" is my barrel length on the AR and carries great. Gonna stick with that IMO.
 
I just purchased an encore pro hunter in 12 ga rifled barrel. I looked at lots of barrels for the encore. The 28 inch barrels are fluted. This makes them lighter and stiffer. It also creates more surface area to help the barrel cool faster when you shoot several rounds in a row. So in a sense it will be more accurate under some circumstances. As jmr40 said the overall lenght of the rifle is comparable to a bolt gun with a 24 inch barrel. For hunting purposes the difference is small probably just the amount of weight you will have to carry over the hills and through the woods. Get what feels good to you. We can give you information but you have to live with your decision and purchase, we don't.
 
That is about what I'd estimate as well. But a 24" barrel could look stubby and balance poorly on a single shot.
 
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