Newbie Question: Long vs Short Action

H

hopeisnotastrategy

New member
I am looking to buy my first rifle and on the various manufacturer's web sites, rifles that appear otherwise identical will list the "action" as "short" or "long."

What is the "action"?

What does it mean for an action to be "long" or "short?"

What are the pros/cons of each?

Thanks!
 
Hello, May I suggest you go to your local library and read up on various sporting rifles, and aquaint yourself with at least the basics of firearm nomenclature before deciding upon a purchase. It could save you much dissapoitment and $$$ down the road!
 
short vs long action simply refers to the type of cartridge length one can use on a rifle. a .308 and .223 are short actions and .270 win and 30-06 are long actions. an 'action' is the mechanism that loads and unloads a cartridge - ie. bolt action. pump action, break action, lever action, semi-auto
 
Someone correct me if I get this right....

Long or short action refers to the throw of the bolt. Longer cartridges generally require a longer bolt throw to cycle the action. Shorter cartridges use a shorter throw. In theory, a short action will cycle quicker than a long action.
 
The action of the firearm is the "guts" of it...the set of parts that handles most of the business of firing the cartridge. For the most part, rifles are bolt action (your average traditional "deer rifle"), lever action (your average 30-30) or semi-automatic (AR-15, as an example). Although there are break-actions and others too.

Some cartridges are "short action" cartridges. Some are "long action". This distinction usually applies to bolt-action guns. Example of short action is the .308. Example of long action is the .30-06. If you have a given rifle (say, a Remington 700) in .308, and the same exact rifle in .30-06, the bolt part will be a little longer on the .30-06. That's "long action".

There is a lot more and a lot more exact information available on Wikipedia but what I have written here should get you started. Along with all the subsequent posts which will come along and correct me, I'm sure :o

-cls
 
The action is basically the part that makes the rifle function. It is the part the barrel attatches to that chambers and ejects cartridges. Short and long are just that, short or long. The short action is shorter, lighter, and requires less movement to cycle the action. A long action allows room for a longer cartridge.

For example

Short

223
22-250
243
308

Long

270
30-06
7 mag
300 mag
 
It essentially refers to the length of the receiver.

A long action allows the rifle to be chambered in a longer cartridge. To save money, some manufacturers also use the long action for "short action" cartridges.

A short action is intended to be used with shorter cartridges. This can allow for a slightly lighter gun. Also, theoretically, it has more accuracy potential since a shorter receiver is hopefully stiffer. Some people place great significance on this, but for most people, it doesn't really matter.
 
Long or short action

If I were you I would do some research and decide what you want to shoot and then if they give you an option you will have to decide. I own 2 long action rifles and see no need for a short action.
 
hope, have you given a fair amount of thought to what sort of shooting you will likely do? Casual shooting at tin cans? Mostly paper targets? Small game hunting? Deer hunting?

If we have some clues about your intended purpose(s), we can offer better commentary and be more helpful.
 
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