Which barrel?

[Squirrelsaurus Rex]

I'm going to buy a new rifle soon, a heavy barrelled .308 tactical rifle, to get into more serious target shooting at all ranges, but I also want to get some instruction and try my hand at 600 and 1,000 yard shooting.  The rifle has a 1:10 twist, but is available with a 24" or 26" barrel.  Which would be better?  Most data I've seen for the .308 is written for a 24" barrel, so I figured having a 24" barrel might make it a little easier to figure out the numbers.  But more importantly, I'm wondering about the 26" barrel, does that extra 2" provide enough extra velocity to make a noticeable difference for the better?

[Nobody]

Two words "Mike Rock"  He's got a crappy website but that's because he's busy building barrels.

www.rockcreekbarrels.com  I'll probably be having another barrel put on by him.  He built some of the original PSS barrels and is currently building M24 barrels.

I'm going with at least a 26" 27" depending on how much cutting has to be done.  I figure, every inch helps.

Training?  www.stormmountain.com  No nonsense, no babying.

[Jose Grande]

The rule of thumb is;60fps per 2 extra inches of barrel. This has varied a lot when talking pistol barrels. I get the 24 myself as long as I didn't go over any weight limits there may be in the class you shoot.

[Squirrelsaurus Rex]

Thanks.

[Green3845]

How much shooting are you going to be doing at 1000?

Pretty much any bullet will still be supersonic at 600 yards out of a 24" barrel, but 1000 may be a different story. Most currently available .308 bullets get pretty quirky when they go subsonic. With your 1/10 twist barrel, you can try the Sierra Match Kings in 175 and 190 in your .308, and they might be sonic at 1000. You may want to run the numbers on a ballistic program.

My Palma rifle has a 30" barrel on it, but it is a dedicated prone rifle. I can't imagine trying to lug it around. I would go for as long of a barrel as you can handle. If it proves to unwieldy, you can always cut it off and recrown it.

[Jose Grande]

I forgot to mention..... A .308 goes subsonic about 865yds out of a 24 in. barrel. For serious 1000 yd shooting , you might want a little more horsepower. :grin:

[Green3845]

I would have to know what projectile and what the muzzle velocity  was and the enviromental conditions to before I would guesstimate when the projectile would go subsonic.

With a 24" barrel, and  either the Berger 190 or the Clinch River 216, maybe, just maybe, they might arrive at 1000 still sonic. Greg Siegmund's Clinch River 216 has a good reputation for stability in the trans sonic region. I don't know if you could push the CR 216 fast enough out of a .308, having never tried it.

[Jose Grande]

This is Lake City Match in .308 with 168gr BT. A standard load at Camp Perry til the rise of the mouse gun. It goes sub-sonic at about 865 yds. That why when I shoot for the Farr thophy the M-1 does my talking. But I'm kind of old fashioned anyhow. :grin:

[Green3845]

LOL! Not into self inflicted punishment, so don't shoot Garands!

The 168 Sierra Match King in the Lake City Match is a fine bullet, and as you said, was the king of the hill until the AR came along. The Marine team was the last big outfit to use their M14's at 1000, but they too have switched to the AR for long range service rifle. They used the 175 Sierra, as the 168 Sierra is one of the bullets that gets pretty squirrely going subsonic.

[Jose Grande]

I've thought about trying the 173 or 175 in the 06 in my Garand. But to tell the truth, a feller finds a load that works & it's hard to change...................hence the 168 BTHP in my rifle. :shock:  :grin: