Cutting down a T/C Factory .375JDJ 26" Carbine

[DropTheHammer]

I would really like reduce the length of my factory 26" Encore .375JDJ. Somewhere between its current 26" and khatahdin length (18").

Can anyone offer any data on what an optimal cut-off length would be performance wise? Where is the point of diminishing returns? Or am i going to only lose velocity for every inch i cut off from 26"?? Or should i even care with this caliber??

[Encore28]

What is the recoil like with that 26in barrel-----I am kicking the JDJ around but don't want recoil that will knock my socks off!!!

Thanks

Encore28

[DropTheHammer]

I've only shot Speer 235gr w/ 44.0 gr Accurate 2015 + winchester mag primers in it so far.  Recoil seemed very mild to me.

[northern hunter]

 ;DI had a 21 inch 375 jdj on a contender  and with light loads it was ok, but with full power loads with 270 gr bullets it kicked at both ends but what you hit  it was dead............


shoot once and carry a sharp knife.

[circles]

I don't know what the optimal length is but I can tell you I get 2200 fps out of a 16.5" contender with 220 gr flat points.  Do you know what you are getting out of the 26" barrel?

Circles

[kmac]

I've got a .308 with a 16.25" barrel.  Federal Power Shoks (150gr) are rated at 2820fps and mine chrono's at 2640.  I lose, then, around 180fps.  The real important number, to me, is that I can shoot sub-1.5 inch groups at 200 yards with it.  If you're looking to make the gun easier to tote through the woods, shortening the barrel is a good idea.  Be sure that you cut the crown properly, or have a gunsmith do the job for you.

[DropTheHammer]

I am strictly looking to make the gun an easier carry.  Always liked the look of the katahdin carbines and figured this would be an interesting caliber to have one in.  The smith doing the cutting is reputable and builds alot of barrels.  He will be doing the crown as well.  His preference is a recessed 11 degree crown that i will most likely go with.  I traded emails with JD Jones at SSK and he said 22 inches would probably be the peak performer, so thats what i will go with.

[Ladobe]

FWIW, I have ordered all of my custom carbine barrels at 20" as about the optimum length as far as harmonics verses the long lock time of the TC actions go.    Fred Smith at Bullberry convinced me why many years ago, and results have proven it's about right.   

Velocity loss per inch is just not enough to worry about for most chamberings IMO, even though most of my shooting is at long ranges.   The 375JDJ is a very reliable killer... a little less velocity isn't going to change that.

Never had a carbine 375JDJ, but I have had four 14" SSK barrels chambered for it since the 70's that saw a lot of use over the years ("a lot" is putting it very mildly).    Recoil in them even with full load 270/285/300 grain bullets was never a problem for me on a Contender pistol.    I'd expect shooting 220/235 grain in a 20" carbine would be pretty tame, the heavier bullets quite manageable.

IME-YMMV


   

[DropTheHammer]

Ladobe,

Thanks for the info.  Can you shed a little more light on the harmonics vs. long lock time?  Is this (20 inch length based on lock time) specific to a contender carbine, encore or both?  20 inches appeals to me moreso than 22.

[Ladobe]

This all came up almost 20 years ago with Fred when I still lived near his shop and ran around with him, and was all about getting the best precision (accuracy) possible from Contender carbine barrels chambered for several factory and long range wildcat cartridges he was going to build for me.   That was long before the Encore came out, although I didn't leave his area until soon after getting one of the first available Encore frames from him to shoot the 416 Rigby (he bought 80 "E" frames when they were first released).    All of my Encores were pistols.   I'd guess it generally applies to both frames though as both have long lock times, making harmonics more critical than velocity for precision IMO.    The heavier weight of the Encore and being the 375JDJ may change it a little though.    Most of the carbine barrels I had built by Fred were 17-26 caliber wildcats for long range P&V hunting.

You can always lop off some and try it, and if you still want it shorter lop it off again.   Personally, if I was going to hunt in thick cover often or climb a lot of mountains when hunting, I'd make it short, easy to swing and carry - not worry about some velocity/energy loss even out to fairly long range.    Unless you're only shooting longer ranges, it won't make enough difference to worry about when the bullet makes meat.     If push comes to shove on bigger game, you can always make up some of the loss by going to heavier bullets too.

IME-YMMV