bolt 308 with 20 inch barrel

[Brithunter]

As far as I am aware in Bench Rest shooting as it's more often shot at 200 yards or less they use short fat barrels. Due to the  huge diameter of barrel they use they have to make them shorter not for precision on target but to meet the weight limits imposed by the rules.


There is of course the 600 yards bench Rest competitions but it seems the competitors who shoot in that use longer and lighter profile barrels. They need to keep the velocity up whilst remaining within the weight limits. The precision of grouping is no less demanding they adapt the rifles to meet the needs.


As pointed out by Nobade those shooting matches like the Palma, F-TR and F-Class rifles use longer barrels which are needed to keep velocities up and they are often loaded to above the approved maximum to achieve this.


One can hardly describe the .308 Winchester as puny    once more he shows his true colours as in troll green.

  I still fail to see why the great clamour for short barrels. Those I have tried unless in the old European "Stutzen " (Full Stock) configuration seem to be unbalanced and butt heavy I even found this when I had the DWM M93 Boer carbine:-





It felt unbalanced which probably explains why the OVS didn't order any from DWM . They must have felt the same about them.

[mannyrock]

 
    Yes, the modern trend of loving really short barrels on bolt actions is somewhat of a mystery to me.   People are always handing me their bolt guns, with 20 inch barrels or shorter, bearing steel mounts and scope, and saying, "Hey, take a look at this.  Isn't it great?" 
 
   I shoulder it, and reply, "No.  It's not great.  It's butt heavy as hell, it doesn't "point", and you can't track game with it in a smooth swing.
 
   I know that as long as you are sitting it a tree stand, or shooting with a good rest, you can shoot them pretty well.  But alot of hunting isn't done that way.
 
  A couple of times at gunshows with my friends, I have seen the old Winchester Model 54 bolt actions, with their graceful stocks,  long barrels, and receiver sites, and handed them to my friends to handle.  They are always amazed.  "Wow," they say.  "The front bead stays right where you point it."     Yep.
 
Mannyrock

[Swampman]

Never seen a gun I couldn't shoot well.  I've never killed a deer that was standing still.  You fellows need to practice shooting.

[Brithunter]

Never seen a gun I couldn't shoot well.  I've never killed a deer that was standing still.  You fellows need to practice shooting.

YAWN!

I've never killed a deer that was standing still.

Just goes to show you cannot stalk properly. Personally I have only ever shot a couple of deer on the move. That is why it's known as Deer Stalking here in the UK. If the deer is moving it usually means that one has messed up on the stalk and the deer is aware of you. One of those shot on the move was my 9 pt Whitetail Buck. I put a second shot into him as his death run took him towards the creek and a 6 foot shear drop from bank top to water and I didn't fancy trying to haul his carcase back up that bank from the water. The first shot had taken out the top of the heart and lower lungs. The spray out of the exit wound left an impressive trail.


Would he have actually made the creek ?


I will never know but the second shot dropped him after about three more steps so I was happy. The first shot was taken as he paused so he was stationary and that was after I watched he walk a couple of hundred yards around my stand and had the chance to examine him well through the binos and with the  naked eyeballs as he came out of some cover less that 50 yards from the stand but I could not see the spread of his antlers. We had agreed a limit on the Bucks to be taken and the spread had to be wider than the ears. Once he stopped looking in my direction I could see that his were wide enough.

[Lloyd Smale]

got to agree there. Ive shot a pile of deer and have shot them standing walking and running. Other then hunting the thick swamps and hunting drives for the most part there standing or if not walking real slow. Sure isnt much reason to be poking away at running deer 2 or 300 yards out. If a guy told me hes shot a pile of deer and never had a standing shot i too would have to question his hunting techniques.

Never seen a gun I couldn't shoot well.  I've never killed a deer that was standing still.  You fellows need to practice shooting.

YAWN!

I've never killed a deer that was standing still.

Just goes to show you cannot stalk properly. Personally I have only ever shot a couple of deer on the move. That is why it's known as Deer Stalking here in the UK. If the deer is moving it usually means that one has messed up on the stalk and the deer is aware of you. One of those shot on the move was my 9 pt Whitetail Buck. I put a second shot into him as his death run took him towards the creek and a 6 foot shear drop from bank top to water and I didn't fancy trying to haul his carcase back up that bank from the water. The first shot had taken out the top of the heart and lower lungs. The spray out of the exit wound left an impressive trail.


Would he have actually made the creek ?


I will never know but the second shot dropped him after about three more steps so I was happy. The first shot was taken as he paused so he was stationary and that was after I watched he walk a couple of hundred yards around my stand and had the chance to examine him well through the binos and with the  naked eyeballs as he came out of some cover less that 50 yards from the stand but I could not see the spread of his antlers. We had agreed a limit on the Bucks to be taken and the spread had to be wider than the ears. Once he stopped looking in my direction I could see that his were wide enough.

[Lloyd Smale]

As to barrel lenght im on both sides. It all depends on how im hunting. I dont find a lightweight short barreled gun hard to point in the least. But then when im hunting with one its in an area where shots arent going to be out past 200 yards and in all reality most will be around 50 yards. Ive used my 16 and 20 inch 308s to kill deer out to 300 yards and they get the job done but i have better tools for that job. Personaly i feel at least with a 308 that at the ranges its good for in the game field a short barrel doesnt hurt a thing. Funny thing is when i step up to an 06 i want at least a 22 inch barrel though. I think its a mental thing more then anything else. Bottom line is if you like long barrels use them and if you like short go for it. Its more a matter of personal taste then it is any major ballistic advantage.

[Swampman]

I shoot them as I find them.  We learned to shoot running deer as kids.  We also learned to fill the freezer or starve.  I bought my first rifle when I was 6 for $10.00.   I don't stalk at all.  I sit there and let "stalkers" push the deer all over the place and I pop the one that looks like good eating.  Brand makes more difference than barrel length. 

[SHOOTALL]

Why don't you just get a 308 ,  700 with a 20 inch bbl ? The one I got had a hogue over molded stock and was threaded for sound suppressor ot flash suppressor . It is a nice package. You would need to add a floor plate that allowed mag use . I think you could find all that in the Brownell's cat.  I added the Leupold scope with heavy cross hairs and fire dot . No not a paper puncher but if the slincer is added it will be a very quiet light kicking game getter . note the slincer reduces recoil and the gun already is very accurate . And yes in VA. we can hunt with suppressors.

[Swampman]

Relacing the stock with a good one, and adding the magazine conversion would bump the price up at least $600.00.

[SHOOTALL]

The stock works well . The conversion can be alot less , not including extra magazines. But then you would have a solid gun. Did the OP have a price limit ? or did he want a top of the line gun ?
This is going to be interesting to watch a guy who's blood runs Remington green promote a Ruger over a Remington  .
BTW those who argue about blance with short bbls really should try the Rem tatical with 20 inch bbl. its not a bull bbl. nor a pencil like the mod 7 . it blances well. I agree that blance is a big part of a well fitting rifle.

[Swampman]

FN Herstal Patrol Bolt Rifle (PBR) (you'd still need a good stock but this one is better than anything mentioned so far.

[RaySendero]

Uh...Been over 2 weeks of answers - So where's sisu?

[nomosendero]

FN Herstal Patrol Bolt Rifle (PBR) (you'd still need a good stock but this one is better than anything mentioned so far.

Yes, comparing with factory rifles it is very hard to beat!
 
http://gunblast.com/FN-PBR.htm

[Swampman]

The rifle in the report has a muzzlebrake.  I'd have to get rid of that. 

[nomosendero]

The rifle in the report has a muzzlebrake.  I'd have to get rid of that.

Me too