300 wsm barrel length question

[SOUTHPAWSHOOTER10]

Thinking of rebarreling my 300 wsm. The way i understand it the 300 wsm was designed to work with shorter barrels. Is there a velocity benefit to going with a 26 in. Barrel? Is the benefit worth the 2" extra length? Thanks to all who reply.

 

[MontanaRifleman]

I'm sure it will depend a little on what powder you use, fast vs slow... a longer barrel will give you more velocity... how much is uncertain.

-Mark

 

[Kevin Thomas]

Southpawshooter,

"working" with a shorter barrel is a relative term. It's all about expansion ratios, and longer barrels help that work in your favor, all other factors being equal. The longer barrles going to give you higher velocities in virtually any centerfire rifle. The real question is, at what point does the package become unwieldly for you? It's a trade off that you need to decide for yourself, and your particular hunting situations.

 

[elkaholic]

2" of barrel length should give you approx. 75'/sec, all else being equal....Rich

 

[Buano]

A .300 wsm is virtually a clone of .300 Win mag powder capacity & ballistics. I would opt for 26 inches of barrel, but I can see where some would opt for 24. I'm fairly tall & like how a long gun points while some like short guns even if they give up ballistics with that length.

The best place to cut length with a .300 WSM is in the action.

 

[SOUTHPAWSHOOTER10]

Typically i would be hunting from an elevated blind with long but narrow windows. I'm starting to think that the 24'' barrel might be the way to go. Especially since i'm already getting good speed, however if i thought that 2'' more barrel would give 100 to 150 ft/sc more than that would be worth it. However i know there are other factors besides barrel length that can effect velocity. I guess my question should be more like "what would you do".

 

[backwoods83]

A 300wsm has no where near the capacity of a 300 wby mag, wsm 76grns wby 91grns big difference. But short answer, the 300wsm is like a 6.5x284 its effective in a short barrel short action but its kinda like putting 6 mufflers on your car, it doesn't perform to its potential.

 

[elkaholic]

Typically i would be hunting from an elevated blind with long but narrow windows. I'm starting to think that the 24'' barrel might be the way to go. Especially since i'm already getting good speed, however if i thought that 2'' more barrel would give 100 to 150 ft/sc more than that would be worth it. However i know there are other factors besides barrel length that can effect velocity. I guess my question should be more like "what would you do".

You can go to faster burning powders with the shorter barrel and it will help somewhat, but you are still going to lose velocity no matter what else you do.....Rich

 

[MontanaRifleman]

Typically i would be hunting from an elevated blind with long but narrow windows. I'm starting to think that the 24'' barrel might be the way to go. Especially since i'm already getting good speed, however if i thought that 2'' more barrel would give 100 to 150 ft/sc more than that would be worth it. However i know there are other factors besides barrel length that can effect velocity. I guess my question should be more like "what would you do".

I seriously doubt that you'll get 100-150 fps with 2" in a 300 WSM, Their short fat cases have a relatively faster burn rate so they wont benefit as much from barrel length like maybe a 300 WM Mag might with it's longer case and slower powders.

Want more velocity? Try RL17... My 300WSM loves it. 3190 with 180 E-Tips and 2990 with 210 Bergers in a 24 3/8ths Sako barrel.

What would I do? If I ever build a 300 WSM it will have a 26" barrel, but my hunting circumstance are different than yours

Cheers

 

[TOM H]

Typically i would be hunting from an elevated blind with long but narrow windows. I'm starting to think that the 24'' barrel might be the way to go. Especially since i'm already getting good speed, however if i thought that 2'' more barrel would give 100 to 150 ft/sc more than that would be worth it. However i know there are other factors besides barrel length that can effect velocity. I guess my question should be more like "what would you do".

I used a Broughton 5c 1/12 twist @ 24" long on my first 300wsm and next 300WSM used a Kreiger 5r 1/11.25 twist @ 26" long barrel. I always think it's a combination of getting the right barrel for the bullets then you get the accuracy next comes velocity.

I wished I could tell the extra 2" give me this amt of velocity I didn't build them on which one would be the faster.

I used alittle heavier contour on the one with the 24" barrel and lighter one on the 26" and both balance nice.

I like to keep my rifle around 8.5 to 9lbs so I'll look more at what barrel give me than and I'll try
and stay bewteen 24" to 26".

Well good luck

 

[backwoods83]

If speed is your #1 goal my advise is lengthen the throat about .200" or so, that way you don't have 2/3s of the bullet hogging your powder space. If you want to shoot the heavy weights use a full size case, some would like to say that the wsm will do anything its brother will do, and it will up to about a 180grn bullet, so I call bs! You want speed and distance use a 4 groove cut rifled 11 twist 26" and stick with 165-190 grainers, that combo will give you the least drag and therefore more speed without affecting accuracy. When you build a 300wsm think like your building a 308 instead of a 30-06, its about the same principal.

 

[MontanaRifleman]

... some would like to say that the wsm will do anything its brother will do, and it will up to about a 180grn bullet, so I call bs!

What are you calling BS on?

 

[backwoods83]

What do I call bs on, well people claiming 3k fps + with berger or jlk 210s from a short barreled 300wsm, when I say short that pertains 26" or less!

 

[BountyHunter]

I have shot the WSM for 9 years and at least 8 guns with 12 barrels.

the WSM is a virtual twin to the 300 Win Mag not the Weatherby and factory ballistics even show it better in some cases than the Win Mag.

R17 has proven to be a very good powder for the WSM, particularily in the shorter barrels (under 26").

Figure 25-35 fps per inch and most people pick up 50-75 fps going to the 5R or 5C rifling. Tim North's (Broughton) 5C barrels shoot really well and I highly recommend them.

I would go with either a 24 or 26

Not sure about under 26" barrels running 2950-3000 with 210s but at least three of us have 5-6 guns with 29" and 30" barrels that will do it day in and day out with MRP and win at 1k and that is no BS.

BH