Barrel length on 300 win mag

[Cinchy]

Ok its that time of year I`m thinking new rifle again! Should I go with a 24" or 26" barrel for a long range hunting rifle? Keep in mind muzzle beak will add roughly 2+" to total? A 28" barrel sounds long, but I have a 264 win mag that sports a 27" barrel without a break, that is not really noticeable when hunting!

 

[Rick Richard]

26 for that 300 WM

 

[Frog4aday]

Ok its that time of year I`m thinking new rifle again! Should I go with a 24" or 26" barrel for a long range hunting rifle? Keep in mind muzzle beak will add roughly 2+" to total? A 28" barrel sounds long, but I have a 264 win mag that sports a 27" barrel without a break, that is not really noticeable when hunting!

The key part of your post was this:
"...for a long range hunting rifle"
That being the desired use, 26" gives more velocity and less muzzle blast (though the muzzle-brake you want to put on will negate that advantage.) If the 27" barrel you already have on your .264 WM doesn't bother you, the 26" .300WM will be same-same once the brake is on it.

 

[WeiserBucks]

My 300 WM is 24" and the deer and elk can't tell the difference.

 

[Sevy]

I am currently running a 225 eldm at 2800 with a 24" barrel. The animals or the rocks dont know the difference. If I rebarrel it will be a 26 or 28 though for just that little velocity boost.

 

[Cinchy]

I have a 300 win mag Ruger magnum hunter, & its 25 1/2 with the break, & a Remington 700 in 300 that has 24" barrel no break. My plans are to sell both and the new rifle will replace them both, I think the 26" will fill the bill!!

 

[Beardeddeer91]

26-28" for long range would be my choice. That being said I have a 24" 300 WM as well and it's a tack driver out to 1000, but that extra velocity is nice out of a 26"+.

 

[Jeffrey Van Zandt]

I hunt with a 26 inch proof carbon fiber barrel with a holland red brake works good and put the 215gr hybrid out there very well

 

[chilli42]

For a hunting rifle I never go over 24". Anything longer is just way too awkward to manage. You likely know this but some calibers simply do not benefit from a longer barrel ... or the increase in ft/sec is not meaningful.

 

[shortgrass]

I split the difference and cut the last one at 25"

 

[LanceS4803]

This is a great article about barrel length vs velocity in a 300WM.
https://rifleshooter.com/2013/12/30...rrel-length-change-velocity-a-16-300-win-mag/

 

[skipglo]

Ok its that time of year I`m thinking new rifle again! Should I go with a 24" or 26" barrel for a long range hunting rifle? Keep in mind muzzle beak will add roughly 2+" to total? A 28" barrel sounds long, but I have a 264 win mag that sports a 27" barrel without a break, that is not really noticeable when hunting!

Always 26 or even. 28 if LR is on your mind

 

[Nomosendero]

40 fps difference per inch is quite a bit, but I would suspect that the diff. would increase
even more with heavier bullets and slower powder loaded to the max. I would not go under 24" but that's me & mine is a 26" and hasn't given problems yet. I guess I would be a little inclined to go 24" if it were my only "do all" rifle but I have others to hunt Deer/Bear/Hogs in the brush.
Of course your height, phy. condition and all that matters, it's funny how some of the same people who have no qualms about an upland bird shotgun auto shotgun having a 26" tube but would vapor lock if their rifle sported the same. Different strokes.