Best Long Range Caliber with a short barrel?

[J E Custom]

I am looking for some input on which long range caliber would be good with a shorter barrel....say 18-22". I currently shoot a 7mm Rem Mag with a 26" barrel.

I would love for someone to tell me to just shorten the barrel on the 7mm and roll with that one but would like to hear ideas. Would a .300 Win Mag be better in this circumstance? I'm looking to shorten up the barrel to accommodate a suppressor....and would ideally like to use this same action and not start all over. I usually hike in quite a ways and 34" of barrel gets to be a little....or a lot awkward. Anxious to hear your ideas.

The only thing I can think of for your bolt face, action length and caliber that would be very easy to convert that could out perform the 7 Rem Mag would be the 7mm STW. Shortening the barrel would cause a velocity loss, but the fact that it is faster than the 7 Rem Mag should bring it down to reasonable velocities with a shorter barrel.

I am a big proponent of the 7/08 and 7/08x40 but many changes would have to be made to your rifle to accommodate it. So if you wanted to go this route, A new rifle with a short action should be considered.

Any of the short Mags Would work but would require a new barrel for chambering.

Just My opinion

J E CUSTOM

 

[Ginga]

I bet you could shorten your 7 rem mag to 20-21 inches and suppress it and you would shoot deer to 500-600 yards. And not notice any difference. I've done it myself, the hard part is getting your head around shortening the barrel....but using a suppressor you need to shorten the barrel. Too long and its muzzle heavy for off hand shooting and like carrying a long crow bar all day.

 

[FEENIX]

I bet you could shorten your 7 rem mag to 20-21 inches and suppress it and you would shoot deer to 500-600 yards. And not notice any difference. I've done it myself, the hard part is getting your head around shortening the barrel....but using a suppressor you need to shorten the barrel. Too long and its muzzle heavy for off hand shooting and like carrying a long crow bar all day.

Not a big fan of shooting off hand at a deer 500-600 yards.

I use a Kifaru gunbearer when hiking to my spot >>> https://store.kifaru.net/gun-bearers-p30.aspx, one of the best $31.00 investment around.

 

[trueblue]

Not a big fan of shooting off hand at a deer 500-600 yards.

I use a Kifaru gunbearer when hiking to my spot >>> https://store.kifaru.net/gun-bearers-p30.aspx, one of the best $31.00 investment around.

I agree with this.
I have used it on 2 different packs.

 

[Ginga]

Ha! Not saying shooting deer off hand at 500 yards at all. But the balance for off hand shooting (in general) will be better if the rifle and suppressor aren't excessively long.

 

[Mike 338]

45-70

 

[mfk]

An 18-22" barreled .300WM would be a complete waste of a rifle...So would shortening the barrel on your 7mmRM to those lengths. Some might argue with that, but this is just simply my opinion, take it for whatever it's worth to you. Won't hurt my feelings to disagree.

Based onto criteria you've given, I don't think you're really going to find much better suited cartridges for that barrel length spectrum, than the old tried & true .308 Winchester & 7mm-08 Rem. I had a custom 20" M24 profile (from lug to crown) .308 Win built on a Model 7 action, and it was one of the most accurate rifles I've ever shot. Put 3 in the exact same hole. The only way you could tell it had more than 1 shot was the slightly deformed edges of the hole in the target. It was ****-accurate. I miss that rifle. That short barrel made it really handy to tote in the woods, too.

If I were you, I'd keep your 7mm RemMag just like it is, since it's already paid for. And go pickup a Rem 700 5R Milspec .308 Win...20" barrel, 5R rifling, proven accuracy, and suppressor ready with 5/8x24 threads. Only thing you'll want to do is swap the trigger, bed the action, make sure the barrel is floated, and once it dries torque the action screws to 65 inch-pounds, and it should be ready to go.

https://www.budsgunshop.com/catalog...d/42401/Remington+Model+700+SS+5-R+.308WIN+20

45-70

45-70

45-70

My goodness that is impressive.

 

[gregsjt]

A couple guys mentioned 338 caliber, in a short barrel if your looking for long range you should consider one. A 338 win mag throated for long bullets in a 20" barrel is surprisingly good at long range. A 250 Berger at 2600 ft / sec will stay supersonic to 1600 yards at 4000 ft. and will carry 1500 ft. lbs. to 950.

 

[AKdan]

This has been something that I worked on a while. Ended up cutting my 338L from 28" to 22" for running suppressed and it was the best thing I ever did for that rifle...velocities with 300 gr (sameload) went from 2780 to 2680 for a total loss of 100 FPS. I am a believer of short barrels.

 

[Kimber7man]

I just picked up a used Rem 700 in 7SAUM withthe specific purpose of chopping the barrel down to somewhere between 18-20" and using a suppressor. Got some factory ammo to try in it and will chrono before/after.
I'm planning on rebarreling anyway, so it should be a fun winter project.

 

[FEENIX]

I usually hike in quite a ways and 34" of barrel gets to be a little....or a lot awkward.

Have you considered a folding stock?

 

[Country Bumpkin]

Here you go, if you are still considering cutting down your existing barrel.

https://rifleshooter.com/2015/04/7mm-remington-magnum-7-rem-mag-barrel-length-versus-velocity/

I had my rifle built with a 22" barrel, 7RM, I'm getting 2950 with Barnes TTSX 150. I have far-off dreams of getting a 7" suppressor. I'll likely not carry it affixed, so it will be a quick-turn.

 

[elkaholic]

I just picked up a used Rem 700 in 7SAUM withthe specific purpose of chopping the barrel down to somewhere between 18-20" and using a suppressor. Got some factory ammo to try in it and will chrono before/after.
I'm planning on rebarreling anyway, so it should be a fun winter project.

That will be an interesting project! If you really want to get into testing, after you check the barrel length velocity difference, chamber it in 7 SS and check the difference

 

[Ksduckhntr]

Elkaholic if you can convince copper creek or the likes to produce some 7mm ss I would be all over that. Just saying