NON-TYPICAL rifle build in mind; need some help...

[Ernie]

I am thinking about starting a somewhat unorthodox build and need help from the experts out there. I'm currently hunting with a 6.5PRC which I love. I've have been shooting/hunting suppressed on/off with it and the only thing I don't like is the length of the barrel and suppressor together which on my current rifle is 31".

I've got an idea to build on a hot rod cartridge but cut the barrel down to 19 or 20 inches which will give me the barrel length I want but also slow my cartridge down as to not burn my barrel out so quickly. The key for me is to pick a cartridge either in the 6.5mm or 7mm family that usually screams with a standard 24 or 26 inch barrel and by cutting it down still achieves the same or better numbers than I'm getting with the PRC. If I would cut the PRC down, I would have less energy and speed than a 6.5CM which isn't what I want. The big deal is I need to pick a caliber that will still have efficient powder burn with a shorter barrel. I'm thinking one of the short mags is going to get the nod, but I'm not completely sure. Any suggestions on caliber?

Caiati,
I run a lot of barrels from 15-18 inches.
Barrel length, whether 24-26 or 18-20 inches is not going cause your barrel life (throat life) to be any different.
Take the whole idea of efficiency out of the equation too.
Decide what MV you want with a specific bullet weight and go from there.
On average you are going to lose around 30 fps per inch of barrel
I run all kinds of big cartridges in 17-18 inch barrels: 25 PRC, 6.5-284, 6.5 PRC, 6.5 WSM, 26 Nosler, 284 Winchester, 7mm SAUM, 7mm WSM, 7mm LRM, 7mm Remington Mag Improved, 7mm Dakota, 300 RUM, 338 Lapua Improved (338AX).
I get great accuracy in these 17-18 barrels, so you don't have to worry about 19-20 inch barrels

 

[408w]

You're going to "burn" the barrel out just as fast regardless of barrel length with a hot rod cartridge. Initial powder burn is the killer

 

[Tripodmvr7]

Going shorter to get a handier rifle, then why not get a shorter action as well. I am proposing a Ruger No. 1 action. My 22 inch barreled 30-06 compares with a .22 in size. Keep a longer barrel and use the shorter action. How many times have you needed a quick second shot?

 

[408w]

A short action magnum is the way I would go

 

[lancetkenyon]

20" 1:7.5" 6.5SS suppressed
156 EOL @ 3001fps when leaning on it. This is my hunting load, not an every day load. ES 3, SD 1.5. 6 shot string was 3001, 3000, 3001, 3002, 3001, 3001

I have several other loads too. None are close to max loads.
144 LR Hyb @ 3022 (had up to 3088)
150 SMK @ 2925 (had up to 3021)
129 Absolute Hammer @ 3165 (had up to 3268)

 

[ehryk]

I am in the WSM camp, 6.5 or 7mm, either way. I had a 300 WSM and it was very good, especially considering the case capacity vs. performance. If you are handloading, you can adjust powders to improve short barrel efficiency if it really bothers you, or just leave it as is. Either way, you will not be disappointed.

 

[PAGSDIII701]

This

I think you're talking about a Sherman Short. 6.5 with 156 @20" upbto 3000'
shermanwildcatcartridges. com

 

[nkyshooter]

20" 1:7.5" 6.5SS suppressed
156 EOL @ 3001fps when leaning on it. This is my hunting load, not an every day load. ES 3, SD 1.5. 6 shot string was 3001, 3000, 3001, 3002, 3001, 3001
View attachment 247766
View attachment 247767
View attachment 247768

I have several other loads too. None are close to max loads.
144 LR Hyb @ 3022 (had up to 3088)
150 SMK @ 2925 (had up to 3021)
129 Absolute Hammer @ 3165 (had up to 3268)

Show off! ... LOL

Great looking rig - incredible results - nice

 

[Sam4886]

You're going to "burn" the barrel out just as fast regardless of barrel length with a hot rod cartridge. Initial powder burn is the killer

Exactly. The logic of going shorter for barrel life doesn't work. Plenty of reasons to go short, but barrel life isn't one of them.

 

[palerider3]

My 20" 6.5 SAUM runs 135 Atips well over 3050 without pressure and good brass life. If you're already set up for PRC id just build a shorter PRC. A hundred or hundred fifty FPS isn't that big of a deal, and not having to buy another set of dies, brass, or other components is a bonus as well. Just my 2 cents.

 

[PatriotHenry]

I would definitely have to get back into reloading to go with this correct?

Yes

 

[PAGSDIII701]

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Also THIS

 

[Coyote01]

I am thinking about starting a somewhat unorthadox build and need help from the experts out there. I'm currently hunting with a 6.5PRC which I love. I've have been shooting/hunting suppressed on/off with it and the only thing I don't like is the length of the barrel and suppressor together which on my current rifle is 31".

I've got an idea to build on a hot rod cartridge but cut the barrel down to 19 or 20 inches which will give me the barrel length I want but also slow my cartridge down as to not burn my barrel out so quickly. The key for me is to pick a cartridge either in the 6.5mm or 7mm family that usually screams with a standard 24 or 26 inch barrel and by cutting it down still achieves the same or better numbers than I'm getting with the PRC. If I would cut the PRC down, I would have less energy and speed than a 6.5CM which isn't what I want. The big deal is I need to pick a caliber that will still have efficient powder burn with a shorter barrel. I'm thinking one of the short mags is going to get the nod, but I'm not completely sure. Any suggestions on caliber?

Hmmmm. Interesting. What about the old tried and true 308. It's hade about as many variations of barrels you can think of.

 

[PAGSDIII701]

"es" = Extreme Spread - the difference from the maximum and the minimum velocity of a given string of shots. The tighter they are, the more consistent the downrange elevation can potentially be.

In addition to low ES, we also want as low as possible SD (standard deviation) which is the positive and negative variation ("deviation") from the average within 1 standard deviation. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Standard_deviation

Redneck descriptions ...

ES - difference between fastest and slowest
SD - how much faster or slower the closest 2/3(ish) are from the overall average

What's your Confidence Interval?