What caliber for a suppresed short barrel lightweight build

[xHonza]

Hello everybody, I am considering my next build which is inspired by one of my favourite rifles (16 inch suppresed Bergara BA13 takedown rifle). Considered style of hunting means in my case shots up to 400 meters/cca 450yards. As I will shot with suppressor and need good manoevrabilty I want maximum barrel lenght 16 inch. In my country is no limit for barrel lenght so I can go even lower, but I consider this as reasonable minimum for practical use of the powder without excessive fireballs . Plan is to shoot both subsonic and supersonic (in 90% cases, subs are just for finishing shots with my dogs around) I am reloading so no problem to go even with most exotic wildcats. Main aim is find out whether there might be something surpassing quality of this small toy I already use with possibly larger caliber. I was thinking about something in 338, or bigger.

 

[Deleted member 115360]

You don't have a preference for action length or bolt face?

What size game will you be chasing?

 

[chutinlead]

you could copy the gunwerks lite SABR in 338 RCM. 14" barrel with 8" suppressor on the end.

 

[BallisticsGuy]

^^^ great option if you can do a magnum bolt face otherwise .338 Federal (.308 Winchester necked up to .338) would be a great option in a standard .473" bolt face. You gain about 100fps of velocity over .308win with bullets of the same weight. So where you might see 2500-2600fps with a 180 from a .308win you can get 2700-2800 with a .338Fed.

 

[xHonza]

You don't have a preference for action length or bolt face?

What size game will you be chasing?

I have no preference and am truly open to all suggestions with good arguments, incl. short magnums (altough I have my doubts that they will fit well with request of subsonic option). Short action would be better from weight point of view (I intend to carry the rifle a lot), but those half pound difference is nothing what would bother me. As for action I can live even with single shot like BA13, this actually helps with total lenght a lot.

 

[Deleted member 115360]

375 raptor.

 

[xHonza]

for both, bolt face can be always opened, so there is plenty of donors available.

As for game size, it would be mostly deer size game and wild hogs, weight range from 20 to 200 pounds

 

[xHonza]

sabr looks truly sweet, this is certainly interesting idea. I will runn the quick load calculation, as 14inch I considered originaly maybe too short, but who knows. I have actually available a barrel blank 1:6,5" in 338 so this might work well for my needs

 

[Deleted member 115360]

You can run a 375 raptor to almost full velocity in an 11" barrel. It is a great subsonic option because of the incredibly high b.c. bullets. It is a legitimate 300y game killer with subsonic loads. The supersonic loads are just nasty

 

[coop2564]

7mm-08 sounds perfect for the job.

 

[Holycity73]

7-08 or 308. K.I.S.S.

 

[highdrum]

Most supressor and short mags only get rated to 18" due to muzzle psi. Contact the can manufacturer and see what powder capacity you can run in the 14-16" barrel. Then start picking it all apart. I'd say the 7/08 pushed hard with 140gr bullets will give best performance.

 

[dogz]

22 CM

 

[Zink14]

It is extremely hard to beat a 308, on almost every aspect, I know it's not the vogue choice but it's extremely effective