20 vs 24 inch barrel

[khunter20]

Going to pick a CA Ridgeline in 6.5cm. Torn between the 20 or 24 inch barrel. Ive never owned a hunting rifle with a shorter barrel so I'm kind of interested. Will I be losing much from the 24? Its going to be for deer/antelope and maybe spike/cow elk. I am also looking to see what people's experiences are with the 124gr Hammer Hunters by Hammer Bullets. They seem very interesting.

 

[swehrman]

IMO, I'd go longer unless you plan on climbing through thick timber. You can always have it cut down if you don't like the additional length.

-- Scott

 

[Bsnyder]

i would also go 24 i have a 22in in a 260 rem and i get any speed higher 2700 with a 120 ttsx i did just order some 121 hammers to see if i can get closer to 2900 mark.

 

[slowelk]

Depends on the range you are looking to be effective killing critters at. If you're only looking to go out to 500, 20" should be fine. Beyond that you will need the extra velocy/barrel.

 

[cmahoney]

I just dialed a load in my 24” Tikka 6.5 Creedmoor with 124 hammers. 43 grains of RL 16 with Lapua SRP brass and BR4 primers 2.889 COAL 2940 FPS with SD of 12 for 10 rounds. Sub MOA but it’s been too windy to really shoot for groups on paper the last three weeks so I’ve been shooting steel.

I think I may get more velocity with a faster powder but I have a bunch of 16 so I’m sticking with that for this year.

I like the 24” barrel to get the most out of that cartridge.


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[Wyatt.Carter]

IMO and from the data I've looked at 24" is about optimal for velocity out of a CM after that your velocity gains decrease with length

 

[TxxAgg]

Get the 24. If you don't like it, cut to 22"

I like short barrels, but 6.5 CM gets slow quickly

 

[Mike Islander]

You only lose 80-100 feet per second (measured). Totally worth it to me. You might go from 1100 yards effective range to 900, far more than any of us should shoot at game.

 

[Formidilosus]

Going to pick a CA Ridgeline in 6.5cm. Torn between the 20 or 24 inch barrel. Ive never owned a hunting rifle with a shorter barrel so I'm kind of interested. Will I be losing much from the 24? Its going to be for deer/antelope and maybe spike/cow elk. I am also looking to see what people's experiences are with the 124gr Hammer Hunters by Hammer Bullets. They seem very interesting.

The effective range difference at SAC between a 20” and 24” barrel with that bullet is whole 40 yards...... From 660 to 620 yards.


Barrel length “knowledge” is mostly myth.

 

[Ram94]

One thing to note is you will not be able to have the carbon barrel cut and threaded after the fact.


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[deadwolf]

20” is all you need. You’ll have a lighter more handy rifle and you’ll never miss the slight velocity drop, as Form already mentioned.


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[TxxAgg]

One thing to note is you will not be able to have the carbon barrel cut and threaded after the fact.


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good point. I change my vote to 20"

 

[mt100gr.]

20" and shoot heavy bullets.

 

[tdhanses]

I’m getting 2700ft/s out of a 20“ shooting Berger 156’s, I’d go 20“, you don’t lose much to a 24“ in reality.

 

[Newtosavage]

I'm not sure I'll ever have another rifle with a barrel more than 20". 20" barrels are so darn handy, quick to point, and in my experience can actually be more accurate than longer barrels. This isn't 1918 anymore. We can crank well constructed, high BC bullets out of 20" barrels with great powders and as Form said - the difference is completely negligible.

I was shooting 150 grain GMX's out of my .308 with the 16.5" barrel the other day. They were going 2650 fps. At 9K feet on a typical day of hunting, that bullet is still carrying 1600 ft. lbs. to 500 yards at over 2100 fps.

My Howa Alpine with the featherweight 20" barrel pushes 140-grain bullets over 2800 fps.

I don't know about you, but that's more than enough for my shooting ability.

 

[Devildogg]

I bought a 6.5 creed Mesa and it shot awesome!! I was shooting the 143 eld X out if it at 2790. I walked into a gun store and saw a 20” ridgeline and had to have it so I traded my Mesa for it. My load for that with the same bullet was 2710. I shot 123 eld m out of it and they shot just over 2900 fps. All shot amazing out of it.

 

[khunter20]

Ill go with the 20, thanks for all the help.

 

[N2TRKYS]

I'd definitely go 24" unless you just wanted a short barrel.

 

[khunter20]

I'd definitely go 24" unless you just wanted a short barrel.

Any particular reason why? I dont really prefer one over the other, ive just never owned a hunting rifle with a 20in barrel and if the difference in ballistics are minimal then I think its worth trying out.

 

[deadwolf]

Unless you’re trying to squeeze every last little drop of velocity out of it, you’ll like the shorter barrel. Why keep 4” of barrel for 40 yards?! And if you ever plan to run a suppressor...the 20” is a no brainer.


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