Barrel length for 7" suppressor question

[MuleyFever]

Trying to decide if I would regret going with a 22" barrel instead of a 20" and a 7" suppressor. There are a lot more factory options at 22" so it would be easier. Probably looking at a 7mm-08 or 6.5 CM for the wife and a 6.5 PRC, 7 SAUM or 300WSM for me.

What length barrel do you use and do you love it or do you wish you would have gone with a different length?

 

[Sccritterkiller]

18" with 7" supressor is about perfect. IMO.YMMV

 

[WeiserBucks]

Depends on terrain. I've used a 28" barrel with a 10.5" suppressor in open country and it didn't bother me at all. My current barrels in service are 23", 24" and 25" with either a 9" or 10.5" can and they're fine for general use.

I'm in the middle of putting together a 20" for times that I don't have an elk tag and won't be shooting really long range. I'm a firm believer in shooting elk with big, heavy, fast bullets and the 20" barreled rifle I'm building doesn't qualify for all three criteria.

 

[madcalfe]

depends on what your wanting out of your gun. i run a 20" proof on my 300wsm.
and i honestly don't think id ever go back to a 24" barrel.
just have to keep in mind your velocities are going to be a little lower so maximum range will be effected due to minimum bullet velocity for expansion.

with my 300wsm for example im shooting 178gr eldx doing 2920fps. im good out to 650 yards for elk to still maintain proper bullet expansion and be around that 1500ft/lbs of energy. still outperforms a 30.06 and is way more compact.

 

[renagde]

I have a 19" barrel with a 6.25" suppressor. Before I ran a suppressor my rifle had a 26" barrel so this is just a hair shorter overall. I definitely would not want anything longer than 26" overall.

 

[Actual_Cryptid]

I like short barrels, but I don't take a lot of long shots where it matters. Step 1 is figure out how far away you're trying to hit stuff and what you need it to do when it hits, then you can work backwards on calibers from there. A 16" .308 and a 18" 6.5 Creemoor can still deliver more than 1000ft-lb on target at 500m. I'm sure the PRC or SAUM would give you more oompa for your loompa but thenyou start converting a lot of powder into noise and suppressor baffle erosion. I did some napkin math and I only show about a 300fps increase when stepping from an 18" 6.5 creedmoor to a 6.5 PRC in the same pipe.


For me, a long barrel witha decent (repeatable) QD muzzle device is a good middle ground/. If you're moving to a place to get a shot, and shooting of a bag/pod/sticks once you're there, it's just a couple seconds to what on your can before you settle in. That'll make the gun more handy on the move at least.

 

[colby12]

22” with a 7-8” suppressor is what I’ve got now. Been on about 6 hunts with them. It is a pain walking through trees and what not, especially when the gun is in the pack. Still worth the benefit. However I just sent one gun to the smith to cut the barrel to 18” so it is less of a nuisance.

 

[WeiserBucks]

I'm sure the PRC or SAUM would give you more oompa for your loompa but thenyou start converting a lot of powder into noise and suppressor baffle erosion.

If you're worried about eroding your suppressor baffles, you bought the wrong suppressor.

 

[RaggedHunter]

My main rifle has a 24" pipe, I run a 7" suppressor on it. I built the gun years before I got into the suppressor game. 24" with the suppressor is not too bad, I really have no legit issues. But I do think that a ~20" barrel with a 7" can would be a sweet spot. The next rifle I build or re-barrel, I will probably go with a 20" over a 24". I have a couple rifles that need treaded so I can run the can on them, I'm half tempted to have the gunsmith cut them down to ~20" before threading. I think that would make for a really sweet overall length. But I don't think that 22-24" with a can is necessarily a deal breaker.

 

[z987k]

I like short barrels, but I don't take a lot of long shots where it matters. Step 1 is figure out how far away you're trying to hit stuff and what you need it to do when it hits, then you can work backwards on calibers from there. A 16" .308 and a 18" 6.5 Creemoor can still deliver more than 1000ft-lb on target at 500m. I'm sure the PRC or SAUM would give you more oompa for your loompa but thenyou start converting a lot of powder into noise and suppressor baffle erosion. I did some napkin math and I only show about a 300fps increase when stepping from an 18" 6.5 creedmoor to a 6.5 PRC in the same pipe.


For me, a long barrel witha decent (repeatable) QD muzzle device is a good middle ground/. If you're moving to a place to get a shot, and shooting of a bag/pod/sticks once you're there, it's just a couple seconds to what on your can before you settle in. That'll make the gun more handy on the move at least.

300fps is a lot. That's a lot more energy downrange, a whole lot more distance for maximum ethical shot and/or a lot further mpbr if that's your thing.

 

[z987k]

Trying to decide if I would regret going with a 22" barrel instead of a 20" and a 7" suppressor. There are a lot more factory options at 22" so it would be easier. Probably looking at a 7mm-08 or 6.5 CM for the wife and a 6.5 PRC, 7 SAUM or 300WSM for me.

What length barrel do you use and do you love it or do you wish you would have gone with a different length?

18" on the CM, love it. 20 on my 3006. With the 7mm-08 and 6.5, I'd go 18", the other 3, probably 20, but maybe 18.

 

[Actual_Cryptid]

300fps is a lot. That's a lot more energy downrange, a whole lot more distance for maximum ethical shot and/or a lot further mpbr if that's your thing.

It's nothing to disregard for sure, but it comes at a cost. It all comes down to what you need. I'm still putzing aroudn with 308, 30-30, and 6.5 Grendel. Creedmoor, SAUM, and WSM cartridges are more than I find myself needing. That's why I say OP needs to figure out the performance requirements before deciding on a barrel length.

 

[MuleyFever]

That's why I say OP needs to figure out the performance requirements before deciding on a barrel length.

I disagree. If I am more concerned with the carry and feel of the rifle then I need to figure out the barrel length first. A rifle I don't want to carry has no use, no matter what the performance.

 

[Ucsdryder]

You’re lucky…I went through this a year ago. I agonized for weeks about 20-21-22” for my 7saum. I went with 20”. With a STOUT load of h1000 I’m getting 2750 with 180eld-m. I would not want to go any slower and therefore I wouldn’t go any shorter. As far as longer, at 10k feet I have over 1500ft/lbs of energy to 1000 yards, so what more would you want? Go with 20”, it’s perfection in the Saum with a suppressor. Let me know if you need my PayPal address to send payment for this advice.

 

[2Stamp]

I've got a 25-06 with a 24" barrel that uses a 7.5" suppressor. It's not too bad, but not ideal. I've got anew 280ai with a 26" barrel that will get cut down to 22" and threaded. It'll wear a 6.5" suppressor.

 

[RedBeard22]

I have a 19" barrel with a 6.25" suppressor. Before I ran a suppressor my rifle had a 26" barrel so this is just a hair shorter overall. I definitely would not want anything longer than 26" overall.

What caliber? I'm considering cutting a 24" 7mm Rem Mag down to 20" or 22"and running it suppressed.

 

[axeforce6]

My woods rifle is a 308 with a 20” barrel. If I’m going to cover a field edge I’ll run a 24” or 26” barreled rifle. I use an omega 300 on my rifles.

 

[renagde]

What caliber? I'm considering cutting a 24" 7mm Rem Mag down to 20" or 22"and running it suppressed.

Tikka 6.5 Creedmoor. Hoping to rebarrel soon to 300 wsm or 7 saum, that'll probably be a 18" barrel.

 

[madcalfe]

Tikka 6.5 Creedmoor. Hoping to rebarrel soon to 300 wsm or 7 saum, that'll probably be a 18" barrel.

you do realize creedmore has a .473" bolt face. and the other 2 you mentioned are a .540" face

 

[renagde]

you do realize creedmore has a .473" bolt face. and the other 2 you mentioned are a .540" face

Yes I plan to either trade for a magnum bolt or buy the LRI replacement. I paid $500 for a new Tikka and the only caliber option was 6.5. So I now have some money to play with.