Cutting barrel advice. .300WM

[762 ULTRAMAGA]

I'd keep an eye, especially with a RUM with unburnt powder building up in the can. I have a buddy who's can exploded due to powder build up, and another who was burnt the crown off his barrel on a 300 PRC, both were either 18 or 20" pipes pushing big pills with slow burning powder.

It's not unburnt powder it's carbon fouling, every can will fill up with gunk if not cleaned regardless of barrel length. Bigger powder charges will require more frequent cleaning whether its on a 16 or 26" barrel

 

[thinhorn_AK]

Compare all you like, a larger capacity cartridge will outperform a smaller capacity cartridge given the same bullet weight and barrel length. Every single time.

This is true, even if you neuter your 300 down to 30-06 performance, it will be shooting faster than a 30-06 of the same length. You just need to decide if thats what you are looking for.

 

[Ernie]

What are the considerations and implications involved with reducing the length of a rifle barrel?

I have a .300WM that I have loved for many years. It is a decent shooter for a factory gun, but I’d like to put a silencer on it. The factory barrel is currently 26” long.

If I cut and thread the barrel to something shorter, what are the implications? Obviously we will loose some velocity (25-35 fps/inch). And loose some weight. But what other implications are there?

What about shooting a magnum caliber out of a short barrel? Will the power have enough barrel to burn or will I be pumping a fireball into that suppressor? The rifle shoots best with fairly hot loads. I’m concerned that if I go to something low pressure the groups will open up.

I’d like to go short on the barrel, say 20” and then go long on the suppressor. But how short is too short?

Anyone have experience shooting a silencer on a .300 WM? Should I just leave it alone and buy a different barrel?

You have got the inch loss figured out.
I shoot a lot of shorty barrels: 14-18 inches in length.
Make sure sure your can is rated for it.
You may have to change your loads, since you have changed the harmonics.
All things considered, your barrel will have more rigidity, since it is shorter.
20" is not to short.
I shoot a 18" 26 Nosler and a 18" 7mm Dakota - No problems!

 

[TheCoyote]

You have got the inch loss figured out.
I shoot a lot of shorty barrels: 14-18 inches in length.
Make sure sure your can is rated for it.
You may have to change your loads, since you have changed the harmonics.
All things considered, your barrel will have more rigidity, since it is shorter.
20" is not to short.
I shoot a 18" 26 Nosler and a 18" 7mm Dakota - No problems!

Ernie what can are you using on those short barrels?

 

[Ernie]

No cans, just Holland Radial Baffle Brakes!
Jim shooting my 26 Nosler with 147's @ 1453 yards.

Jim again, a year earlier shooting my 7mm Dakota with 175 ELD-X's at 1890 yards.

 

[deerhunter628]

I use Q cans. They do not have any barrel limits.