Hunting with a 26" barrel

[MuleyFever]

Curious on your experience or opinion on hunting with a 26" barrel? Do you even notice the length? Has anyone done it and just couldn't stand it?

 

[rodney482]

My 28 nos has 26” barrel w 2” brake

 

[Steve O]

Nope. Not an issue. Overblown hype mostly. In places where it’s a problem it would be a problem with a shorter barrel as well more often than not.

 

[Hardwoodmaterials]

Depends on the area you hunt. If you hunt wide open places it wouldn't be a factor at all. If you hunt thick brushy areas it will seem like you hang the barrel on everything trying to move around. One of the most annoying things for me is a longer barrel sticks above my head and hangs on things when carried on my shoulder with a sling.

 

[elkguide]

When hunting the wide open spaces out west.... no issues.
When hunting the eastern thickets...… lots of issues.

When fitting in my safe...… issues.

Had to raise a shelf and rearrange a bunch
but this year when I added the third rifle with a 26" tube + brake,
it fit just fine.

 

[Mike Islander]

Big difference for me between a 22 and a 16.5. Never carried a 26, but that is my experience in our thick woods. Open space I don't think it matters much. But again, never carried anything longer than 24" and over the last several years nothing longer than 22".

 

[JG358]

Not an issue to me but I know a lot of guys that think anything over 18" is ridiculous. My go to has a 27.5" barrel.

 

[fatbacks]

Depends on what type of hunting. Having truck/boat/atv hunted with a 26” barrel it wasn’t a problem. Would I take a 26” barrel on my 10-12 day backpack sheep hunts? Not a chance - too unwieldy. I suppose At the end of the day it is a matter of opinion and how much you’re willing to deal with it.


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[deadwolf]

I have become a very big fan of shorter barrels, 22” is my favorite. Is it a bit slower, yeah, but I could care less in order to have a nice compact package.


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[ItemB]

Never was a problem for me until this past year when I got a suppressor adding to the length.

 

[huntsman22]

mine is 26", including the suppressor....

 

[manitou1]

I hunt Wyoming every year, then my home state of Missouri. From thickets to open plains, I see very little difference. I don't walk around with a rifle on a traditional sling either though. When I do have a rifle in a sling, it is in a Kifaru gunbearer, which holds the barrel tip in front of me about hat level. I really enjoy my 26" barreled rifles more than any others. Less muzzle blast, seem quieter and recoils seems better for some odd reason.
I have a buddy who has stood next to me during the taking of several game animals and he has asked why my rifles seem quieter.

 

[Cody_W]

Depends on your style of hunting. The extra FPS is always worth it for me. Personal preference.

 

[Miller8812]

In the woods I can’t stand it. In the open it’s not bad but it makes the gun terribly unbalanced imo. This is my first one with. 26” and I’m not a fan to say the least.

 

[Montana Slim]

I like my 26 inch barrel on my .257 in sagebrush in Montana. Love the rifle. Would not love it busting alders in AK...
Different hunting, different tools.
I like them all

 

[Antler57]

Like most stated depends on were you hunt open area no issues. tree and low branches will hang up. 20" max for me in these conditions

 

[Ryan Avery]

Nope. Not an issue. Overblown hype mostly. In places where it’s a problem it would be a problem with a shorter barrel as well more often than not.

I agree 100%!

I grew up hunting the brush country and never had an issue with a 26-inch barrel.

 

[amassi]

Never found 26" to be any sort of hindrance or issue.
If my fat butt can make it through some country...a couple inches ain't hurtin nobody.
That being said
Shorter barrels are certainly handier and when paired with appropriate cartridges really make sense for packing and pointing. In thicker blacktail country here I carry a 21" 7-08 but shots dont exceed 500 yards and are often much shorter and quicker. Coyote stands also lend themselves to a shorter barrel for me

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[JohnJohnson]

The main issue I have had is that I now hunt suppressed which adds even more to the length. Going to be getting a Barrett Fieldcraft soon and use a TBAC Ultra-7 on it. Length of the barrel + suppressor will be 24-25" combined.

 

[Sled]

i have a couple 26" barreled rifles that finish off around 28" with muzzle brake. they take patience going in and out of the safe. in the field i have not had an issue but i'm rarely in tight woods. the occasional scrub oak or dead fall can be a PITA but it's worth it for the extra reach when hunting certain locations.

that said, my usual rifle has a 24" barrel and i'm looking to go with an 18" bbl to add an almost 9" suppressor on.