Your favorite “shorty”

[Megastink]

I'm on a quest to build/buy a deer hunting rifle with a shorter barrel (16-18"). It will eventually be suppressed, and I primarily hunt PA woods and swamps, so something short and handy appeals to me. I've got plenty of 24-26" barrels of rifles that are just a tad more cumbersome than I'd like.

I'm considering my caliber choices, and it got me wondering what everyone here liked. I'm sure everyone's favorites will be a little different. I want as little recoil as I get get away with while being able to kill easily out to about 500 yards. Short action, manually operated (per PA law), and efficient/clean burning. The option of a short length of pull is also preferable for my little T-Rex arms. I hand load so wildcats are an option (I love me some wildcats).

I'd love to hear about and SEE your shorty rifles.

 

[AZ_Hunter]

My 12.5” 6.8.

 

[Matt5266]

Tikka. 223 18 inches.

 

[waspocrew]

18” 6CM

 

[Tmac]

We use a Ruger American Ranch rifle in 5.56 with a 16 ish barrel suppressed. Very handy. It’s not a 500 yard gun. The new Ranch rifle version comes in a number of cartridges that would do what you seek on a budget, a 22 or 6mm ARC perhaps? .

 

[H80Hunter]

Sig cross

 

[onlybrowning]

Browning BAR in any short action caliber in 18 inches. ShortTrac, MK2, MK3.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[ChrisAU]

16.5 22CM. Have killed a lot of stuff with it in the last 4 months. So compact. I’ll never go back to a big boomer with a long barrel. I built a twin for night hunting and are awaiting a Rokstok for my 18” 6CM build for where .22 cal isn’t legal.

 

[B23]

Mine is pretty basic semi custom 6CM built on a SA Rem700 but it shoots really well and gets the job done. For a minimal recoil deer gun the 6CM or 243 Win are both good choices.

 

[Sierra Hunter]

Tikka 300 WM cut to 19” and love it. Gonna do it to them all. 18-20 “

 

[eric1115]

6mm ARC is a great short barrel cartridge for the use you described, suppresses incredibly well too.

 

[deerhunter628]

My Q Fix 16” 308 is my go to hunting rifle.

 

[justinspicher]

We use a Ruger American Ranch rifle in 5.56 with a 16 ish barrel suppressed. Very handy. It’s not a 500 yard gun. The new Ranch rifle version comes in a number of cartridges that would do what you seek on a budget, a 22 or 6mm ARC perhaps? .

I have the same rifle, also suppressed. Why is this not a 500yd gun?

 

[Turkeygetpwnd38]

Tikka 16” .308. Just waiting on rings and have a rs1.2 to mount on it for now. Was my idea for a handy 500 yard and in brush/fun gun.

 

[Long84]

I've got a couple of 18" .308s. Ruger American Predator and a Bergara Ridge. Both shoot pretty good. I just picked up a Savage 110 Trail Hunter Light in .300wsm. It's got a 20" barrel, and when paired with a suppressor it's not as harsh as one would expect.

 

[thinhorn_AK]

I have a few tikka rifles cut to 18” (30-06 and 6.5cm), I really like both of those. I also have a Kimber Montana 308 thats been cut to 18” which is also a great gun.

In 2024, I about 2 caribou and a 70” moose with the 30-06.

 

[Tmac]

I have the same rifle, also suppressed. Why is this not a 500yd gun?

I believe the OP was talking hunting, I answered with that in mind. Mine does not have enough velocity for me to be comfortable that far. It really runs out of velocity around 400 ish depending on enviromentals. For ringing steel, different story. If using my 22” barreled Tikka .223, I would give a different answer. These are chrono’d velocities for my individual rifles.