Looking to to gather knowledge on what works well or what to avoid when looking at cartridges and barrel lengths for a shorter 18"-20" barrel deer rifle for up to 250-300 yard (less than 100 yard most likely) shots for use with a suppressor. Any advice or personal recommendations appreciated - hand loading is likely and trying to navigate between lethality on deer and good handling adding the additional length to the end of the barrel.
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Recommendation On Favorite Deer Cartridge For Shorter Barrel With Suppressor
- Thread starter Uncle J
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BigCityBubba
Well-Known Member
Sorry to sound boring but 308 win fits the bill perfectly
Thank you - I've looked at everything and seem to keep coming back to it. Thoughts on 18" vs 20"? Appreciate the response!
I was looking for the same thing last year after deer season and I narrowed it down to 7/08 and 308.
I ended up winning a Tikka 308 in a raffle last spring, so that is probably what I will be testing this weekend.
I have only shot out to 200 yds, but it does well on paper at that range.
I ended up winning a Tikka 308 in a raffle last spring, so that is probably what I will be testing this weekend.
I have only shot out to 200 yds, but it does well on paper at that range.
I went down this rabbit hole pretty far this summer and fall. There are NOT a lot of options for shorter barrel rifles unless you want to really spend $$ or get a compact stock with it. Me being 6'3 I did not want a compact.
308 is one of the few that are pretty common as well as 6.5 Grendel. While I dont hate the 308 at all it was just not a caliber I was looking at unless I had no other good options. I narrowed it down to 7mm/08 and 6.5PRC. 7mm08 is NOT easy to find in the under $900 rifles from all my research. I did end up finding a Bergara 6.5PRC hunter with a 18" barrel and came threaded so thats what I went with. Shoots lights out in that 300yds and under. Heard really good things on the Gen2 American ranch rifles though and looked really hard at those. While I know looks dont mean anything if it shoots but man I just never really loved the way they looked.
Granted I am running a 7" suppressor with that 18" barrel and I didnt really lose much if any velocity on it vs my 24" barrel 6.5PRC
308 is one of the few that are pretty common as well as 6.5 Grendel. While I dont hate the 308 at all it was just not a caliber I was looking at unless I had no other good options. I narrowed it down to 7mm/08 and 6.5PRC. 7mm08 is NOT easy to find in the under $900 rifles from all my research. I did end up finding a Bergara 6.5PRC hunter with a 18" barrel and came threaded so thats what I went with. Shoots lights out in that 300yds and under. Heard really good things on the Gen2 American ranch rifles though and looked really hard at those. While I know looks dont mean anything if it shoots but man I just never really loved the way they looked.
Granted I am running a 7" suppressor with that 18" barrel and I didnt really lose much if any velocity on it vs my 24" barrel 6.5PRC
Thank you - good luck and let me know how it turns out. Most of my shots (when I actually make it out to hunt) are fairly close but I occasionally get a chance to hunt out of state and can have some longer shots there while hunting in a box stand. So looking to gain knowledge from those that have went before me! I've looked hard online and there isn't a ton of information available. I appreciate your response!
There are multiple calibers available , 308 , 6.8 , 6.5 , 7mm etc… These are good rifles and and at a very good price point in todays market. I run a 18 inch Creedmoor and shoot sub MOA easy.
if you want a 7mm08 this is the one Id suggest if its in your budget. Has a lot of very good reviews on it for quality and accuracy
This is the gun I got and it shoots sub moa easily (I got the non scope package version) I found it on another site and shipped to my FFL ended up being like $700 out the door.
This is the gun I got and it shoots sub moa easily (I got the non scope package version) I found it on another site and shipped to my FFL ended up being like $700 out the door.
6mm arc or 7mm 08
From my limited experience shooting mine and a few other buddies of different guns and calibers, I dont think the barrel length matters as much as the gun quality and ammo especially out to your 200-300yd ranges. By that I dont mean the more money you spend on the gun = more accurate, just something like a Mossberg Patriot has a higher chance to not shoot as well as a Bergara or Browning Xbolt. Not saying it cant shoot well, just a higher chance it wont vs a gun with better barrel, stock and action quality.
BigCityBubba
Well-Known Member
The difference between 18 and 20 inch barrel is insignificant. Probably around 50fps.
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I went with a tikka t3x compact in 308 then had the barrel cut to 16in for my suppressed hunting rig. This is my 3 shot group at 175yds with federal blue box which it prefers over any other factory ammo. It's my favorite deer gun I have ever owned and once you shoot a deer with a suppressor you will never want to shoot one without it.
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Jeff43
Well-Known Member
Exactly what I was thinking.
I have a S&W .308 with a threaded barrel, with my home-made LEGAL suppressor (did a Form 1 build a few years ago) & it shoots handloads very well.
Sounds about like a loud .22 with the hunting loads.
If I can ever get my hands on some Trailboss powder I'm going to load up some subsonics & REALLY make it quiet.
6arc 22arc 6creed 22creed. My next build will be a 22 creed somewhere in the 18-22 inch range, most likely 18. Gonna find out this weekend how I like a 20 inch barrel with my suppressor.
Thank you for all the responses so far! With some many choices I catch myself way over thinking things as always!
I will look hard at a 300 aac at some point - let me know how it does if you don't mind. For my first threaded rifle really thinking about about something for midrange and have way overthought ballistics, muzzle blasts, and cartridge efficiencies on this one.
