Author Topic: Does 300 H&H need a 26" bbl??? (Read 572 times)

benny · « **on:** February 26, 2006, 12:50:07 PM »

I have read that the 300 H&H does not require the 26" bbl that the other 300 mags do because it has less powder / is more efficient. Is this true?

Is a 25" or even a 24" giving anything up in this round?

Thanks.

gunnut69 · « **Reply #1 on:** February 27, 2006, 08:08:52 AM »

Any large cased bottlenecked mag will loose more velocity per inch of barrel than a smaller cased round. Can you live without the velocity,,yes.. However a 26 inch tube has never been a big hinderance to me in the field.. Some consider them a burden bbut like the longer tubes!!

260 AAR · « **Reply #2 on:** February 27, 2006, 11:57:12 AM »

You might want to try looking on one of the good loading sites and see what a slightly faster burning powder will do. The original 300 and 375 H&Hs were built around VERY slow burning stuff and the newer powders might do better in a shorter barrel. Worth a look-see BEFORE you lop off the barrel.

Aloha, Mark

nasem · « **Reply #3 on:** February 27, 2006, 12:11:28 PM »

what are you planning on doing with this ? bench shooting or you actually going hunting ?

benny · « **Reply #4 on:** February 28, 2006, 01:39:30 AM »

i will be using the gun as an all-around big game rifle for North America and for an upcoming trip to SA for plains game.

i was looking at some reloading material and at least nosler uses 24" for the test bbl. but i get mixed opinions on length.

will be having a new rifle built to specs.

arkhillbilly · « **Reply #5 on:** March 14, 2006, 03:53:49 PM »

You don't need a 26" barrel with the 375H&H. Most classic safari style guns will have the barrel band and a shorter barrel and of course it will be wood stocked with a blued barrel. That said I have a 375 Browning ABolt stainless stalker with the 26" barrel. The reason, it was $775 as opposed to $2000 + for the traditional version.

lilabner · « **Reply #6 on:** March 15, 2006, 07:25:42 AM »

I think what you read is wrong. The 300 WSM and 300 WM have sharper neck angles and fatter cases with nearly straight sides and that should promote powder burning. Your case has a long, tapered body and a gradual neck angle and probably needs that longer barrel. I know that in the 30-06, good velocity can be attained with some faster burning powders and using them, you lose only about 25 fps for each inch of barrel length removed. The .270 requires slower powders for good velocity and you lose more like 50 fps per barrel inch lost. The man is right - if you can find a faster powder that gives good velocities, you can minimize the velocity loss. I would keep the 26 inch barrel,though.