24" or 26"

[Curly]

Looking to order a 7mm Mag.     I can have a choice of barrel lengths.   I know there is a minor velocity difference.  My previous rifles have been 24.  Is there a distinct advantage to the longer barrel.    Thanks Curly

[jwv2001]

If you are ultimately using the rifle for hunting, stay with the 24".  Two inches doesn't sound like much but carrying a rifle with an extra 2" barrel will be unwieldly.  There is no advantage with the 26" or disadvantage with a 24" barrel.

[killdeer]

26" is considered magnum length but it is not necessary. The extra 2" does come with a slight velocity increase/ db decrease and changes the balance point slightly of the rifle. I like slightly barrel heavy balance as I seem to hold it steadier but this is strictly a personal thing and i don't fret a long barrel.

[Curly]

Thanks for the replys.   Not sure how much the ballistics would change.  I am a lefty, but should be able to find a Win 70 with a 26" barrel to feel the weight/balance, even if it is a righty.    Most of my hunting is in the hills of WV, and I am not sure if the extra 2" would be unweildy.

[nasem]

Honestly, unless your going to use some of the super magnums (like the ultra magnums), you don't need 26".....I don't even think the extra 2" would even increase the fps by 20-40.......  

I prefer my barrels to be 22-24", they work very accuratly.  Now of course, I also have a 9.5 lbs 300-RUM rifle, and it does have a 26" heavy-barrel police edition, and let me tell you, if i had to go up hills and hold this darn thing for more than 30 minutes, I'd probebely get a heck of an arm / shoulder work out  :grin:   ..... come to think of it, I am a little over weight, maybe i should go joking with my RUM, I'll lose alot of weight lol

[jro45]

Some rifles go 25 fps per inch. I know thats what my 30/06 goes with a new barrel I had put on that was 2" longer. When I shot it threw my conograph it was 50 fps faster. So say you got a load that is 2850 fps and with your barrel 2" longer you'll know  the fps will be 2900 fps.

[Zachary]

I personally like 26" barrels on magnums.

Then again, in recent years, I have become wiser and have stayed away from magnums.  :wink:

Zachary

[lilabner]

I agree with Zachary. Seems to me that when you burn more powder and absorb more recoil, you should also use a barrel length that is optimum for the cartridge. There may be a few magnums that do not benefit by a 26 inch barrel but most will shoot flatter and hit harder with the longer barrel. I also don't like the 22 inch barrels they put on standard calibers in most factory rifles. Putting a 22 inch barrel on a 25-06 or a .270 Win. is not my idea of progress.

[longwinters]

Well, you could go with a 26" and if it did not float your boat have it cut and re-crowned to 24".  But I dont see what good a 26" barrel would be in a 7mm.  Even if it means 30-50 per inch, what is 60-100 fps.  Not much in the real world.

Long

[Bigfoot]

jro45 had it right, with the 7RM and 7WSM it's only 25 fps per inch. With the wide variety of bullets available in 7mm I'm sure you could make up that 50 fps difference with a slightly better BC if you thought it was important enough.

[kudzu]

Have several 22, 24, and 26 inch barrels, No noticable differance in performance other than a few fps, which is like I said NO noticeable differance. IMO the biggest factor is "use". What will fit your hunting style the best. Do you hunt for a box stand, portable climber, stalk hunt, all the above, etc, etc.  With performance not being an issue, get what fits your need the best.  Good luck and happy huntin, DM

[Curly]

Thank you Gentlemen for the replies.   I do hunt in a stand when available, and spend considerable time walking through the hard woods of West Virgina.   I think that for a few fps, I will take a 24".    Not sure if the shorter barrel is any stiffer, but it is my understanding that it should have less vibration which should improve accuracy.    I figure for my type of game, the 7RM had all the giddy-up-go I need, so the fps loss won't matter.