Lopped 2" off my model 11 .308 barrel. What a difference it makes.

[Newtosavage]

This is the 2nd time I've done this. Both model 11's in .308. The difference in handling from a 22" to a 20" barrel still amazes me. These guns point like my Model 94 Winchester now and are a treat to carry.

At least in the first case, the rifle actually got more accurate. A trip to the range today will confirm whether it helps on rifle #2 as well.

I just used common tools at home - a hacksaw, a mill bastard file, some 800 grit and then 1500 grit sandpaper, a brass screw and some toothpaste to cut and recrown. I have a cold blue pen to touch up the bluing afterward. With a lot of thumb and elbow grease, the crown looks just like the factory crown again.

[RC20]

Some guy beat the daylights out of a rifle crwoin in various ways including a hammer and tested it.

Worst damage did not seem to have huge impact (not longer a bench rest but good for hunting)

Sounds like that is true.

Shorter is stiffer and maybe easier nodes found with less whip.

[squirrel_slayer]

good job, now lop off some more! lol I like mine around 18.5" seems to be the perfect balance of handling and velocity. once you get down to 16" the blast starts to become more apparent.

hmm I still have that 300WM barrel that I want to cut to 14" and pin/weld a brake on. lol

[Wolf]

I got a Savage with a 20-inch bull barrel drives tax with Factory loaded ammo

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[Newtosavage]

good job, now lop off some more! lol I like mine around 18.5" seems to be the perfect balance of handling and velocity. once you get down to 16" the blast starts to become more apparent.

hmm I still have that 300WM barrel that I want to cut to 14" and pin/weld a brake on. lol

I was thinking about 18.5 actually. I had a Ruger with that barrel length, and it always carried lighter than it was. However this will be my backup elk gun, and I didn't want to lose TOO much velocity.

Shot it today and nope, no affect on accuracy that I can tell. Still shoots great. Handles better than ever too.

I was looking to make this .308 basically an "overgrown 30-30" for woods hunting. So far it's working. It's lighter than my Win 94 30-30 and carries a bit more punch with light hand loads. Perfect for the NF where I hunt. I'll have my Tikka '06 for western hunts.

[squirrel_slayer]

with powders like 8208xbr and 2000mr you can get back that velocity. I'm getting 2577 ft/sec with 175's with 8208xbr in my 18.5. I used to get 2600 ft/sec with 168's in my 16" .308 AR with 2000MR

[Newtosavage]

Thanks but I'm not too worried about the velocity loss. This is my "deer woods" rifle and shots beyond 200 yards will be very rare if ever taken. I'm actually loading it down a bit anyway, with 4895, and light loads of Varget. Even the light Varget load is still giving me 2600 fps with 150's which is more than enough for any deer we have around these parts. When I take it out west for a backup elk gun, I'll push 180 Accubonds up to 2500 fps and just keep the shots at a reasonable distance for that load.

[RC20]

Good for you. I could not bring myself to cut a barrel. I know it can be done but ........

On the other hand, I just bench shoot these days so I go with at least 24-26 inch barrels.

But it is good to get confirmation that the muzzle is not that much of a problem.

[Newtosavage]

But it is good to get confirmation that the muzzle is not that much of a problem.

So far at least, it hasn't been for me. I suppose a fella could screw one up though, if they tried hard enough. The "secret" (although it really isn't one) for me is just finer grits of sandpaper with my thumb round and round on the crown, then finish it off with a brass screw and some toothpaste. Once the shape is good, I polish it with 1500 grit sandpaper and it takes on a mirror shine, then I use the Birchwood Casey blue pen to cold blue it. No biggie. Took me about 20 min. total with simple tools.

[big honkin jeep]

I took one down to 16" a couple of years ago and couldn't be happier. I also knocked a few inches off the butt. It made a great fast handling easy packing and pointing little carbine for what needs killing. A Lee precision "case cutter" chucked up in a drill with a .308 case length gauge as a pilot will cut a perfect flat 90 degrees that is recessed a little (case length gauge and a case cutter with lock stud is about $11 total) with much less effort than a file but still uses basic hand tools most everyone has on hand. Follow that with the brass screw for a perfectly polished result.


As far as velocity loss or limits to the range of the .308 cartridge with a short barrel, Well just ask or take that up with the guys banging steel at 600+ yards with 12" barreled Savage strikers. I promise you nothing wants to be to be in the cross hairs down range of my 16" barreled rig at any distance.
Also great to share with the grandkids, nieces and nephews when downloaded to less recoil than a .243 with H4895 and 125-130Gr bullets and still deadly on deer. (yeah I have grown to love these "effective "youth" loads myself.)

[Texas10]

I never heard of RL10X until today when the guy on the 300 yd bench next to me was shooting a short barreled Rem .308 with silencer (thank God) and said he "took many deer last season" shooting the 125 gr Sierra with RL10X and making 3250 fps out of his 18 inch barrel.

If any one here can add any validity to that claim, I will plan to shorten one of my new 308 barrels and put it in an AT-1 stock for next deer season.

How 'bout it, anyone have a quick load program and can check this out?

Inquiring minds might like to know.

[squirrel_slayer]

i'm showing 2969 ft/sec with a 125 sierra seated 2.7" with 44.3gr 10x @ 59803psi from a 18" barrel in quickload. sounds a hair optimistic, but it is known that some suppressors will gain velocity and there's also some barrels that run fast, roomier brass can play a part, ect.....

big honkin jeep thanks for that tip with the lee cutter. would have never thought of it!

[Newtosavage]

Also great to share with the grandkids, nieces and nephews when downloaded to less recoil than a .243 with H4895 and 125-130Gr bullets and still deadly on deer. (yeah I have grown to love these "effective "youth" loads myself.)

Agreed. I've been using Hornady FTX "30-30" bullets for reduced loads on whitetails with great success. They are super accurate (more accurate than my SST's quite often) and expand well at lower velocities.

big honkin jeep thanks for that tip with the lee cutter. would have never thought of it!

I tried the Lee case cutter trick once, but didn't have as good of luck, so I went back to the mill bastard file to shape the outer edge, then progressively finer sandpaper in a circular motion with my thumb until I got to 1500 grit for a polished finish.

[Newtosavage]

shooting the 125 gr Sierra with RL10X and making 3250 fps out of his 18 inch barrel.

That does sound a touch optimistic, but also sounds like a very good low recoil deer load.

[Wolf]

So my purchase of a Savage 20 inch bull barrel 308 last year was a good thing

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