Remington 700. What Barrel Length?

[pitbull30]

Im lacking a decent bolt action and I think the 700 SPS Tactical would be a good place to start. My local guy can get them in 20 or 26 inch.

What length should I go for?

Thanks in advance

[Divernhunter]

What do you plan to use the rifle for? What cartridge do you plan to use?
These two questions will make a difference in what you buy.

[pitbull30]

What do you plan to use the rifle for? What cartridge do you plan to use?
These two questions will make a difference in what you buy.

Forgot about that. 308.

It will be for mainly the range or desert. I'd like to try my hand at some long range shooting.

This will be my first 308.

[LynnJr]

You always want as much barrel as you can get.
If it turns out 26 inches doesn't work take out your hacksaw and shorten it up.
You can't add barrel down the road and most long distance guns have two things in common.
Long barrels and light triggers.

[w210838]

Don't use a hacksaw ! Find a good smith or machinist if you want it shorter!

[killshot44]

Don't take things so literally....

OP: 26"

[JMP]

If you are learning, start with the factory 26" barrel. For range/target shooting, a 20" barrel is just too anemic for the longer side of 308 Win. If you get your own barrel, I highly recommend getting a 28". The reason for this is that Bartlein sells standard size blanks for $325 for any length up to 29" (at 1.25" diameter). This translates to a 28" finished barrel if you remove the minimum. It's not so much an issue with 308 Win, but very long barrels for barrel burning cartridges are good since you can set back the barrel to get more life without replacing the barrel.

Longer barrel = more velocity = better for longer range

Then, you want to get a contour that is as thick as you can reasonably handle.

As Lynn said, you can always shorten a barrel, but you cannot make it grow once it is on there. The nice thing about 308 Winchester is that it has been done a million times before, so it'll be easy to load. Get a medium palma contour or heavier, and you will see no loss in accuracy due to "barrel wiggle" and its rigidity, which someone is likely to mention in this thread. The nodes are known, and 308 really isn't prone to barrel wiggle as it should be shot with a 1:12" twist that doesn't generate a whole lot of shearing waves with a good Bartelin 5r barrel.

If people start arguing over barrel harmonics of the 308 Winchester as a reason for a shorter barrel, you can pretty much dismiss their post.

[mjmagee67]

You can make a barrel grow on almost any rifle. It's call rebarreling the gun. It can be expensive but you can get a barrel that is superior to the factory barrel. As far as length many say 20 inch is the best length. As far as velocity goes, let me ask a valid question, how far is far? 600 - 800 yards I'd go with the 20 in barrel and plan on getting a new stock, the Houge stock has a flexy forend on a bipod you can get it to flex into the barrel.

[G-Man WC]

Do yourself a favour and do some reading in the
Gunsmithing & How To: section of CG's.
Over the years there has been much discussion on building
a 700 for specifics.

Listen to what LynnJr, JMP, and Randall have to say, but only you know for sure what it's going to be used for. Many people don't put as many pills down range in a lifetime that they do in a year.
IE your not going to want to carry a 30# bench gun in the field to hunt with.
Being like so many here, as soon as you get one built your going to have a need (or want) to play another game for another application or distance.
That I know!
-g

[pitbull30]

Thanks for all the input. Before I started this thread I was looking at the SPS 20" because the price was so good at 700. I might have to rethink it.

[G-Man WC]

Thanks for all the input. Before I started this thread I was looking at the SPS 20" because the price was so good at 700. I might have to rethink it.

I have a 308 20" SPS that I picked up years ago for a project and have yet to get to it or even shoot it once.
I'll need to really think about what I want to use it for. If I get a slot and make it to Randall's
play house this year, I may just hang a 26"on it and be done. ....along with new stock, trigger, brake, and
bottom metal. Might as well do it right.
If I keep reading these posts, I may get pulled to the dark side and go 6.5
-g

[baih777]

26, its cheaper to have it cut shorter , rather than buy a longer barrel and have a gunsmith install a new barrel.

[GJC]

26, its cheaper to have it cut shorter , rather than buy a longer barrel and have a gunsmith install a new barrel.

Yup, go with the 26"

[pitbull30]

What do the CG critics have to say on this one? Yay or Nay? My LGS has this one.

http://www.remington.com/products/firearms/centerfire/model-700/model-700-sps-varmint.aspx

[bombadillo]

I hate it when people do it to me, but go 6.5cm. or .260 Remington.

I got a Remington 5R Mil-Spec in .308 and if I could do it over again, spend a bit more on ammo, and reach out further with better accuracy and less recoil.