For precision shooting. long barrel vs shorter with muzzle brake?

[Dirte]

Need some help from the experienced precision folks. What difference in performance/accuracy would there be between a 20" threaded barrel with a muzzle brake attached vs 26" non threaded barrel?

My wife wants to start shooting for distance but we are both totally new to this field. She already settled on a Remington 700 .308, so we're just trying to decide on a specific model. It's between the SPS tactical with a 20" threaded barrel or a Varmint SF with a 26" stainless barrel.

Both are heavy contoured and fluted but the tactical is about $150 cheaper. However, my understanding has always been that, all else being equal, a longer barrel = greater accuracy. Is this true?

She'll most likely just be punching paper and I don't see it going more than 5-600 yards any time in the near future.

[JMP]

A longer barrel does not necessarily translate to greater accuracy. In fact, sometimes it's the opposite. The longer barrel gives you more muzzle velocity, which is important for shooting at greater distances. A shorter barrel could be more accurate if it is more rigid. If you know the maximum is 5-600 yards, I'd get the 20". You can always change it later.

[RobG]

I ran a 20" 308 all the way to 1k. Works but not optimal. The longer barrel gives you more velocity which is good for 308. Accuracy is probably a wash length wise. You can always cut down the longer barrel but cannot add to the shorter one.

[ExtremeX]

all else being equal, a longer barrel = greater accuracy. Is this true?

Negative... Longer barrel has the potential to product a faster muzzle velocity. JMPs comments are pretty much on point.

What difference in performance/accuracy would there be between a 20" threaded barrel with a muzzle brake attached vs 26" non threaded barrel?

Note:
SPS Tactical = 20" non threaded 1:12 twist
SPS Tactical AAC-SD = 20" threaded 1:10 twist
Varmint SF (Stainless) = 26" 1:12 twist

Any one of these will take care of you for a 500-600 yard application... elevation is easy to figure out, but the 26" will gain you some extra FPS to help keep those wind holds a little tighter.

All things being equal the biggest determining factor in accuracy will pretty much boil down to how well the ammunition plays with the rifle. You just wont know what you have until you test it. Quality of ammo will also be a factor; Most serious shooters either handload or pony up the cash for factory match ammo.

For a 500-600 yard application I would be looking at the 20" options. I have a SPS Tactical and its taken me well past 600 without problems. I really do like the stainless steel options from Remington as the factory finish kinda blows on the black rifles...

Even though I very much like stainless, I would put the money saved into an area that counts, like optics... If you haven't taken the time to research glass, now is the time to do it so you have a better idea of what a complete system is going to cost you.

The factory stock also leave a lot to be desired...

[Vu 308]

If this rig is for the wife, don't get a 20" 308win that will beat her up.

I don't get this whole thing with a 20" threaded barrel stuff. Unless you plan to shoot inside 800 with a can aka suppressor, why a 20?

Get a PSS in a 26 that will smoke a 20" out to 1K Or a Remington 700 5R with a 24". Run 175 SMKs

Or if she doesnt mind a savage, maybe something in a 6.5CM which is a lot nicer to shoot.

Muzzle brakes can be good and bad. I have had rifles that do not like them at all. Spin one on, shoots 1/2 to 3/4, take them off and they are 1/4moa guns.

I don't run brakes at all any more.

[Vu 308]

Oh one more thing, if you slap a brake on a 20" 308win your female is going to hate that muzzle blast...

[alfred1222]

A longer barrel does not necessarily translate to greater accuracy. In fact, sometimes it's the opposite. The longer barrel gives you more muzzle velocity, which is important for shooting at greater distances. A shorter barrel could be more accurate if it is more rigid. If you know the maximum is 5-600 yards, I'd get the 20". You can always change it later.

This is probably the best answer you are going to get.

[postal]

It also depends on how you want to shoot. Bench only or prone only, barrel length doesnt matter. Positional shooting, a short barrel is the way to go.

As to recoil of either barrel length, what really matters is total rifle weight. If you're in the neighborhood of 14+ pounds total weight, recoil is very mild. My GF would shoot all my ammo if I wasnt watching in a 26" non braked 308 that's a little heavy.

[pklin1297]

I would listen to Vu 308...

Go with the Varmint long barrel. I just got a 26" build done and it is not as long as I had dreaded... Plus, if you really don't like after shooting it, you have material to cut down and crown again... You can't "grow" a 20" barrel longer without rebarreling, and that in most places costs more than a simple factory barrel cut and crown.

[vintagearms]

A 26" barrel can be custom threaded to match any muzzle brake, so dont let that be the deciding factor.

[Dirte]

Thanks for the great responses so far. To address a few of the points:

I'm fairly certain that she will be exclusively bench shooting. Then again, I never thought she would even get this exited and serious about shooting in the first place, so I could end up being wrong about this too.

I don't think a reasonable amount of "felt recoil" is a huge issue. She has a mosin m44 that she enjoys shooting quite a bit. I was going on the assumption that the reason for having a threaded barrel on the shorter version was to compensate for the physically greater recoil and muzzle rise that I think would be inevitable on a shorter and thus lighter barrel.

Purely out of curiosity, what would be a ballpark figure for the cost getting a barrel threaded ?

Thanks again for all the info. Keep it coming.

Sent from my LG-LS980 using Tapatalk

[baih777]

to get a barrel threaded.

http://www.ar15barrels.com/

if you take your brake at the same time he can time the brake also. additional fee but reasonable.
if you get a Saturday appt he will do it while you wait.

any other services are recommended also.

[kmullins]

Barrel length does not necessarily mean greater accuracy, but the benchrest world records are always shot with barrels at least 28". The world record for a 5-shot group at 600 yards is 0.349" and the barrel was 29" long.

In order to shoot farther out, you need more velocity. In order to get more velocity, you need more barrel length. In addition to this, if your looking for what is the most accurate, you are shooting either from a bench position or from a prone position. A longer barrel will equal more weight and thus a more stable platform to shoot from.

[hermosabeach]

If you are not shooting from field positions, longer & heavier are my preference.

The longer barrel gives a few more FPS so you have less drop at distance.
This makes rage estimation a bit easier to get on paper.

Check out The Big Chubby muzzle brake.
It allows the shooter to keep the optic on target.
So the shooter can spot their own shots.
It also helps to reduce the effect of a newer shooter not having a consistent natural point of aim.

Several vids of the big chippy brake are on u tube.

If you start with one of the remington varmint guns with a 26" barrel, you might be shocked how good they can be out of the box.

[pklin1297]

to get a barrel threaded.

http://www.ar15barrels.com/

if you take your brake at the same time he can time the brake also. additional fee but reasonable.
if you get a Saturday appt he will do it while you wait.

any other services are recommended also.

For your intended purchase, go to http://700barrels.com/services.shtml. Same Gunsmith, just services specifically for the Rem 700, clones, and others.

Barrel Fitting with Threaded Muzzle $210
This service is to fit a barrel blank to a bolt action receiver. The barrel is setup in the lathe and dialed in to less than 0.0003" total indicated runout at the chamber end. The barrel is threaded to fit the action. The barrel is timed so that any muzzle runout will end up at 12:00, ensuring that no scope elevation travel is lost in the barrel fitting process. The chamber is roughed out and then bored to within a few thousandths of final diameter to ensure concentricity before reaming the chamber. The chamber is reamed to final dimension with a floating pilot reamer using a pilot that fits the bore as tight as possible. This is most important to ensure the throat is perfectly centered in the bore. This is a true benchrest quality chambering job. It is common for rifles to shoot 1/4 moa with this type of a barrel installation job. This service also includes cutting the barrel to it's finish length and the muzzle is threaded to accept a muzzle brake. A recoil lug needs to be provided by the customer with the receiver. Muzzle brake fitting services are listed above.

Muzzle brake fitting $40
This service encompasses all aspects of fitting a muzzle brake to a threaded barrel. The bore of the muzzle brake is opened up thirty thousandths of an inch over bullet diameter. Muzzle devices are single point bored to size to ensure a straight and round bore. If applicable, the muzzle device will be blended to the barrel diameter or tapered at the junction between barrel and muzzle brake. I index your muzzle brake to your barrel barrel by facing off the rear of the muzzle device, or by facing off the barrel's shoulder if the barrel will already be in the lathe for other operations. You must include your muzzle device with the barrel in order to use this service.



If you are going to change barrel, get the action trued at the same time:

Action Truing $120
This service is completely re-machine the action to it's centerline. The action gets reamed out to 0.705", then dialed in to less than 0.0004" total indicated runout. The bolt lug seats and receiver face are cut perfectly perpendicular to the receiver bore. The threads are single point chased 0.020" oversized to remove all runout. A new barrel and recoil lug must be fitted after receiver truing. Customer to provide a new recoil lug which will be bored oversized to fit with oversized threads that will be used during rebarreling.



I have no affiliation with AR15barrels.com or 700Barrels.com, other than just being a happy, satisfied customer for three years now.