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.25-06 barrel length

8K views 5 replies 6 participants last post by  RaySendero 
#1 ·
hey guys how's it goin? i was wondering what the advantage of having a 24 inch barrel over a 22 7/16 inch barrel. im asking this because im looking at a tikka t3 lite in this caliber. ive been a fan of a 24 inch barrel on normal rounds and a 26 inch barrel on magnums. would the 24 inch barrel have a significant advantage? thanks a lot guys
 
#2 ·
shooterpunk said:
hey guys how's it goin? i was wondering what the advantage of having a 24 inch barrel over a 22 7/16 inch barrel. im asking this because im looking at a tikka t3 lite in this caliber. ive been a fan of a 24 inch barrel on normal rounds and a 26 inch barrel on magnums. would the 24 inch barrel have a significant advantage? thanks a lot guys

You would loose about 50 - 75 feet per second velocity. This would be insignificant and may be offset by reduction in barrel time and handiness. I cut a Remington 40XB .22-250 barrel from 27-1/4 inches to 22 inches, and never missed the extra length - don't miss any ground squirrels either. I wouldn't worry about the 1- 9/16 inch difference.

axlenut
 
#3 ·
The longer the better in the 25-06 the slower powders need time to burn so the longer the barrel the better the burn.
the three best powders in my 25-06 are reloader22, reloader 19 and IMR 7828.
......................................................................Marko
 
#4 ·
IMO, you'll never notice the difference ballistically.

What you'll more likely notice is the handling of the rifle. Longer barreled rifles tend to balance better and hold steadier for long range shots. Couple that with slightly higher velocities (so slightly better trajectory), and you have a good rifle for long range shooting.

Shorter barreled rifles handle quicker for close in shooting. Close in, the velocity gain or loss makes little difference so is a non-issue.

Those things said, I've never been a fan of medium length barrels. My long range rifles have 24-26 inch (mostly 26 inch) barrels, and shorter range rifles have really short barrels; like 16 inches.

The 25-06 being what it is, I'd get it with the longer barrel. The slight difference in the lengths you mention won't be great, but it might steady the rifle just a little for a longer shot. That little bit of steadiness can make a difference when it comes to hitting long range targets.

Whatever you decide, good luck!

Drifter
 
#5 ·
I've got two Rugers, both .25-06. Through the chronograph they produce no difference in velocity. One is the factory 24" barrel, the other is a 21" barrel, I don't know why it was cut shorter. I've shot both guns, and can't really tell a difference.
 
#6 ·
The answer depends on how you intend on using the rifle.

My preference for a 25-06 would be a 26" barrel but I would use it as a "bean field" rifle for deer. The shots are long from a stand. Carring a heavy rifle just to/from a stand isn't much work. But if you intend on carring the rifle on long walks afield you should consider the shorter barrels as they will be lighter and much handier in thick woods.
 
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