[Wazz13]

I am ordering a new barrel for my TC Pro Hunter from an after market manufacture chambered in 338-06. My question for you guys is what barrel length would be optimum for this round? I will be loading bullets weighing from 225-250 gr for the middle to lower velocity range 2300-2400 fps. I would like to keep the barrel 28" or less if possible. What are your thoughts?

 

[jim johnson]

I use a 24 in barrel on a ruger 77 action. My other one also wears a 24 in barrel. Hope this helps. Jim

 

[broom_jm]

I am ordering a new barrel for my TC Pro Hunter from an after market manufacture chambered in 338-06. My question for you guys is what barrel length would be optimum for this round? I will be loading bullets weighing from 225-250 gr for the middle to lower velocity range 2300-2400 fps. I would like to keep the barrel 28" or less if possible. What are your thoughts?

You could go with a 22" or 24" barrel and achieve that velocity range, with those bullet weights. Personally, I wouldn't go any longer than 26", even with a single-shot action, so it will still carry well and not be too heavy. I think the 24" barrel would be just about ideal for that action and cartridge.

 

[shane256]

When I got my .260 barrel, I basically looked at what various factory ammo makers used for their test barrels to publish velocity/energy of their loads and got that. It turns out, for non-magnums, that's usually 24". In the end, I'm actually glad I did that because the Encore platform (I have a Pro Hunter, too) doesn't have an action so it's automatically a few inches shorter than other rifles. Even with a 24" barrel, my PH is (and seems) pretty short and is easily usable in a tree-stand or ground blind (all five deer I got with it this past season were in one or the other, four were from a tree stand, one from a ground blind). I did get a heavy barrel for the primary purpose of adding weight (reduce recoil even more, even though the .260 is fairly mild already). Even with that barrel on it, it's still very light compared to my various bolt action rifles.

I've already been thinking about getting a .35 Whelen (it and the 338-06 are based off the .30-06 brass) barrel for it and have decided I'd get it a 24" heavy or bull (for added weight), most likely a bull.

 

[big dan]

i have a 24" tube on mine... the only thing i might do different would be a lighter profile or add some fluting.

 

[Shawn Crea]

24" on my 338-06. You might do just fine with a 22" barrel given the case size and bore size, but given the break-open action and already 3" or so shorter rifle, I'd stay with a 24".

 

[Cavitation]

I always thought for legal reasons the manufactures barrel measuments were from the begining of the breech were the case head is. As opposed from the throat or whatever.

AL

 

[TheDude]

24" on my 338-06. You might do just fine with a 22" barrel given the case size and bore size, but given the break-open action and already 3" or so shorter rifle, I'd stay with a 24".

+1

Are you certain you will NEVER want more? If it were me I would go with 24 inches on the Encore, its short already and you may want to beef up your loads at some point. If not, you'll still get get the velocity you want with less powder and pressure with the longer tube.

Regards,

Josh

 

[Shawn Crea]

I always thought for legal reasons the manufactures barrel measuments were from the begining of the breech were the case head is. As opposed from the throat or whatever.

AL

The barrel length - in rifles - is measured from the cartridge base. With a break-open action like the TC, or drop-block action like the Browning 1885 or Ruger #1, there is no additional length of action req'd to accommodate the bolt action, so they are much shorter. My Browning 1885 45-70 with 28" barrel has approximately the same overall length as bolt action rifles with 24" barrels.