Short Barrel 300 Win Mag Suppressed

[Huntolive]

Seriously considering getting 300 Win Mag with a short barrel no longer than 20 in or getting one and cutting it down to 20 or 19 in having it threaded and adding an Omega suppressor.
Goal is to get deer size game and larger at 300 yards and less. Mostly 200 yards or less.
I already have Already have 24-26" 300 Win Mag s and enjoy the caliber.
But I am Not going to Cut those bcuz they are a Sako Benelli and a bargara HMR.

What would you recommend to get if my goal is a relatively short range 300 Win Mag meat getter suppressed?
I have a 308 Remington 783 compact similar, but I'm still thinking of getting the 300 Win Mag I don't know and I doubt Remington makes a 783 that short and 300 Win Mag I could get something cheap like a Mossberg Patriot and cut it down but what would you guys recommend and what do you think of this idea?

 

[MachIVshooter]

. 300 WM is burning a lot of powder. Chopping it to <20" will significantly handicap your velocity while also asking a lot of a suppressor. I wouldn't go shorter than 22" with that cartridge.

For your stated purposes, an 18-20" .308 or .30-06 would be much more appropriate & practical.

 

[troy fairweather]

I agree with machivshooter.
I'd you feel you need a magnum I'd go with a 300wsm they do better with short barrels.

 

[Chuck R.]

. 300 WM is burning a lot of powder. Chopping it to <20" will significantly handicap your velocity while also asking a lot of a suppressor. I wouldn't go shorter than 22" with that cartridge.

For your stated purposes, an 18-20" .308 or .30-06 would be much more appropriate & practical.

^
This!

Unless it's a "just because I can" or you also plan on using it for some long range precision work, honestly .300WM overkill for deer at 300 and under. I've used a 300WM on both whitetails and mulies, but it was with a 24" barrel and in more open terrain where shots often exceeded 300yds.

The 300WSM would have merit due to the short action, plus it's sort of a 30-06 +P, so you'ld probably get 30-06 velocities out of the shorter barrel.

300 or under I'd just go with a .308, 6.5C etc.

 

[MachIVshooter]

I'd you feel you need a magnum is tgo 300wsm they do better with short barrels.

Brutal on cans, though. The only weld failures I've ever had were both on .300 WSMs. These are cans which were tested on a full auto .308 with a 13" barrel.

 

[marksman13]

If you go that short with the barrel, you are defeating the purpose of a magnum cartridge. You’ll just end up beating up the suppressor and your shoulder with fairly insignificant gains in velocity.

 

[Gordon]

Thread up that Remington 783 at 18-19" and put on your suppressor - problem solved correctly ! Lots of great subsonic hunting loads for heavy bullet .308 Winchesters or use regular loads ! The light powder charges burn better than in the bigger Mag case = better accuracy ! You already have a not so valuable 783 , so I just saved you a bundle- thank you ! Use Mach IV for your suppressor and barrel re thread if you want the best IMHO, and I saved you $ yet again

 

[IdaD]

I'd just modify your 308. Out of a short barrel at 300 yards and under for deer size game, there's no advantage at all to a 300 mag.

 

[H&Hhunter]

. 300 WM is burning a lot of powder. Chopping it to <20" will significantly handicap your velocity while also asking a lot of a suppressor. I wouldn't go shorter than 22" with that cartridge.

For your stated purposes, an 18-20" .308 or .30-06 would be much more appropriate & practical.

Agreed, it makes zero sense to use a .300 mag for your stated purpose.

 

[jmr40]

If I just happened to have a 300 WM that I didn't really have any other use for I might cut it. But at 300 yards or less no game animal on the planet will know the difference between 308, 30-06 or any of the various 300 mags. The bigger cartridges just shoot the same bullets faster. At close to medium range you don't need the speed. The 308 starts getting a little slow for reliable bullet expansion much past 400 yards while 30-06 and 300 mag extends that range out to 500-600 yards.

 

[792mauser]

You'd be cutting it close on most magnum rated suppressors. They usually are rated +20" barrels.

I'd second the use of a 30-06 if going for a 300 yard and under hunting rifle.

You won't loose much velocity from a 300wm and the suppressor would work easier and more efficiently. And with the 30-06 you keep the easy ability to launch +180gr projos at easier at speed than a 308.

 

[Huntolive]

My 783 compact bull barrel Remington 308 is already threaded and suppressed with an Omega suppressor.

so I guess what you're really saying is I should just spend my money on something completely different like reloading supplies and ammo when it gets a bit cheaper. Or put it towards my Colt Python fund

Boring!
But I'm sure you guys are Right why waste money for no real reason?
I just find that with 308 even when the deer are hit well they don't drop and crunch up to the ground the way they do with my beloved 300 Win Mag
I know at the end of the day it's all about shot placement so let's not have everybody jump on that bandwagon but there's just something about the way 300 Win Mag puts the smack down on everything

 

[gotboostvr]

What about going a slightly different direction if you want more than a 308, but not as inefficient as a 300wm?

How about a 35Rem? Out of a short barrel, the 35rem dosen't lose as much velocity percentage wise and inside 300yrds should really thump game hard. 358Win if you want a short action to make it even handier.

 

[MachIVshooter]

I just find that with 308 even when the deer are hit well they don't drop and crunch up to the ground the way they do with my beloved 300 Win Mag
I know at the end of the day it's all about shot placement so let's not have everybody jump on that bandwagon but there's just something about the way 300 Win Mag puts the smack down on everything

Bullet selection and, yes, shot placement. I almost always use a .25-06 for big game, and with one exception, a good shot has always dropped a deer where it stood or within a few steps.

But again, what you'll be doing to the velocity with a short barrel is gonna make that .300 WM have .308/.30-06 class terminal ballistics. .300 WM is designed to push 200+ gr bullets at the same speeds .308 & '06 manage with 150s or 165s, but it needs 24-26" of barrel to realize that potential with the larger charge of slower powder. In an 18-20" barrel, that advantage is lost, and I'd rather use a .308 or .30-06 with 150 or 165 gr. bullets for medium game at moderate ranges than some handicapped magnum with heavier bullets that are now moving slower than they were designed to.

 

[Gordon]

Use a 150 grain Ballistic tip or Accubond at full velocity in the .308 and I guarantee if hit nicely they are gonna drop as fast as anything you can buy for hunting deer ! I used 16" barreled .308s since the early 80s and found the velocity loss really made lighter construction 150 grain bullet the way to go on deer . They started dropping like lightning after I switched. First used the old aluminum capped Winchester Silvertips, worked well but left a trail of aluminum shards all over. Then used Nosler Balistictip first gen, even better performance .
https://www.wideopenspaces.com/nosler-ballistic-tip-ammo/

 

[Huntolive]

Thanks makivshooter for explaining that so clearly.
What I'm trying to do is not add another caliber though especially a relative oddball like 25 06
What I may do instead is hunt more often with 243 for deer which I know seems like I'm going in the opposite direction but please correct me if I'm wrong but 243 is faster than 308 at under 300 yards right?
From my experience seeing my kids level deer with 243 the drop right where they've been shot, and the only one I've ever shot with one went down only making a death spiral it seems 243 maybe the best deer Slayer out there.
Why is that? Sheet Speed? why does it seem to kill deer better than 308?
I already owned 243 rifles so maybe I'll go in that direction TC makes a super cheap compass that's threaded.
also how much of that speed will I lose in a 243 by going with a sixteen and a half inch threaded barrel versus a 22-in threaded barrel?
I'd love to be able to use the 16 and 1/2 in Barrel.

 

[Huntolive]

Thanks Gordon I appreciate your advice based on experience.
So to the 150 grains I assume just travel faster and the increase in speed over the 180 grain bullet time shooting make the difference?
I would have thought that the trade-off for the larger bullet would have led to just as much impact on the deer when hit.
But you're saying made a big difference switching to 150 and the ballistic tip or acubbon style.
I'm currently shooting 180 grain 308 Fusion.
That's probably a carryover from my first large caliber rifle being a 300 Win Mag and always shooting 180 grain bullets for deer.
It would seem to make sense to shoot a lighter bullet in 308 for increased speed as I do love the performance of my suppressed Remington 783 short barrel.
Both deer I shot with it died quickly but still ran about 20 yards but they were big mountain deer so...
Other 308s with full size barrels deer tended to run 20 yards or more meanwhile I'm watching my kids shoot deer with 243 and drop them in their tracks.

 

[Gordon]

.243 16" barrels lose alot compared to a .308.A 150 grain Factory .308 does 2500 +- in a 16" barrel. I have chronographed a 18" .243 barreled Remington 600 carbine and wa shocked to see the 100 grain load down to that same velocity in a 2" longer barrel than the .308 " . Bore to casecapacity ratios really are affected by barrel length !!!

 

[Gordon]

And the higher impact velocity of 150 grain lighter jacketed bullets affects the terminal upset of the bullet which means quicker kills , all other factors equal. The 150 grain wright also has enough momentum to get great penetration, unlike say a 110-125 grain .308 bullet would with same construction. Start dropping the velocity of lifter small bore bullets and all their magic dissapears !

 

[Huntolive]

So you would stick with a 22-in 243 over the much more quick light and maneuverable 16 and a half inch?
So if I'm shooting out of a 22-in barrel 243 your logic would mean the 243 with 100 grain bullet would be significantly faster than the 308 but the lighter bullet would have less total force on the target.
But I'll bet that 2:43 with a 22-in barrel will kill kill super efficiently with all that speed.
My 9-year-old killed two bucks right where they stood with the 16 and 1/2-in barrels 243.
Definitely drop them quicker than using 180 grain fusion bullets in my 16 and a half inch barrels 308.

 

[sarduy]

Seriously considering getting 300 Win Mag with a short barrel no longer than 20 in or getting one and cutting it down to 20 or 19 in having it threaded and adding an Omega suppressor.
Goal is to get deer size game and larger at 300 yards and less. Mostly 200 yards or less.
I already have Already have 24-26" 300 Win Mag s and enjoy the caliber.
But I am Not going to Cut those bcuz they are a Sako Benelli and a bargara HMR.

What would you recommend to get if my goal is a relatively short range 300 Win Mag meat getter suppressed?
I have a 308 Remington 783 compact similar, but I'm still thinking of getting the 300 Win Mag I don't know and I doubt Remington makes a 783 that short and 300 Win Mag I could get something cheap like a Mossberg Patriot and cut it down but what would you guys recommend and what do you think of this idea?

Get yourself a Remington 700 SPS Tactical-SD it comes with a 20” barrel suppressor ready.

 

[Oldschool shooter]

Some years ago I had a Savage Stryker pistol. It had a 14" barrel and was chambered in 300WSM. At 200 yards it had the power of a .308. My 2 cents is you are expecting too much from a suppressor in that caliber, especially in the short barrel length you want. Alot of fouling from unburned powder to deal with

 

[WVRJ]

Thanks makivshooter for explaining that so clearly.
What I'm trying to do is not add another caliber though especially a relative oddball like 25 06
What I may do instead is hunt more often with 243 for deer which I know seems like I'm going in the opposite direction but please correct me if I'm wrong but 243 is faster than 308 at under 300 yards right?
From my experience seeing my kids level deer with 243 the drop right where they've been shot, and the only one I've ever shot with one went down only making a death spiral it seems 243 maybe the best deer Slayer out there.
Why is that? Sheet Speed? why does it seem to kill deer better than 308?
I already owned 243 rifles so maybe I'll go in that direction TC makes a super cheap compass that's threaded.
also how much of that speed will I lose in a 243 by going with a sixteen and a half inch threaded barrel versus a 22-in threaded barrel?
I'd love to be able to use the 16 and 1/2 in Barrel.

The last 243 I had was a model 7 Remington with an 18 1/2 inch barrel.It chronographed 2,505 FPS with 100 grain bullets.That same rifle is now a 308,same barrel length and it turns 2850 with 150 grain bullets.Overbore rounds like the 300 Win,243 and 25-06 need barrels in excess of 22 inches to turn good velocity numbers.The piston effect comes into play when you start shortening barrels.

 

[MachIVshooter]

Overbore rounds like the 300 Win,243 and 25-06 need barrels in excess of 22 inches to turn good velocity numbers.The piston effect comes into play when you start shortening barrels.

This is correct. The higher the powder charge to bore diameter ratio, the more barrel length is needed. Thats why most magnums and rounds like the .25-06, .280, etc. are seldom found in barrels under 24", often 26".

For a 16"-18" barreled suppressed medium game rifle, it's hard the beat the .308. The integrally suppressed build i just did for a shop demo I chose a 7mm-08 just because I like different. It has a ported 18" barrel. I haven't chronographed yet, but know what to expect, having built numerous short 6.5 Creeds and .308s.

 

[Gtscotty]

I understand not wanting to add another chambering to the reloading bench. If you're convinced you want a shorter suppressed 300 WM for deer, SiCo rates the Omega for 300 WM on barrels 20" and longer, go for it and if your can breaks send it back to SiCo for repair, it's covered. A shorter 300 WM is not going to deliver the same numbers as a longer barrel, but it will still be ahead of. 30-06 of the same length, which in turn will be ahead of a .308 in the same length.

With a little hand loading work, some folks might be surprised at how well a shorter barrel rifle can perform, especially when you're only talking deer at <300 yds. Here are some general chrono velocities of working loads from shorter barrel rifles I have or have had.

20" 6.5 CM:
127gr LRX @2,850 fps
140gr BT @ 2,700 fps
142gr ABLR @ 2,730 fps

20" .308 Win:
178gr ELDx @ 2,595 fps

18.5" .308 Win:
150gr IL @ ~2,750 fps

16" .308 Win:
168gr BT @ 2,600 fps
178gr Amax @ 2,510

18.5" .30-06:
165gr SBT @ ~2,800 fps
180gr AB @ 2,690 fps
190gr ABLR @ 2,635 fps

16" 6.5 Grendel:
120gr GD @ 2,420 fps
123gr SST @ 2,430 fps
129gr IL @ 2,330 fps

To me, any of those is more than adequate for 300 yd deer (possible exception of a few of the Grendel loads). But if what you want is a shorter 300 Winny, your can is rated for it, and you're aware of the potential downfalls, I say go for it. Life is too short to let the internet make your decisions.