Rem 700 - 20" or 24" barrel?

[Eric2340]

Been planning on buying / building a .308 bolt gun for a while now, settled on Rem 700. I am just about 99% sold on the 20" barrel length gun for number of different reasons.

BUT -

I just want to make sure I am not cutting off my nose to spite my face by not going w/ a longer barrel, namely a 24" one?


I've read a bunch of stuff and talked to a lot of people in the know who say, "no, you're really not loosing that much by going w/ the 20", plus the barrel winds up being much more rigid harmonics wise too", not to mention the ease of moving around w/ a 20" barrel.

NOT that I am planning on doing a lot of moving around w/ it, but I would like it to be as easier if possible just handling the gun, as long as I am not giving up a lot performance wise going shorter.

That said, I also am not really planning on getting "way out there", at least not as a noob to all this long range stuff I know my abilities are not there yet for 800 yd and so on and so forth.

Or am I just better off starting w/ the shorter gun, and if I find my skills and needs get better to then get longer gun then?

So again, basically should I start off w/ the 20" or the 24" in .308?

Thanks -

[glock2740]

All of my 700's have 22" or24" barrels. I do like the Tactical .308 with 20" barrel though, but man that thing is heavy. Weighs like 8 pounds or so. Great gun though.

[ratf51]

My .308 (not a 700, a Ruger M77) has a 22" barrel. I can't see needing to go longer for that cartridge. If I get another .308 it will have a 20" barrel (CZ550FS.)

[DustyJacket]

The only thing that length gives you is a little more velocity.

Shorter barrels tend to be more accurate in general.

Mine is a 20" and I am happy. (But, I usually hang a 8" suppressor off the front, so it is now a 27.5" barrel)