18inch 308 barrel advice

adrian0100

Well-Known Member
Hi guys and girls I have been given a parker hale in 243 it is shot out so I'm thinking as it's a nice mauser action clean it up and rebarrel in 308 but im after a 18inch barrel. So what's a good barrel and twist rate to go for?? This is my first solo build so please be nice. Ant tip and hint appreciated

Thanks in advance
Adrian
 
Recon it depends on what you want to use it for. I stumbled accross a Med. Palma Bartlein Barrel which has a tight bore and had that fitted to a remington at 20". Mine has a 13 twist which I thought at first wasn't great however she seems to shoot 168gr very well out to 960yds which was my furthest.
If you don't want to go over 168gr then 1/13 would do but 1/12 will give a bit more reserves. Overall the 1/10 twist might be the best choice and can take any bullet up to 200gr. In the last two three years Lothar Walther 308 Barrels seem to have been of excellent Quality according to precision rifle builders in Germany that I talked to. Profile 1400 would be sporter weight, 1450 would be a medium weight and possible a great allround choice.

Have a chat to Mike Norris of Brock&Norris, they have been building 18" 308's for quite a while and seem to know what they are doing.
edi
 
Cheers guy that's a intresting read poul I'll have to re read it again later I shall also give Mike a call thanks edi
 
Suggest 10 twist - that will shoot 150 - 165's very well.

Lothar barrels are very good , the polygonal rifling seems to be very effective with minimal cleaning reported from the last few I've built.

If you're keeping the PH woodwork, id recommend looking at the mauser profiles they do.
 
Go 7-08

the kiwi's have been using them out for a few years now at 16". I've shot one for about 6 years at 18.5. Picked up a 20'' .308 and the 7mm kicks it's ass. My point and shoot rifle will always be a 7-08.
 
With a short barrel, you are not going to get top velocity from a really heavy bullet, so are you going to be using them? Not likely. Are you going to play at longer ranges? The 155-gr Palma bullets will give you velocity, and are made for 1:12 twist. So to with that. The standard .308 with 1:12 twist will shoot 125-gr to 175-gr really well, and not bad with the heavier bullets it you have enough barrel to get the MV up ( and the spin RPMs).
 
Southern what I'm thinking is a max range of around 600 for range days not very often but a very good hill and woodland stalking come fox rifle maybe some boar by moonlight. As this is my first self build I want something a little diffrent and practical. Bullets around the 150 mark I'm awaiting the response on a 1in 10 twist from Bergara barrels hopefully I will know by Thursday
 
I've run a 20'' 308 for years , it's fab

the 308 is a great short barrel round , DTA and RPA make 16'' guns and they shoot very well.

1-10 to 1-12 will suit you , my 1-12 shot the 168amax very well and the 110 vmax was awesome , you are defo on the right course for a good useable rifle!
 
I hope so lol its all about trying if I do all of my part right it should be good if not I'll make it right slowly slowly catchi monkey
 
I own at least five .308 rifles with 18.5 inch barrels ( FR-8 Mauser, CETME, HK-91, etc) and a bunch more with 20, 22, 24, and a 26.
I would go with at least 20-inch barrel. You won't gain much handling with an 18 or 16 inch.
A 20-inch .308 with 1:10 twist will shoot a 175-gr SMK about 225 fps slower than a 26-inch 1:12 twist ( my personal experience).
Tight twist costs you velocity, so I would not build that into a short barrel, then shoot heavy bullets - just get a a 24-inch .30-06 for that!
 
Hi Adrian,
I have a standard Tikka T3 lite in .308 that I had cut down to an 18" barrel. It shoots 150 grain fine and I am happy to use it on targets out to 400+ yards. I have put it on a chronograph alongside a 20" .308 Blaser rifle with the same ammo and on average the velocity was about 40 or 50 fps slower. If I remember correctly we tested a standard 150gn soft point and a 155gn FMJ, I can always dig out my notes.
Anthony
 
Cheers Anthony that's good to know. Just need to wait until I get the yes or no about the barrel tomorrow well later today now. And get my reamer on order.
 
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