Short barrel 6.5prc vs .270win

[Heym SR20]

I am looking to get a tikka and cut the barrel to around 17 inches and add a suppressor. I am in between 6.5prc and .270win and plan on shooting 130-140gr bullets in either. Max hunting distance probably won’t be over 400 yards. I currently shoot .270 so I have components already but I cannot find much data on short .270s. Does anyone have velocities to share out of either cartridge in a short barrel?

Have a read of this article by Chuck Hawks on barrels especially the bit about velocity loss / gain on barrel length

https://chuckhawks.com/rifle_barrel.htm

A lot does also depend on powder, burn rates and calibre. Big calibres have more surface area of bullet and thus with same weight bullet and same pressure, the greater force will accelerate a bullet faster from a bigger bore. Its why the likes of RWS with their short barrel ammo are getting good velocities out of short 308 calibre barrels.

 

[TheEngineer]

Plenty of short barrelled stutzen type rifles chambered in full length/ full power rifle cartridges have been produced by high end European rifle manufacturers through the years, and before that plenty of militaries issued short barrelled full power rifles as cavalry carbines.

I wouldn't worry one bit about 100 or 200 fps of velocity loss, you will suffer absolutely zero loss in killing ability at hunting ranges.

I'd say go for it!

 

[Acm]

It will almost certainly work, I’m sure you’ll kill deer with it. Try it and prove everyone wrong! Or right

 

[petlowe]

It will almost certainly work, I’m sure you’ll kill deer with it. Try it and prove everyone wrong! Or right

No one said it wouldn’t work but you will be putting about £1 of unburnt powder in the mod per shot or using something like a pinch of pistol powder rattling around in the bottom of the empty case. There is a reason why pistol cases are so small…

 

[DavyG]

I am looking to get a tikka and cut the barrel to around 17 inches and add a suppressor. I am in between 6.5prc and .270win and plan on shooting 130-140gr bullets in either. Max hunting distance probably won’t be over 400 yards. I currently shoot .270 so I have components already but I cannot find much data on short .270s. Does anyone have velocities to share out of either cartridge in a short barrel?

Interested as to why you’d want to do this. A bit like buying a V8 and disconnecting 2 plug leads.
DG

 

[Bavarianbrit]

Had my Mauser 1909 cut back to a 20 inch barrel as there was a brake on the end so it was just too loud at our ranges, had it threaded at the same time and this was the first grouping from it with the mod fitted at 100M.

 

[Lancaster]

I am looking to get a tikka and cut the barrel to around 17 inches and add a suppressor. I am in between 6.5prc and .270win and plan on shooting 130-140gr bullets in either. Max hunting distance probably won’t be over 400 yards. I currently shoot .270 so I have components already but I cannot find much data on short .270s. Does anyone have velocities to share out of either cartridge in a short barrel?

I've run it through QL using a couple of saved loads that I use in my .270, using Ramshot Hunter and Barnes 110gr TTSX and 130gr Nos BT, the QL data had been tweaked to match actual recorded velocities.
Both loads showed a drop of around 300fps compared to my 24" barrel figures, but both are also showing at least 95% burn in a 17" barrel, so not too bad at all given such a short barrel.

 

[25 Sharps]

The reason behind the short barrel is to use the suppressor without making the rifle overly long. A lot of my hunting involves packing through thick impenetrable brush that likes to snag your gun barrel while strapped to your pack.

Get a .308 if you want a short barrel, or wear active hearing protection and ditch the suppressor

 

[25 Sharps]

7mm-08 maybe?

Reducing the bore size means slower powder for similar weight bullets vs .308 so going the wrong way.

Same reason, in reverse, that I can get 1700 ft-lb from my .223 case necked up to .257. I can use powders that would be considered fast in .223 so suitable for 40-50 grain bullets, under 90-100 grain bullets and stay in pressure limits.

 

[User00040]

@akj

Just go 6.5 CM instead of PRC, some rifles like the Bergara Extreme come in this length (18", threaded) already.

BERGARA B14 EXTREME HUNTER 6.5 CREEDMOOR 18 INCH

Condition: New Make: BERGARA Model: B14 EXTREME HUNTER Calibre: 6.5 CREEDMOOR

rmacleod.co.uk

Easier to buy factory and sell on later if you don't like it vs. 'custom' hack chop job.

 

[rem284]

I use a 270w with a 20 inch barrel, it works fine. The deer don't know it isn't a 24 incher so they still die.