What is the fascination with short barrels in the UK

[Stevie/P]

Could be to make up any short falls in the trouser department.

 

[JTO]

There's a place for short barrels. But there's a case for full length ones too. It would just be nice to be offered the choice at the point of ordering without being discouraged with ridiculously long lead times or silly price hikes.

When I was looking for my 26" .308 mentioned above, I lost count of the times I was told by RFDs "you don't need a 26" barrel with modern powders".
Well, I'll be the judge of what I need and what I don't, so they got no sale.

I am waiting 6-9 months for two Tikkas(7mm-08 and .308) because I want 24" barrels instead of the standard 20". If I ever get them rebarrelled, it will be with 26".

 

[Bowland blades]

I been speaking to a mate in the States, in fact going through what calibres are available over here and whats on sale as I ma thinking of getting rid of my .270 and .243 and we come to the conclusion that Uk has a fetish for short barrels and how much muzzle velocity is lost by shortening them

Thoughts.

Because the American has to pay a thick wedge to pay the moderator tax and then way too much for tge moderator itself ! You don't want a big long moderator hanging off a long barrel ! Its ungainly to handle in tight spots and waaaay front heavy .
Faster powders can compensate some for a shorter barrel but if 50 fps important to a hunting rifle , the user or tge deer ?
Genrally we in the UK and most of Europe will moderate , the USA genrally do not moderate

 

[jthyttin]

There might be slight inaccuracies below, but:

In addition to $200 tax (no longer prohibitive, as it was 100 years ago) you have to wait months in the US to get the permit and then it's tied to the single moderator. And there's lot of areas you cannot get the necessary paperwork since local officials are simply refusing to give it (basically a declaration that you don't have criminal record). So only way would be to set up trust and acquire the moderator for it.