chp5 Posted December 11, 2009 Share Posted December 11, 2009 I just picked up a very nice LR-308 with a 24" stainless bull barrel and match trigger. I haven't shot it yet, but hope to this weekend. I really like it, but it's too long and heavy for my taste. I'll use it to shoot up to 600 yards or so, so I don't want to cut the barrel too much and loose lots of velocity - nor do I want to mess up the reliability. I'm thinking of cutting it to 20". Thoughts/opinions? Thx. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigbrowndog Posted December 11, 2009 Share Posted December 11, 2009 Cy, if your only going to use it for LR, leave the length alone and simply turn it down. If you want to use it for 3 gun as well then turn it down and cut it to 20". Trapr Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
00bullitt Posted December 11, 2009 Share Posted December 11, 2009 Cut it to 22" and thread it and make it a good medium weight contour(.820 before and .750 after the gas block) with maybe some additional fluting for reduced weight. But if 600 yards is all you will ever shoot it. 18-20" will do fine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chp5 Posted December 11, 2009 Author Share Posted December 11, 2009 (edited) Thanks for the replies. If I cut it back to 18" - I may have to mess with the gas ports - correct? I'm leaning toward 20" because I think that ensure no reliability issues resulting from the shortening. Am I correct in my thinking? BTW - I may also use it for deer with a low cap mag. 200 yards and under most likely. 308 is such a versatile caliber. Here's the rifle. It's the new model that has the non-high rise upper receiver, forward assist and dust cover. Edited December 11, 2009 by chp5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
00bullitt Posted December 11, 2009 Share Posted December 11, 2009 I doubt you would have gas issues with an 18". 16" yes....but probably not with 18". But yeah.....cut it to 20" and you will be plenty safe. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigbrowndog Posted December 11, 2009 Share Posted December 11, 2009 I personally would not go with fluting over turning the barrel down, for the amount of work required the result is less. If weight reduction is the desired outcome turning it down does a much better job, Fluting looks cool, but really does little to remove weight efficiently , and as far as increasing cooling surface, beadblasting the finish increases the surface area tremendously, and it looks cool as well. I have a 20" JP and probably lose 50 to 75fps over the 22" M1a but have never had issues with heat causing significant accuracy loss, over a course of fire. The 20" JP provides moa accuracy with irons out to 400yds, and JP has rifles that have over 15000 rds. thru the same barrel and they still provide moa accuracy. My JP barrel is .750 from chamber to muzzle. Trapr Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chp5 Posted December 11, 2009 Author Share Posted December 11, 2009 (edited) I personally would not go with fluting over turning the barrel down, for the amount of work required the result is less. If weight reduction is the desired outcome turning it down does a much better job, Fluting looks cool, but really does little to remove weight efficiently , and as far as increasing cooling surface, beadblasting the finish increases the surface area tremendously, and it looks cool as well. I wonder if just loping off 4 " will lighten it plenty? The barrel is .925 in front of the gas block and thicker behind that! Does Benny do threading work that is specifically concentric to the bore so that I could eventually put a can on it? Threading for cans must be more precise than for brakes and flash hiders. Edited December 11, 2009 by chp5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TRUBL Posted December 11, 2009 Share Posted December 11, 2009 Hey guys.....I did a 24" cut back. Went .700 under the hand gaurd and .750 after....down to a 20" length. I would suggest that 20" be the min length for 308.....if may work at 18" with a rifle length gas system, however it WILL work at 20" unfortunately, the amount of usable gas between a 223 and 308 barrel is not the same.....so what may work for one may not work for the other. FYI......just cutting 4" off will save you about 9/10 ounces on the .920 contour at the end. What I did cut almost 2 (maybe even more) pounds out of the barrel if memory serves me right. Tim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chp5 Posted December 11, 2009 Author Share Posted December 11, 2009 Hey guys.....I did a 24" cut back.Went .700 under the hand gaurd and .750 after....down to a 20" length. I would suggest that 20" be the min length for 308.....if may work at 18" with a rifle length gas system, however it WILL work at 20" unfortunately, the amount of usable gas between a 223 and 308 barrel is not the same.....so what may work for one may not work for the other. FYI......just cutting 4" off will save you about 9/10 ounces on the .920 contour at the end. What I did cut almost 2 (maybe even more) pounds out of the barrel if memory serves me right. Tim Awesome info Tim. Thanks! Did you thread the barrel and who did the work? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
benny hill Posted December 11, 2009 Share Posted December 11, 2009 When I finish with one like yours, it weights 8# instead of 11.5# and still shoots sub moa. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cpty1 Posted December 11, 2009 Share Posted December 11, 2009 I sent mine to Compass Lake and had them turn down to .750, back to 18" and recrown. It works fine with no additional work required to the gas ports. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smokshwn Posted December 11, 2009 Share Posted December 11, 2009 Cy, Listen to Benny. Mine went from 24" like yours to 18" (.750 profile) with a carbon fibre tube. Love the way it balances and although I haven't played with it much yet I have not experienced a ballistic loss that is large enough to worry about. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wakal Posted December 11, 2009 Share Posted December 11, 2009 Two pounds two ounces (less) when I went from 24" heavy to 18" .750, with straight flutes under the handguard and pimp flutes forward Eight pounds four ounces without the Burris 1.5-6, according to my mostly trusty postal scale. Alex Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TRUBL Posted December 11, 2009 Share Posted December 11, 2009 I pretty much do all my own barrel work. I did thread the end to 5/8-24 thread. And like Beeny said, my rifle now weighs on the light side of 8 pounds, but I also cut down the bolt carrier as well and took some weight out of the buffer.......I am running a JP Adjustable gas block. Tim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Bore Posted December 11, 2009 Share Posted December 11, 2009 Benny turned mine down to 21.5", lightened the bolt, and installed the carbon fire handguard. This thing shoots great out to 8-900 yards when I use it for long range shooting and shoots flat enough for 3 gun. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JACKAL Posted December 11, 2009 Share Posted December 11, 2009 As others have suggested I would cut it at 18" and have it threaded if your planning a suppressor purchase later on. I need to finish my suppressor paperwork and wait for the stamp. In the wait time get my LTR threaded. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ken hebert Posted December 12, 2009 Share Posted December 12, 2009 cut mine to 20", turned to 0.750" before and after the gas block, JP ff handguard, Benny H comp. Its a hammer, have no probs smacking the 500yd gong at my range at-will. But, I will still let Benny lighten the carrier for me at a later date. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kgunz11 Posted December 12, 2009 Share Posted December 12, 2009 I went the 18" route once. Velocity suffered so bad it wasn't practical for my kind of shooting. At 600 yards it would work, but beyond that it really wasn't very nice. If it were me, I'd have the bbl turned down and cut it to 22". Will an 18" bbl work for 600 yards? Yes, but it's kind of like asking if a pinto will work for a prom ride. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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