DPMS ?? .308 18 or 24"

[Canemill]

Hello all
I'm new to this board but I'm trying to decide on DPMS with a 18 or 24" barrel .308 target shooting. Will be shooting out to 1000 meters. I've heard some say the 24" may have some vibration and that they may not be as acurate as say an 18 or 20"
I already shoot the Rem. 700 with the 5r rifling that shoots sub moa. Can I expect this DPMS 18, 20 or 24" barrels. I don't mine the weight of the 24", just want to be able consistanly.
What do y'all recomend?
Thanks, Don

 

[madcratebuilder]

20 or 21" barrel well get to 1K yds. The 18" well do 800yds but may go subsonice before 1K. The 24" well weigh about a half lb more, figure about 3oz per inch.

 

[popper]

My 24" works fine, but longest range I have is 100yds. It's more accurate thean me and it is HEAVY.

 

[Robert101]

I purchased the TAC 20 and only have 50 rounds down range. Hope to have it through the break-in next range session. I'm not sure where I'll get to try 1000 yards here in Ft. Lauderdale.

 

[Lloyd Smale]

mines the short barreled sportical and its still heavy as a club. If its a gun your going to carrry in the hunting woods i sure wouldnt want it any heavier by adding even more barrel. the 308 gives decent ballistics out of a short barrel and mines a tack driver and has taken deer out to 300 yards. what more do you want out of a 308

 

[sansone]

weight would be the only thing stopping me from choosing the longer brrl.
as stated above, the gun is heavy (9+lbs)
don't expect the same accuracy as your 700, it will most likely shoot 1.5 with common factory cartridges

 

[henschman]

Forget 9+ pounds... with a 24" bull barrel you're talking 12+ pounds unloaded without optics. But for just target shooting that isn't a bad thing, assuming it will be of a benchrest, bipod, or sandbags. I would recommend a 24" for that application and that distance. For field use? Yeah, you might want something lighter, but that's not what you said you will be using it for. No, you shouldn't get too much barrel whip with a heavy barrel. It probably won't be any more accurate than an 18", out of an equally high quality barrel, but it will give you more velocity and a slightly flatter trajectory, which will help you at the longer distances. As was said, it is easier to keep a .308 supersonic out to 1000 out of a 24" versus an 18".

 

[USSR]

Will be shooting out to 1000 meters. I've heard some say the 24" may have some vibration and that they may not be as acurate as say an 18 or 20"

Canemill,

Accuracy is a barrel length independent factor. Some barrels simply deliver more accuracy than others. What you have to worry about with any .308 used for LR shooting is - velocity. The .308 is a marginal 1000 yard cartridge at best, and since you are talking about shooting at 1000 meters, you will need all the velocity that that 24" barrel can give you, and then some.

I already shoot the Rem. 700 with the 5r rifling that shoots sub moa. Can I expect this DPMS 18, 20 or 24" barrels.

Short answer: No. There is a reason that LR riflemen shoot boltguns, and it has nothing to do with sentimentality.

Don

 

[ants]

1000 meters is farther than 1000 yards.
You'll need all the help you can get.

My Armalite 20" is very good (not sub moa) to 300 yards.
But I would definitely go 24" for 1000m shooting.

If you don't like the 24" after shooting it, install a 20". Fairly easy to do.
I bought my 20" brand new on Gunbroker for $150.

If you buy ammo, consider Federal Gold Medal Match.
About $17 box where I shop.
Available in 168 grain and 175 grain.
The 168 goes faster, but the 175 is better in the wind.

If you reload, try all the way up to 190 and 200 grain bullets.
Either SMK from Sierra or AMax from Hodgdon.
Use brass with a large capacity.

 

[codefour]

I have never posted on the Rifle Country of THR forum. I usually post on the Handloading section.

For a 1,000 YARD (not meter) accuracy from a .308, you need a pretty long barrel. I used to shoot 1,000 yard matches with a custom built Remington 700 with a 26 inch bull barrel that was .100 at the muzzle.

If I remember correctly, the autoloaders lose accuracy faster than a bolt gun. It has t o do with the bolt opening so suddenly losing gas pressure. If you google it, you willl find many articles on the subject.