DPMS 308 18" vs. 24" barrel effective range

[rodomonte]

I am looking for a DPMS 308 before January, 20. I would like to find out the effective range difference between the various barrel lengths: 18, 20, 24. I assume there is not much between 20 and 24, but may it may be appreciable between 18 and 24, although I have seen some posts saying 18 and 24 are very close.

Thanks.

 

[Ridgerunner665]

Below 20 inches you start losing a lot of velocity...

If you reload you can match factory ammo specs with a 20 inch barrel.

I'd go for the 20 inch barrel myself...best of both worlds.

Effective range of a 20 inch barrel....900 yards easily.
18 inch...800 barely.

 

[Bowfishrp]

You were not really asking about 16" but I was shooting my DPMS LR308AP4 at 300 yards this weekend. Once I figured out how much my hold over was I was consistently hitting an 8in target, more inside 4 in than not. I was pretty proud since it was the first time I have ever practiced that far.

 

[W.E.G.]

At what distance do you need your rifle to be "effective?"

Unless you really train, the average shooter will be largely ineffective at non-predetermined distances beyond 300 yards, no matter what gun you give him.

If you are buying a dedicated target gun, to shoot at targets of known distance, the longer the barrel (within reason), and the heavier the overall gun (with virtually no limit), and the lighter the trigger, the more "effective" it will be at shooting groups that are "competitive" against the rest of the heavies on the line.

A lighter, shorter gun will be much more effective for other applications. The small loss of velocity will not be noticed by animate targets you are likely to encounter in the field.

A .308 at under 200 yards hits like a sledgehammer, no matter what you shoot it out of.

 

[cchurchi]

I have a .308 sass that I use 150 grain factory ammunition in. I have used it out to 700 yards at which point the drop is 23.25 MOA. I'm not sure at which point the round becomes subsonic, but it's probably around 825 yards or so, depending on bullet weight.

If I could have gotten the sass with a 20" barrel, I probably would have, but the velocity drop is only 50fps between the 18 and 20 inch, so it wasn't a deal breaker for me.

 

[conhntr]

noise is a consideration also; i dont like the blast even from a .308 out of short barrels; 22+ for me

 

[Gunfighter123]

I agree with W.E.G. ---- if most of your shooting is 300 yards and under,then I would get the shorter brl.

 

[elmerfudd]

noise is a consideration also; i dont like the blast even from a .308 out of short barrels; 22+ for me

+1. I don't need 22", but I do own a 16" Saiga308 with a AK74 brake on it and I find the blast makes it less pleasant to shoot. In the future I wouldn't go with less than 18" on a .308 rifle.

 

[hak]

"noise is a consideration also; i dont like the blast even from a .308 out of short barrels; 22+ for me"

+2

i have a 24" lr-308, and let friends take their cracks with it, so i'm off to the side/back with the spotting scope, and it's not nearly as loud as the 16" colt bushy 223 in at the table next to us. another guy with an HK clone, also 223, maybe an 18" barrel, b/c of the flash suppressor, made me put plugs on under my muffs

to compare, same day, same spot - before them a .50 cal muzzle loader on my left, and the 3" slug shooting shotgun on my right- were nothing compared to the crack out of a 16" barrel'd carbines that came later.

 

[Jim Watson]

What is it to be FOR?

If you are not going to carry it any farther than the car to the shooting bench, longer is better. Even a little free velocity is all to the good, and a longer barrel is not as loud as a short one. I have a 28" .223 and would not want less for my attempt to make a Long Range rifle out of it.

I would not want an 18", 20" is short enough for me to hump in the woods and hunt or play soldier.