Is a 22 inch barrel to short for a 25-06?

Question

I wont to buy a sako 85 but they only have 22 inch barrels. I am wondering if this barrel is to short for a 25-06? Would a 24 inch barrel be better or is a 22 inch barrel long enough?
i wont the gun to be very accurate.

Answer 1

There are several factors that influence the accuracy of a particular rifle, but barrel length is not significant among them. If the barrel, trigger, and fit of barrel to stock is of the high quality to be expected from Sako, and you have a good scope properly mounted and sighted, and are using quality ammunition, there is no reason to expect any appreciable loss of accuracy with the 22" as opposed to a 24" barrel.

The .25-06 is one of those calibers renowned as "inherently accurate", and has traditionally been given the increasingly rare 24" barrel to insure that the slower-burning powders with which it is usually loaded will be completely and efficiently burned, ensuring maximum velocity, flat trajectory, and thus the longest practicable range. For most hunting situations the 22" barrel will not reduce your odds, but the trade-off for increased portability will be increased muzzle-blast and recoil, as I found out much to my chagrin with a 20"-barrelled .270 carbine.

Answer 2

If the 22 inch is the only option in that caliber and the rifle you want, I guess there is really little to discuss. However, that being said to answer the other part of your question, in most bullet and powder combination options available in that cartridge I do recall reading that the most efficient and inherently accurate round based on the ballistics was the 24 inch barrel in .25-06.

There are many other nice rifles where you could find a more optimum barrel length even though the Sako is also very nice and presumably would provide acceptable accuracy based on their tradition and reputation.

Answer 3

Accuracy won't be affected, and Sako barrels are very nice, It would make more sense to match a 24" barrel with the cartridge, or go with 257 Roberts, but the Bob has lost popularity despite its reputation as the best-balanced quarter-bore. And now that Sako is run by the Italians, you don't have all the nice choices that used to be available.

Answer 4

Don't have a 25, though I've always admired them. Comparably speaking, my 7mm Rem Magnum (Win-70) hits the spot every time w/ a 26" bbl. Nikon 4-9x50 for the glass, 2-300 yd shots. Good enough to put a whitetail on the table, but a little long overall. The 24" would prolly be more acc, but harder to carry around in the bush. I'd go w/ 22" or 24" for hunting and 26" or longer for match. Spend your money on the glass, and keep it and you dialed-in by shooting frequently.

Answer 5

I lost 190 fps from a 26" barreled H&R Handi Rifle to a 22" barreled Savage Axis. I chronoed it today. Load was 2506 Rem w/Winchester brass and primer 58 gr. Alliant RL 22, and 100 gr. Rem. Ptd. SPCL. Velocity is 3610 avg. fps. w/26" barrel and 3420 fps w/ 22" barrel. The loss is big but 3420 fps is nothing to sneeze at. If I added a 100 gr. Nosler Balistic Tip to this load this would be extremely flat shooting at 3420 fps. This load had nothing close to excessive pressure in either gun. As usual work up loads for your rifle.

Answer 6

Accuracy won't suffer, but the 25-06 is
an 'overcapacity` cartridge, and the shorter
barrel will cost you in velocity.

Answer 7

NO you are good to go.*