[Bam Bam]

I am thinking of either chopping or adding a strut to my 14 and 30 which are older ranch rifles.

They shoot 1.5" and 1 1/4" at 50 yards for the 30 and the 14 respectively. Not bad as they are but always want better.

The cost of a chop would be about the same as the strut and weigh less or that is my guess. I have Smith muzzle brakes on both and they do not affect accuracy. I have them on for muzzle rise and recoil reduction.

I like the strut but do not want added weight. The blast of a 16.5" barrel would be more though.

Any idea if one would give better accuracy than the other?

 

[tri70]

Try the strut 1st, you loose about 150fps if you cut, it doesn't affect the weight and balance at all, still handy rifle.

 

[KMO]

I am a bit biased, of course, but I would recommend a Mo-Rod before chopping that barrel...

 

[ZenkiS14]

I love my 16" barrel, hope that helps

 

[Joe226]

The only logical thing to do is both.

 

[bai78]

Try a strut and see how it goes on one of the rifles. If you like it, get another or decide to chop the other.

You can always resell a strut but cannot undue a cut barrel.

 

[hottarod]

I got the strut first to see how much it would help. It helps my gun which is a 581 series 30 with a straight barrel. I've read that the strut doesn't do a whole lot for the tapered barrel guns.

Questions though.

How much do you chop the standard length barrel?

Also, does crowning the muzzle help like as in a stepped crown or 11 degree crown? I'm considering getting a muzzle crowning tool.

 

[bai78]

Typically, 18.5" to 16"+/- with or without a muzzle device.

 

[tri70]

I got the strut first to see how much it would help. It helps my gun which is a 581 series 30 with a straight barrel. I've read that the strut doesn't do a whole lot for the tapered barrel guns.

Questions though.

How much do you chop the standard length barrel?

Also, does crowning the muzzle help like as in a stepped crown or 11 degree crown? I'm considering getting a muzzle crowning tool.

You can't make the barrel shorter than 16" and still consider is a rifle, anything short will have to have a permanate welded brake to make it the 16" or better. Pistols can't go over 16" and rifles can't go under 16" by law or without submitting paperwork to the Feds and seeing if they approve of the mods.h34r:

 

[hottarod]

I thought there was some magic length that helped reduce the barrel harmonics.

I am considering getting an 11 degree muzzle cutter. Has anybody else tried this with good results?

 

[PDXS3T]

I thought there was some magic length that helped reduce the barrel harmonics.

I am considering getting an 11 degree muzzle cutter. Has anybody else tried this with good results?

Each rifle is different, there is really no magic length. I have been told and have read, reducing the thin barrel Mini's to 16 1/2" has worked well for many. There are exceptions though...you could actually make things worse. Again, each rifle is different.