I am new here so I help i can get some help

I plan on buying a .308 Winchester police tactical Heavy Barrel bolt action rifle (most likely a FN Herstal SPC). I read that 26" are old news and I could get great results with an 18" or 20" barrel. What is the appropriate barrel length for a .308? How is the accuracy effected when shot from a 26", 20" and a 18"? Which length should I consider? :confused:

I personly would go with a 20" barrel. A 26" barrel only increases velocity a bit, but as far as I know has only little influence on accuracy, if at all.
A shorter barrel is at same diameter much stiffer against oscillations which helps to hold the groups together and persistency.
And, 20" is much handier than a full blown 26".
I have a 308 with a 20" barrel, 12" twist and with good match ammo I shoot ~1/2 MOA (14-18mm) at 100m when I have a good day.

Regards!

I am new here so I help i can get some help

I plan on buying a .308 Winchester police tactical Heavy Barrel bolt action rifle (most likely a FN Herstal SPC). I read that 26" are old news and I could get great results with an 18" or 20" barrel. What is the appropriate barrel length for a .308? How is the accuracy effected when shot from a 26", 20" and a 18"? Which length should I consider? :confused:

Accuracy is more a combination of rifle, load and shooter, not barrel length.
Short barrel = less weight, less velocity.
Longer barrel = more weight, more velocity.
Tactical = overpriced varmint gun.

Just my personal opinion but I wouldn't care about the handy factor on a rifle I'm going to bag up. A sixteen inch 30-30 lever is handy, a varmint rifle doesn't need to be.

I bet the FN will shoot regardless of barrel length.

How far away to you plan on shooting it? You'll need a 26" barrel to keep bullets supersonic at 1,000 yards; other than that, choose the length you feel comfortable with.

I've only shot two 308s in my life, one was an m-14 and the other is an AR10t. Both had 20 to 24 inch barrels, both were very accurate.
I've admired they Ruger International with the 18 inch barrel, for hunting, but I don't think it would do the job out beyond 200 meters, accuracy wise.
The 24 inch barrel on the AR10t is heavy, but does a fine job out to 500 meters, which is the length of my range.
Jim

How far away to you plan on shooting it? You'll need a 26" barrel to keep bullets supersonic at 1,000 yards; other than that, choose the length you feel comfortable with.

I plan on getting a .308 that can hold its own at about ....500 yards .Should i get a 20" or 24" barrel??

Split the difference and get a 22 inch barrel thats what the m14 used without the flash hider ! The 18 inch is loud and looses velocity ! Which will put you into the 30/40 velocity range ! What is going to be the purpose for this rifle ! 500yds is easy for a 308 ! JAGG