long vs short action

what is the difference between long action and short? which is better?

Typically the length of the action is to accomodate the calibre of the cartridge being used. Some have longer cases than others. Long actions are typically heavier and may require special mounts and scopes but they often offer calibres with better ballistics. Thus is why the short magnums were born. Similar performance to their long-action cousins in a short-action rifle.

As to which is better would be personal choice... Although the manafactures of short action calibers claim better accuracy do to a faster powder burn in the shorter case... But I doub't the average shooter would notice the differance so it would come back to personel preferance...

claim better accuracy do to a faster powder burn in the shorter case...

I'd think the lock time of the particular rifle would have a whole lot more to do with accuracy than the difference in how fast the powder burnt in a short fat case.

Kid, yup uh huh sure is one of those.
Might I suggest a bit of reading such as:
Warren Page's "The accurate Rifle"
Craig Boddington's"Getting Maximum Accuracy from your Hunting Rifle"
I cannot put in words suitable for a chat forums format what you need to learn on this subject.
Buy, borrow, or otherwise get hold of some relevent material and learn.

I was under the understanding that the shorter fat case, doesnot burn faster, rather than it burns more efficent. Is it not true that in some cases such as the Win .300 mag that the powder does not burn completely inside the case and as a result it has a lot of muzzle flare, resulting in more recoil?
Not trying to pick away here, it is something I have read and I was just wondering if it was correct.

G-len

Short actions have better velocity, energy, trajectory, but more recoil when compared to similarly-sized long-actions (eg. 270WSM vs 270Win), EXCEPT WHEN THEY DON'T (308 vs 30-06) :lol

Don't get too twisted over it. If you can notice the couple of ounces weight savings, terrific. Maybe the recoil bugs you, maybe it doesn't. Pick what you like...

Short actions have better velocity, energy, trajectory, but more recoil when compared to similarly-sized long-actions

Huh?????

The action has nothing to do with any of what you said...the calibre does. The action is quite literally the length of the bolt and is for the most part determined by the length of the case in the chosen cartridge. If you are comparing the new short magnums to their long magnum counterparts then you are way off track too. The short mags provide virtually identical performance to their long cousins in many of the calibres. As short actions rifles typically weigh a bit less due to less metal in the action, recoil could be a bit more but they definitely don't provide better performance in all instances.

The short mags provide virtually identical performance to their long cousins in many of the calibres.

I guess it depends on your interpretation of virtually identical. I just noted a couple hundred FPS or ft/lb difference between some WSMs and their long counterparts. It's about 200 lbs for most distances between the 270WSM and 270Win according to Remington. Identical? alright, if one would like to say that.

I think my point was that it goes both ways sometimes, hence my comment "except when..." and the 30-06 vs 308 comparison, where the long action is slightly superior in balistics for similar ammo. Not sure we actually disagree.

You might want to compare the 300wsm to the 300 Win.....identical......most definitely. There are others too. I didn't say all were identical but several are. Hence the use of the word many. Please read above! The 270 is one exception for sure but most definitely not the rule.

I didn't really see the .30-06 and 308 as a short mag comparison. Yes one is long and the other short but neither is a magnum nor was one marketed as a short version of the other.

270WSM vs. 270Win???????!!!!!!!!
Apples to oranges there bud.
Try a 7mm Rem Mag vs. a 7mmWSM
or a 300 Win. Mag. vs. 300WSM.
There aint but a hill of beans difference with the latter two, until one starts doing some home brewing, but that's another issue.
Short action vs. long action is like Sheep Hunter said the over all length of the action. So that different case lengths can be accomidated.
The accuracy potential of either of them is a function of the action design ie.(flat bottom vs. round bottom), manufacturing tolerences, lock time(more an issue with the trigger group).

I feel the obvious naivtivity of the original posters question would lead me to re assert my reccomendation that he do some reading.

For the record I've had both long and short action rifles shoot wonderfully for me, at the same time having about an equal number of either length give dismal performance, but then again was it the action, the barrel, or the care and attention involved in the chambering, threading, crowning, and other wise the hands on issues involved with the gunsmithing.

This issue is wrought with inuendo and un factual suspicions garnered from many who have neither the exerience or knowledge of true rifle accuracy potential.
FWIW:
BR shooters use bulky actions usually of a short action length, with no magazine port.
F class, and similar 1000yard shooters will often have long action(not always) with no provision for a magazine port.

So what's more accurate short or long actions?
The answer is simple really.




IT DEPENDS