A person’s choice of a rifle is a very personal decision. Some people prefer long-range shooting, while others want to take down animals close up quickly. The type of action one prefers will depend on their needs and their skill level.
Hunters often prefer short-action rifles because they can provide fast follow-up shots. Long-action rifles are more suited for those who enjoy the challenge of hunting at longer distances.
In this article, we will provide the ultimate comparison of short action vs. long action.
So whenever you’re ready to dive deep into this firearm topic, keep reading and get your notes handy.
What Is a Short Action Rifle?
A short-action rifle is a rifle that is designed with an action length shorter than the standard long-action design. The “short” designation does not refer to the stock’s overall size but instead how far back the bolt goes into the receiver when it cycles full circle and recocks for another shot. A short-action rifle will typically have a trigger pull weight of around three pounds or less.
The bolt-on short action rifle goes in and out of the receiver less than with a long-action rifle. This makes it easier to fire quickly for multiple rounds without wearing down your finger like one would have to do with a long-action gun.
A shorter length also means that the cartridge can be loaded more easily into the chamber, resulting in faster reloads and follow-up shots during hunting or combat situations when you need them most.
A short action rifle is best suited for:
- Hunting animals within 600 yards
- competition shooting events such as bench rest, high power (long-range), varmint/small game beware sport shooting events
- law enforcement tactical teams
- self-defense
Some law enforcement tactical teams and some self-defense shooters may still use a short-action rifle.
Short action rifles are not good for:
- Long-distance shots
- hunting animals at distances over 600 yards
A person’s choice of a rifle is a very personal decision. Some people prefer long-range shooting, while others want to take down animals close up quickly.
The type of action one prefers will depend on their needs and their skill level. Any rifle can be managed by a new shooter, but this does not mean it has to. If you feel uncomfortable using a long action rifle at this time, stick with a short action one.
There’s no harm done and you can still enjoy yourself to the fullest. Research first, shoot later.
What Is a Long Action Rifle?
A long action rifle is a rifle with an action length designed to be longer than the standard short-action design.
The “long” designation does not refer to the stock’s overall size but instead how far back the bolt goes into the receiver when it cycles full circle and recocks for another shot. A long-action rifle will typically have a trigger pull weight of around three pounds or more.
The bolt-on long-action rifles go in and out of the receiver farther than with a short action gun. This makes it harder to fire quickly for multiple rounds without wearing down your finger like one would need to do with a short-action gun.
A longer length also means that cartridges are loaded into chambers less easily, which increases reload time during hunting or combat situations where you need to shoot quickly when it counts.
A long action rifle is best suited for:
- Hunting animals at distances over 600 yards
- competition shooting events such as bench rest, high power (long-range), varmint/small game beware sport shooting events
- law enforcement tactical teams
Long Action Rifles Are Not Good For:
- Shooting close up or within the first 200 yards of an animal
- hunting large game like elk or moose because you need higher velocity rounds for these larger targets
Some police officers are given a choice on what type of rifle they will carry, depending on their needs in the field. A short-action rifle is more suited for officers who need to carry a rifle and pistol or may be required to patrol in areas where long shots are not possible.
Short Action vs. Long Action
The shortened distance from the breech face to the rear of the bolt means you can move more quickly between shots with less effort on your part (especially as rounds add up). So these are often preferred by hunters and shooters who wish to get off quick follow-ups in rapid succession.
They’re also best suited for cartridges in which maximum case capacity isn’t necessary because the shorter distance from breech face to the back of the bolt can limit how much pressure is available for extracting and ejecting, limiting maximum case capacity.
On the other hand, a long-action rifle has a longer action, meaning it takes more time between shots.
While this may seem like an inconvenience at first glance because you have to wait before firing again, that extra space means there’s room for larger cartridges with greater case capacities (more powder) which translates into higher muzzle velocities as well as increased accuracy over distances beyond 400 yards or so. A 308 muzzle brake can be quite useful in this case.
This makes them best suited for those who want high-velocity rounds when hunting animals such as elk and moose at ranges beyond 600 yards, where short-action rifles are not good options.
In summary, the choice between short action vs. long action is not a difficult one. It’s going to be reliant entirely upon your interests and personal needs. Both rifles offer their advantages and disadvantages.
Do your research, take your time, and don’t hesitate to ask questions when you feel necessary. Guns are intricate and a deep understanding of them leads to safe and fun shooting experiences.
Is There Anything In Between?
Between the long and short action rifle, you have the medium action rifle. A medium-action rifle has a medium-length action, typically somewhere between the standard long and short lengths.
Medium action rifles are best suited for hunters who want to take shots at close range but are also looking for more precision over longer distances. They are also great for shooters who compete with rifles as opposed to handguns.
Can a Rifle Be Modified for Longer or Shorter Action?
Surprisingly, rifles can be modified to take on some of the qualities of their rifle counterpart. For instance, a long-action rifle can be modified to be a short-action rifle, but it will need to have the barrel cut down or shortened so that the bullet leaves the gun at a higher velocity.
Unfortunately, you can’t modify a long-action rifle into a medium-length one because of its distance from the breech face to the rear of the bolt.
The same is true for modifying a short-action rifle too far in either direction: if you make it longer than necessary, then cartridges don’t load easily, and extraction becomes very difficult; making it shorter means increasing firing speed.
So there’s really no way to fully convert between these three types on your own without professional custom work done by gunsmiths who know what they’re doing!
We want people to be aware of a couple of last things before buying rifles are weight and caliber.
we’ve seen people try to compensate for the recoil on their short-action rifles by buying lighter, shorter barrels, making them even more difficult to shoot accurately over long distances because there’s less barrel length available.
This is why you must know exactly what you’re going to be using your rifle for because, as mentioned earlier, different actions suit certain needs better than others.
So if you’re not sure, then just take some time to think about how much research or practice shooting at various ranges would help determine what will work best for your particular needs.
This way when the time comes, you can have an informed choice of either long, medium, or short action rifles!
The Differences Made Clear
Now that you clearly understand the differences between short action vs. long action rifles, you are well on your way to decide which is best for you. In any case, the choice is going to be entirely personal.
Both rifle types provide their own benefits, but they don’t impede greatly in terms of ability. Limitations do exist, but they can be managed. Why not just get both types of rifles?
If you’re interested in learning more about firearms, check out some of our related content down below or on the sidebar.
