What's everyone's opinion on optimum barrel length? I suspect that a longer barrel will be detrimental to offhand shooting because it increases the affect of the follow-thru. Seems like one would want to get the bullet out of the barrel ASAP.

I'm working on a new project standard gun and thinking that I need to get the 26-inch barrel cut down even though that extra front end weight helps the hold. Wondering whether I should have it cut and, if so, to what length.

Dustin

I read years ago that the optimum barrel length for the 22LR was 18 inches. Anything after 18 inches creates bullet drag and velocity loss.
I have a Remington 541T with a Heavy 24" Barrel and a TC Contender Carbine with an MGM 18" Custom Barrel. There seems to be quite a noticeable difference
in POI and Velocity between both rifles with the same ammo. The TC Carbine seems to be shooting faster and flatter. Next range trip I will take the crono and
post the numbers.
Rick

As of late I have heard that 16in is the most optimal length. After that, drag plays a role as stated above and the gasses pushing the bullet out are little to none pass 16inches.

What about the affect of the long barrel with regard to follow thru? Does anyone have any experience with long barrels vs. short barrels to give an opinion on whether the long barrrel hurts off-hand accuracy?

Dustin

The optimum length may be 16" or less but we can't legally have rifles with barrels shorter than that.

In rifle silhouette the most important thing is balance or how the rifle feels and handles. If its too short and light in front it will move more and faster than a heavier or longer one. For me the ideal sb standard rifle is one with a barrel that is about one inch in thick and about 21" long depending on the overall weight of my other components like stock/mounts/rings/scope/trigger guard/screws/etc. I try to keep the overall weight at around 9.5 lbs. On my sb hunting rifles I have barrels that are at least 24" long and thin enough to barely make the 8.5 lb weight limit.

My high power rifles are a different story and I want to have barrels that are between 24 and 26 inches long. I just do not like short barreled high power rifles because I get more muzzle blast and on some of the calibers that I use like the 6.5 Viking (much like the 6.5 TKS) I want all the velocity the barrels can provide since I can only use about 32 to 34 gr of gun powder for my ram loads.

I have been playing this game for a long time and I usually pay attention to what the shooters that win the important matches use. I have noticed that some shooters that live in areas where the wind does not blow often or hard like to build rifles with longer and heavier barrels and get phenomenal results with them at home but usually have trouble performing as well in places like Raton, NM and Phoenix, AZ where the wind blows more often than not.

Dustin, this might be a deal where you can have your cake and eat it also. Several people I have shot with have rifles that are counter bored and/or use long extension tubes (to add weight and balance), and the portion of the barrel that is rifled is about 18 inches and still legal (over 16). This way you can have a 17 or so inch barrel (supposedly better accuracy, shorter barrel time and higher velocity—my thought is that doesn’t translate to optimum velocity) and still get the weight you want. In one extreme case, I shoot with a fellow who has a 17 inch 22 lr barrel that is sweat fit inside a 14 inch + 45 caliber barrel (total barrel length 31 inches)---very beautiful job—can’t even tell where it is joined. That job was done by Earl Hines---a past silhouette shooter you may know or know off. This was done for different reasons, but would serve the purpose you mentioned.
One thing I would recommend is having the barrel slugged before you cut it. I’m told that you never want to cut a barrel where it’s loose (internally) and if the muzzle is tighter than the chamber end, you want to cut off the chamber end---but I suspect your gunsmith will know this—and again these are things I’ve been told and I’m sure there are many opinions, but slugging makes sense to me and the times I’ve slugged a barrel, it was repeatable and I could tell the tight spots from the loose spots in the barrel so I believe there is merit in it.
So this will give you some ideas. And for what it’s worth, the comments about best barrel length (for accuracy and velocity) that were posted are what I have heard before.
I also think follow through is a lot more important than the barrel length.

Thanks for the responses; those are all very good thoughts. I think I'll try the gun with the long barrel and see how it shoots compared to my other rifles. I know it's VERY accurate off the bench so if my scores are not as good, perhaps it's the barrel length (although they may be better because the extra weight out front helps me a lot. I like a muzzle-heavy gun)

Dustin

The longer the barrel and slower the bullet the more time you have to shank it while still in the barrel. Simple time and distance constants that go up and down together for the most part. Say you are shooting 1070 fps ammo. Compare a 20" to a 25" to help keep things easy.

1070'x12"= 12840 inches per second

@ 20" a bullet will be in the barrel 20/12840 = .00155 seconds

@ 25" a bullet will be in the barrel 25/12840 = .00194 seconds

.00194-.00155 = .00039 seconds difference between 20" and 25" barrel bullet dwell time.

.00039/5" = .000078 seconds per inch of barrel for dwell time. Give or take a few millionths of a second of course since the speed is not constant.

Well I think that's right anyway All that being said 4/10000ths of a second is not very long but I imagine it could be the difference between a edge hit and a miss now and then. I feel like most of my shanks are mainly in the trigger pull time to the firing pin striking.

With the airguns it is much more pronounced due to speed of the pellet and all the actions and reactions that have to take place just to get the pellet moving down the barrel. Which makes them so good for training.


Dee

Dee wrote:The longer the barrel and slower the bullet the more time you have to shank it while still in the barrel. Simple time and distance constants that go up and down together for the most part. Say you are shooting 1070 fps ammo. Compare a 20" to a 25" to help keep things easy.

1070'x12"= 12840 inches per second

@ 20" a bullet will be in the barrel 20/12840 = .00155 seconds

@ 25" a bullet will be in the barrel 25/12840 = .00194 seconds

.00194-.00155 = .00039 seconds difference between 20" and 25" barrel bullet dwell time.

.00039/5" = .000078 seconds per inch of barrel for dwell time. Give or take a few millionths of a second of course since the speed is not constant.

Well I think that's right anyway All that being said 4/10000ths of a second is not very long but I imagine it could be the difference between a edge hit and a miss now and then. I feel like most of my shanks are mainly in the trigger pull time to the firing pin striking.

With the airguns it is much more pronounced due to speed of the pellet and all the actions and reactions that have to take place just to get the pellet moving down the barrel. Which makes them so good for training.


Dee

Excellent post. I agree.
What ever is going on inside the barrel of my rifle is irrelevant if I can't manage what's going on outside of the barrel. For me, I find that I tend to balance (and therefore those are the ones I have to work less to hold steadiest) sporter contour barreled rifles best that are 24-25 inches in length.

The 1808MSR had a good compromise with it's 22" barrel (19.2" rifled) and a threaded end to take the barrel weight extension tube.

Using one of these barrels or barreled actions for a custom rifle would seem to be a good solution.

cheers,
SS

When I used to shoot a Heavy gun and chin gun I had a bloop tube barrel..the rifled section was 16 inches with a screw on extension making it 30 inches long with slide on weights made for me by the late Mr. Kenyon...its now sitting in my safe removed but still in excellent shape and deadly accurate. I only shoot the sporter style rifle these days. but they sure balance nicely and with all the weight out there the barrel swing is a lot slower...But you have to hold the heavy thing and it will wear you out.

"...the late Mr. Kenyon." I didn't know that Karl had passed. Last I had heard, he'd retired and moved to Utah to be closer to family.

CWS, Karl passed on July 29th at the age of 93.

Mary