Just courious

41magnut

A thread about a member's choice of a the caliber for his next rifle raised a question.

Knowing there are numerous variables involved concerning barrel length & projectile performance, such as powder, what have you.

In calibers refered to as standard, such as 30'06, and 308W based calibers, is a person losing enough performance between a 22" barrel and up to a 26" barrel?

Comments? Remarks?



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Teach

IMHO, a 26" barrel just gets you 4" closer to the target. A possible exception might be very heavy bullets and very slow-burning powders, where a long barrel might get a little more velocity. 26" tubes are awkward and look funny, unless there's a very good reason for using one- - - -maybe very long range target shooting?
Jerry

BigDanS

An extra four inches of barrel, from 22 to 26 might give a jump on 150 fps in a 308 as an example.

Hornady's 8th Edition reloading manual tests its velocities for the .308 from a 22 inch barrel, and the 30-06 from a 23 3/4 inch barrel.

Does getting 2900 vs 2800 fps in a 150 gr bullet from a .308 matter? Not likely unless you are long range shooting and using the best BC bullets available. ( that would be long 220 gr bullets, not 150 gr hunting bullets ) A 210 gr bullet might get 2400 vs 2500 fps.

D

snake284

BigDanS wrote: »

An extra four inches of barrel, from 22 to 26 might give a jump on 150 fps in a 308 as an example.

Hornady's 8th Edition reloading manual tests its velocities for the .308 from a 22 inch barrel, and the 30-06 from a 23 3/4 inch barrel.

Does getting 2900 vs 2800 fps in a 150 gr bullet from a .308 matter? Not likely unless you are long range shooting and using the best BC bullets available. ( that would be long 220 gr bullets, not 150 gr hunting bullets ) A 210 gr bullet might get 2400 vs 2500 fps.

D

For a .308 no. For a .30-06 not with 150-165 or probably not so much even 180 grain bullets. But you might see some practical difference with 200+ grain bullets. Actually, for the ranges I limit myself to, I doubt the difference between 22 and 24 or even 2. 6 would make any difference.

Now with a magnum cartridge or more overbore, I could see you getting more practical gains at 300-400+ yards. Like a .25-06, 6.5-06, .270, .280. But if you get more the WARM and FUZZY with a shortish carbine I'd say you'd be better off with one because you like to shoot it and loving your gun and being confident with it is way more important than a little ballistics.

Uncle Fester

The gun companies have sold millions of bolt action rifles with 22-24" barrels b/c it is a good middle ground.

My next bolt action rifle is likely to be in .308. Since I intend to carry it, it will probably lean toward a relatively lightweight rifle with a 22" or even 20" (I have 30'06 and 270 Model 700's if I need a little extra reach).

My dream rifle looks a lot like this: http://www.winchesterguns.com/products/catalog/itemdetail.asp?id=535200220&mid=535200

early

Short barrel
Less reach with a bayonet?
Less barrel whip?
Less velocity?
Easier to negotiate brush?
Fits better in the safe?

Long barrel
More reach with a bayonet?
More barrel whip?
More velocity?
Harder to negotiate brush?
Harder to fit in the safe?

Size matters?
Not?

I don't have any magnum rifles.
I'm happy with 22 inches.

BAMAAK

Wambli Ska wrote: »

Not only no, but quite frankly anything over 16" is wasted on your average hunter/shooter's needs. Mostly I pick my barrel lengths based on aesthetics. 22-24" looks about right to me.

Yea but you wear ___________ (insert politicly incorrect term here) socks.

jaywapti

I have bbls. ( CF) from 16" to 26", I base bbl. length on the cartridge, .22-250 always 26", stock cartridges .308 & 06 22" to 24" , all AI, wildcats, and mags are 26" , in the past I built some way over bore wildcats that had 28" to 30" bbl.
Its strictly a personal thing, for myself I find no real difference between a 22" and a 26" for hunting.

JAY

ojr

Uncle Fester wrote: »

The gun companies have sold millions of bolt action rifles with 22-24" barrels b/c it is a good middle ground.

My next bolt action rifle is likely to be in .308. Since I intend to carry it, it will probably lean toward a relatively lightweight rifle with a 22" or even 20" (I have 30'06 and 270 Model 700's if I need a little extra reach).

My dream rifle looks a lot like this: http://www.winchesterguns.com/products/catalog/itemdetail.asp?id=535200220&mid=535200

Maybe something like this Uncle Fester
I admit to messing with the factory stock a little with a bit of danish but it's straight from the box apart from that.



I haven't got anything over 24" any more unless you count suppressors on the barrel. Neither have I got anything under 22.
I find the 22-24 suits me fine.

bisley

Since those few extra fps you get from longer barrels probably only matter at longer ranges, say beyond 500 yards, I prefer shorter, stiffer barrels. My two favorite rifles have 20" medium contour, or heavy barrels, and I can see no performance limitations with them at the shorter ranges that I am capable of shooting accurately at (100 to 300 yards). I might feel differently, if I were shooting further.

Uncle Fester

ojr wrote: »

Maybe something like this Uncle Fester
I admit to messing with the factory stock a little with a bit of danish but it's straight from the box apart from that.



I haven't got anything over 24" any more unless you count suppressors on the barrel. Neither have I got anything under 22.
I find the 22-24 suits me fine.

Very nice. Until recently, I wasn't aware that new Featherweights were available for the same price as other walnut stocked rifles. Part of me wants to save up for the Super a Grade, but I am not that weak.

41magnut

Gentlemen, thanks for the input.

I really didnt expect any earth moving information, more confirmation than anything else.

I am considering a rebarrel project and barrel length and contour is the most recent memtal exercise.

The expense of new barrel, stock, gunsmith fees are beginning to add up, causing me to think of selling the donor rifle and using the funds to buy a rifle off the rack.



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