Tac Report post Posted October 19, 2017 Title says it all Why do we shoot 26 inch barrel? Or longer or shorter? Velocity increases are minimal after all the powder is burned and is accuracy really any better. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Big or Bust Report post Posted October 19, 2017 I don't own a barrel with a barrel longer than 22" and don't plan to... With today's choice of bullets and turret/scope options, handiness is much more appealing to me as well as the lack of recoil (freaking hate brakes)... 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Couzer Report post Posted October 19, 2017 Oh I dont either, 10 years ago when I built my 300 Rum, friends were trying to get me to go with a 26 barrel, Im so glad I stuck with the 24 and did not do the 26. Nothing to gain IMO Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Zeke-BE Report post Posted October 19, 2017 Some people don't care for the extra 20-60 fps faster and some people do with a 26" barrel. I love my breaks they shoot great! But my custom CM being built will be a 27" barrel because I want weight and low as possible recoil 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DesertBull Report post Posted October 19, 2017 I love long barrels, heavy bullets and slow powder. To each their own 3 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
452b264 Report post Posted October 19, 2017 THE 308, 243, 7 08, 260 can have a 22 inch barrel, I would like a 24 inch on the 260 or 7 08 if it was to be a long range rifle. The 270, 3006,280 rem do very well with a 24 inch barrel (Perfect). Magnums 26 inch, slow powder, and heavy for caliber bullets. 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Tac Report post Posted October 19, 2017 I’m thinking shorter than that say 16-20” Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
300RUM Report post Posted October 19, 2017 I own rifles with barrels from 16 to 27 inches. I choose the barrel length based on the cartridge and how I plan to use the rifle. I did some research years back when I was thinking about building a 20" barrel 7mm-08AI. One of the most useful items I found were tests done by a gunsmith named Charlie Sisk posted on another forum. I copied them and saved them as some of the best real world data I was able to locate on what happens to velocity as you shorten a barrel. What follows are his introduction and test results. For a long time I have wondered about how barrel length affected velocity. I had always been told you need a certain length barrel for certain calibers. I have read when folks compared one gun to another with different lengths but I always thought that was not an apples to apples comparison. So I did a few tests myself.All these were Shilen barrels. I used the same brass throughout the whole test. All weighed to with 1 grain. Bullets were tested on the Juenke machine. Powder charges were weighed to .1 grain. The same rest, chronograph, Redding press, primers all from the same lot, bullets for the same box, same lathe, same crowning tool, same cutoff tool, and each rifle done from start to finish on the same day. Ambient temperature was the same because I shoot from inside the shop. I held the rifle the same way on the rest every time. I shot ten rounds first to break in the barrel. Then cleaned with Sweets and fired one fouling shot. Then shot five rounds and took the average. I used a midrange load from the Nosler book, not too hot but certainly not a reduced load. Here is what I got. 22-250 Hodgdon 380 34 grains Federal GM210M Remington brass 55 grain Ballistic Tip27 inches 3469 fps26 345125 342524 340756 fps from highest to lowest 270 Winchester Hodgdon 4350 54 grains Federal GM210M Winchester brass 130 grain Sierra27 inches 3115 fps26 309325 307124 305423 303522 302721 3001114 fps from highest to lowest 300 Winchester mag Federal GM215M Winchester brass 74 grains of Reloder 22 180 grain Partition27 inches 3055 fps26 303125 302424 300323 298422 296095 fps from highest to lowest 340 Weatherby Federal GM215M 250 grain Sierra81 grains Reloder 22 Wby brass27 inches 2837 fps26 281725 280924 279123 277722 275521 2731106 fps from highest to lowest I think I will do a little more thinking before I recommend a barrel length in the future. What do you folks think ?Charlie A few weeks ago I done some testing with shortening barrels with various calibers. I just finished this test with a 300 Ultra. These loads were EXTREMELY HOT !!!!!!!!! I will not post the grains here because on the third loading the primer would fall out of the case . I never load this hot , only this time for the test. I used Remington brass, Federal GM215M primers, 220 grain round nose bullets. I used the same procedures as the last test. length H-4895 H-870.....27 2740 3107 .....26 2709 3088.....25 2685 3062.....24 2663 3046.....23 2636 3018.....22 2612 2997H-4895 lost 128 fpsH-870 lost 110 fps 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
452b264 Report post Posted October 19, 2017 The balance of the rifle is high on my list, a longer barrel just feels right. A little extra performance never hurt either. I wouldn't own a standard cartridge with a barrel less than 22 inch. I grew up with a couple of Remington 600 in the house, but If I had a choice it was the M 54 270 with 24 in barrel I took out hunting. It shot better than any rifle in the house new or old. Just personal preference. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
muledeerarea33? Report post Posted October 19, 2017 I'm not sure but I like to the the extra length aids in stabilizing a bullet at longer distances. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Big or Bust Report post Posted October 19, 2017 Stabilization of a bullet is a barrel twist issue... 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Tac Report post Posted October 19, 2017 I,m currently shooting a 20 inch barrel,6.5 creedmoor that groups 1/2 moa at 850 yards and four of the 6 are 1/4 Moa 6 shots total 2-shooters one 10 year old and one 44 years old. I really question how short I could go before a substantial loss of accuracy on my next rifle. It seems there is a average 25 FPS loss per inch but if you hit the target accurately a few FPS loss to me would be ok. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Red Rabbit Report post Posted October 19, 2017 I’m thinking shorter than that say 16-20” A good friend was told all the powder burns in 16-18" in a 30-06, so he cut off the barrel to 18" to save weight and then added a brake to cut recoil in his son's 30-06. It is a much louder and flashier SOB than his wife's 22" 30-06 with brake. The powder may have burned, but the gasses are still expanding in a longer barrel to provide fps. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SunDevil Report post Posted October 19, 2017 I got my daughter a youth rifle (7mm-08). it has an 18" barrel. I was a little concerned about the length but the thing is a tack driver (out of the box with factory ammo) 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
PRDATR Report post Posted October 19, 2017 I’m thinking shorter than that say 16-20” A good friend was told all the powder burns in 16-18" in a 30-06, so he cut off the barrel to 18" to save weight and then added a brake to cut recoil in his son's 30-06. It is a much louder and flashier SOB than his wife's 22" 30-06 with brake. The powder may have burned, but the gasses are still expanding in a longer barrel to provide fps. Many,many years the High Power Silhouette State Championship was held in Yuma and there was a guy from California who brought a 308 with an 18" barrel. You didn't want to be anywhere near him when it went off. Heck of a fireball though in the evening. I don't remember what his load was. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
