Length of barrels

[williek]

Why is it that a twenty six inch barrel on a grouse shotgun is just fine, but a twenty six inch barrel on a rifle in exactly the same woods is much too long??
The very same hunter will express two different opinions about how easy or how difficult it is to move through the brush with the very same length barrels.
Any ideas???
I find the most difficult thing to move through the brush is me! (I hate prickly ash!) If I can get me through, the gun comes along just fine.

[Buckskin]

I agree with you, overall barrel length is not a big deal.    Action length affects overall gun length a lot.  Here are some examples of mine:
                                               Overall gun length
12 g citori 525 with 28" barrel -      45"
204 Encore 26" barrel            -      40"
300 Rum, 700bdl 26" barrel    -      46.5"
12 g Rem 870 20" slug barrel -      40"
12 g Beneli Nove 28" barrel    -      49"

Hhhhmmmm.

Buckskin

[sniperVLS]

I feel better knowing I'm not the only one who felt as I do

 :-D

No offense intended, but if one whines about barrel length, then maybe their mind isnt where it should be during a hunt.

thats the last thing I think about  :shock:

[Lawdog]

I feel better knowing I'm not the only one who felt as I do

 :-D

No offense intended, but if one whines about barrel length, then maybe their mind isnt where it should be during a hunt.

thats the last thing I think about  :shock:

Add to that the shooters that say all the weight they are saving by having a 22" barrel as compared to a 26" barrel.  Now just how much does 4" of sporting weight barrel weight?  Lawdog

[Ramrod]

Add to that the shooters that say all the weight they are saving by having a 22" barrel as compared to a 26" barrel.  Now just how much does 4" of sporting weight barrel weight?  Lawdog

One thing you are forgetting is barrel contour. You need to look at some barrel makers charts. A 26 incher is usually a heavy sporter weight, and 24 inch is medium sporter  for most makers. In other words, the longer barrels are usually much thicker from breech to muzzle, and with less taper. So, yes there is a huge differance in weight.

[147 Grain]

Well said - Ramrod!

[Val]

When I bought my Savage 25-06, I had a choice of a sporter 22" barrel or the heavy 24" barrel. I chose the 24" barrel since the rifle only weighed 1 pound more. Some folks would consider 1 pound a huge difference, but I  think it's basically the same. If 1 pound is such a big deal I guess you can skip a meal and make up the differnce.

[Buckskin]

Maybe if your going after sheep its a big deal, but for most of us 1 - 2 pounds is not worth griping about.  Even if your elk hunting in the mountains, not that big of a deal.  My 300 RUM is very comfortable to sling with its 26" barrel.

[Don Fischer]

Lawdog wrote:

Add to that the shooters that say all the weight they are saving by having a 22" barrel as compared to a 26" barrel. Now just how much does 4" of sporting weight barrel weight? Lawdog

If we carry that over to the action, how much weight does a short action save over a long action and with the weight being between the hands, won't the "felt" difference be more at the barrel end with an extra 4" barrel?

I found that the best handling rifles have between a 22" and 24" barrel. My wifes has a 23" and is great handling. It's not how much 4" of barrel weighs, it's where it's at. 4" between the hands is nothing; 22" in front of the hands is a different matter, the firearm becomes muzzle heavy.

In shooting shotguns, you'll find in open country that a 28" barrel swings thru the target and a short barrel doesn't. Not a lot of weight difference but its where the weight is at that counts. Thats why a 20" barreled rifle will handle smoother in brush than a 26" barrel. Then too, that 26" barrel is getting just a bit to long. Try moving shots with a 26" and a 24" rifle and the 24" is just a bit handier. Then move to the bench, and the 26" and longer barrels start laying on the bags better.

Its not the weight, its where you put it.

[Don Fischer]

One more thought. Take a 300 win mag on a bolt action with a 26" barrel and a 300 win mag on a Ruger #1 w/ 26" barrel and handle both. The Ruger will handle quicker and the bolt will swing smoother. Weight between the hands on one and at the end of the barrel on the other.

[Lawdog]

Add to that the shooters that say all the weight they are saving by having a 22" barrel as compared to a 26" barrel.  Now just how much does 4" of sporting weight barrel weight?  Lawdog

One thing you are forgetting is barrel contour. You need to look at some barrel makers charts. A 26 incher is usually a heavy sporter weight, and 24 inch is medium sporter  for most makers. In other words, the longer barrels are usually much thicker from breech to muzzle, and with less taper. So, yes there is a huge differance in weight.

I'm not forgetting barrel contour.  I want to know if you take a 26" barrel and cut off 4" what does that 4" of barrel weight?  Example:  You order a Shilen Match Grade barrel in .308 caliber that comes in a standard 29" length so you can have it cut to whatever length that rings your bell, just how much weight is 4" of that barrel going to save you?  Lawdog
 

[Ramrod]

Give us a break, Lawdog, no one buys a match grade barrel and cuts it down for hunting. Most folks buy or order a given barrel length, and they get the contour and weight that comes with it. In the real world 22 inch barrels are a pound or more lighter than 26 inchers.

[victorcharlie]

Weight can matter depending on how your hunting.  Most of my rifle hunting is from a stand for deer.  Other than carrying the rifle in and out of the bush, coupled with the fact that there isn't a lot of shooting, weight really isn't that much of a factor.  Rabbit hunting behind dogs, where your walking all day and kicking brush piles, is where I really like a light weight shotgun.  The big browning A5's really start to get heavy about 3 in the afternoon and is much better suited in a duck blind.  Same thing quail hunting.....lighter and shorter is better especially when the cover's thick and on the days the birds are hard to find.  Every hour that passes, the guns get heavier......

I've also found, by struggling through the briars and thickets, that barrel length means alot in this situation.  When things are tight, just a few inches can save a lot of effort.  Chasing down the dogs when their running "off" game is where weight and barrel length can be a real burden.

IMHO barrel length and weight are much more important on a shotgun than on a rifle, but it all really depends on how you hunt.

[kombi1976]

Here'a point no-one seems to have made and shotgun work.
Plenty of guys carry their double & single bbl shotguns "broken" over their arm or shoulder except when really stalking close.
This makes the shotgun effectively shorter.
As far as this whole debate goes, however, I don't give 2 hoots about barrel length so long as the rifle balances properly when you raise it to shoot.
There certainly is no reason why a short barrel will be less accurate but a drop in velocity and more muzzle blast are what I can do without. :roll:
Less weight also means more recoil......not a necessary evil in my opinion. :?
So far the hunting I've done has been mostly light folliage to open fields but I also did some heavy brush hunting in the dark and the 25" barrel on my 303/25 was no burden when shooting goats at close quarters with a small spotlight. :wink:

[RaySendero]

I like looooong barrels shooting looooong for caliber bullets.
My 22LR has a 21.5" barrel.
My 3 centerfires have 23.5", 24" and 26" respectively!

Looooong does matter! :mrgreen:

[760 Nut]

Sounds like some guys have a serious case of "barrel envy".  

[kombi1976]

Sounds like some guys have a serious case of "barrel envy".  

So what??  
I'll measure it as much as I want.    :-D  :-D :mrgreen:
Actually, I'm just tired of these posts coming up yet again!!!
If a long one is troublesome(that's a barrel BTW :grin: ) then get a carbine. :roll:
If you were making posts like "20 Inch barrels are cooler cause they fit Mannlicher-style stocks" then, hey, its a totally different ball game.

[Slamfire]

I always thought that when they were shortenin' barrels, around the turn of the century. a couple of ol' gunny sgts, got to 24" and agreed they just "felt" right.  :grin:

[PEPAW]

I would like to have a new 23-24" barrel installed on my Model 7.  
With that light, light barrel contour, it should not add a lb. of weight, but should decrease muzzle blast, and up my velocity with offsetting extra weight for no increase in recoil.   Win, win situation.

I peronally like muzzle heavy guns for off-hand shooting when the need arises.

pepaw

[Buckskin]

Agreed, balance and feel are much more important than barrel length.  And barrel length is way more important in a shotgun than rifle.  I find my Nova with its 28" barrel to be cumbersome in all hunting situations, even waterfowling.

[jro45]

My 22" barrels seam too light. I'm used to 24, 25, or 26" barrels and one 26" has a brake so it is about 28" but I can remove the brake. I like long barrels in rifles. Shotguns I like a balanced lenght some 28 some 30"

[Lawdog]

Give us a break, Lawdog, no one buys a match grade barrel and cuts it down for hunting. Most folks buy or order a given barrel length, and they get the contour and weight that comes with it. In the real world 22 inch barrels are a pound or more lighter than 26 inchers.

Sorry son but I order Shilen Match Grade barrels for all my custom rifles.  Ruger No. 1 in .450 Marlin wears a 29+" barrel.  Win. M70 .450 Marlin wears a 25" barrel.  Wife's M98 Mauser in 6.5mm Swede has a 24" barrel.  The list goes on and all are Shilen Match Grade barrels ordered in Magnum Sporter Contour #C(.650 dia.).  Personal preference.  Lawdog
 

[roper]

Having had afew rifles rebarreled over the years one learns afew things.  In my #1 since you don't have an action like a bolt you can add more barrel lenght or weight but there is a balance point with all rifles.  I just had two 300 mags done up on rem 700 actions one had a Kreiger other a Lilja barrel both #3 contours  one barrel is finished a 26" other 26 1/2" different balance points.  You can take a #5 contour barrel fluted and go  longer in lenght  over one that isn't fluted.  I had Shilen do me a special contour on a select match barrel for a 22-250AI.  Got a fluted Hart 28" #4 contour on a 6.5x284.  The extras cost more.  Most manufactors will work with you within reason there not going to do something just to sell a barrel.   There is all kinds of ways to work barrel lenght.
I like to spread my barrel around.   Chanlynn,Lilja,Kreiger,Hart,K&P,Pac-Nor and Shilen are the ones I use and they are all select match grade.

[147 Grain]

roper:

What kind of prices do those quality barrel manufactures rope you into?   :roll:

Does Remington make their own barrels or do they subcontract it out?

Steve

[roper]

roper:

What kind of prices do those quality barrel manufactures rope you into?   :roll:

Does Remington make their own barrels or do they subcontract it out?

Steve

Steve you can pull up most manufactors web site and get an accurate price on what barrel you have in mind also I don't follow factory rifle barrels may do better getting that information from Remington.

[cal sibley]

Most of my shooting today is from the bench so I prefer heavy barrel rifles since I don't have to lug them around.  Barrel length alone doesn't determine weight.  A lot depends on the barrel diameter especially at the muzzle.  I have a Rem. 40XBBR that has a short 20" barrel, but that rascal is .960" at the muzzle and quite heavy.  My .22-250 is a Savage that sports a Hart SS 26" varmint barrel.  Couple that with the 1" muzzle diameter and you definitely wouldn't want to tote it around the woodchuck fields unless you were carrying it in a golf cart.  For hunting purposes I try to seek a happy medium, something on the order of a heavy sporter.  Just one mans opinion.  Best wishes.

Cal - Montreal