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barrel length

fishingdog101
When measuring the length or a rifle barrel,do you include the chamber?

Thanks,Joyce
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6 comments

Date Votes
  • fishingdog101
    What are the advantages and disadvantages of barrel lenght of a shot- gun lets say the same choke 28" barrel vs 30" barrel???
    Thanks
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  • westlund_125
    Their isnt that much of a difference between the two besides maybe a little bit more accuracy with the 28" barrel. but i use a 26" barrel and it works just fine.

    "A good scope can end a bad situation"
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  • Laredo Lefty
    I prefer a 26" for a little quicker handling. I have a Benelli Super Black Eagle and a Legacy both 26" and I love the way they handle.

    They say that the powder is pretty much burned up in the first 22" to 24" anyway so your not getting much more velocity out of the 28" and longer barrels.

    Joe
    "Never let school interfere with your education"
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  • Tailgunner1954
    The biggest advantage to either is how it balances in YOUR hands (one might be great for you and lousy for me).
    The greater the forward weight, the lower the tendency to stop your swing but it's slower to get swinging in the first place (inertia). For waterfowl and clays this is a good thing, as is the longer sight plane.
    For turkeys shorter may be better for handling in the brush.
    Max velocity comes at around 16-18" of barrel and patterns are controled by the chokes, so a 20" and a 32" will have basicly the same velocity and shot spread.

    Whittemore
    Some guys like a mag full of lead, I still prefer one round to the head.
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  • allechalley
    Seems I read somewhere that the drop in velocity averaged something like 20 or 25 ft/sec per inch removed. For the most part Laredo is correct, there is a limit to length before it makes little if any difference in velocity. However, the handling characteristics, the muzzle flip and the noise level can be considerable. Like hemlines, there are fads. A few years ago 28" was popular, then 30, then 32 or 34" for sporting clays. The ultra long barrels were more for FITASC competition, where shots 30,40, and farther were common. Skeet shooters generally like the 24 or 26" barrels for the quickness on target. Some of the newer powders have a little different burn profile, so maybe the shorter lengths aren't as much effect, either.
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  • Tailgunner1954
    quote:Originally posted by allechalley
    Seems I read somewhere that the drop in velocity averaged something like 20 or 25 ft/sec per inch removed.

    In a centerfire rifle the drop can run from 20-75fps, depending on the caliber, in rimfires and shotguns the number is closer to what I stated (IIRC 16" for a 22LR and 18" for a 12ga). The reason is found in the expansion ratio IE: (case volume+barrel volume)/case volume. The big mags (338-378Wby) top out in velocity at around 42" in actual firing/shortening experaments by Dan Lilja

    Whittemore
    Some guys like a mag full of lead, I still prefer one round to the head.
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