barrel lengths per cartridge decisions

[ARlife4me]

Some decisions are based on range, weight (total firearm) and possibly bullet weights? Maybe some have found there isn't enough difference or gain/loss in velocity? Without a chrono I have no idea on changes in velocity? Being on this forum for some time now there are odd people (the 1's that like odd numbered lengths)? For some reason I'm not 1 or have shot any rifle with an odd length? Why some have 14" barrels for long action magnum cartridges gets me questioning why? Maybe there's a sweet spot with little loss of velocity? This may pertain to those custom rifle builders as few offer odd length barrels from factory? What thoughts do you have about length decisions?

 

[Zen Archery]

Going to depend on ops end goal. Different tool for different job.

 

[comfisherman]

I once cut a rifle off at the length that fit flush with my Gunslinger pack... lost a little velocity but gained ease of portability crawling through Alders.

When I spit a lot more time in the high desert barrels were as long as possible, carried in a Scabbard on my back the weight didn't matter nor the overhead height. A rifle that looks like a four wheeler flag in the sagebrush doesn't cause any problems.

The more compact a rifle can be the easier it is to pack around, Our testing with cutting down Barrel showed that certain cartridges dropped off at a certain length. For rifles that are going to be carried a lot I try and cut them right around those lengths that we decided upon. In most instances I can go to the next cartridge size figure to make up for performance if I absolutely need it.

 

[MagnumManiac]

I like 29" and 29.5" long barrels for 2 reasons, one is that it fits in my rifle bag snugly, and two is that it provides very similar velocity to a 30" without losing too much. My 32" barrels don't fit in my safe…they have to be removed for the rifle to fit, luckily they are all switch barrels.
Oh, I don't use short barrels often, I have a 20" 223, probably never do it again.

Cheers.

 

[southpa]

Personally I've never found a standard length barrel (26") to be cumbersome. I see a lot of guys use the short barrel as a means for "easy packing" but like I said I don't think standard lengths are a burden and never have. I'm not buying that cutting 4" off your barrel will save that much for handling as far as length. Now weight is a different story. With carbon wraps and short barrels have a place for weight reduction in my mind and that's what's important to me. If I'm going short barrel I would choose a cartridge that gets the bullet I want to a certain speed. But I don't decide on short barrels for ease of handling as this is not a concealed rifle nor is it used for close quarters. My rifles generally live on my back for 90% of the season and are built with LR in mind. My pack doesn't care how long the barrel is.

 

[Mikecr]

Using QL, I calc out a load, and barrel length is adjusted to limit muzzle pressure to ~8Kpsi.
Then barrel profile is adjusted to balance the gun with that length.

I don't like a lot of flipping recoil or muzzle blast.

 

[CCAguns]

Standard bbl lengths usually ran 22" for regular cartridges and 24" to 26" for magnum cartridges. Testing of cartridge is also done with 24" to 26" test bbls. With cartridges like the 270, '06, 280, etc, I've found about 30fps velocity loss per bbl inch below the test bbl. Usage usually dictates what a shooter needs or wants. After hunting Alaska, I've been happy with a 25" bbl on my 340 Wby. For the thick woods in LA & MS, 20" to 21" bbls are more convenient. Really boils down to personal preference and usage. I'm not a big fan of much shorter bbls but some are. Good luck!

 

[Lionel Boyd Johnson]

Last year I built a .260 Remington on a M700 short action for whitetail deer hunting - primarily from tree stands. I couldn't decide between 22" and 24" barrel length so I split the difference and cut it to 23" finished length. That's my "odd length" story and it's true. -Ed

 

[Buttermilk]

I do a lot of short barrels because I prefer to hunt with "Specialty Pistols" and I have gone as big as 30 Nosler in case size. I've done two 30 Nosler XP-100's, one with a 18.5" barrel, the other with a 19" barrel. I also currently have a 7mm RSAUM with a 17.5" barrel. I get excellent performance from all of them, and don't give up much in the way of velocity. Based on my calculations, I'm losing ~ 8%-9% velocity with the shorter barrels.

Now, in my rifles, I prefer longer barrels, with 27", 26" and even 24" being what I run.

 

[jrock]

My rule of thumb is for 308 based cases, 18" and 20" for full sized magnums are the point where the velocity starts to drop non-linearly. Short mags can do well in 18" barrels as well. Take 2 more inches off those numbers and the fps per inch really starts to fall off. With more suppressors hitting the market, I'm cutting barrels shorter and shorter for customers. Personal preference and style of hunting also plays a role in determining barrel length. If I had to pick one length overall, 20" would be the number. Adding a 7" suppressor to that isn't unreasonably long. One can offset the length by adding a folding stock as well.

Now my personal preference is for speed. I have 24" plus barrels on my rifles.

 

[Carey Farmer]

Using QL, I calc out a load, and barrel length is adjusted to limit muzzle pressure to ~8Kpsi.
Then barrel profile is adjusted to balance the gun with that length.

I don't like a lot of flipping recoil or muzzle blast.

This is a great way to approach this question.

I feel the same as Mikecr about muzzle blast. I hunted for many years with a 338 Winchester Magnum, 25" barrel. Then I bought a 300 Weatherby Magnum, 24" barrel. Couldn't believe the muzzle blast. Now when I build rifles chambered with big cases shooting slow powder like Retumbo or H1000, I put 32" barrels on them. That gets me good muzzle velocities with manageable muzzle blast. Around 10,000 psi muzzle pressure at bullet exit. With the same load in a 26" barrel, would get 150 fps less velocity and muzzle pressure would be 13,000 at bullet exit.

 

[cabelasken]

Some decisions are based on range, weight (total firearm) and possibly bullet weights? Maybe some have found there isn't enough difference or gain/loss in velocity? Without a chrono I have no idea on changes in velocity? Being on this forum for some time now there are odd people (the 1's that like odd numbered lengths)? For some reason I'm not 1 or have shot any rifle wiI base th an odd length? Why some have 14" barrels for long action magnum cartridges gets me questioning why? Maybe there's a sweet spot with little loss of velocity? This may pertain to those custom rifle builders as few offer odd length barrels from factory? What thoughts do you have about length decisions?

I select barrel length based on the diameter of bullet and the case volume of the cartridge. In this way I figure I figured out the optimum column length of powder that can be burned before it leaves the barrel. From my calculations, I determined the 30-06 optimum barrel length was between 21 and 22 inches. The 7 MM RM with its bigger case volumn and smaller diameter bullet was 25 inches. Of course powders have different burn rates and the length should be adjusted accordingly. Also, heavier bullets becasue of their added bearing against the barrel will burn a little more effectively than a light bullet in a shorter barrel and velocity loss will be reduced somewhat. Just my thoughts

 

[redneckbmxer24]

What are you asking exactly? You end every sentence with a ? But it seems like you're more thinking out loud than asking a specific question.

Barrel lengths and velocity loss/gain has been covered literally thousands of times on Internet forums.

 

[willfrye027]

Using QL, I calc out a load, and barrel length is adjusted to limit muzzle pressure to ~8Kpsi.
Then barrel profile is adjusted to balance the gun with that length.

I don't like a lot of flipping recoil or muzzle blast.

I've never heard muzzle pressure really discussed here but that is very interesting. I prefer a longer barrel as well for the same reasons but never attached a number to it.

What's the muzzle pressure on say a creedmoor sized case at 26"?