Barrel length vs accuracy

[Dmagna]

I am a person that doesn't put up with crap and will call it out when I see it. I have never heard of anyone saying that longer barrel rifle are inherently more accurate than shorter barrel rifles. Got into a discussion with a YouTuber who thinks a long barrel rifle will make the gun inherently more accurate.

I have never heard of such a thing, the only thing that I know is that barrel length will affect speed and that's about it. Twist is a different story and I am not talking about that. I have seen some amazing shooters and rifles shooting shorter barrel rifles and smashing steel and critters way out at range.

Is there any evidence to support that a shorter barrel rifle is inherently less accurate than a longer barrel rifle?

I have 18" rifles that are 1/4" rifles and 26" barrels that shoot about the same. I just don't understand the concept

 

[Phil Rizzo]

I'd give the nod to shorter barrels, on a precision basis only. Less harmonic vibes, or shorter peaks and valleys or whatever the tech term is.
With that said my "short" barrels are 24". One of my tightest groupers is a 28".

 

[VinceMule]

YEP!

 

[MagnumManiac]

The simple answer is complicated.
If we have a truck axle thickness barrel 36" long against a soda straw thickness barrel, then we have a dilemma.
There is no evidence to support which one will be more precise, everyone will say the heavier/thicker WILL be superior, but, what if we add a tuner…
It is said short THICK barrels are superior, if this was true, no ELR shooter would be using 34" and 36" barrels for 1-2 mile shooting. Here we shoot 2000 metres, 1 mile is also shot, but, not a lot.
I don't believe harmonics are as bad as what is said on the interwebs regarding skinny barrels, what I do believe is the heat generated and transferred into the barrel is what's making a difference. Heat changes barrel steel, there is no way around that fact.

Cheers.

 

[Mike Matteson]

I am a person that doesn't put up with crap and will call it out when I see it. I have never heard of anyone saying that longer barrel rifle are inherently more accurate than shorter barrel rifles. Got into a discussion with a YouTuber who thinks a long barrel rifle will make the gun inherently more accurate.

I have never heard of such a thing, the only thing that I know is that barrel length will affect speed and that's about it. Twist is a different story and I am not talking about that. I have seen some amazing shooters and rifles shooting shorter barrel rifles and smashing steel and critters way out at range.

Is there any evidence to support that a shorter barrel rifle is inherently less accurate than a longer barrel rifle?

I have 18" rifles that are 1/4" rifles and 26" barrels that shoot about the same. I just don't understand the concept

I don't see if a barrel is longer or shorter make any different. Velocity yes. I generally use slower powders, LRP and not mag primers. Accuracy I feel is your load development for that rifle. How you are going to use that rifle in what weather conditions. Weather can be from -20* or more to 110*+. So powders can really change in the type of weather as far as POI.

 

[Koda_]

Is there any evidence to support that a shorter barrel rifle is inherently less accurate than a longer barrel rifle?

If your using iron sights I could see the longer sight radius being an advantage....

 

[Phil Rizzo]

The simple answer is complicated.
If we have a truck axle thickness barrel 36" long against a soda straw thickness barrel, then we have a dilemma.
There is no evidence to support which one will be more precise, everyone will say the heavier/thicker WILL be superior, but, what if we add a tuner…
It is said short THICK barrels are superior, if this was true, no ELR shooter would be using 34" and 36" barrels for 1-2 mile shooting. Here we shoot 2000 metres, 1 mile is also shot, but, not a lot.
I don't believe harmonics are as bad as what is said on the interwebs regarding skinny barrels, what I do believe is the heat generated and transferred into the barrel is what's making a difference. Heat changes barrel steel, there is no way around that fact.

Cheers.

I figured the ELR guys had no choice but to use long barrels to stay super-sonic.?
Whatever you do, don't let this message get your BP up, you hear Me?

 

[MagnumManiac]

I figured the ELR guys had no choice but to use long barrels to stay super-sonic.?
Whatever you do, don't let this message get your BP up, you hear Me?

Don't worry, your point is valid.
All of my ELR barrels are 1.25" thick, no taper. I tried flutes, made no discernible balance difference, stock changes were needed for that.

Cheers.

 

[dfanonymous]

In theory a longer barrel would have more leverage for whip during recoil. Part of those harmonics.

Doesn't mean anything really, as others pointed out, it can be tuned and a thicker barrel, whose primary purpose is heat dissipation, can resist flex. Most of us use 26 inch barrels or longer very successfully.

A short thick barrel, again, in theory, should be more "inherently" accurate as it should resist a lot of the movement that happens during the internal ballistic process by having less leverage and more rigidity.

Think of breaking a #2 pencil. Then take a broken piece, and then try to break that one. Then do the same thing, but with a carpenters pencil. The theory in a nutshell.

 

[bultinkle]

Gotta stop talking to YouTubers

 

[FEENIX]

The simple answer is complicated.

Agreed! I also do not like to complicate things unnecessarily, especially online.

 

[Huntaddict]

You tubers are always right aren't they? They do know how to get a rise out of people

This issue has about half a dozen variables before the bullet even leaves the barrel. Then there are about 6 more as it leaves...so sleep well knowing that whatever barrel you have, if it shoots under 1 MOA or under 1/2 MOA depending on your goal, you have an accurate barrel

 

[nwmnbowhunter]

Less than 20 is definitely less forgiving than 22-26. Especially with anything that uses more than 60 grains of powder.

 

[Koda_]

In theory a longer barrel would have more leverage for whip during recoil. Part of those harmonics.

Doesn't mean anything really, as others pointed out, it can be tuned and a thicker barrel, whose primary purpose is heat dissipation, can resist flex. Most of us use 26 inch barrels or longer very successfully.

A short thick barrel, again, in theory, should be more "inherently" accurate as it should resist a lot of the movement that happens during the internal ballistic process by having less leverage and more rigidity.

Think of breaking a #2 pencil. Then take a broken piece, and then try to break that one. Then do the same thing, but with a carpenters pencil. The theory in a nutshell.

Why does barrel whip, or rather harmonics matter?

Seems to me a very well made pencil thin barrel would be more accurate than a cheaply made bull barrel. My guess is barrel length isnt a metric in precision or accuracy at all, but its the barrel construction. A pencil thin barrel thats precisely made will be consistent harmonics that a handload can be tuned for. Its possible an equally quality thicker barrel with less harmonics might be easier or for forgiving to tune a handload for, but maybe the trade off for that would be more vertical dispersion at long range unless you "really" tune that handload.