barrel lengths per cartridge decisions

[FireFlyFishing]

Why some have 14" barrels for long action magnum cartridges gets me questioning why?

SBR MAG. Nope…

 

[NotLongRange]

I generally run barrels from 20"-26" depending on the caliber and purpose. I don't really like anything longer than 26"…just too unhandy for the type of hunting I do.

 

[59FLH]

"Why some have 14" barrels for long action magnum cartridges gets me questioning why?"

If your still referencing rifles, and not hand guns I'll have to agree, it seems odd to me also that someone would NFA a magnum chambered LA hunting rifle. Is there a link to this post/thread? Id like to read to logic behind this decision.

Edit: I See FireFlyFishing already mentioned it.

 

[ARlife4me]

To answer a few questions here they are.

Getting around nfa's is those xp firearms (no buttstocks).

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.

It's not so much thinking out loud, but asking the forum questions about their decisions.

 

[redneckbmxer24]

I don't think you'll find that most people are using 14" barrels for hunting, SBR or not. I still don't understand what you're trying to ask here.

 

[ARlife4me]

My preferences are based on many factors.
cartridge
bullet weight
distance
usage (defense or non)

As @Mikecr post about muzzle blast preferences takes a look on what most don't think or care about when shooting (I'm not bashing). Handloads/reloads are the only way to achieve this, but with what velocity loss is it or how much barrel length is needed? Either case fill is lowered or a slower burn rate used. From using ql it seems vv100 series powders will fill the case more AND give lower muzzle pressures with little sacrifice on velocity (excluding the 500 series powders).

 

[ARlife4me]

I don't think you'll find that most people are using 14" barrels for hunting, SBR or not. I still don't understand what you're trying to ask here.

Do you have preference on barrel lengths based on cartridges or velocities?????

 

[ARlife4me]

also on what bullet weights are used?

 

[Carey Farmer]

For me, it all comes back to the burn rate of the powder I plan to use. Slow powders need long barrels. Fast powders don't. In general I use 22" barrels for Varget, 26" for H4350, 28" for H4831sc, 30" for H1000, and 32" for Retumbo.

The more overbore the case (and the heavier-for-caliber the projectile), the slower the powder needs to be. So, my 308 Win shooting a 150 gr bullet has a 22" barrel. My 28 Nosler shooting a 160 gr bullet has a 32" barrel.

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[Buttermilk]

For me, it all comes back to the burn rate of the powder I plan to use. Slow powders need long barrels. Fast powders don't. In general I use 22" barrels for Varget, 26" for H4350, 28" for H4831sc, 30" for H1000, and 32" for Retumbo.

The more overbore the case (and the heavier-for-caliber the projectile), the slower the powder needs to be. So, my 308 Win shooting a 150 gr bullet has a 22" barrel. My 28 Nosler shooting a 160 gr bullet has a 32" barrel.

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I get some of my best speed in my short barrels using the same powders that give best velocity in long barrels.

 

[59FLH]

Do you have preference on barrel lengths based on cartridges or velocities?????

Kinda sorta, I use longer barrels to help the efficiency of slower burning powders, think velocity in terms of pressure over time. Slower powders have potential to produce higher velocities. Large volume cases have potential to hold a larger volume of powder.

More slower powder burning over a longer unit of time, typically produces higher velocities. IMO the whole point of improved cases and magnum cases is to hold larger volumes of slower burning powder. IMO it seems counter productive to shorten one of these barrels. But (and this is my big butt) sometimes it's deemed a necessary evil for reasons justified by the barrel owner.

Edit: See Cary Farmer's post. Dang, I need to read and/or type faster.

 

[redneckbmxer24]

Do you have preference on barrel lengths based on cartridges or velocities?????

Yes and individual applications.

 

[ARlife4me]

Kinda sorta, I use longer barrels to help the efficiency of slower burning powders, think velocity in terms of pressure over time. Slower powders have potential to produce higher velocities. Large volume cases have potential to hold a larger volume of powder.

More slower powder burning over a longer unit of time, typically produces higher velocities. IMO the whole point of improved cases and magnum cases is to hold larger volumes of slower burning powder. IMO it seems counter productive to shorten one of these barrels. But (and this is my big butt) sometimes it's deemed a necessary evil for reasons justified by the barrel owner.

Edit: See Cary Farmer's post. Dang, I need to read and/or type faster.

And those create more muzzle blast that maintain pressure at longer lengths (going by ql info). For long barrels (24" and longer) using faster powders generally give lower velocities (ql referencing). Without tweaking ql inputs on any of my loads most exit pressures are over 12k easy and some @ 16k (even on long barrels). Not sure if I want to pull the trigger on those! Accuracy overrides efficiency by a fine line. Both are possible, but more by case design?

 

[LRNut]

I like 20" in a .308 but my 500 yard gong rifle has a 24. .30-06: 22. .338 Win Mag: 24. LR rifles: at least 26 but 30 is pushing it.

I have a Win Mod 70 .416 Rem Mag; it came with a 24" but I cut it down to 22 and much prefer that. I was going to write no one shoots Cape buffalo at long range, but I did shoot one once at 308 yards. Spent the whole day low crawling in a flood plain in Kigosi (Tanzania), ran out of water, could not get close, so took him from there.