michael_aos Posted January 21, 2005 Share Posted January 21, 2005 Not talking about a 5lb "mountain" gun. But maybe something that comes in more like 10lbs with a scope. A "light target" rifle, versus a "heavy target" rifle. I'd like to determine an "ideal" barrel length for targets typically in the 200m - 400m range. 20" is probably too short. 26" is probably too long. There's got to be a "sweet spot" there, but I don't know how to figure it out. For starters, I'm thinking a 1:9" twist .223, so shooting max of 69gr bullets. 55gr is fine too, if that makes more sense. Also with the same distance criteria (200m - 400m), what would be an "ideal" barrel length for the following calibers: .260 Remington .308 Winchester Thank you, Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redmercury2 Posted January 21, 2005 Share Posted January 21, 2005 24-26 INCHES I think youll find 90% of bolt rifles fall in this range and people usually use what works, there is nothing trick about this,it just works. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
michael_aos Posted January 21, 2005 Author Share Posted January 21, 2005 24-26 INCHES 26" just LOOKS so long. And although I have no idea what those inches of barrel weigh, I'd expect them to be pretty heavy. 24" would be preferable to 26", assuming I'm not giving up too much in velocity. Anything significant with 23"? Drops a little more weight, moves the balance back from the barrel. Lots of velocity lost? Significant muzzle-blast? It seems like there should be a "sweet spot" in here. 23" just happens to be right in the middle between "short" and "long", but I don't know the implications. Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bgary Posted January 21, 2005 Share Posted January 21, 2005 I'd probably think about fluting the barrel before I would shorten it past 24"... A 24" fluted barrel might be a really good combination of shortness, lightness, stiffness and accuracy. Bruce Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bob Hostetter Posted January 22, 2005 Share Posted January 22, 2005 Try something around 24-25" with a medium contour and fluting...... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Dunn Posted January 22, 2005 Share Posted January 22, 2005 Out to 400m anything will work. Nothing wrong with a 20 incher. The sweet spot is whatever you like the best. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
George Posted January 22, 2005 Share Posted January 22, 2005 I agree with John that anything 20” and over will be OK to 400M, but I disagree with your idea of using a 1:9 twist if you want to shoot a .223 for accuracy out to 400M and beyond. You will be wanting heavier projectiles than 69 gr in .223 to get best accuracy results at 400M+. At 200-300, you can use 55-69 and not get taken for a ride by the wind. At 350+, you had better get all the BC you can, and all the velocity you can too, which is a plug for the 24” bbl length. Yeah, the SMK69 @ 3000fps is OK, but the SMK80 grainer @ 2750-2800fps is a whole lot better and you can easily get that velocity with the 80 through a 24” bbl bolter. -- Regards, Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EricW Posted January 22, 2005 Share Posted January 22, 2005 Either go with a 20", or get a 26" PSS and flute the bejeezus out of it. Shooting a 26" heavy unfluted barrel offhand is a loser unless you put lead in the buttstock, which defeats the purpose of a lw rifle. Having a 20" barrel doesn't make a longgun any "handier" unless you're really bucking the brush. I've drug a 26" and 28" shotguns all over the damn place and never cared how long they were. I'm still waiting for the day where I'm busting through 7' tall reeds and say to myself, "Self, if this here shootin' iron was 8" shorter I'd could teleport myself through this crap." It's the balance that matters for all day hauling and shootability. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
michael_aos Posted January 23, 2005 Author Share Posted January 23, 2005 Having a 20" barrel doesn't make a longgun any "handier" unless you're really bucking the brush. I've drug a 26" and 28" shotguns all over the damn place and never cared how long they were. I'm still waiting for the day where I'm busting through 7' tall reeds and say to myself, "Self, if this here shootin' iron was 8" shorter I'd could teleport myself through this crap." It's the balance that matters for all day hauling and shootability. I was just assuming quick-and-easy weight loss would come from lopping off a few inches of the barrel. Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tightloop Posted January 24, 2005 Share Posted January 24, 2005 Not to throw water on anyone, but the idea of a 223 past 400 meters is really wild when there are so many more cartridges that will do the job so much better... Not trying to get anyone upset, but that is why there is chocolate, vanilla and strawberry...so you don't have to force a square peg into a round hole... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
michael_aos Posted January 24, 2005 Author Share Posted January 24, 2005 Not to throw water on anyone, but the idea of a 223 past 400 meters is really wild when there are so many more cartridges that will do the job so much better... Sorry, didn't mean to mislead. When I said "to 400m", I meant 400m maximum. Part of my motivation is that I've got a 26" heavyweight 700P in .223 I'd like to put on a weight-loss program, or replace. I do recognize the .223 isn't an ideal long-range cartridge, but it's fun and cheap to shoot. Say I can get a 69gr HPBT at 3100fps out of a 24" barrel. And lets say zero'd at 300m. How would that trajectory compare to a 22" barrel? A 26" barrel? Over the course of 100m - 400m. I ASSUME the heaviest weight I could run in a 1:9" twist would be my best bullet choice. Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EricW Posted January 24, 2005 Share Posted January 24, 2005 I missed the 223 part. Cut the barrel at 20" and forget about it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
michael_aos Posted January 24, 2005 Author Share Posted January 24, 2005 I missed the 223 part.Cut the barrel at 20" and forget about it. That's what I keep wanting to think as well. Except.... If I wind up back at 20", then I should have bought the LTR that I liked so much in the first place. Since I've already got the 26" 700P, I "feel" like I need to make the most of it and go with something longer than 20", but less than 26". Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EricW Posted January 24, 2005 Share Posted January 24, 2005 I missed the 223 part.Cut the barrel at 20" and forget about it. That's what I keep wanting to think as well. Except.... If I wind up back at 20", then I should have bought the LTR that I liked so much in the first place. Since I've already got the 26" 700P, I "feel" like I need to make the most of it and go with something longer than 20", but less than 26". Mike If I believe the local rifle builder (and I'm very inclined to), a 223 bbl longer than 20" is just dead weight. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
michael_aos Posted January 24, 2005 Author Share Posted January 24, 2005 If I believe the local rifle builder (and I'm very inclined to), a 223 bbl longer than 20" is just dead weight. I knew at "some point" adding length doesn't buy you anything. In fact it becomes a detriment. Just wasn't sure where that point was. Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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