nipplehead Posted February 28, 2005 Share Posted February 28, 2005 I'm thinking of having a limited gun built . I do not see many people shooting six inch guns. What are the pros and cons of the six inch barreled guns? I realize the stock slide is heavier but i plan on having it lighted hopefully as light as a normal 5 inch slide. Also are there any smiths that specialize in the longer lenght guns? What are your expierances with these guns? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Putty Posted February 28, 2005 Share Posted February 28, 2005 I shoot a 6" fat free from Benny Hill at www.triangleshootinsports.com that has a lightened slide. I love this gun, and it is light and extremely accurate. I blew up the first one and the subsequent gun has an SV slide with interchangeable breach face with an STI frame and Schuemann barrel classic. No cons yet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dirtypool40 Posted February 28, 2005 Share Posted February 28, 2005 Shot one (6") , it's nice but flips too much and just objectively feels slow. Yes, I know TGO shot one last year and won, but even he said (at dinner right afterwards) that it was probably not the way to go and he would be going back to a 5" gun (and no, not just for the World Shoot). There are a million variations out there, long, short, heavy, light. Shoot several and find what works for you NOW. Then have the guts to reevaluate it in a year or so. It may just change as your shooting improves / evolves. Just one guys opinion. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ErikW Posted February 28, 2005 Share Posted February 28, 2005 Con: Can't take it to shoot Standard at the Columbus Cup or World Shoot, or any IPSC match. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mpolans Posted March 1, 2005 Share Posted March 1, 2005 Pros: Longer sight radius, less powder to make major. Cons: Heavier slide resulting in slower cycling (unless lightened alot), longer barrel extending forward resulting in more perceived muzzle-flip. Only legal for competitions in the US under USPSA rules, not IPSC rules (doesn't really matter unless you plan on competing outside the US). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Precision40 Posted March 1, 2005 Share Posted March 1, 2005 The 6" is the only way to go, but it has to be severely lightened for you to get it's full benefit. I shot a couple of 6'inchers for about 3 years and absolutely loved them. Took about 1/2 grain less to make major and muzzle flip was nearly zero. Recently a friend loaned me his factory 6" STI Eagle, which was not lightened and I hated it. It felt slow, tracked slow and was just overly sluggish all-around. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chuck D Posted March 1, 2005 Share Posted March 1, 2005 Long slide guns were all the rage in these parts in the late 70's , early 80's. My experience only goes as far as the unlightened versions. I found them to be slow and sluggish. I think a 5 inch gun strikes the right balance. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Dunn Posted March 1, 2005 Share Posted March 1, 2005 I've got a 5 inch Brazos and a 6" Fat Free, I can't say I notice a dramatic difference when switching between the two. Pick what you like as long as it runs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Merlin Orr Posted March 1, 2005 Share Posted March 1, 2005 The 6" is the only way to go, but it has to be severely lightened for you to get it's full benefit. I shot a couple of Benny 6'inchers for about 3 years and absolutely loved them. Took about 1/2 grain less to make major and muzzle flip was nearly zero. Recently a friend loaned me his factory 6" STI Eagle, which was not lightened and I hated it. It felt slow, tracked slow and was just overly sluggish all-around. I agree with both parts of Precision40s post. I believe the key to having any benefit from a six inch is proper setup. A standard weight 6" is sluggish and slow to point. A light slide and good setup makes it (to me) easier to both shoot and point. I have had both STI & SV full dustcover heavy guns and an Eagle. I like my 6" better. Of course, YMMV... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EricW Posted March 1, 2005 Share Posted March 1, 2005 There is no difference in feel. After shooting Sandoz's 6" FF, I honestly feel it's easier to shoot accurately. The 20% extra radius helps. If I ever bought one, I'd probably keep some more weight on the frame and shave it down as I felt necessary. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loves2Shoot Posted March 1, 2005 Share Posted March 1, 2005 5 vs 6 - Heavy vs Light - Fiber Optic vs Standard Sight - Short Open vs Long Open I've tried all of these and NONE of them seem to make ANY difference in my scores. Yes, some are more comfortable, less violent, ect., but MY times and points don't change. I can shoot as accurately with my Sig P226 as my wiz bag limited gun. I can shoot as fast with a light gun as a heavy gun (or long versus short for open.) The guns I have are the result of trying a lot of guns out and taking what I like best and making what I want. Do they make me shoot any better, nope. That is not subjective, I've put it to the timer. Everthing has it's trade off's. Once you learn to really shoot a pistol the extra sight radius of a longer barrel doesn't matter for the distances we shoot. For a beginner shooter it might be a crutch until you master the process of lining up your sights. Sort of like a super light trigger pull can help mask poor trigger control. I went back to shooting limited because I knew that shooting open I could get away with doing things wrong and in limited you can't "cheat" your technique and perform as well. It had taught me a lot, most of all it taught me that as long as your gun groups, is 100% reliable, has a decent trigger, and likes to eat bullets and be dry fired, it won't be what holds you back. Now cool factor, that's a whole different story... ... there is no accounting for taste. As for 5" or 6" - whichever one convinces you to play with it most Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
reneet Posted April 8, 2005 Share Posted April 8, 2005 I LOVE my STI Triangle Shooting Sports Fat Free Long Slide! I haven't hardly touched my 5" Edge since I got the 6" pistol many years ago. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kellyn Posted April 11, 2005 Share Posted April 11, 2005 Shot one (6") , it's nice but flips too much and just objectively feels slow. Yes, I know TGO shot one last year and won, but even he said (at dinner right afterwards) that it was probably not the way to go and he would be going back to a 5" gun (and no, not just for the World Shoot). <{POST_SNAPBACK}> I have had several discussions with TGO about the 6 incher. I think that (at least for now), he does think it is the way to go - FOR HIM. But he's focusing on the 5 incher due to the World Shoot. But his opinions are constantly subject to R&D so who knows for the Ltd Nationals he may have a 7 incher or a 4! And I've noticed that nearly all of his iron sighted pistols (Bianchi, L10, and Ltd) that can be 6 inches now are 6 inches. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kevin Kline Posted July 26, 2005 Share Posted July 26, 2005 Just a quick note, After shooting the 2005 Lim/Prod/Rev Nats, Leatham was shooting a 5". Now, after he did something he wasn't happy with on a stage, I asked him why he wasn't shooting his 6". His response was that he wanted to and liked it much better than the 5", but with World Shoot coming up, he choose to shoot the 5" to prepare for World Shoot, b/c IPSC rules won't allow a 6". I asked what it was that he liked some much better about the 6" and his response was, "everything." He said he liked the cycling, feel, accuracy, increased sight radius and "everything" about it over the 5". FYI Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sfinney Posted July 26, 2005 Share Posted July 26, 2005 Tech question: Does anyone know what weight in ounces should a Fat Free type 6" slide be after lightening? I'm talking the old style 6" with bull barrel and the spring tunnel cut back underneath to the 5" length, not the 6" bushing barrel guns.... Just curious, my tri-topped Edge STI slide weighs 11.3 ounces stripped.... I weighed a 6" STI Unique full profile edge type slide in at 14.8 ounces stripped.... thinking about cutting the 6" down to "fighting weight" How low do you go? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
benny hill Posted July 26, 2005 Share Posted July 26, 2005 I usually cut them down to about 11oz. With a bushing barrel, you have a lighter gun than a 5" bull. It does everything a 5" does except has a longer sight radius. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sfinney Posted July 26, 2005 Share Posted July 26, 2005 Thanks Benny, that was quick! I also found an old thread talking about same thing: http://www.brianenos.com/forums/index.php?...%20weight&st=25 As i'm working with existing parts for now, I'm thinking of getting the slide cut down ala original Fat Free style, and then fluting the bull barrel to lose a little more mass. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sfinney Posted July 31, 2005 Share Posted July 31, 2005 Ok, scratch plan A.....my 6" bull barrel is not worth using, I've been told. I have acess to a 6" bushing barrel I can drop in to this 6" project, I guess I'll go that route afterall. One question: Do the 6" bushing guns run a 5" guide rod, with a special made long recoil plug, or 6" guide rods? I'd like to stay with 5" springs and guiderod if possible.... I could have sworn I was talking to someone at a match shooting a 6" bushing gun who said they ran a 5" spring and rod. Or do you have to go 6" guiderod to make this work right, and still use the bushing? Maybe a 6" alum, or hollow guide rod to save weight? Now I'm confused Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
XRe Posted July 31, 2005 Share Posted July 31, 2005 You *could* have your smith carefully cut some flutes in your 6" bull barrel, allowing you to cut some of the extra weight out of it.... I don't know if they can get it *as* light as a full profile 5" bull barrel, but... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sfinney Posted July 31, 2005 Share Posted July 31, 2005 You *could* have your smith carefully cut some flutes in your 6" bull barrel, allowing you to cut some of the extra weight out of it.... I don't know if they can get it *as* light as a full profile 5" bull barrel, but... <{POST_SNAPBACK}> That was Plan A, gunsmith got a little crazy on the fluting and and ended up just turning it down to a regular Bushing type barrel to salvage it. So 6" Briley regular barrrel w/ bushing is Plan B. Which might be better anyway, as that seems to be the preferred build now for a light 6" gun. Now just gotta figure out the recoil rod thing.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MoNsTeR Posted July 31, 2005 Share Posted July 31, 2005 I use a 6" guide rod (Cominolli) and a custom plug with the inside shoulder positioned for a 5" spring. It's kind of a bear to dis-/re-assemble but it works. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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