Bull vs standard diameter barrel

[jim vaughan]

Does anyone have first hand knowledge of the shooting differences between a full diameter bull barrel and hybrid compensator vs a thin sized barrel and a cone compensator?

Obviously the second option should be lighter. I will be using a 5" barrel in a cut down slide in 9x23.

The reason for asking is to determine whether it will be worthwhile to turn down a bull barrel and use a cone compensator.

Thanks.

[digi531]

Not sure what you mean by " hybrid comp " unless your referring to the hybrid barrel and comp combination.  I've built some open guns using a standard diameter threaded barrel cut to the needed length with a cone type comp, some  ported, some not and they work just fine.  And, your right about the weight at the muzzle, being somewhat lighter feeling.  It depends on what your trying to do.  If your looking to cut back the slide to whatever length, then your options are limited because of barrel design.  Threaded bull barrels are usually 5.4 to 5.5 inch and mated to a full size gov'mt slide that you can't cut back.  I've used Clark threaded barrels which are six inches long and threaded 2/12 inches and can be cut back to the length needed, then used with a cone comp or a ( conversion cone). The conversion cone is good if you don't like the styles limited to some cone comps as the conversion cone allows you to chose all comps designed to fit bull barrels.  Brazos Custom sells a Barsto 4.8 inch threaded barrel in 38 super for a cone comp but you did mention 9x23 and I don't think he carries that caliber.  To turn down a bull barrel and then thread it is unnecessary work when you can buy a Clark threaded barrel in your caliber and cut it to length.  And, Brazos has a good article on light comped guns for a 165 PF. Check it out.

[kneelingatlas]

11 hours ago, jim vaughan said:

Does anyone have first hand knowledge of the shooting differences between a full diameter bull barrel and hybrid compensator vs a thin sized barrel and a cone compensator?

Obviously the second option should be lighter. I will be using a 5" barrel in a cut down slide in 9x23.

The reason for asking is to determine whether it will be worthwhile to turn down a bull barrel and use a cone compensator.

Thanks.

 

Two questions:

-which comp do you want to use?

-how light a gun are you looking for?

 

I had a Bedell Super Shorty I really enjoyed which weighed ~39oz w/o mag, it had a 4.5" bull barrel and Ti comp.  I only sold it because it was 38SC, and I moved to all 9mm.

 

[zzt]

I have both bull/comp and bushing barrel/cone/comp setups in two otherwise identical Open guns (except for poppels).  The bushing barrel setup is lighter by 2 oz. and the slide definitely cycles faster. 

 

I'm currently building two guns.  One is a 1911 dedicated to SC Open.  The other is a 2011 USPSA Open gun.  No one had any other barrels I was interested in in stock, and the wait time was too long for me.  I bought two Trubore barrel blanks from Eric, who cut his custom comp config into them.  One of them is fitted and weighs in at 10.2 oz.  By the time I have it aligned reamed, contoured to the slide and a spring tunnel grove cut into the bottom, it will be less.  If I need more reduction I'll flute the barrel.  My goal is to get it down to, or close to 9 oz.  That would be halfway between my bull and bushing comp'd barrels.

[jcc7x7]

Shoot them all enough to get familiar and your splits and transitions will be statically the same.

[CocoBolo]

I have two cone guns and one bull.   I tend to shoot the bull barrel gun more often than the to two cone comped guns.  They all have the same compensator the Todd Jarret version of the Dawson Comp.

 

The cone comp guns are lighter and shorter than the bull and easier to transition but I like the stability of the bull.  It feels like it is much heavier and that weight absorbs recoil and gravity holds it down.  

 

One of my cones is cracked, yes parallel to the barrel from the end of the threads  headed out to the ports, it happens, I'll shot it till it files down range.  Cone comps take more machine work to fit, have more wear issues, just let it get a little lose you will be hitting targets on the next stage.

 

My other open gun is a Glock  its the bull design and it buck like one as well.