6" vs. 5"

[buddy_fuentes]

Friday, your right. I have a Glock 22 and a 24 and the 24 is much easier to shoot well. I have a 34 also and 9 mm conversion barrels for the 22 and 24. The 24 wins again.

I shoot better with my 6" Les Baer than I do with my 5" or my 4 1/4" Baers.

So it works for me...and maybe not for you.

Buddy

[fastshooter03]

I remember seeing Leathum with a 6" at the 2004 Nationals I think? As I recall somebody told me it was just something he was testing for Springfield and he didn't like it. It might have been a single stack I can't remember.

I'm just curious as to why there wasn't more 6"ers making headlines in the late 90s and early 2000s? All the parts where available right? Maybe there were some shooters with em but all I remember is the 5" long dustcovers taking off until the last few years. I don't get around like Y'All though.

I still think the 6" just plain looks better and that's all that matters. Better to look good than to be good. Same thing with speed. I can miss faster than anybody I know. Except maybe my Dad.

Nick

[RH45]

I remember seeing Leathum with a 6" at the 2004 Nationals I think? As I recall somebody told me it was just something he was testing for Springfield and he didn't like it. It might have been a single stack I can't remember.

I'm just curious as to why there wasn't more 6"ers making headlines in the late 90s and early 2000s? All the parts where available right? Maybe there were some shooters with em but all I remember is the 5" long dustcovers taking off until the last few years. I don't get around like Y'All though.

I still think the 6" just plain looks better and that's all that matters. Better to look good than to be good. Same thing with speed. I can miss faster than [b]anybody I know. Except maybe my Dad.[/b]

Nick

I've seen you miss faster than your dad!!

Edited March 23, 2008 by RH45

[splashdown]

I remember seeing Leathum with a 6" at the 2004 Nationals I think? As I recall somebody told me it was just something he was testing for Springfield and he didn't like it. It might have been a single stack I can't remember.

Nick

Yes, but didn't he just win the nats with another 6" last year? TJ shot a longslide as well.

After a whole two weeks of owning a 6", I voted for the 6" and would not go back to 5". I don't know what I'll do with my sight tracker now. I'm going to hang on to it for at least a year to fully evaluate the 6", then I may trade it off for another 6" or an open gun.

[SV_shooter]

I shot a benny gun 1 match and I like it a lot. less recoil, faster transitions, longer sight radius. weighed less than my old 5" sight tracker, and less flip. the bullets go where you want them to go. It felt very natural. not the transition I was expecting. In fact I hit an A at about 20 yards on a flinch. I thought it was a mike! I bought Zerwas' site tracker to hold me over when I couldn't find a used 6" to buy. I like it very much. better than my previous site tracker, however I definately will be buying a Benny, HS, Venry, or bedell 6" as soon as I see a tax return.

[Dalmas]

I remember seeing Leathum with a 6" at the 2004 Nationals I think? As I recall somebody told me it was just something he was testing for Springfield and he didn't like it. It might have been a single stack I can't remember.

Nick

Yes, but didn't he just win the nats with another 6" last year? TJ shot a longslide as well.

After a whole two weeks of owning a 6", I voted for the 6" and would not go back to 5". I don't know what I'll do with my sight tracker now. I'm going to hang on to it for at least a year to fully evaluate the 6", then I may trade it off for another 6" or an open gun.

Why don't you get a 6" barrel for you sight tracker? Then you have another super 6" gun (backup)

[splashdown]

I remember seeing Leathum with a 6" at the 2004 Nationals I think? As I recall somebody told me it was just something he was testing for Springfield and he didn't like it. It might have been a single stack I can't remember.

Nick

Yes, but didn't he just win the nats with another 6" last year? TJ shot a longslide as well.

After a whole two weeks of owning a 6", I voted for the 6" and would not go back to 5". I don't know what I'll do with my sight tracker now. I'm going to hang on to it for at least a year to fully evaluate the 6", then I may trade it off for another 6" or an open gun.

Why don't you get a 6" barrel for you sight tracker? Then you have another super 6" gun (backup)

That wouldn't be legal for Limited.

[HoMiE]

Is it just me or does there seem to be a lot of 6" guns on the classifieds lately?

[Zerwas]

The economy MUST BE really bad if folks are giving up their 6" pistols.

What's next? Their children?

Oh my!

[Allgoodhits]

The best answer is yes & no, or is it no & yes!

From a sighting standpoint, and a correcting hold standpoint a longer sight radius (6" gun) will enable the shooter to see a more refined or precise sight alignment and sight picture, thus enable one to make finer corrections, for better precision. The shorter radius will provide less precision. The reason for this from ma visual standpoint is that if we can visually detect a .005" difference in sight alignment, then that same difference visually, will lend more error with the shorter radius gun. As an example imagine a sight that extends all the way to the target, then a .005" sight error would only be off .005" at the target. However .005" at the sights 100 yds away could multiple inches off.

However, if one does not have the ability to correct with such fine definition, hold or stability then the too much may cause more problems. You see the error, but your physical ability to correct in such small increments may cause anxiety, and a poorer shot.

A few decades ago before the red dot took bullseye by storm, there were a few top BE shooters who had both guns. Actually, then they had a front sight which extended beyond the muzzle to increase the sight radius. Both guns had the same slide and barrel length and mechanically one as accurate as the other. On days when the shooters were very stable and able to induce very minor hold corrections (smaller wobble) many would use the longer sight radius guns, on days when they were not quite as steady, they would choose the shorter sight radius guns. Weight was not a factor, as the extended front sight added insignificant muzzle weight.

Perhaps a similar example may be with a scope with magnification. Too much magnification is actually harder for most people to shoot, because they do not have the ability to correct the hold in such detail. Seeing more than you need to see and having too much data for us to process effectively can be more distracting than helpful. The mind is a terrible thing sometimes.

Bottom line, if size 5 fits wear that one. Someday you may grow into the 6! If you wear the 6 too soon, it may be a mistake.

Have fun. The journey is the best part of the challenge.

Martin

p.s. Slide speed, and weight control are additional factors for consideration as well as possible velocity gain with certain loads .

Edited April 16, 2008 by Allgoodhits

[Ron Ankeny]

I remember posting about my new 6 inch gun 5-6 years ago. I won't bother with a search, but basically the folks here were very skeptical and I was told the 6 inch was a passing fad. I shot that gun for several years and watched the six inchers grow in popularity inspite of the skeptics.

I bought the gun for the longer sighting radius and because it would make major with less powder. With fast powder, loading long, the pistol indeed had less recoil and shot flatter than the 5 inch counter part.

I wouldn't be suprised to see more and more 6 inch guns showing up used in the not too distant future as older shooters to move to an optic.

[kurtm]

I switch back and forth between the two. I have to shoot the gun that fits the box overseas and at home I would never shoot the box gun! 6" owner since 2003.

[No.343]

I got mt 6" a year and a half ago. I'm not going back to a 5".

Edited to add: If you try one you'll buy one, so be careful what you put in your hand.

Edited April 16, 2008 by No.343

[buddy_fuentes]

My son had a 6" STI built and after shooting it...I had to have one. I had a 6" top end built and fitted to my Edge. I haven't had much of a chance to shoot it (maybe 60 or 70 rounds), but it shoots my major load very flat and seems to stack bullets in rapid fire. One thing I noticed...it seemed to lift the muzzle with the minor load and not the major load. 185 vs. 140 with the same powder charge. I was just shooting at a steel plate so I can't say anything for sure; time will tell.

Hopefully, I will have a chance to adjust the sights and get it ready for the weekly match.

Buddy

[Xfactor]

Is it just me or does there seem to be a lot of 6" guns on the classifieds lately?

Well, one thought is that if the number of 6"ers being built/sold is growing, then there will accordingly be an increase in the number found in turnover too... even if the percentage is the same.