[Mastrogiacomo]

I'm picking up a blue Ruger New Single Six in a 4" barrel this month. I've heard about the longer barrels, but not sure what the differences mean for accuracy. Is the 4" just as good as the longer single shots?

[Thirties]

Are you getting your single-6 in .22 or in .32?

I have a 4 5/8 inch barreled .32 Ruger and it is very accurate and it is handy for carrying around in the woods.

The longer the barrel, the easier it is to line up your sights accurately, but the more awkward it is to handle.

[Mastrogiacomo]

The gun I'm going to buy is a .22 for my father and I to just practice and have fun with. I'm partial to the 4" because I think it's long enough but wonder about the advantages of the longer barrels, just because I hear so much about them. It doesn't sound like a lot of people favor the 4" length.

[stans]

The main advantage to a longer barrel is the longer sight radius. Longer barrels add weight and sometimes help with the balance of the gun.

[Jim March]

The longer barrel also increases velocity. In 22Mag, you've got a potent performer in 4.68" tubes (somewhere over 1,400fps from a 30grain JHP) but when you go to that crazy 9" tube, you can hit almost 1,700 per some tests and that's some real horsepower on tap.

[Sarge]

I'd say that as long as it is as accurate as you need for it to be, for your purposes, barrel length doesn't matter.

[Majic]

I prefer the balance of the 5 1/2" barrel over all the others, but that's a personal choice. Let your dad handle them and do the choosing since it's to be his revolver.