Long barrel aesthetics

Just curious on what you guys thoughts would be on this. What is better looking to you, a long barreled revolver or a long barreled auto? What would you be more likely to purchase?

Depends on actual barrel length. "Long barrel" means different things to different people.


I consider anything longer than 5" to be a long barrel, auto or revolver. 6" and sometimes even 7" can look good on certain large autos (1911 platform, desert eagle, AMT Automag), but anything longer than that tends to look fairly odd. Same with large-frame revolvers; anything past about 7.5" looks odd to me.

I think barrel length aesthetics has more to do with proportion than actual length.

A long barreled hunting revolver looks fine to me, so revolver gets my vote.

I think it's an acquired taste......on some autos it just looks right as it does on some revolvers.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v405/Rembrandt51/Img_3849.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v405/Rembrandt51/45calLuger.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v405/Rembrandt51/PerformanceCenter44.jpg

Case by case basis, you might say. I like the appearance and proportions of the 6 1/2-inch barrel on a N-frame Smith & Wesson revolver better than the 8 3/8-inch. But I like the 4 1/4" barrel/slide of the Colt Commander better than the 5-inch Govt. Model.

Great pics Rembrandt! I personally like long barrels on autos but only when the slide is long enough to conceal the barrel. Revolvers on the other hand look great with a 7.5 in barrel. I haven't seen many production revolvers that look quite as good as a ruger blackhawk with a 7.5 in barrel.

Someone get a doctor.

The Lone Haranguer is not feeling well.

I'm not a fan of most revolver barrels over 6", although a Colt SAA with a 7.5" barrel is OK. Likewise most automatics with long barrels look strange to me. The P08 Parabellum with the Navy-length barrel is OK but otherwise I like 'em 5" or less.

Revolvers are my preference in long-barreled handguns. With half-lugs.

But I must be in the minority because half-lugs seem to be increasingly less common than full-lugs on new revolvers.

I voted Revolvers.
But Rembrandt, that Luger is awesome!

I voted Yuck ... because in about 95% of the cases a shorter barrel looks better to me.

Generally, a lot of autos may suck with a long barrel, but lets not forget the Luger! http://i181.photobucket.com/albums/x157/hhclark/ArtilleryLuger.jpg

I'm not much of a fan of lugers, they are awkward and goofy looking IMO. But I'm amazed that I don't like the way lugers look but I really like the way C-96's look(It might have something to do with Star Wars). I also like Walther P-38's.

Depends on the gun to me. A 6" Python looks good, same as a 4" Python, but an 8" Python looks unweildy to me. A 4" pencil barrel S&W model 10 looks normal, a 5" looks great, a 6" model 10 doesn't look good to me unless it is a pre-model 10 known as the M&P. On the other hand the S&W model 14 with a 6" barrel looks right. A model 29 with the 6" or 6 1/2" barrel has the right look. With semi-autos Lugers look good whatever the barrel length. A Colt 1911 with a barrel longer than 5" looks strange to me, even the long slide models. I guess it is what I grew up with that looks best to me. Conversely some of the shorter barreled guns look just as good. The 2 1/2" S&W models 19 and 66 come to mind.

I prefer revolvers for long barrels. Things like the long slide 1911 look awkward to me.
Aren't those long barreled lugers called "artillery lugers" and very valuable (especially with the stock)? My dad's buddy had one growing up. Very cool!

Revolvers are my preference in long-barreled handguns. With half-lugs.

But I must be in the minority because half-lugs seem to be increasingly less common than full-lugs on new revolvers.
I love the looks of half lugs but only on revolves with barrels over 5 inches.