Accuracy and Barrel Length

[jbeltz7]

Would a 3” barrel be significantly less accurate then a 6” barrel from a bench-mounted mechanical holder using a scope and sighted in at 100-yards. For discussion let’s use a .357 Magnum caliber with a 150-grain bullet, I’m sure the difference in velocity would certainly affect the point of aim but I’m curious if anyone has done or read about a similar test. TIA

 

[mavracer]

short answer no
long answer given proper load that burns compleatly in 3" giving low std. deviation the short Bbl. may actually out group the longer given other factors IE. barrel harmonics. but I doubt you would see a signifigant difference. if you took ten of each length and ranked them I'd bet they would be scattered top to bottom.

 

[ArchAngelCD]

The length of a barrel itself doesn't make a gun more or less accurate. Most people are under the impression a longer barrel is more accurate when in reality it's the longer sight radius which makes it easier to shoot well. Bottom line, it's just easier to shoot well so a long barrel gets the good rep. A short radius is less forgiving.

 

[Matt Almeda]

I remember a magazine article years ago when they took a Ruger 10.5 inch SuperBlackhawk and did a test by cutting an inch at a time off of the barrel until they were down to around two inches. It was all fired from a rest. Only velocity really suffered. Accuracy if I remember correctly stayed mostly the same.

Have a great day!

 

[ArmedBear]

There's a difference between inherent accuracy and practical accuracy.

Balance and sight radius are both very important to practical accuracy (the size of real groups, shot by a real shooter, from a real position like standing two-handed).

The longer the sight radius, the more precise the aim. Any variation or movement is magnified with a longer barrel.

Balance depends on the gun, your hands, etc. Different barrel lengths change the balance of the gun.

Weight out at the muzzle end, the farther out the better, stabilizes a gun. It also tires a shooter faster, though it also reduces felt recoil by slowing it down. And at some length, you lose all semblance of balance.

So, accuracy from a machine rest -- inherent accuracy -- is a good measure of the quality of a gun and design. But you're best off actually trying out different barrel lengths on the same gun, to see what you like and which one gives better results for you -- practical accuracy.

A 686 with an 8" barrel (a friend has one; I don't think they make them any more) shoots MUCH more accurately in my hands than the 2.5" version. They might group the same in a machine rest, but by no means do they shoot the same when in the hands of a human shooter.

 

[Vanzpp]

The length of a barrel itself doesn't make a gun more or less accurate. Most people are under the impression a longer barrel is more accurate when in reality it's the longer sight radius which makes it easier to shoot well. Bottom line, it's just easier to shoot well so a long barrel gets the good rep. A short radius is less forgiving.

+1