Barrel length

[Readyrod]

Newbie here. How significant is barrel length in real life situations? For example, all else being equal if I'm shooting a bear with a .308, how much farther out can I shoot him with a longer barrel? I'm wondering about the difference between a carbine and a full length barrel. I'm also wondering about the difference between a pistol caliber carbine and a pistol. I noticed that Hi Point, Berreta, and Kel Tec all have carbine versions of handgun calibers. Is there a big difference in stopping power? How about effective range and accuracy? Thanks.

 

[John828]

Thanks for giving a specific scenario, e.g., .308 for bear--black bear I assume although grizzly is not beyond the realm of possibility, I guess.

Standard bbl length, perhaps 22" vs. 18" in a carbine. You may be talking about a difference of 200-250 Fps. Significant, but not a deal breaker. Maybe makes for a difference in point blank range of twenty to forty yards. Someone here will have the energy to use a calculator.

The pistol caliber carbines or rifles is a different story though. The significance is not necessarily in gains of velocity and/or power but in accuracy IMO. For example, a six or eight inch barrelled .44mag revolver which is scoped will bring a deer down at 150 yards, but with a low powered scoped Marlin 1894, it is a guaranteed thing for most shooters.

 

[elmerfudd]

Ideal barrel length will largely depend on what you want the rifle to do and the cartridge you are using. A 30-06 for example typically benefits more from a longer barrel than a .308. A .22 lr supposedly gets nearly all it's velocity in the first 16".

For most centerfire rifles you're talking around 25-40 fps per inch, but the shorter you make the barrel the more that number goes up. The difference between 24" and 26" wouldn't be much for most cartridges, while the difference between 14" and 16" would be fairly significant.

My biggest gripe with short barrels is the added muzzle blast. It also just seems wasteful to me. Whenever I see a big fireball I can't help but think that I'm just squandering all that velocity.

 

[RevolvingCylinder]

It's also relative to the burn rate of the powder in your cartridge as to how it performs with different length barrels.

 

[Readyrod]

Ok, I'm going to look at it from another point of view. Does the extra weight or length of a 24" or 26" barrel make it that much heavier or harder to move around? It seems to me that it would.

 

[USSR]

Readyrod,

From a hunting viewpoint, the ease of carry/handling of a shorter barrel trumps whatever velocity loss you would experience with a .308. From a LR target shooting perspective, the additional velocity obtained by a longer barrel is welcomed (as is the weight), and handling is a secondary consideration.

Don

 

[Readyrod]

Thanks guys. I think I'll go for the carbine. I like the looks anyways. I like the idea of .308 cause it's common. A few other questions though. Just what are those pistol caliber carbines useful for? I'm not being sarcastic here, just curious. And how does something like a Marlin 1894 compare in performance to a regular .308?

 

[John828]

.44 Mag vs. .308?

Apples and oranges. In the right situations, both take game reliably. I'd opt for the .308 though.

What are pistol caliber carbines used for? Plinking, hunting, ranch gun, truck gun, pest control, cowboy action shooting, and anything else a gun can be used for, I guess.

 

[USSR]

Just what are those pistol caliber carbines useful for?

Close range hunting and plinking.

...how does something like a Marlin 1894 compare in performance to a regular .308?

Simply no comparison. The .308 is a fullpower rifle cartridge, while the .44 Mag in a rifle can be thought of as a pistol cartridge on steroids.

Don

 

[Readyrod]

Thanks for the advice. Much appreciated. I think that I have it narrowed down to a .308/30-06 carbine with iron sights. Preferably with the option of mounting a scope. Is that going to be hard to find?

 

[John828]

Readyrod: Thanks for the advice. Much appreciated. I think that I have it narrowed down to a .308/30-06 carbine with iron sights. Preferably with the option of mounting a scope. Is that going to be hard to find?

Yeah, might be a little hard to find all that in one gun. Better off PMing me and I will let you buy a rare .30-06 that I really don't want to part with, but, for you, I will.




All kidding aside, you can find what you are looking for new or used, online or at a bricks and mortar store. Just get outside and start looking.

 

[Readyrod]

Throw in a few quarts of snake oil and I may just go for the 30-06.
Right now I'm just doing my homework. I won't be able to get a gun until I get back to Canada, and I'm not sure when that will happen. I'm just sorting out what I may need/want. That way I hopefully won't waste any money. It's so easy to get carried away when you find something you enjoy. Though I guess that's often part of the fun. Thanks again for the advice.

 

[jgatsios]

You lose about 50 fps at the muzzle for each lost inch of barrel length. It's less than most realize.

 

[Art Eatman]

For all that I've been an '06 guy for almost sixty years, if I were going to select a carbine-length barrel I'd go with a .308. Equal performance, since the '06 loses more than does the .308. The .308's case design is a bit more efficient in its use of powder. FWIW, the shorter action of a .308 is a bit of weight saving...

Oughta work fine to 200 or 300 yards on black bear or deer/elk/meese.

 

[W.E.G.]

You lose about 50 fps at the muzzle for each lost inch of barrel length.

Not even that much from the numbers I've seen.

Closer to half that amount actually.

I'm quite sure anything you shoot with a 17" barrel .308 will not know that it was not from a 22" barrel.