Long vs Short Barrel

[T.R.]

Although I occasionally hunt with the long barreled Marlin, I generally reach for my Mossberg when going on a wild hog hunt here in Florida. This is the model 464 featuring a 16 inch barrel and Marine-coat finish. Handling is superb for me! I know that there is a velocity loss factor but have not detected any difference in killing power or accuracy from the shorter barrel. However it is noticeably louder when a round is touched off.

TR

 

[LoonWulf]

I prefer short barreled lever guns to long. Most of the time the performance loss and increased blast is minimal.

Higher intensity cartridges I want a longer barrel, even if hunting thick terrain (or I'll just take a different rifle). Most of the rounds I shoot are somewhere between kinda overbore, and overbore, so the benefits of the long tubes out weigh the negatives. I also found that while I like carrying short light guns, I shoot long med/heavy guns better.

My one short rifle (besides my AR) is my 6x47Rem 700. It's got a 20" tube but still weights about 8lbs loaded......mostly because of the heavy scope, I'll be changing that to get it around 7lbs.

 

[jmr40]

Back when black powder ruled longer barrels were needed for velocity. Even after the change to smokeless powder a longer barrel was an asset for shooting iron sights. But the difference in velocity isn't nearly as much as a lot of folks imagine it is. If using optics instead of iron sights we can get by with a lot shorter barrels than most of us think.

I have several 30-30's with 20" barrels and one with a 16" barrel. Shooting 150 gr Winchester factory loads the 16" gun is 35 fps slower. 2180 fps vs 2215 fps. With 170 gr loads the difference is only 30 fps. 1970 fps vs 2000 fps.

I tend to prefer barrels a little on the shorter end of the perspective, but not to extreme levels.

 

[jmorris]

The shorter the barrel, the more I like suppressors.

What gains/losses you have depends a lot on what round and powders are used.

But yeah if a few hundred feet per second was the difference between something doing the job or not we would have to shoot everything at 10 ft from the muzzle as every round looses speed as it goes down range.

 

[Deus Machina]

In general there won't be any accuracy difference, especially with a scope. Long barrels being more accurate is mostly from the sight radius.
And in some cases, the velocity isn't affected much.
If it works, keep with it!

 

[Art Eatman]

I have a 19" .243 and a 26" '06. Which one I use on a hunt depends on terrain and vegetation. Sometimes light and handy is much preferred over Ma Bell capability.

 

[BWS]

Never have been able to warm up to short/er barrel lengths.Oh,I appreciate them but 22" is about the limit,haha.Give me a 24" medium profile short action turnbolt please.And even like fluted 24's.

And am almost the opposite on handguns,4" revolvers are my favorite. Spice of life,nice to have choices.

 

[CraigC]

IMHO, short barrels are overrated but so is the velocity loss associated with them. I care more about balance, sight radius and noise than 50fps. Hunting with 32"-40" muzzleloaders has taught me that the handling aspect of short barrels is exaggerated. They 'seem' handy but I don't find that it makes a lick of difference.

 

[cdb1]

20” barrel in a lever gun and AR, 22” barrel in a bolt action is as short as I care to go.

 

[js8588]

That Mossberg is a little sweetheart. I don't -really- need a 30-30, but the few times I've laid hands on one, it's so quick on target. Great sights, easy pointing...action is a little rough but they're not expensive guns.

Guess my upcoming move to Texas might justify one. Yeah, that's what I'll tell her, anyway...

 

[jeepnik]

Whichever feels best to you. I like shorter barrels. The velocity difference in a few inches of barrel aren't going to matter to what you're shooting at. It's where you hit it that matters.

 

[Archie]

Velocity loss is a function of expansion ratio. The ratio of chamber size (probably amount of gunpowder) to total volume of chamber and interior of barrel. A .45-70 loses less velocity than a .22-250 per inch of barrel length. However, maneuverability also plays a large role. A long barreled rifle is easier to handle on a wide open plain than in heavy underbrush. For fast shooting on multiple targets - hog hunting, one suspects - a shorter barrel is of greater use.

 

[Don Dayacetah]

Much like the more convenient carry size pistol, I tend to get into the bush more often with the more convenient shorter barreled rifle.

 

[Dr T]

In general, I prefer hunting rifles with shorter barrels. The places I hunt tend to be brushy and ease of handling is paramount if I am afoot. If I am in a hide, it doesn't matter too much, but about 22" is about as long as is convenient to handle in a blind.

At the ranges I will shoot (250 yds is about the max), the muzzle velocity loss is academic. Accuracy-wise, in FIELD conditions, a longer barrel may have a slight edge because I can hold them a bit more steady. On bags at a bench, barrel length does not seem to be a factor.

 

[ontarget]

Balance and proper stock fit (length of pull, and comb height) are more important to me. Barrel length is dependent upon terrain and vegetation. As others said, longer sight radius is good for irons, optics it really doesn't matter.

 

[FL-NC]

Considering that most deer are shot at 100 yards or less, velocity loss on shorter than "normal" barrels is irrelevant, IMO. Most of our guys and gals in the military carry a weapon with a barrel that is 14.5 inches (M4), while some have barrels as short as 10 inches (MK18). Many sniper matches have been won using AR10 pattern rifles with 16" barrels. Part of the reason that barrels are getting shorter is the wider use and availability of suppressors.

 

[Hondo 60]

IMHO longer barrels are great for long distance shooting (and that's about it)

Shorter barrels are great for carrying, SD, hunting etc.

 

[Charlie98]

I think a 16"-20" barrel is the perfect range for a lever gun, at the distances most are used at a few inches less barrel don't really make that big of a difference. There are exceptions, of course, including black powder and such.

I've got a 20" Marlin 1894 in .41 Magnum, I've toyed with the idea of shortening it to 16" to make it more handy... my brother has a 16" .45 Colt Trapper and that's about as handy a carbine as can be had.

 

[Springfeld]

I agree with most for a lever action in a mid range short barrel. As long as the barrel you have, shoots in good groups you should do good.

 

[CraigC]

It was a 16" 1892 Trapper that pretty much cured me of the short barrel 'thing'.

 

[Bushpilot]

On lever guns I generally like medium length barrels, about 20 inches... I don't care as much for the short 16's or the long 24's but if a nice lever gun happens to have either one I can live with it....

On bolt actions with heavy barrels that are typically shot from a rest I like a little extra barrel length, 24 or 26 inch, just more weight to steady the rifle, reduce recoil and add a little extra fps. On a bolt action hunting rifle that I carry I like a standard 22 inch barrel... The exception is when it's a smaller rifle like a Rem model 7 or the like.. Then I'll take a shorter barrel..

 

[troy fairweather]

i think its more what feels good to u and shoots the best in your hands. but u gotta love a long octagon barrels i do. nice looking gun

 

[Varminterror]

Put me in the camp which favors better handling rifles for conventional hunting.

“Better handling” can mean different things in different context. Really short, blocky rifles can handle like a bowling ball, and walking Western KS fields after Pronghorn isn’t a challenge even with a 30” barrel... but normally, better handling does favor a shorter overall length.

I do most of my hunting with handguns, either revolvers or specialty pistols, so I suppose you could say I favor shorter barrels. I also throughly enjoy hunting an 1895 Guide Gun, and a 10.5” AR; 6.8spc for whitetails, 5.56 for coyotes.

 

[Peakbagger46]

I walk and climb a LOT on public land here out west through a bunch of thick stuff while hunting. My 24” 30-06 isn’t a problem at all. Hangs on target better and the blast is further from my ears. Weight is important though.

 

[Picher]

Buy the longer-barreled rifle. It's a heck of a lot easier to have one cut shorter than having one lengthened.