ONLY one barrel length? Which is it?

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I’d be able to pick one barrel length PER APPLICATION, but I like revolvers way too much to limit myself to only one length. If I’m deer hunting, something 7 1/2-8 3/4 with a scope up top, for a concealed snubby, I want a 2-2.25”, for a belt or chesty wheel I want 5.5”, CAS/SASS 4 5/8”…

But I don’t wanna be forced to choose between those to make one length fit all of those applications.
 
If I could only have one handgun, a 3" revolver would be okay, I guess. I have one that's not hard to carry and shoots like a 4".

If carry wasn't a concern, 6". I can hunt and target shoot better with the longer sight radius.
 
The only way I can pick one length would be to have only one handgun. But if forced to compromise I'd go 4" nominal. I could still hunt with the 44 mags, and the 22lr would be fine, my 9mm would still conceal ok, and my model 10 wouldn't have to change at all.

What a lame world it would be to have to make this choice though....
 
A few years ago, I would have said a four-inch barrel. Now, it's a three-inch barrel since I reverted back to carrying revolvers concealed. A three-inch barrel gives enough added velocity over a two-inch barrel for acceptable penetration and expansion in ballistic gel tests in both .357 magnum and .38 special (you have to pick the type of .38 rounds with more care). And the three-inch guns balance well for me and still conceal well under most clothing. I have five of them (two .357s, a .38 spl, a 9mm, and a .22).
 
Dave T said:
I can't play this game because it's rigged. By that I mean it doesn't take into consideration frame size, caliber, intended use, or action type. I give the OP credit as it was an interesting mental exercise, but I can't pick one barrel length for everything. Just doesn't work for me.
Click to expand...

^^^Same here.
One reason I enjoy my revolvers is because of the various barrel lengths that are available. No way would I want to have a 1 7/8" .460 and/or a 10" .38 special. But within some applications and calibers, both are ideal. If.....and that's a big IF, I had only one purpose for all my revolvers, i.e., target shooting, SD/HD, etc, then maybe.
 
It has to be at least 6" to hunt with but that would be hard to conceal.
I would say 4" & we can work on changing the hunting regs. LOL
 
Because we have choices, the 5" length always seems "neither fish nor fowl" for many. But limited to one length for every application a given revolver must address (hunting/target/self-defense-including carrying concealed, etc.), the 5" would be the best compromise for me.
 
I carried a 6" Colt M357 my first tour in Viet Nam.

We didn't have modern ammo for handguns them -- I used hollow base 148 grain wadcutters loaded backwards over all the Unique I dared. Served two customers and neither one asked for his money back.
 
4". I don't really like shooting magnums that need a lot of powder burn, and I definitely don't like shooting snubs. 4" is right about the length where handguns get enough weight out front and sight radius to start being shootable.

5" is also good, 6" is all right but starts getting heavy with an underlug, 7" is overkill unless I'm shooting 44 mags (and those are as big as I care to go).
 
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With modern revolvers and their YUGE cylinder gaps, I see no reason to say anything more than 4 inches as you won't be getting the highest potential velocity.

I think it would be 3 inches, more than 2, but not as long as 4. If gaps were tighter then I'd say 4.
 
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