Reason for bull barrel on a HandiRifle?

[JackSprat]

Last nite I was checking out some sale sites on the computer,and a guy was selling a nearly new Savage Axis in 243 with cheap bipod,sling,and a little illuminated retical Centerpoint scope for $250,and a bull barrel HandiRifle 223 for $200..As luck would have it I was first to respond,and I told him I wanted the 243 for sure,and I would look at the HandiRifle..Well to make a long story short I ended up getting both for $415...I like the little HandiRifles compactness,but can't help to wonder what the point of the bull barrel is in a break down singleshot..I always thought the bull barrel was a measure to counter the barrel heating up..I have known a lot of people that like hunting with the HandiRifles,but I hear nothing of people shooting them for anything else,.So what I'm wondering is what is the reason for the bull barrel in these guns.

 

[LoonWulf]

Stiffness. it's actually quite helpful on those guns as the hinge, and two piece stocks, tends to put wierd pressures on the barrels.

.223s actually probably a good chambering too, less bolt thrust wont try to pop the action open as bad as some of the other chamberings.

 

[herrwalther]

I fired a Handi rifle about 10 years ago. An unheard of rifle for me at the time. I was really impressed with the accuracy and the simplicity of a single shot. I suppose if you were doing very rapid shots at a range for practice a bull barrel would make sense. If you were trying to recreate the speed of a magazine fed bolt action.

 

[Bbear]

I had an NEF (lower end H&R) bull barrelled 223 that I never should have sold. I got it as a dedicated varmint rifle when I lived in Missouri. It would take the cheapest 223/556 ammo I could find (anyone remember the coyote brand ammo that would sell for $12.99 for 50 rounds?) and drill an entire box into 1.5". With handloads I would get .3-.5" groups with fair consistency.
I have a Tikka stainless in 223 now. But, I do sometimes miss that handi-rifle.

 

[horsey300]

That bull barrel will also come in handy, punny ain't it, for steadiness tracking moving targets and longer shots. Don't even have to chamber it to find that out, soon as you can, try tracking and distance holds with it, bet you get pretty confident pretty fast with that lil rig. I like a short bull barrel for teaching new shooters from prone or rested positions to, if they're a bit nervous, it slows the twitch down.

 

[LoonWulf]

thats a good point, I had an old NEF turtle-turtle that was a sporter barrel and shortend. That thing was impossible to shoot well off hand because it was so light it didnt soak up any of the unintentional movement, and was super twitchy. biggest thing i shot with it was a rat, a large rat.

 

[horsey300]

thats a good point, I had an old NEF turtle-turtle that was a sporter barrel and shortend. That thing was impossible to shoot well off hand because it was so light it didnt soak up any of the unintentional movement, and was super twitchy. biggest thing i shot with it was a rat, a large rat.

But you DID shoot him

 

[LoonWulf]

he was about to attack! did i mention it was a large rat? I got him from sitting at about 30 yds

 

[Bart B.]

.I always thought the bull barrel was a measure to counter the barrel heating up.

A popular opinion but far from reality.

Bull barrels (named after a man last named Bull a century or so ago [[?]]) are heavy because they move around less when held in position. They're easier to aim more accurately. And they add weight to reduce felt recoil from big cartridges. Some match rifles have extra weight added to further stabilize them when hand held.

Barrels that shoot to different point from aim as they heat up are not fit well to the receiver. The receiver face ain't square with the barrel thread axis in them, so, when the barrel heats up, a stress line begins at the point where they meet the hardest. Barrel weight and profile have nothing to do with it. If the receiver face is squared up correctly, that never happens. Even long, skinny and whippy barrels shoot to point of aim for dozens of shots fired several times in a minute.

A common problem with commercial rifles. A $40 fix would solve the problem. But they don't want to do that. Ask them.

 

[horsey300]

Loonwulf, I meant that you didn't shoot AT him haha, those self defense situations come at the strangest places and times! I about peed myself calling coyotes one evening when I heard the steps of a younger one sneaking up behind me. It's those situations where that bull barrel can also be more than a bangstick. (The yote didn't survive his education either but I feel I had more of an upper hand than you as he was just large enough to soak up a 12 GA load) my Cva .223 doesn't have the bull but 20" full contour sure gets steadied by everyone around here easier than my 24" weatherby pencil barrel.

 

[Hookeye]

Don't think another reason for a bull barrel was mentioned...........the gun and shooter are a system.
Heavier guns get less shooter input/variation after ignition.

 

[Dr.Rob]

The heat up slower, but larger surface area cools faster. Great for a varmint rifle. A few tweaks are needed to get them optimized for varminting but they were a great rifle on a budget.

 

[JackSprat]

Thanks for the information everyone..I have only had one other HandiRifle before,and it was a 30-30 with sites.I traded it off before I even shot it,because at the time I had no desire for it,but looking back on it now I think it be pretty useful to have.I may look for one.

 

[Bart B.]

Don't think another reason for a bull barrel was mentioned...........the gun and shooter are a system. Heavier guns get less shooter input/variation after ignition.

I thought that was implied in my earlier post.

 

[Dog Soldier]

Rifle barrels suffer from vibrations, warp and bend during the expansion of gases and expelling the bullet. You can time your shots to deal with heat. The vibration factors and metal stress is a science in it's self.

http://www.varmintal.com/atune.htm

 

[Bart B.]

Use this site to calculate your own barrel's vibrations it has in free recoil then note where it points at the end of your bullets' barrel time. Measure it at the right places and the results will be both good and interesting. Or profile a barrel to different dimensions then see how its muzzle axis at bullet exit changes.

http://www.geoffrey-kolbe.com/articles/rimfire_accuracy/barrel_vibrations.htm

308 Win bullets have a barrel time about 1.2 milliseconds in 24" barrels.

Move the center of mass up and down to see how that changes where the bullet exits.

The text alone gives a good insight as to why barrels don't point to a place above target equal to sight height plus bullet drop at target range when the firing pin smacks the primer. They point someplace else. Note that there's also vibrations in the horizontal axis that are similar to those shown in the vertical one.