Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles 20" barrel vs. 22 or 24" for accuracy, etc.

Print Thread

Hop To

Page 1 of 2

20" barrel vs. 22 or 24" for accuracy, etc. #6967736 10/13/12
Joined: May 2012 Posts: 73 Hawaii Kaumheimer OP Campfire Greenhorn
OP Kaumheimer Campfire Greenhorn Joined: May 2012 Posts: 73 Hawaii	All things considered can someone educate me on whether a 20" barrel on a Winchester Model 70 chambered in .243 is going to be less accurate than a rifle with a "normal" barrel. I'm looking at more of a "range" gun that may possibly be used for hunting once in a great while. Is the barrel on this gun, which I imagine is lighter and tapered suitable for range work. Wouldn't it heat up faster with a lighter, less robust barrel? Would it be that much louder with the shorter barrel? Any comments appreciated. mahalo NRA Member Knowing your own darkness is the best method for dealing with the darknesses of other people. Carl Jung

GB1

Re: 20" barrel vs. 22 or 24" for accuracy, etc. Kaumheimer #6967996 10/13/12
Joined: Mar 2009 Posts: 3,323 SE Nebraska orion03 Campfire Tracker
orion03 Campfire Tracker Joined: Mar 2009 Posts: 3,323 SE Nebraska	All things being equal the shorter,stiffer barrel should be more accurate. `Bring Enough Gun`

Re: 20" barrel vs. 22 or 24" for accuracy, etc. orion03 #6968003 10/13/12
Joined: Dec 2008 Posts: 78,306 Likes: 2 Southwestern Montucky ingwe Campfire Oracle
ingwe Campfire Oracle Joined: Dec 2008 Posts: 78,306 Likes: 2 Southwestern Montucky	Originally Posted by orion03 All things being equal the shorter,stiffer barrel should be more accurate. That... "...the left considers you vermin, and they'll kill you given the chance..." Bristoe

Re: 20" barrel vs. 22 or 24" for accuracy, etc. ingwe #6968020 10/13/12
Joined: May 2012 Posts: 73 Hawaii Kaumheimer OP Campfire Greenhorn
OP Kaumheimer Campfire Greenhorn Joined: May 2012 Posts: 73 Hawaii	Thanks... On the Win 70 carbine is it the standard barrel, just shorter? Or is it a completely different barrel? NRA Member Knowing your own darkness is the best method for dealing with the darknesses of other people. Carl Jung

Re: 20" barrel vs. 22 or 24" for accuracy, etc. Kaumheimer #6968117 10/13/12
Joined: Feb 2007 Posts: 16,512 Louisiana 65BR Campfire Ranger
65BR Campfire Ranger Joined: Feb 2007 Posts: 16,512 Louisiana	'Carbine' - means just that, I had a 20" M70 Carbine in 7/08. I would think your rifle in question has a 20" as standard. It will be louder but not too bad in 243, likely as accurate or more than a longer barrel.

IC B2

Re: 20" barrel vs. 22 or 24" for accuracy, etc. 65BR #6968258 10/13/12
Joined: May 2012 Posts: 73 Hawaii Kaumheimer OP Campfire Greenhorn
OP Kaumheimer Campfire Greenhorn Joined: May 2012 Posts: 73 Hawaii	Mahalo 65BR, appreciate the advice. NRA Member Knowing your own darkness is the best method for dealing with the darknesses of other people. Carl Jung

Re: 20" barrel vs. 22 or 24" for accuracy, etc. 65BR #6968683 10/14/12
Joined: May 2002 Posts: 9,537 Likes: 2 Vic_in_Va Campfire Outfitter
Vic_in_Va Campfire Outfitter Joined: May 2002 Posts: 9,537 Likes: 2	Originally Posted by 65BR It will be louder but not too bad in 243, likely as accurate or more than a longer barrel. This describes my 20" .243 very well.

Re: 20" barrel vs. 22 or 24" for accuracy, etc. ingwe #6968686 10/14/12
Joined: May 2002 Posts: 9,537 Likes: 2 Vic_in_Va Campfire Outfitter
Vic_in_Va Campfire Outfitter Joined: May 2002 Posts: 9,537 Likes: 2	Originally Posted by ingwe Originally Posted by orion03 All things being equal the shorter,stiffer barrel should be more accurate. That...'specially in .270... That just begged to be fixed....

Re: 20" barrel vs. 22 or 24" for accuracy, etc. Vic_in_Va #6969036 10/14/12
Joined: May 2005 Posts: 7,102 Likes: 4 A AussieGunWriter Campfire Tracker
AussieGunWriter Campfire Tracker A Joined: May 2005 Posts: 7,102 Likes: 4	Chamber and bore condition matters more than length. Stiffness also matters more than length. Many barrels have been shortened over the years to test for velocity loss. It was usual to find accuracy did not change. When truth is ignored, it does not change an untruth from remaining a lie.

Re: 20" barrel vs. 22 or 24" for accuracy, etc. AussieGunWriter #6969203 10/14/12
Joined: Feb 2011 Posts: 17,805 Likes: 2 Wyoming W WyoCoyoteHunter Campfire Ranger
WyoCoyoteHunter Campfire Ranger W Joined: Feb 2011 Posts: 17,805 Likes: 2 Wyoming	Just cut off my 7mm-08 from 24 in. to 21..accuracy was the same, BUT before it would shoot 100 grain Serria hp and 139 grain Horn. to the same point of impact at 100 yards..with the cut groups were the same, but the 100 grain shot several inches higher..The muzzle blast was much more noticeable to me..most of my rifles are 26 inches or longer... Molon Labe

IC B3

Re: 20" barrel vs. 22 or 24" for accuracy, etc. Kaumheimer #6969484 10/14/12
Joined: Feb 2001 Posts: 50,650 Likes: 2 Anchorage, AK USA Sitka deer Campfire Kahuna
Sitka deer Campfire Kahuna Joined: Feb 2001 Posts: 50,650 Likes: 2 Anchorage, AK USA	Originally Posted by Kaumheimer Wouldn't it heat up faster with a lighter, less robust barrel? mahalo No, actually, heavy barrels heat faster than thin barrels... More surface area for the volume of steel sheds heat faster. Mark Begich, Joaquin Jackson, and Heller resistance... Three huge reasons to worry about the NRA.

Re: 20" barrel vs. 22 or 24" for accuracy, etc. Sitka deer #6969537 10/14/12
Joined: Mar 2010 Posts: 11,973 Likes: 34 mountains of central PA gunchamp Campfire Outfitter
gunchamp Campfire Outfitter Joined: Mar 2010 Posts: 11,973 Likes: 34 mountains of central PA	Originally Posted by Sitka deer Originally Posted by Kaumheimer Wouldn't it heat up faster with a lighter, less robust barrel? mahalo No, actually, heavy barrels heat faster than thin barrels... More surface area for the volume of steel sheds heat faster. Since when? Lighter barrels heat faster but cool quicker. Shorter barrels in theory are more accurate than longer barrels. Only thing you lose is a little velocity and that doesnt even happen all the time.

Re: 20" barrel vs. 22 or 24" for accuracy, etc. gunchamp #6969726 10/14/12
Joined: Feb 2001 Posts: 50,650 Likes: 2 Anchorage, AK USA Sitka deer Campfire Kahuna
Sitka deer Campfire Kahuna Joined: Feb 2001 Posts: 50,650 Likes: 2 Anchorage, AK USA	Just since physics made a difference... To understand the argument we assume the only heating we are worried about is that which is hot enough to damage a barrel. Obviously the thinner barrel will "feel" hotter sooner, but it will be shedding that heat faster than a heavy barrel. After a fast string a heavy barrel will have retained more heat energy to bring it up to temp and from then on will cool significantly slower. Additional shooting will raise the internal surface temp of the barrel (the issue that matters) more and cool it more slowly than a thin barrel. Mark Begich, Joaquin Jackson, and Heller resistance... Three huge reasons to worry about the NRA.

Re: 20" barrel vs. 22 or 24" for accuracy, etc. Sitka deer #6969767 10/14/12
Joined: Oct 2002 Posts: 96,121 Likes: 1 S Steelhead Campfire Oracle
Steelhead Campfire Oracle S Joined: Oct 2002 Posts: 96,121 Likes: 1	Folks need to put a piece of tin foil on a cast iron skillet in a 400 degree oven. "Dear Lord, save me from Your followers"

Re: 20" barrel vs. 22 or 24" for accuracy, etc. Sitka deer #6969970 10/14/12
Joined: Mar 2010 Posts: 11,973 Likes: 34 mountains of central PA gunchamp Campfire Outfitter
gunchamp Campfire Outfitter Joined: Mar 2010 Posts: 11,973 Likes: 34 mountains of central PA	Originally Posted by Sitka deer Just since physics made a difference... To understand the argument we assume the only heating we are worried about is that which is hot enough to damage a barrel. Obviously the thinner barrel will "feel" hotter sooner, but it will be shedding that heat faster than a heavy barrel. After a fast string a heavy barrel will have retained more heat energy to bring it up to temp and from then on will cool significantly slower. Additional shooting will raise the internal surface temp of the barrel (the issue that matters) more and cool it more slowly than a thin barrel. Thats what I'm saying. I must have misunderstood you. A thin barrel will heat quicker but cool down faster than a heavy barrel.

Re: 20" barrel vs. 22 or 24" for accuracy, etc. gunchamp #6969992 10/14/12
Joined: Mar 2010 Posts: 11,973 Likes: 34 mountains of central PA gunchamp Campfire Outfitter
gunchamp Campfire Outfitter Joined: Mar 2010 Posts: 11,973 Likes: 34 mountains of central PA	I will add that shooting 5 shots quickly in one of my ultra light rifles will cause groups to open up. That has not happened with heavy barrels in my experience. Once the heavies get hot, they take a good bit longer to cool down in comparison.

Re: 20" barrel vs. 22 or 24" for accuracy, etc. gunchamp #6970494 10/14/12
Joined: Feb 2001 Posts: 50,650 Likes: 2 Anchorage, AK USA Sitka deer Campfire Kahuna
Sitka deer Campfire Kahuna Joined: Feb 2001 Posts: 50,650 Likes: 2 Anchorage, AK USA	No, I think you misunderstand... Thin barrels heat up faster very briefly, and not in the realm of damaging them... Heavy barrels heat up faster to the point of possible damage because the heat delivered to the barrel is the same in either weight (all else equal, of course) but thin barrels move it out much quicker... therefore, heavy barrels heat up faster where it matters. Mark Begich, Joaquin Jackson, and Heller resistance... Three huge reasons to worry about the NRA.

Re: 20" barrel vs. 22 or 24" for accuracy, etc. Sitka deer #6970739 10/14/12
Joined: Mar 2010 Posts: 11,973 Likes: 34 mountains of central PA gunchamp Campfire Outfitter
gunchamp Campfire Outfitter Joined: Mar 2010 Posts: 11,973 Likes: 34 mountains of central PA	So are you talking in terms of accuracy lost or barrel damage? Not arguing just trying to understand.

Re: 20" barrel vs. 22 or 24" for accuracy, etc. gunchamp #6970749 10/14/12
Joined: Feb 2007 Posts: 16,512 Louisiana 65BR Campfire Ranger
65BR Campfire Ranger Joined: Feb 2007 Posts: 16,512 Louisiana	Physics, more surface area per mass in a THIN tube....so they do cool sooner. Re: Heat etc, 3 shot groups have many advantages and can tell most shooters what they need to know. Often the hotter a bbl gets, groups often open up, and as the heat builds, the steel in the throat gets softer/easier to erode each subsequent round.

Re: 20" barrel vs. 22 or 24" for accuracy, etc. 65BR #6970792 10/14/12
Joined: Mar 2010 Posts: 11,973 Likes: 34 mountains of central PA gunchamp Campfire Outfitter
gunchamp Campfire Outfitter Joined: Mar 2010 Posts: 11,973 Likes: 34 mountains of central PA	Is it easier to damage a bull barrel than a thin barrel? Seems to me that in fast firing, the thin would damage sooner. Do the heavier barrels actually damage quicker because they are not able to release the heat as fast? If so, I would think it would take more shots in a fast fire situation to cause the same damage in the heavier barrel. What do you guys think?

Page 1 of 2

Moderated by RickBin

Link Copied to Clipboard

AX24

592 members (1badf350, 10gaugeman, 12344mag, 2500HD, 160user, 222ND, 54 invisible), 2,381 guests, and 1,273 robots.

Key: Admin, Global Mod, Mod

May
S	M	T	W	T	F	S
			1	2	3	4
5	6	7	8	9	10	11
12	13	14	15	16	17	18
19	20	21	22	23	24	25
26	27	28	29	30	31

Forum Statistics

Forums81

Topics1,193,610

Posts18,511,706

Members74,008

Most Online11,491
Jul 7th, 2023