Ken Howell said this in answer to a recent question about barrel length and powder burn rate, "Also check the "difference" in down-range performance. There virtually isn't any practical difference that you can tell. Both the velocity loss and the increase in drop are infinitesimal at close range, minuscule at even several hundred yards. Often, the difference is less than one scope click, less than the spread of the ten-shot group. OTOH, the shorter barrel is generally stiffer, more likely to print smaller groups."
I checked the difference in trajectory for my 300 Winchester Magnum load (200 grain Partition at 3035 fps) versus what it would be if the velocity was 2980 (estimated velocity with a 24" barrel). At 500 yards (with a zero at 250 yards) the present drop is 31.7" whereas at the slower velocity of 2980 the drop would be 33.1". One click up on my scope at 500 yards would account for the difference. Velocity at 500 with a starting velocity of 2980 would still be 2100 fps. The difference in wind drift would only be 0.5" at 500 yards between those two velocities.
So here is my question: What real world difference are we going to see in accuracy between a 24 versus a 26" barrel assuming the same countour? I can see that my 26" barrel is not achieving anything significant for me and I realize that it is heavier and more likely to get hung up in the brush so the next time I rebarrel it I will likely go with a 24" barrel. I am just wondering if there will be any significant accuracy improvement. I seriously doubt that there will be any significant improvement. If the 26" barrel will give me 0.7" groups with the 200 Partition (which it will) would a 24" barrel give me 0.6" groups or 0.5" groups or 0.65" groups? Rufous.
