2 Simple questions...?

ir655 · 11-17-2003, 11:54 AM

I know this forum is filled with all kinds of questions, but this has been on my mind for a long time now and I think someone might know the answer to my questions.

Question number 1:

What is the difference between a " long-action" and " short-action" and which one is better?

Question number 2:

What does the " twist ratio" mean like " 1:9.5" twist?

Thank you guys, sorry for these annoying questions I am just new to guns.

Arman M G

mainehunt · 11-17-2003, 12:10 PM

Short action is simply that, shorter in length than a long action.
Long action will take short and long cartridges. Short actions will only take short cartridges, like, .308, 223, 243, etc.

Twist is written in ratios; for example 1-9.5 means that for every 9.5 inches of barrel length, the rifling makes one rotation of the bullet. 1-16 means one rotation for every 16 inches of barrel length.

lance0623 · 11-17-2003, 12:13 PM

I know there' s members that will give you a better and more accurate answer than this, but a short action is the length of a 308, 30' 06 would be a long action.

Twist ratio is how fast the rifling in you barrel twists. This is what stabalizes the bullet, and will help determine which bullet weight and muzzle velocity will shoot best.

akbound · 11-17-2003, 12:53 PM

Hi ir655,

Mainehunt summed it up very well!

Today there are companies that make actions in even more lengths. Pretty much (and these are just generalizations) the short action most people talk about take cartridges up to the length of .308 Winchester cartridges, (ex: .243 Win, .260 Rem., 7-08 Rem, .308 Win, .358 Win., .350 Rem Mag, etc.). A long action (or " standard action" to some) will handle cartridge designs up to .30-06 Springfield in length, (ex: .25-06, .270 Win., .280 Rem., .30-06, .35 Whelen, 7mm Rem Mag., .300 Win Mag., etc. to name a few). Now the standard or long actions will also accommodate short action cartridges...but it fairly negates their biggest advantage....the ability to fit in a " short action" .

And there are companies that make actions specifically for other purposes. Several companies make " an even smaller action" for calibers like the .223 Remington, the .44 Magnum or the 7.62X39mm, (like Ruger, CZ, Sako, etc.). And some companies (Ruger, CZ, etc.) make an extra long action, (Magnum action), for cartridges like the .416 Rigby, .458 Lott, etc. And a very few companies will make actions to fit a specific range of cartridges like the 7X57, 8X57, .257 Roberts, etc., which are in between lengths of the " short action" calibers and the " standard or long action" calibers.

Hope that is NOT thoroughly confusing!

ir655 · 11-17-2003, 01:10 PM

Thanks guys!

akbound, thanks for the reply, it is not that confusing at all. I just didn' t know what it meant, but now I do!

As for finding out the best bullet weight and velocity for the specific twist ratios, where could I get that?

akbound · 11-17-2003, 06:27 PM

Several of the reloading manuals contain sections concerning rate of twist best suited for particular velocities, bullet weights(lengths), etc.

There may well be accurate information from an online source, (I' ll have to see if I can find one).

nyflyer · 11-17-2003, 07:16 PM

If you don' t understand it by now theres nothing I' m gonna tell ya that will help

ir655 · 11-18-2003, 04:53 AM

nyflyer, I understand...fairly simple actually.

Thanks guys,

Arman M G

bigbuck270 · 11-18-2003, 06:27 AM

To determine which action is better, you first need to decide what you are going to hunt. If your looking for big game a short action might not be for you. If you are looking for accuracy I hear that short action is very accurate.

eldeguello · 11-18-2003, 09:57 AM

A short action is better, IF your cartridge of choice will function properly in one. Why? Being shorter, they are stiffer and weigh less, so a lighter, handier, yet accurate, rifle can be built on one. For example, take a look at the Browning BLR Long and the BLR Short! If you can, handle both of them! See what I mean?