I am looking at getting a 243 for varmint and target shooting and i was wondering besides speed what is the difference between a 24" and a 26" barrel? Will it affect the distance or the accuracy? I also plan learning to reload so i am not really worried about speed. Thanks

What's the difference between a 24" and 26" barrel? Um, let me think........2 inches I think. Sorry, I couldn't help it.

2 inches will gain you a little velocity, maybe 50 to possibly 100 fps, though it could be less. The gain in velocity will result in a slightly flatter trajectory and when I say slight I meanvery slight. As far as accuracy is concerned, well, every barrel is a thing unto itself. Either one could be inherently more accurate than the other. There's really no way of telling beforehand. My advice is to buy a rifle brand known for quality and chances are you'll get a good one. I don't know what you're looking to spend, but you should consider looking at a Cooper. They're more expensive than your average Remington, Ruger, etc, but they'll probably beat the pants off of em' in the accuracy department.

Speaking of .243's, I bought a Ruger Compact last year for my son to shoot. One thing I failed to take into account was how much muzzle blast the short 16" barrel produces. It's pretty fierce. Now I wish I had bought something else, something with at least a 22" barrel on it. Oh well, you live and learn.

In real world terms....nothing to very little.

A 26" tube might gain you a 100 FPS over a 24" Ballistically that equates to nothing.

Most factory rifles come with a 22 inch barrel...I had my Ruger M-77 rebarreled a few years back and went with a 24 incher...Mainly to help move the muzzle blast away from my ear....Can't tell any difference in how fast the deer drop...Length has practically nothing to do with accuracy on a scoped gun...in fact a shorter barrel of the same diameter is a little stiffer, so theoretically more accurate....

I would think 26 inches is starting to get a little too long in a non-magnum, I would want to tote around 2 more inches....

That is interesting. I never thought about the shorter barrel muzzle blast. Is it enough of a difference to notice say from 22-24-26? I dont wear ear protection hunting and that may be worth lookin into if there is a worthy difference.

Well he did say " varmint and target", so I imagine he would be wanting a medium heavy / heavy barrel, the 2" really won't make a bit of difference in accuracy, in velocity the rule of thumb is about 50' per second per 1" of barrel. Don't know what your budget is but Savage rifles have an excellent reputation for accuracy out of the box and I've heard nothing but rave reviews about the accu-trigger. Save a little coin on the gun and buy a better scope.

well said sir

When I start with a barrel blank, I can make it any length I want; and that length is usually 24" for a .243.