Does a shorter rifle barrel change performance?
 

Like on a micro, ultra light, or compact rifle does the shorter barrel change the accuracy or velocity compared to a regular full sized rifle?

RE: Does a shorter rifle barrel change performance?
 

Yes, you lose some velocity with a shorter barrel. This varies from caliber to caliber, but can be quite noticeable between an 18" barrel and a 24" barrel.

A shorter barrel will also subject you to more muzzle blast, and perhaps a bit more felt recoil, since it is usually lighter than a longer barrel.

Accuracy is not so much a problem, since you can usually develop a handload and make bedding adjustments to obtain satisfactory accuracy. A lightweight barrel is probably not going to be quite as accurate as a heavier barrel due to increased effects of heat warping the barrel, reduced stiffness, etc. In a mountain rifle accuracy vs weight is one of those trade-offs you make.

RE: Does a shorter rifle barrel change performance?
 

For the most part, accuaracy can be had with short or long barrels. Velocities though will be slightly slower with the shorter tubes ie. Ruger Compact with a 16" barrel vs say a rifle with a conventional 22" barrel. The caliber in question also matters, the 270, 243, 308 etc will burn all the powder efficiently in a 22" barrel while the belted magnums(using more powder, also slower burning ) need longer barrels ie. 26" for a complete burn.

doubleA

RE: Does a shorter rifle barrel change performance?
 

It WILL change the velocity, how much depends on what caliber, load ect...... As for accuracy, it can make the rifle harder to shoot accurately, but it won't make it inherently less accurate!

I have a light weight 7 express Rem. (280 Rem.), and the bbl. is less than 22"'s long, but i've shot a lot of 1/2" 5 shot groups with it at 100 yards useing my hunting loads!!

I've had several other short rifles that shot well too.

Drilling Man

RE: Does a shorter rifle barrel change performance?
 

Its common to loose about 40-50 fps per inch from a shorter barrel. This is not set in stone however and can vary with calibers. I am just picking up a Savage Scout rifle in 7mm-08. It has a 20 inch barrel. I have wondered what kind of velocity I will get from it. I quess I will know soon.

RE: Does a shorter rifle barrel change performance?
 

The velocity change depends on the cartridge design and powder used...for example, I did some testing when the .270 and 7mm WSM came out, I compared the .270win, .300WM, and 7mmRem mag with the corresponding WSM's...The WSM's home should be in compact rifles...why? Because when I chopped the bbls down to 20", the WSM's with the only loads available at the time BARELY dropped velocities, while the long action cartridges started falling off quickly. The .308 looses less velocity than the .30-06 too. Basically, a lot of cartridges are chambered in bbls longer than they need for efficient combustion, but since they're a common diameter, there's no sense in making 15 different .308" bbls just because you produce 15 different .308" cartridges.

Bbl length changes can have huge impacts on velocity, which is clear by simply checking out the numbers on ANY cowboy action shooter's ammo....I roll ONE load of ammo for my CAS guns, to be used in both my Ruger Vaqueros (5.5" bbl) and my Marlin 1894 (20")...My load chrony's at an average of 867fps from the revolvers, but it's 1332fps average for my rifle.

As for the accuracy, that's a different story. There are a lot more things to consider than just the length that the bullet contacts the rifling. Changing the length of a rifle changes the weight, which changes it's inherent accuracy...there are a lot of things to consider for this loss of weight and shift of center of gravity.

First off, the rifle is going to recoil more, which effects the bullet about as much as it effects you, your "bullet contact" flip is going to be worse, because the rifle is pushed upward further and sooner since it weighs less towards the muzzle. It also shifts the center of gravity, or the balance point of your rifle rearward, which tends to change how well people can stabilize their rifles. The weight also changes how well you can hold still, It's hard to move a heavy rifle, so little body wiggles are dampened in a heavy rifle, while they're exaggerated in a light rifle.

If you're using open sights, it also changes the sight radius. Typically, the longer the sight radius, the more precise you can be with your shot placement...the geometry of this is REALLY simple, but it takes a while to explain, I'll elaborate if you're interested.

The effect on accuracy is really determined by the stability of the bullet as it leaves the muzzle...if it's stable at 4" (like a handgun), then you might not notice a change from 20" to 22" or from 16" to 26", in fact, you might even notice WORSENED accuracy with the longer bbl. BUT, if it's only getting stabilized at 21", and you cut your 22" bbl down to 20", you're going to have to find a new load, or a new bbl.

RE: Does a shorter rifle barrel change performance?
 

I'll add my 2 cents too, from a technical stand point, yes...the fps drops off with a shorter barrel...all things being equal, but if you hand load you can use a faster burning powder and end up with almost the same velocity from a shorter barrel. I use a model 7 in 308 (18 1/2") and also a browning lever action, and get almost identical velocity from both with the same load. And both will shoot MOA, the shorter barrel is handy in the thick stuff, but the longer barrel is more stable off hand and mentioned before.

RE: Does a shorter rifle barrel change performance?
 

Coming from a pistol hunter using a 15inch 308 Encore barrel, velocity does drop, but accuracy does not in distances within reason as long as you find the right load. I have both a pistol barrel and a rifle barrel(24 inch) in 308 for my Encore and at 100yds, the accuracy difference is very little. The best I can get from the rifle is .75/inch. The pistol barrel won't shoot that good, but its still sub MOA.

RE: Does a shorter rifle barrel change performance?
 

As already said the velocity will drop as the barrel shortens. Generally how accurite the rifle shoots will not be greatly effected. If you are not accurite due to the shooters problems(ie: jerking trigger) this may be magnified with a shorter barrel by the % the barrel is shorter. Generally with the differences in length between hunting barrels this would not make a great increase in group size.

RE: Does a shorter rifle barrel change performance?
 

Actually, it can make a inaccurate gun accurate. Shorter the barrel, stiffer the barrel, and less effected by barrel whip, and not as finicky to load for.

RE: Does a shorter rifle barrel change performance?
 

as general rule the more case capacity a cartridge has the more you benefitt from a longer barrel. a longer barrel is usually more acurate, but pickier about loads.

RE: Does a shorter rifle barrel change performance?
 

You'll just sacrifice possible velocity potential. The bigger the potential of the cartridge the bigger the possible loss of velocity. Long and short barrels can be accurate or inaccurate. I'ts more about the load and the barrel/stock fit than anything else....course the condition of the barrel has a lot to do with it too...bore, crown etc.

RE: Does a shorter rifle barrel change performance?
 

NVMIKE, this doesn't make anymore sense to me. Maybe you can elaborate.

RE: Does a shorter rifle barrel change performance?
 

What Bigcountry said- shorter barrel is stiffer, and is less likely to have harmonic problems, is likely to be more accurate.

RE: Does a shorter rifle barrel change performance?
 

The full quote is important here, I also said that the longer tubes are pickier. Probably because of less whip in the shorties. I'm not sure why, but I think its stablized more in a long tube once you match a load to that longer barrel. the short ones are easier to find good loads for, but I think the longer barrels have a better "best case scenario"I've got a couple remington 600's very short rifles, a win 70 , rem 700 all in 6mm. the latter two have 26 inch barrels and neither likes factory ammo or standard loads (2"-1.75"groups). With handloads I've got them both shooting a 70gr varmit load and a 85gr hunting loads under .75" a friend got a 5 shot group all touching about .39". Now the 600s they will shoot ANYTHING under 2" and most 1-1.5", but they wont shoot ANY under 1" either. my 300 win mags are the same way. the wifes 24 1/2" barrel will shoot ANYTHING 150gr, 180gr, 250 gr, handload, factory load, hot load, light load, ANYTHING. My 26" barrel wont shoot light or heavy bullets, 165 -180 only, but it will shoot under 3/4" with the right load.Find out how long the barrels are on top benchrest shooters guns. I bet you wont find many under 22", and most will be 26+. Why?[&:] who knows?

RE: Does a shorter rifle barrel change performance?
 

The guys talking about the short barrel generally being more accurace are right on. That's why you'll see short barrels on benchrest rifles. For years Remington put long barrels (for velocity) on the 40X varmint rifles, but short barrels (for accuracy) on the 40X benchrest models.