Barrel Length - Is it worth the hype?

[dancrichy]

I'm looking at purchasing a new rifle, and am between two guns.

1. Savage 10 FCP-SR in .308. It has a polymer bedded stock, and a 24" fluted, threaded barrel.

2. Savage 10BA Stealth in .308. It has a Chassis system stock, AR but stock, and a 20" fluted, threaded barrel.


Overall I like the Stealth more, and could get a good deal on it to make the price's pretty close. However, from what I have heard, read, and researched, the longer barrel will provide extra muzzle velocity, and added accuracy down range.

So, is 4 extra inches going to make that big of a difference that I should be considering the FCP? Keep in mind the main purposes for this rifle would be both hunting and target shooting. Not planning on doing anything really long range with this.


What do you think?

 

[phylodog]

A longer barrel does not yield improved accuracy, its actually more likely to have the opposite effect. A longer barrel will give you added velocity which can be used to maintain accuracy a longer distances. With heavier bullets (175gr) a 20" .308 will give you sufficient velocity to maintain accuracy out to 600yds or more, the 24" will get you to 1000.

 

[T.Lex]

^^^ Whatever this guy says, I totally agree with and will probably repeat without actually crediting him.

 

[natdscott]

A longer barrel does not yield improved accuracy, its actually more likely to have the opposite effect. A longer barrel will give you added velocity which can be used to maintain accuracy a longer distances.

There are actually come differing opinions in this regard, although it is certainly worth noting that many (most?) benchrest heavy gun barrels are 20-22". The opposing theory is that some bullets can do better with a few more rotations, or percentages of rotation, while still being mechanically constrained by the rifling. It is my OWN theory that IF this is indeed the case---and I'm not saying it is---it would be most applicable to long-for-caliber projectiles most often used at long range because it may allow for further reduction of any yaw induced at the chamber, be it from ammunition quality, chamber alignment, ejector-induced cant, etc.

But yeah, if I guy wants to do better-than-600 yards regularly, a longer tube is an asset. The 20" match barrel CAN do 1,000 yards, but not by much. An example is only as far as yesterday: the Guard team's M110 I was shooting against this weekend did it fine both days, pushing pretty hot loads with 185 Jugs. My 20" AR did it fine ONE day, then I was subsonic day two due to 20-degree reduction in ammunition temperature. I contemplated adding a click of powder Saturday night when I looked at the forecast, but I didn't, and I may have lost a State Championship for my decision. So it goes.

But don't believe the internet BS. Like phylo said...20" tubes have to be pushed really hard to go the distance.

-Nate

 

[Hohn]

For a hunting or dual purpose gun, I'd never choose the longer barrel. Barrel length is diminishing returns. Going from 20 to 24 is far less useful than going from 16 to 20, for example.

For a target gun, there are some occasions where the longer barrel MIGHT be worthwhile. But you have to ask yourself if the possible advantage of a couple FPS more velocity is worth the certainty of more weight. Sometimes more weight is good.

I've never seen any actual evidence of a longer barrel increasing accuracy, only velocity. My Engineering mind is thinking of barrel stiffness and how a longer barrel is certainly going to have more displacement for the same input. If your loads are tuned to that barrel, you are still going to get excellent accuracy. But the shorter/stiffer barrel should be much more forgiving and less sensitive to tuning. In other words, when you lose or gain 20fps, the shorter barrel should (theoretically) have less displacement when speeds vary from the accuracy node.

It is interesting that so many open class guns don't have barrels 24" or longer. And if you recall that famous "Houston Warehouse" article, none of the rifles that achieved the pinnacle of accuracy in their testing had a barrel over 22" (They were all 21 3/4" IIRC).

 

[Trigger Time]

A longer barrel does not yield improved accuracy, its actually more likely to have the opposite effect. A longer barrel will give you added velocity which can be used to maintain accuracy a longer distances. With heavier bullets (175gr) a 20" .308 will give you sufficient velocity to maintain accuracy out to 600yds or more, the 24" will get you to 1000.

Bingo! I always hear people say that sbr's aren't as accurate and that's why people don't believe in them but that's not the case at all. this man knows his ****

 

[Hohn]

Can short barrels be accurate?

[video=youtube;Xj5CL6seSL8]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xj5CL6seSL8[/video]

 

[avboiler11]

Unless PRS or F/TR is your game, 20" is plenty for a bolt action 308 in my opinion...ESPECIALLY a multipurpose system that will be used for hunting.

The 168gr ELD-M is a *great* option for a multi-purpose bullet (either in reloads or factory ammo); higher ballistic coefficient and velocity than a 175gr SMK load, with (at least the previous Amax version of the bullet) proven performance on medium game.

 

[dancrichy]

Ok, so for accuracy inside 600 yards, the 20" barrel is a good barrel. That's good to know. Also good to know that if someone takes a random shot at 1,000 yards, a 20" barrel can at least get it there pretty well. With the shorter barrel, it will also make it easier to do some hiking with it compared to the heavier 24" barrel, that's a good thought.

Thanks!

 

[IndyDave1776]

Let me flip the coin over and take a look at the other side. Historically, longer barrels have been considered to have been more accurate, and there is a good reason for this: When firing with open sights, the longer the sight plane, generally the more error is taken out of your perception of the sights thus providing better sight alignment and therefore better accuracy. When you add glass to the equation, you are no longer manually aligning sights by eyesight and perception, you no longer gain an automatic advantage from that longer barrel. As with a lot of things, the shadow outlives that which cast it.

 

[natdscott]

Good point, Dave.

 

[phylodog]

Good point, Dave.

Indeed.