.22lr, 18" vs. 22" barrel.

No noticeable difference at all. The only benefit to the longer barrel would be the sight radius if using irons.

Ballistics By The Inch

Take a look at the velocities from 14" to 18". It is very instructive in this case. There are some people that say, after 18" you are actually loosing velocity, as the powder is pretty much burnt up by then. A notable contributor to loss of accuracy is the transition from hypersonic speed to subsonic speed, which will happen somewhere before 150 yards. You will generally find your best accuracy before reaching this Transonic event, and will encounter worsening accuracy as you progress beyond the event.

Barrel length is generally not a contributor to accuracy, in and of itself. As noted, in terms of iron sights, longer is better.

When I use optical sights, I prefer a 16" barrel.

Barrel lengths for target rifles have gotten much shorter over the years. My decades old Remington 40x and Model 37's have 28" barrels. Now, much shorter barrels are the norm. Both long and short can shoot very well. Barrel length is not really a piece of the accuracy puzzle.

Very negligible difference in velocity (and as a result, drop), barrel length doesnt really impact accuracy potential, unless, as mentioned, longer barrel = longer sight radius if using open sights, but if planning to scope, get the length you want.

That's good to know as I just got savage 22 cal for my kids and it has 16" barrel

rule303 said:

No noticeable difference at all. The only benefit to the longer barrel would be the sight radius if using irons.

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And if I were doing that with that rifle, I'd get some Tech Sights.

If barrel length is not a part of the accuracy puzzle, is a 3" barrel aa accurate as a 20"?

After 16 to 18 inches the bullet actually starts to slow down.

I have a Savage Mark II FV which has a 21" barrel. I got it mainly because I prefer the balance of a slightly longer barrel, and it feels more comfortable given my large frame (6'5").

ColtPythonElite said:

Both long and short can shoot very well. Barrel length is not really a piece of the accuracy puzzle.

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I think a lot of the shift is the change from iron sights to optics. Iron sights benefit from the longer barrel and sight radius where scopes don't care.

I bought the compact version of the American Rimfire and it fits me just fine. I have younger kids as well so it was a good trade off. I like the shorter barrel as well. It's a fun gun to shoot

Well that longer barrel is going to shoot CCI CB Longs MUCH more quietly if that is a concern and also the new Quiets as well.

-kBob

^^ This is true. That long barrel really gives the gas a chance to expand so it's released at a much lower pressure than it would be from a short barrel when the bullet clears the muzzle. This equates to a very quiet report. I shoot Remington subsonics out of my CZ-452 with a 25" barrel, and it is as quiet as my friend's suppressed .22 pistol. It's great for surreptitious squirrel sniping out the window into the back yard!

Also with subs you don't have the issue of the sonic transition, so they shoot real well to 100 yards and past.

Barrel length, in and of itself, has no effect on accuracy though.

Hi DVDCRR,
hm, I never heard of 3" rifles.
Care to give us an example?