Extra .5” of barrel worth it?

[RockRat64]

Recently acquired my first 10mm. FN 510 MRD, which is the non “tactical” version with a 4.1” barrel vs 4.71”. I would like the see a little more velocity. At least over 1250 with 180gr. With Berry’s 180gr I got…

8.6gr 800X 1.260 OAL - 1130avg
13.5gr Accurate No. 9 1.260 OAL - 1167avg

I stopped with those loads because primers were becoming flat and it was the max load for a few manuals including Hodgdon’s website. However, the Hornady manual goes up to 10.1gr for 800X and 14.9gr for No. 9.

I’m kind of iffy on going over Hogdon over Hornady. Would it be worth it to get the tactical barrel which is only 0.61” longer to squeeze more velocity?

 

[mrawesome22-250]

 

[GeoDudeFlorida]

Recently acquired my first 10mm. FN 510 MRD, which is the non “tactical” version with a 4.1” barrel vs 4.71”. I would like the see a little more velocity. At least over 1250 with 180gr. With Berry’s 180gr I got…

8.6gr 800X 1.260 OAL - 1130avg
13.5gr Accurate No. 9 1.260 OAL - 1167avg

I stopped with those loads because primers were becoming flat and it was the max load for a few manuals including Hodgdon’s website. However, the Hornady manual goes up to 10.1gr for 800X and 14.9gr for No. 9.

I’m kind of iffy on going over Hogdon over Hornady. Would it be worth it to get the tactical barrel which is only 0.61” longer to squeeze more velocity?

Once again, unless something has changed in the last day or so, Hornady’s loading tables are for Hornady’s bullets. Not ACME, not Berry’s, not Rainier… Hornady. Trying to extrapolate a max charge from Hornady tables is not a good idea. Are you in for a Kaboom? Probably not but starting at max using incorrect charges is a good way to get one.
Start low and work up to the max for your guns. That extra 0.6” of barrel is not going to change the chamber pressure. Extrapolating and statistical predictions are not a substitute for testing.
Which you appear to have found.
Is this going to be your steady diet load or your hunting only load?

 

[Walkalong]

It will likely gain a little, not a lot. I have some 4 1/2” vs 5” barrel data for 9MM I can look at later. And then there’s the some barrels are slower/faster than others deal as well.

 

[eddiememphis]

Why 1250? What will that do that 1167 won't?

Neither Hodgdon nor Lyman books show any load that fast out of a 5" barrel.

 

[RockRat64]

Why 1250? What will that do that 1167 won't?

Neither Hodgdon nor Lyman books show any load that fast out of a 5" barrel.

I guess I’m just chasing 10mm performance and I see factory ammo advertise it. But yes, I know that’s just their marketing numbers. Just wondering if a quick barrel change would help.

 

[mrawesome22-250]

I'd slug your barrel. If your barrel's groove spec is .402" and you're shooting .400" bullets that's a recipie for a "slow" barrel.

 

[Palladan44]

Ballisticsbytheinch.com is always an interesting site to visit when your mind gets curious.
But more so, it reiterates that all barrels are different.

For me, my Glock 20 with a 4.6" barrel shoots a certain load at 1330fps where my 6" glock 40 MOS shoots that same load at 1400fps. But jump over to my 6" Kimber, it's back around 1335fps. Barely more than the 1.5" lessed barrel G20.

Revolvers, whole new animals...Holy Smokes... I have 3.5" 357s that shoot the same velocity as a 6" That cylinder gap!!

 

[Walkalong]

Revolvers, whole new animals...Holy Smokes... I have 3.5" 357s that shoot the same velocity as a 6" That cylinder gap!!

Yep, 4" for me, but yep.

 

[sparkyv]

I easily get over 1,250fps in 180 grain Speer TMJs; they're plated like Berry's, in a 4" M610. I use Blue Dot, AA#9, Longshot, and even BE-86 to get there. All my 10mm spicy loads result in flattened primers in 5 different firearms.

I would like the see a little more velocity. At least over 1250 with 180gr. With Berry’s 180gr
I stopped with those loads because primers were becoming flat and it was the max load for a few manuals including Hodgdon’s website

 

[Palladan44]

10mm handloads- shot side by side (chrono results)

***Contains load information. All of these loads were crafted by me for my firearms. If you plan to reload, get a manual for the caliber and follow directions in the manual. Start low and work up. Never jump directly up to maximum published loads without doing a ladder for each load in your...

www.thehighroad.org

Here's a thread I did last year comparing my 3 different barrel lengths with all of my different handloads.

 

[jmr40]

When you start comparing velocity between 2 different guns even with the same barrel length velocity will be all over the place. I do more with rifles than handguns and 25-50 fps difference between equal length barrels from different rifles is the norm. And 100 fps or more isn't unusual.

It is very much possible that the 4.1" barrel could be faster than the 4.7" barrel. My 20" barreled 308 is faster than my 22" rifles. And as someone else pointed out you see that in the Ballistics by the inch website.

Double Tap advertises their 200 gr hardcast 10mm load at 1300 fps from a G20; 1250 fps from a G29. I got 1315 fps from my G20. I figured that was close enough.