Barrel Contour/Length and Accuracy

[SanFranShootr]

I've read a lot of the Precision Shooting articles, and books like Harold Vaughn's "Rifle Accuracy Facts" but I haven't come across anything that addresses the correlation between barrel profile and the accuracy of the rifle.

For example, will a straight cylinder be more inherently accurate than a heavy varmint or a medium Palma contour?

If so, by how much? What's the trade off between barrel length and accuracy? Is there a "sweet spot" lengthwise for different barrel contours?

Can someone point me to the answers? Thanks.

 

[Bnhpr]

With all internal dimensions and machining the same, a heavier contour barrel is more accurate.
I think you know this, as it is intuitive.

Since F=MA , so F= (projectile and powder weight x change in velocity)

Call this something like "cartridge index"

I guess it is plausible someone could graph a ratio of barrel weigh vs cartridge index and come up with an optimum range. The other parts of the equation is vibration and warping due to heat.

Perhaps this has already been done, but i've not heard of it.


Ben