What good is a long barrel?

[Subrosa]

So I got the bug to build a precision .22 and just ordered a Zermatt Arms. Rim-X action. I am reading that the .22LR velocity peaks about 18", and there is not much velocity difference between 18" and 20" barrels, but velocity begins to slow after 20 inches.

So, what good does it do to have a barrel longer that 22 inches? I see a lot of factory .22LR rifles that have 24 and 26" barrels. I understand that if they a rifle has iron sights that extend to the muzzle that it will extend sight radius and give less inherent error in your sight alignment, but otherwise what is the point?

 

[Rob01]

What are you using the rifle for? How far you plan to shoot?

They say the longer barrel gives a little better ES/SD numbers. You might lose a little velocity but usually nothing that is worth worrying about.

 

[Tony K Harper]

So I got the bug to build a precision .22 and just ordered a Zermatt Arms. Rim-X action. I am reading that the .22LR velocity peaks about 18", and there is not much velocity difference between 18" and 20" barrels, but velocity begins to slow after 20 inches.

So, what good does it do to have a barrel longer that 22 inches? I see a lot of factory .22LR rifles that have 24 and 26" barrels. I understand that if they a rifle has iron sights that extend to the muzzle that it will extend sight radius and give less inherent error in your sight alignment, but otherwise what is the point?

You have read correctly maximum velocity is achieved at about 18 inches of barrel travel. After that the round is slowing down. Wind drift for subsonic rounds is less for slower rounds than faster rounds.

Many rimfire shooters prefer slower velocity ammo compared to faster ammo for shooting in windy conditions. Less wind drift.

Will you always shoot slow rounds better? No! The consistency of the ammo will have a much greater effect on performance. This is a very small crumb and may not be worth worrying about. But it is physics.

This does not apply to centerfire rounds traveling above the speed of sound.

TKH

 

[dontpanic]

The rifle balances better with a longer barrel. Also more weight and less recoil.(I know, not much with .22 anyway). And longer barrels seem to be less picky with ammo.

 

[grauhanen]

While it's not clear that longer barrels improve ES/SD figures, as TKH points out there is little reason to prefer faster .22LR bullets because, counterintuitively, they drift more in the wind than slower ones.

Balance can be a factor accompanying extra barrel length as can the extra weight that enhances inertia when keeping the rifle steady on the center.

 

[1Merlin]

Quieter - noticeably quieter.

 

[Subrosa]

What are you using the rifle for? How far you plan to shoot?

They say the longer barrel gives a little better ES/SD numbers. You might lose a little velocity but usually nothing that is worth worrying about.

Honestly it will be mostly for target shooting between 50 and 100 yards. I don't see myself shooting beyond 200. I was originally planning on a 22" barrel with a tuner.

TKH, I do plan to shoot target/ lower velocity ammo; it didn't realize it had less wind drift!

 

[Rob01]

Honestly it will be mostly for target shooting between 50 and 100 yards. I don't see myself shooting beyond 200. I was originally planning on a 22" barrel with a tuner.

TKH, I do plan to shoot target/ lower velocity ammo; it didn't realize it had less wind drift!

22" with a tuner would work fine. I have had 18", 22" and 23" on my Vudoos and they all shot great at 50 and 100. I have shot them past 500 yards. I shoot subsonic match ammo also and use my rifles in NLR/PRS/MARS style matches. 50-200 a 22" with a tuner will work fine. Don't get into analysis paralysis.

 

[Coyotefurharvester]

With open/peep sights the longer barrel helps, especially at 100 yards.

 

[SSL]

With open/peep sights the longer barrel helps, especially at 100 yards.

Exactly! Long barrels on .22s is more of a carryover from the era of all open sights than for anything else. Longer distance between front and rear sights made for better aim with less alignment error.

 

[426nut]

I like this scientific barrel chop video.

 

[TRSR8]

Exactly! Long barrels on .22s is more of a carryover from the era of all open sights than for anything else. Longer distance between front and rear sights made for better aim with less alignment error.

Really? Wonder why about 99.9% of RFBR, which happen to be the most precise RF barrels are between24” & 26” ? Not a lot of sight radius considerations. FWIW, those longer barrels are also easier to tune properly.

 

[Subrosa]

I like this scientific barrel chop video.

That was really interesting...not what I expected.

 

[shootrj2003]

I’m old fashioned I just like a long barrel on a rifle,I’m a carryover too ,and I use irons a lot.
Long legs….back to guns dude!

 

[scclimber]

So if slower bullets drift less, why release a higher velocity long range and super long range ?

 

[1Merlin]

So if slower bullets drift less, why release a higher velocity long range and super long range ?

So they can raise the price of CX 50%? It might be badass at 200 but CX shoots better in my rifles at 100 than either of the new releases.

 

[Tony K Harper]

So if slower bullets drift less, why release a higher velocity long range and super long range ?

The rimfire round loses so much velocity out beyond 100 yards it is nearly falling out of the sky. If you set up chronographs at the muzzle and another just in front of the target you will see how much velocity it loses.

Wind drift for a 40 grain .22 LR round is at its lowest at about 950 fps.
But it is nearly impossible to get good consistent performance if you load a .22 LR rimfire for that velocity. The case has such small amount of powder the burn/pressure curve becomes inconsistent.

Remember the .22 LR was designed for black powder, not necessarily to be a highly accurate round.

Many say the best compromise is about 1040 fps. for shooting at 50yards/meters.

Out beyond 100 yards you have to add velocity, or you may as well be throwing the bullets with a trebuchet.
Again, this is a small crumb so don't get too hung up over it.

TKH

 

[68Hoyt]

Didn’t they have 200 yard match’s in the late 1800 and early 1900’s ?

 

[shootrj2003]

An 11 year old girl takes out to 1000 yds it is way more capable than people lead you to believe,200 and 300 yard matches are all the rage right now.
I believe the long range rds start out at 1100 something from Lapua, not particularly fast for a .22, I think… I’ve thought before…stability not velocity = accuracy.

 

[LuvDog]

I got a 20" barrel on my vudoo. It shoots great and I can't complain about the precision, but it takes a bit of added weight up front and it still doesn't balance as well I would like. I really wish I would have gone with 22". But you're running a tuner too, so 20" may work fine for you.