Anyone shoot both 4" and 6" barreled .357 mag?
- Thread starter bricz75
- Start date
I've owned them all. There isn't much difference in comfort shooting 4" vs 6". There is a big difference when you get below 4" however. For my use 4" is the ideal compromise.
All things being equal the 6" gun will average about 100-150 fps more speed. When looking at BBTI consider this. The numbers they get from a single barrel as it is cut down gives a much more accurate comparison for barrel lengths. Those numbers will likely be faster than you'd get from a real gun with that barrel length since they don't account for cylinder length, but the relationship of speeds generated between different barrel lengths is more accurate since the data is from the same barrel
http://ballisticsbytheinch.com/357mag.html
When you compare velocity between different guns of the SAME barrel lengths differences of over 100 fps isn't unusual. And it wouldn't be unusual for my 4" gun to shoot faster than your 6" gun. But those are anomalies, not the norm.
You get a slightly longer sight radius and most people will shoot the longer barrel more accurately.
If I were looking for a dedicated long range or hunting handgun the longer the better. But if I need more than 4" in a revolver barrel I'd just as soon carry a carbine.
All things being equal the 6" gun will average about 100-150 fps more speed. When looking at BBTI consider this. The numbers they get from a single barrel as it is cut down gives a much more accurate comparison for barrel lengths. Those numbers will likely be faster than you'd get from a real gun with that barrel length since they don't account for cylinder length, but the relationship of speeds generated between different barrel lengths is more accurate since the data is from the same barrel
http://ballisticsbytheinch.com/357mag.html
When you compare velocity between different guns of the SAME barrel lengths differences of over 100 fps isn't unusual. And it wouldn't be unusual for my 4" gun to shoot faster than your 6" gun. But those are anomalies, not the norm.
You get a slightly longer sight radius and most people will shoot the longer barrel more accurately.
If I were looking for a dedicated long range or hunting handgun the longer the better. But if I need more than 4" in a revolver barrel I'd just as soon carry a carbine.
ShootistPRS
New member
Two Ruger Security-Six 4 inch barrel. Firing the same ammo over the same chronograph within seconds of each other. One had velocity that was 200 fps slower than the other. The slight differences in the manufacturing process of pistol barrels can make more difference than the length of the barrel. My six inch shoots 23 fps faster than my 4 inch with the same loads over the same chronograph. There is little difference in muzzle flash and recoil.
I have had two 4", one 6", and a 6.5". One 4" was stolen. I still have the rest. I shoot them a lot.
The 4" are handier and easier to carry, that is what I use for HD.
The 6" or 6.5" can feel kind of nose-heavy, but the felt recoil is less. They are also more accurate for me, but that might just be me. I shoot a lot better with a longer sight radius.
The 4" are handier and easier to carry, that is what I use for HD.
The 6" or 6.5" can feel kind of nose-heavy, but the felt recoil is less. They are also more accurate for me, but that might just be me. I shoot a lot better with a longer sight radius.
I have a Dan Wesson 15-2 and a 715 in both 4" and 6" full lug shrouded barrels. along with a no lug shroud for the 4" barrels. The difference in the recoil between 4" and 6" heavy barrels is not all that much, but there is a noise difference that's noticable. With the lighter 4" shroud, there is a big difference. I like the heavy barrels a lot better when shooting heavy loads.