barrel length

Ruger Customer Service replied to my question:

Manufacturing purposely makes them a tad long so that we never fall below minimum barrel length specs.

I don't buy that. It still doesn't address a 1 7/8" barrel on a snubbie. And if they advertise my SP101 to 3 1/16, and it actually measures out at 3 1/32, I might still cry foul and demand a refund. [I wouldn't, but somebody might.]
 
And if they advertise my SP101 to 3 1/16, and it actually measures out at 3 1/32, I might still cry foul and demand a refund. [I wouldn't, but somebody might.]
Click to expand...
They're listed at 3", not 3-1/16".

The extra 1/16" is BONUS! :D
 
FrankenMauser - They're listed at 3", not 3-1/16".

By golly, you're right. Has it always been listed like that? How else did we all get it in our brains that 3 1/16 was correct. Thanks for pointing that out.
 
I cant see how ~1/4" makes a difference in ballistics but I can see how ~1/4 inch shorter 'might' make a difference in the draw.

I agree with Aguila, recently I wanted a CCO size 1911 but found many in that class weren't true CCO's with 4" (Springfield) and 4.2" (Sig C3) barrels... all I could think about was, why? and how difficult it would be to find a holster for a 4" ish barrel 1911 when any commander size holster would have worked.
 
Koda94 said:
and how difficult it would be to find a holster for a 4" ish barrel 1911 when any commander size holster would have worked.
Click to expand...
To be sure, holsters can be adapted. I have a 4" Springfield Armory Champion that gets carried (when I carry it) in a holster for a Colt Commander, and I can carry a 3" Para-Ordnance in leather made for the Colt Officers ACP (which has a 3-1/2" barrel). The same Officers ACP leather would work for the pistols with a 3-1/8" barrel.But they do make holsters for 3" 1911s -- I have a couple (of the holsters). If you carry a shorter pistol in a molded, leather holster long enough, eventually the empty space begins to collapse and then the holster isn't as serviceable for the guns it was made for.
 
I don't have a general rule for revolvers. I know where 3.5" and 8.375" .357 Magnums came from, and 4.75" SAAs, and we have a reply from Ruger.

At one time S&W made a bunch of 4.125" guns when it looked like 4" would be the definition of "Saturday Night Special."
Similar to present 4.2" guns for sale in Canada with 105mm minimum.

The shortened automatics need all the length they can get for function. Maybe a 3.125" gained just that little bit of reliability.
 
Aguila Blanca said:
To be sure, holsters can be adapted. I have a 4" Springfield Armory Champion that gets carried (when I carry it) in a holster for a Colt Commander, and I can carry a 3" Para-Ordnance in leather made for the Colt Officers ACP (which has a 3-1/2" barrel). The same Officers ACP leather would work for the pistols with a 3-1/8" barrel.But they do make holsters for 3" 1911s -- I have a couple (of the holsters). If you carry a shorter pistol in a molded, leather holster long enough, eventually the empty space begins to collapse and then the holster isn't as serviceable for the guns it was made for.
Click to expand...
yeah, I figured the differences were close enough that things should work out but I also have a commander and being able to share holsters is a huge benefit of sticking with the platform... I knew that extra 1/4 inch would collapse on leather over time if I was to favor the new compact gun for a length of time like over the winter. It was just these small details and minor uncertainties in selecting a new gun that made me wonder why they bother with such a design change.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top