How important is barrel length?

[Snyper]

I have never seen a shorter barreled revolver scoped and so I assumed it was because a shorter revolver could not provide the inherent accuracy that a scope could exploit.

I think a more likely explanation is that most scoped handguns are geared towards hunting, or long range targets such as silohuettes, and need longer barrels for the additional velocity/power, and in some cases to meet legal requirements

Here you cannot hunt with a centerfire handgun with a barrel less than 5.5 inches. They orginally wrote the law to say 6", but later changed it when so many protested due to the numerous 5.5" Ruger models.

If you want a real challenge, mount a scope on a Ruger MKII 22lr, and see how many squirrels you can kill.

It will teach you how to HUNT vs just how to shoot

 

[Paul105]

I don't like scopes (or red dots) on handguns, but

I use them to test loads (old eyes). They actually make very handy packages on short barreled handguns, and depending on the gun will weigh about the same as typical hunting handguns with iron sights. They can be shot very accurately with a bit of practice especially from a rested position.
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Here is a new S&W M69 (5 shot L Frame .44 Mag) with a 4 1/4" bbl and 4x Leupold pistol scope and Hogue 500 X Frame grips. It weighs 48.3 oz so equipped. A 2x Leup would be more practical for hunting and would reduce the weight a bit.
.

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Freedom Arms m97, 3 1/2" round butt, .45 Colt. The gun/scope are 5 oz lighter than the above S&W M69 (for a total of 43 oz). Very nice little package quite capable of 100 yd hunting accuracy.
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Not my personal cup of tea, but quite workable.
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FWIW,

Paul

 

[Bob Wright]

Pond. James Pond, said:

There are pistol scopes. They're designed for pistols.
Where is the logic that no pistol should carry a scope?
Or is it a personal preference that one would see extended to all others?

That is my personal preference. My parameters for a handgun is that first of all, it be readily drawn from a holster and fired one-handed accurately very quickly at a close target. Second that it be portable enough that it may be carried all day in a good holster. My parameters include that the gun be no larger than a Ruger Super Blackhawk or N-Framed Smith & Wesson. And it should be of such size and pointability to permit a reasonable number of hits on gallon sized can thrown into the air. And of a caliber sufficient to perform the required task.

As to squirrel hunting, I've taken many bushy tails with iron sighted Colt or Ruger Single Action .22 rimfires.

These are the attributes I look for when considering a handgun.

Bob Wright

 

[Drm50]

Short barrels

I'm not going to get in scope rhubarb cause I don't use them on pistols. I have
found in quality guns, the barrel length has nothing to do with accuracy. I have
sand bagged S&W snubbies and was surprised by the accuracy. I can't shoot
them off hand, but the gun is capable. On the other hand I was young and
dumb when I bought most of my magnum guns. I was into the longest barrel
I could buy. Later I found I could shoot a 6" just as well as 8 3/8" Under 5"
I start to loose accuracy off hand, due to sight radius. I have buddy that would
put a 36x on a 25 auto if he could. He has a 4" m-15 with red dot that he
can bust clays at 100yds all day, off bags.Take his bags away and he can't hit
bull in butt with a Buntline.

 

[gwpercle]

In theory a longer barrel should equal better accuracy , right ? Well you know what Yogi Berra said about theory !

I shot NRA bullseye matches with a S&W model 41, it had two barrels, a 5 inch heavy barrel and a 7 inch standard barrel . Guess which one I could consistently shoot better.....that's right the 5 inch.
Same thing with a Ruger MKI Target, I had a 6 7/8 ( almost 7 ) inch tapered barrel, my friend had the same gun with a 5 1/2 inch bull barrel.
Could consistently get better scores with the 5 1/2 inch barrel.

So, in theory the longer barrel should get better accuracy but in practice, in my case at least, the shorter barrels got better accuracy. Have no idea why , it just worked out that way!
Gary

 

[22-rimfire]

Another example of accuracy, I had a 4" and 6" Colt Diamondback 22 revolvers. I could consistantly shoot the 4" better than the 6". I actually retired the 6" as I figured why bother? Of course, now a days, they are worth a fair amount of money, but they used to be just good DA 22 revolvers.

I think there are other factors involved like balance. In the case of the 5.5" Ruger Mark II with the bull barrel, it has great balance for me and I always shot it pretty well and close to my HS Victor. It shot well enough that I really didn't shoot the Victor much after getting the Mark II.

 

[44 AMP]

Longer barrels are about accuracy, but not in the way most people think about accuracy. Barrel length has little do with the mechanical accuracy of the gun. That difference is due to other factors (if there is a difference)

The more distance between the front and rear sights the greater the potential for precision. Precision in the shooter being able to line up the sights. Not the actual accuracy of the barrel.

I have never seen a shorter barreled revolver scoped and so I assumed it was because a shorter revolver could not provide the inherent accuracy that a scope could exploit.

No, James, its not like that at all. The main reason you "never" see a scope on a shorter revolver is the reason people choose a shorter barrel revolver. Something in their decision favors the smaller, shorter gun. Either weight constraints, or overall size, and carry ability, or the ability to draw quickly, what ever it is that makes someone choose a short barrel (small?) revolver, adding a scope generally cancels it.

There are handguns, and there are handguns. Bob has a very clear set of requirements for what a handgun should be, for him. And a scope doesn't fit well there.

My handguns include a number of Contenders (Some scoped), an XP-100 .221 Fireball (scoped). I have a scope mount for my Desert Eagle. I have a scope for a 1911A1. (I don't use either, but I have them, )

I don't put scoped on my revolvers. Personal choice.

I can understand people saying scopes belong on rifles. I can also understand people saying scopes don't belong on lever action rifles. I understand people saying rubber grips don't belong on single action revolvers. I understand a lot of things.

I just don't agree with them.

I decided a long time ago that classic style and traditional good looks take a second place to me, over how well I can shoot a particular gun. I have Pachmyr rubber grips on the majority of my revolvers, including all my Ruger Blackhawks.

In short (pardon the pun) the guy packing a 4" or less revolver is packing it because of its size, or because they shoot it better than anything else. Adding a scope changes the size (and weight) of the total package, usually turning it into something the guy doesn't want.

its not about the accuracy of the gun, barrel length has less to do with accuracy than many other factors.

hope this helps

 

[dahermit]

"In theory" the length of the barrel has no effect on accuracy, only velocity. In practice, the longer barrel with a longer sighting radius and more weight forward gives an advantage to the longer barrel. However, with a scope, the advantage of a longer sighting radius becomes moot. And, the intention of the original poster was stated that he posed the question relative to a scoped handgun.

 

[ryan02]

It's been my experience that there is very little difference in accuracy between a 4 and 6 inch barrel.
My preference is 4 inch and 2 inch barrel S&W's.
I am going to put a red dot on my S&W model 18 .22 for indoor bullseye shooting mainly because my eyesight isn't as good as it was.
I didn't think I would ever scope a handgun, but we will see how it goes.

 

[joed]

Fifteen years ago I bought my first 2.5" barrel model 66 for concealed carry. Prior to this purchase I had only owned 6" barreled revolvers.

I didn't expect much in the way of accuracy but figured it would be good enough for my purposes.

At the range I was very surprised with the accuracy from this gun. At 25 yards it could keep a nice group on the target. I still have this gun and both carry and shoot it as often as I can.