tikka t1x 16 vs 20 inch barrel?
- Thread starter jay smith
- Start date
20” works well for me and if it’s a trainer I like it to be as close to my centerfires as possible, they are all 20-24” barrels so I went with the 20” I would like to think the extra 4” is a slightly advantage in accuracy and a few extra FPS. Very happy with mine and I’m sure you will be pleased with the T1x
From all I have read over the years on this, there is little to be gained in terms of completion of powder burn after 16.5" so if one were to only be concerned with that aspect of things then literally no additional velocity will be gained in barrel lengths longer than that.
However barrel lengths do/can have an effect on accuracy, which from my understanding have alot to do with the round you are using ( ie subsonic vs hyper-velocity), harmonics of the barrel, stabilization of the bullet, etc.
So given that you want to use it as a hunter I would assume you may want the shorter version however an additional 4" is not excessive by any stretch .
However barrel lengths do/can have an effect on accuracy, which from my understanding have alot to do with the round you are using ( ie subsonic vs hyper-velocity), harmonics of the barrel, stabilization of the bullet, etc.
So given that you want to use it as a hunter I would assume you may want the shorter version however an additional 4" is not excessive by any stretch .
Blairsville
CGN Regular
- Location
- Vancouver island
20” for sure the 16 looks funny as it’s designed for a suppressor and I’d bet on the 20” beeing more accurate also longer barrels are easier to hold when shooting off hand as the length and extra weight help with stability
6mm Shooter
CGN Regular
- Location
- White City, SK
I have both and really only shoot the 16” barrelled one because it is handier and is more accurate.
Barrel length -- whether it's 16 or 20" -- in a rifle such as the T1X won't make a significant difference in accuracy when comparing two otherwise equal rifles. The shorter barrel is handier when a suppressor is added or when an extra four inches is too much for some other reason, such as use in the very densest of brush. The T1X is already a smallish rifle. With the 16" barrel it is 33.5" long, with the 20" barrel it is 37.7", just over three feet long. By comparison the CZ 455 American with a 20.5" barrel is 38.2" in length. Even the basic Ruger 10/22 is 37".
As for the barrel length not doing "to much for the caliber," the internet is full of statements that all the powder is burned up in the first 16 or so inches. That may very well be true. But it's largely irrelevant for the purposes of a rifle. Very few rifles designed and made for accuracy will have 16" barrels.
If the thinking is that a slightly higher MV may be achievable with a 16" barrel than 20" it should be weighed against any accuracy it gains. There's no evidence that a round that is going 50 or 100 fps faster than another gives it an accuracy advantage because of that. In short, the shorter barrel will not make it more accurate.
The rifle's accuracy will be the product of the individual barrel it has, not whether it is 16 or 20 inches in length. Barrel quality is not always equal between individual rifles, although most or the vast majority will be average for that model. If higher MV's are sought for another reason, use HV ammo.
What should be important in making a choice between a shorter barrel and one that is a little longer is how the rifle balances, how the rifle feels when at the shoulder. Aesthetic value can be important as well: which does the buyer like better? My own view is that the 16" barrel makes the rifle look too short, but that's only my opinion and should not sway anyone else. Another factor is the weight difference between the 16" model and the 20" model. The shorter rifle is 2.4 kg (5.29 lbs), the longer rifle is 2.6kg (5.73 lbs) -- a .44 lb difference. On an already small and lightweight rifle, the extra weight of the 20" model might be a useful factor. It can help with stability because of the additional inertia.
In the end, pick the rifle that feels the best when you handle it. The 16" barrel in itself doesn't add to the performance of the rifle downrange.
RangerPark
CGN frequent flyer
- Location
- Near Edmonton, AB
I also went with the 20" and I'm very happy with it so far. I recently ran a 20 shot string over the chrono with CCI Mini Mags and got an average speed of 1178 FPS, slightly down from the advertised 1235 FPS.
Assuming it does, would it matter in any meaningful way? If you want a faster round, use a faster round. Don't rely on barrel length to do that for you.
easyrider604
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Greater Vancouver, BC
16 or 20 inch barrels will give similar muzzle velocities, give or take a few FPS. Depending on the ammo, sometimes the 16 has a tiny velocity advantage, sometimes the 20.
It’s their relative accuracy that really matters, IMO. I like 16 barrels because they are handy and light. But I haven’t shot my CZ452 Scouts at 100 meters yet. So can’t say if they’re more accurate than my CZ Varmint or Style.
I hope somebody with firsthand accuracy comparison testing experience on 16 and 20 or 21 or other lengths can share their knowledge.
It’s their relative accuracy that really matters, IMO. I like 16 barrels because they are handy and light. But I haven’t shot my CZ452 Scouts at 100 meters yet. So can’t say if they’re more accurate than my CZ Varmint or Style.
I hope somebody with firsthand accuracy comparison testing experience on 16 and 20 or 21 or other lengths can share their knowledge.
Agreed, would like to see what it's like. 50 an 100 yards. Subsonic and hypersonic.
6mm Shooter
CGN Regular
- Location
- White City, SK
I have shot many thousand rounds out of both of mine this year and really accuracy is identical but I take the 16” out more often because of it size.
As has been said, pick what feels and looks best to you. Any difference in accuracy will be incremental, other than the fact that the greater inertia of the longer barrel makes it easier to hold steady.
Mine is the 20" version with a walnut T3 stock. Nicely balanced, accurate rifle.
Mine is the 20" version with a walnut T3 stock. Nicely balanced, accurate rifle.
The Tikka T1X with a 20" barrel only 37.7" long.
It's a strong declaration that there's no reason other than aesthetics for an adult's rifle to be just over three feet in length because that it's too long to be sufficiently maneuverable and too long to transport and store with ease.
By that reasoning the CZ 455 American is too long at 38.2", while the popular Savage Mark II-F is a whopping 39.5". Is the standard size Ruger 10/22 too long too? It's 37" long.
The T1X with a 16" barrel measures 33.5", only a few inches more than the standard Cricket at 30".
rifleman762
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Southern Alberta
I like the aesthetics of a 10 to 13" barrel on my rimfires. Just sayin'
. 16" would be just fine, 20" is too much for my liking. Heck, I have a 308 with a 14" barrel! But then I have a 22 Creedmoor with a 25" barrel. I like variety.
RangerPark
CGN frequent flyer
- Location
- Near Edmonton, AB
.22 LR rifles are weapon systems now? For squirrel warfare? Have they started shooting back? What a world we live in.
It's not because you see zero reasons for something to exist that there aren't any. I like the 20" version specifically because it's heavier and longer and it better mimics the handling of a centerfire rifle. The main reason I use .22 LR rifles is to improve marksmanship in various fields shooting positions and the 20" barrel works best for me in that regards.
I also have the 20” version. It balances well and honestly, to my eye, looks much better.
I absolutely love this rifle. In the field or off the bench it is exceptional. Shot close to 400 gophers (ground squirrels) with it this past summer and it consistently produces one ragged hole groups at the range.
I absolutely love this rifle. In the field or off the bench it is exceptional. Shot close to 400 gophers (ground squirrels) with it this past summer and it consistently produces one ragged hole groups at the range.
