20" and 24" pros cons

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luftmech

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I was just browsing through the tikka site and noticed that there is an option on the T3 between these barrels. What would be the pros and cons of either other then the slightly higher velocity and accuracy of the longer barrel or the lighter weight of the shorter barrel.

How much difference in velocity would there be, I have read that there is about 70 fps/inch. Is that an accurate figure?

I was thinking of getting a T3 tacticle or super varmit in .260 Rem.:rockOn:
 
only one length, 23 3/4

not bad, i have heard its pretty much the same as the tactical without the brake which i wouldnt use anyways

they are both such nice looking rifles in anycase, good luck with it!
 
General rule of thumb is about 20 ft/sec. Of course when your into the 20" it is likely more.

If you have a special application the 20 in might work, but I would opt for the longer barrel for that cartridge.
 
There is no specific application other then primarily hunting, and the odd long range gopher/coyote application. I like the slightly lighter shorter barrel for the hunting but the longer barrel for the velocity issues. I was looking at the .308 in the 20 inch and thought that by going to a .260 I would get the best of both worlds with a shorter barrel and better velocities then the 30 cal.
 
Best value there is the T3 Varmint in 260 or 6.5 x55
I have the tactical 24" in 308 nice rifle. wish it was available in 260 though.
 
The 24" barrel might give you a touch more velocity, while the 20" barrel might be a touch more accurate.

The drop in velocity is dependent on the powder volume of your cartridge and the bore size. A medium to large bore sees less velocity loss than does a small bore assuming similar powder capacities. Your 6.5 bore and medium case capacity would likely be in the 40 fps/inch range, so I would not be surprised to see a 150 fps difference between the short and long barrel.

The difference in velocity can be mitigated to some degree by using heavy bullets which have a shorter powder column. The logic is that the smaller powder column is consumed faster, and maximum pressure is attained quicker, which translates to less velocity loss in the shorter barrel.
 
inukshuk said:
Boomer
while the 20" barrel might be a touch more accurate.

That's strange I was always informed that a longer heavier barrel helped in accuracy?? I know mine is.
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The shorter barrel has a better probability for accuracy due to the fact that it is stiffer - all other things being equal. Note that bench rest rifles often have short tubes. When comparing factory barrels anything is possible.
 
adjust the powder to barrel length. don't use a slow burning powder in a short barrel because the bullet will be out of the barrel before the powder all burns. i load a rem 788 in 308 with a 20" barrel using IMR 4064. its a hunting rifle, but shows no noticable difference from trajectory tables for the loads published velocity. using 150gr bullets upto 300 yards.

i recall a thread about a month ago that a CGN member had a short barrel 308 he claimed very little velocity loss. he had chrony results to back it up. where as i don't.
 
Off hand accuracy would be better with the shorter barrel as well. Just look at the silhouette rifles, shorter barrel = less barrel time while holding off hand. And as Boomer indictaes, it is stiffer and may be more accuracte. The longer barrel give a little more velocity with more weight to carry.
 
inukshuk said:
Look at sniper rifles though 26" and up and they have to be accurate for long ranges, but much heavier than a normal hunting rig.
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This is often, although not universally true, because the long barrel gives the sniper an edge in velocity which results in a slightly flatter trajectory, and slightly longer range before the bullet becomes subsonic. In some cases when a bullet's velocity drops through the subsonic range is will destabilize. I suppose in a military context, the long barrel would also reduce the flash and muzzle blast of the rifle, making it more difficult for the bad guys to locate the shooter. The barrel of my target rifle is 28" long, but theoretically it would shoot a little tighter if it was 20" long, at the cost of some velocity.
 
inukshuk said:
Look at sniper rifles though 26" and up and they have to be accurate for long ranges, but much heavier than a normal hunting rig.
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Not entirely true. If you look at military applications then yes a longer barrel is more common due to the longer ranges. Law enforcement tend to have shorter barrels becasue there ranges are typically within 100 yards because of urban situation and liability. I remember reaing many articles in tactical shooter that stated the perfect length of barrel for a sniper rifle was 20".
 
Duck_Hunter said:
Not entirely true. If you look at military applications then yes a longer barrel is more common due to the longer ranges. Law enforcement tend to have shorter barrels becasue there ranges are typically within 100 yards because of urban situation and liability. I remember reaing many articles in tactical shooter that stated the perfect length of barrel for a sniper rifle was 20".
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I agree in the different needs between military and law. Like myself I'm a civi but I shoot up to 1,000 yrds and my kit weighs 14 lbs with a 26' barrel including muzzle brake and it rocks. :D
 
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Duck_Hunter said:
Not entirely true. If you look at military applications then yes a longer barrel is more common due to the longer ranges. Law enforcement tend to have shorter barrels becasue there ranges are typically within 100 yards because of urban situation and liability. I remember reaing many articles in tactical shooter that stated the perfect length of barrel for a sniper rifle was 20".
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True, the average police shot is around 70m. 26" will get you quite a bit more velocity than a 20" though. It all depends on the application.

-Rohann
 
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