3 gun rifle barrel length

Horse96

Horse96

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So I've been running an 18 inch barreled rifle. It shoots amazing, but I can't help feel.i might be a little quicker with a 14.5 inch barrel? Well, maybe not faster... but I'll feel faster! Lol.

What length of barrel are guys running and why?

I went with the 18 for longer shots, but most courses of fire I've been on have had 300 yard targets max, and there were maybe two targets that were that far. Seems like a lot of extra length and weight for two targets.
 
My much maligned Norinco will put three into 3 inches at that range with a 14.5. with a 1-4 Bushnell and tech trigger. I am going to upgrade to a 16" WYLDE to be able to head south with my form 6NIA. Your glass, trigger and rifling supporting your chosen bullet weight are more critical than length in MHO.
 
It really depends on a couple things..headed south and shooting 500yds or less.. 16/18.. over 500.. 18/20?.. staying in canada to max of 300/400.. 14.5 is fine
 
Raising Cane said:
My much maligned Norinco will put three into 3 inches at that range with a 14.5. with a 1-4 Bushnell and tech trigger. I am going to upgrade to a 16" WYLDE to be able to head south with my form 6NIA. Your glass, trigger and rifling supporting your chosen bullet weight are more critical than length in MHO.
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Your Norinco can’t go south, regardless of barrel length.
 
I've settled on 16" as being a good length. And I go south once or twice a year, so that pretty much forces me into a 16".
Someone (*cough* *cough*) has a nice, used 16" upper on the EE.

I don't think 18" is bad, though if the profile is heavy it does make for a heavy gun.

I'll also point out that the two biggest 3gun matches in Canada during 2017 were won by a NR-length 18.6" barrel. So 18" can certainly get it done.
 
18” allows rifle length gas system

I’ve used an 18” barrel ever since my second year of shooting. Pretty happy with it
 
RePete said:
If you want to take it to the US, anything less than 16" is a class 3 firearm (full auto etc) and is prohib.
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Just curious, but if the brake/flash hider is welded or permanently pinned on the barrel to make it more than 16" overall, does that then make it legal?
 
I use an 11.5" out to 300x with no issues. If I were going to a match with longer ranges I would want a 14.5 or greater. I have an 18" and I like it because it shoots so soft but swinging around the 11.5" in short range stages is way more fun.
 
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I have a 10.5 and a 16 upper. Do the rules allow you to swap uppers between stages (or rifles for that matter) without approval from the MD? Shorty with a red dot for short range stages and the 16 with scope for the longer ones
 
stinson said:
I have a 10.5 and a 16 upper. Do the rules allow you to swap uppers between stages (or rifles for that matter) without approval from the MD? Shorty with a red dot for short range stages and the 16 with scope for the longer ones
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Depends where you shoot.

Around here guns are expected to stay in the same configuration from start to finish.
 
I am seeing for a 55gr that the muzzle loss from a 20" (3,150 fps) to a 14.5" (2,920 fps) barrel is 270 fps; an 8% decrease in performance. I'm too lazy right now to run through the ballistic calculator, but I am thinking that 8% could suck if it were a really windy day, shooting .223 on a windy day sucks anyway, but, for most conditions, it would be not bad. And yeah, if I go south, I'd pin and weld.
 
stinson said:
I have a 10.5 and a 16 upper. Do the rules allow you to swap uppers between stages (or rifles for that matter) without approval from the MD? Shorty with a red dot for short range stages and the 16 with scope for the longer ones
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Generally not. In some, switching the RDS for a magnified optic would also change the division you are competing in.
 
Sqr said:
A what?
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I may be using the wrong term, but something along the lines of a trade embargo/banned for import in the US. Norinco got caught selling guns to gangsters way back when and because of that, you cannot bring anything Norinco into the USA.
 
Trade disputes with the United States

In 1993, the import of most Norinco firearms and ammunition into the United States was blocked under new trade rules when China's permanent normal trade relations status was renewed. The prohibition did not apply to sporting shotguns or shotgun ammunition however. In 1994, U.S. Customs agents conducted a sting against Atlanta based importers of Norinco firearms.[8]

In August 2003, the Bush Administration imposed sanctions on Norinco for allegedly selling missile-related goods to Iran.[9] These sanctions led to a prohibition on imports into the US of the remaining types of firearms and ammunition not covered by the 1993 ban.[10][11]

copied from Wikipedia
 
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