Massively Heavy Barrel

Janvier said:
Other than mass issues, what would be the disadvantages of an excessively heavy barrel, if any?
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I assume you will be using the rifle for unlimited class bench competitions without weight restrictions. If that is so then you should have no disadvantages if you block bed the barrel and float the action.
 
Janvier said:
Other than mass issues, what would be the disadvantages of an excessively heavy barrel, if any?
Click to expand...

You stated the answer in your question...
... excessively heavy indicates it is too heavy.... :)

... it usually makes the balance of the rifle way off... so much so it is even off balance on sand bags. Weight may have to be added to the butt stock.

... it may be too large to fit into the stock...
 
Heavy barrels, whether they're on target rifles or varmint rifles, heat up more slowly and are stiffer than lighter barrels. Heavy barreled rifles are not made to lug around. Most of 'em are used with bipods or other solid rests. Even when hunting. However, like guntech says, if you think it's excessively heavy, it's just too heavy.
 
I got a 27" Shillen varmint 308 Barrel on my P14, but the barrel on my Mauser makes the Shillen look like a 22LR. .1260" at the action and slowly tapers to .960" at the muzzle, its 24" Stainless steel. Its massive and looks like a 338 barrel or heavier.
 
I guess I'm talking even more ridiculously heavy.. so something like a rifle permanently mounted to a bench rest at a range, that only vaguely resembles a rifle, and would have a total barrel diameter of say, 6 inches? Almost cannon-like, but not quite. I can only assume it would be a very solid object, which would theoretically translate to increased accuracy...?

Basically, at what point does it become "too heavy"? What are the effects (regardless of tactical considerations) of having a barrel that is "too heavy"?
 
I saw a Winchester Highwall at a gunshow a few years back, that had a 34 or 35 inch long, 2 inches across the flats, full octagonal barrel, in .22 long rifle.

It was a crowbar!

It had been barreled by Parker Hale, some time in the last century, to the owners requests.

Bloody heavy piece of kit.

I suppose that, for something like unlimited benchrest competitions, one could bore a hole through as big a piece of steel as could be found, and rifle it, but it would not be much good once worn a bit, or if it did not turn out perfect on the first attempt.

I am pretty sure that if there was anything to be gained that way, someone would be shooting such in competition.

But, if you want to lug it around...:D
 
Here is what you need

16/50 cal Mark 7

OAL : 20.73 m (breech face to muzzle)
Weight : 121,519 kg (including breech)
Twist : RH 1 in 25
Projectile Wt : 18900000 gr (1225 kg)
Powder Wt : 4620000 gr (300 kg)
Range : 38059 m

The nice thing about this puppy is that you can fire it from one range and hit targets at another range.

While normally used on Iowa class battleships, I am sure with a little determination it could be adapted to meet your requirements

And it's excessively heavy
 
Here is another one. This rifle weighs 70 lbs and some go well over 100.. Do very heavy barrels assist accuracy? You bet - SIZE DOES MATTER. This stock was carved from solid aluminium.
TooHeavy2.jpg
 
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Yes! That's the kind of thing I'm talking about. Though, I never would have thought any actually existed. Well I guess that answers my question.

Thinking about it though, it seems those kinds of rifles would eliminate a great deal of the human element of shooting. Besides reading a little wind, there's not much to do. It's almost like an engineering contest or something.
 
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