Savage.223...longer or shorter barrel?

[hitch.bd]

Is there much benefit in the extra barrel legnth? I see the model 10 has the 20" barrel and the model 12 has the 28" barrel (I think). Aside from stabalizing the bullet for flight isn't the barrel just a place to burn as much of the powder as possible? In a case as small as the .223 is the extra barrel really productive?
Lets hear your thoughts

 

[Mystic Precision]

Not a huge difference in speed. Each barrel has its own accurate velocity and you could get a fast short barrel and a slow long barrel so their final speeds are very similar.

However, the rule of thumb is all things being equal, a longer barrel will offer more muzzle velocity vs a shorter barrel. 28" is about all the length this case size can use.

But all things are rarely equal...

Jerry

 

[bulldog284]

mystic

i agree with you on the 223 with lighter bullets but how about with the 90 grainers??for competition

 

[Mystic Precision]

I will be running a 28" Shilen for my F TR and 90gr Bergers.

I have used 30" barrels and much shorter. didn't seem to change all that much.

Jerry

 

[bulldog284]

thanks jerry

 

[mpwolf]

I wonder if you might get better sd's w/ a longer tube?

 

[Trevor60]

The concensus is Longer tubes lower SD. Longer Barrels will allow for a more complete burning of all powder.

As to barrel length for 223 Jerry Tierney has conducted extensive testing on the 223 and here is his publishings on the 3 barrel lengths

Summary after cutting barrel from 32” to 30” and to 28”
19 five shot groups for each length.

MV average
32” --------- 30” ---------28”
2989 ------- 2983 ------- 2963

ES average
32” --------- 30” ---------28”
25 ---------- 23 ---------- 30

Group size average
32” --------- 30” ---------28”
0.539” ----- 0.501” ----- 0.502”

Thanks goes out to Mr. Tierney for all his hard work

Trevor

 

[hitch.bd]

Thanks for your input guys. This has been helpful.
regards, Hitch