Velocity difference with shorter barrel? (10/22)

[evan the cdn]

How much slower would the bullet be traveling with a 2" decrease in barrel length? I'm considering the 10/22 compact version for "packability" but I don't want to give up too much in performance. The compact barrel is 16-1/8" versus the 18-1/2" on the standard.

 

[brotherjack]

You should see approximately zero velocity drop for the shorter barrel. Tests have been done -- the vast majority of 22 ammo has burned all the powder by the 16 inch mark, and anything after that yields zero velocity increase.

Also, I have a 10/22 CRR and a chrony (with a 16 inch GM barrel on it). I get approximately the same velocities out of the 16 inch barrel as I do out of the 24 inch barrel on my CZ.

 

[JohnC]

i've read that 14 inches is where maximum velocity is reached.

 

[cz452shooter]

As others mentioned, you will actually probabably see a slight increace in velocity when going from about 18" to 16". Nothing to be worried about!

 

[Power Pill]

damn, guess my 10 inch barrel isn't making the cut

 

[savage_shooter]

you loose 100fps per inch

 

[Juster]

you loose 100fps per inch

So you get negative velocity at 3". You will see a velocity increase as you approach about 16".
More accuracy too, less flexibility.

 

[Geoff B]

Barrel length vs FPS

I tried several brands of .22 LR in a rifle with 18" barrel and a Ruger MKII with 5 1/2" barrel and the difference was no more than 100 FPS.

 

[cyclone]

I still want to know why CB Longs seem to "hit harder" out of a longer barrel.

I've used the longer-barrelled Rem 512 and 552, and the "shorter" barrelled Cooey 39 and Savage 3b, and each time the CB Long hits with "more authority" (i.e. deeper penetration) into the target medium).

Oh well...

 

[Eagleye]

I still want to know why CB Longs seem to "hit harder" out of a longer barrel.

I've used the longer-barrelled Rem 512 and 552, and the "shorter" barrelled Cooey 39 and Savage 3b, and each time the CB Long hits with "more authority" (i.e. deeper penetration) into the target medium).

Oh well...

In fact, you may be reading it right....just not realizing what causes the difference in penetration. Since the faster bullet tends to distort a bit more when it hits, it may actually penetrate LESS than the slightly slower slug that stays in relatively perfect shape. This would verify that, in fact, the longer barrel was sending those bullets out a bit slower than was the shorter barrel. Regards, Eagleye.

 

[SCDL]

The only factory bull barrel models that Ruger sells seem to be 20".

 

[cyclone]

In fact, you may be reading it right....just not realizing what causes the difference in penetration. Since the faster bullet tends to distort a bit more when it hits, it may actually penetrate LESS than the slightly slower slug that stays in relatively perfect shape. This would verify that, in fact, the longer barrel was sending those bullets out a bit slower than was the shorter barrel. Regards, Eagleye.

That actualy makes a lot of sense - thank you very much!

 

[notsorichguy]

I read somewhere that Olympic open site shooters are going with a 14" barrel with a 6" "tube" on the end of the barrel for a longer sight radius, apparently a 14" barrel is all you need to reach stability, consistantcy & veocity..... the extra tube is to increase accuracy. This is of course with a low velocity target round.

I have also read that the HV .22 (in the 1100+ fps range) starts to slow down in a barrel over 16" in length. So it stands to reason that your velocity should increase going from a 18" to a 16" barrel just like Eagleye stated.

I can't remeber where I found this info....... I just filed it away under "Huh!... no kiddin..."

Cheers

 

[evan the cdn]

I picked up a 10/22 Compact yesterday so I'll have to see what kind of accuracy I can get out of it.

 

[Suputin]

I still want to know why CB Longs seem to "hit harder" out of a longer barrel.

I've used the longer-barrelled Rem 512 and 552, and the "shorter" barrelled Cooey 39 and Savage 3b, and each time the CB Long hits with "more authority" (i.e. deeper penetration) into the target medium).

Penetration and "hitting harder" are not the same thing. If you look up Hatcher's Notebook, he found that 30-06 bullets penetrate more deeply in sand at 600 yds than they do at 100 yds.

Mark White (Sound Technology) did a velocity test for .22 rimfire but cutting two inches off a barrel and then firing over a chronograph. The test went from 18" to 2". He found that the most efficient barrel length was roughly 12 inches. Above that, velocities changed very little.

 

[BabySeal]

I have never done any scientific testing. But I dont notce any chainge in point of impact when I shoot a factory barrel length and then my 8".

I am just using an eotech so I dont expect sub moa results.

But I think that you should find you will be happy with whatever barrel length you get your hands on.