Question I have not seen yet

kodiak61

kodiak61

New member
Barrel length and thickness.

Most manufactures producing a "predator rifle" offer it with a 20" bull barrel. Except the R15 which is a mid length gas blocked 18" semi fluted heavy barrel.

Yet some guys here on this forum and others use 22" and even 24" barrels for their predator rifles.

I have even seen a couple guys using a standard GI 16" on their off the rack AR.

My question is one of accuracy and purpose. Assuming these things, talented shooter, correct reloaded ammunition for that barrels twist rate and excellent optics...

What is the reason for all the differences in barrels?
And not to say which is the best but what is the reason for the differences?

So if I was building another coyote rifle, what differences could I expect if I requested an 18" Heavy barrel vs an 18" fluted bull?

Is it an 1/2"? 4"? What is the realistic difference?

Why should I add the extra weight to my rifle and go with a 24" fluted bull if I'm only losing a 1/2" of MOA going with a 16" heavy?

If this is a dumb question and has been answered before 1000x then MODS/ADMINS please delete this after I have been properly ridiculed by those in the know. If not then can someone please explain to me the differences in barrel length, barrel size and how it relates to accuracy?

Thanks in advance
 
I wouldn't assume a heavier contour barrel to be more accurate as this if often not the case, however the heavier contour barrels do not heat heat up as quick (they also cool down slower). If you are setting up and shooting a lot of rounds they heavier contours may be advantageous, if your shooting a few rounds here and a few rounds there your probably just carrying a lot of extra weight. A good quality HBar will shoot with about anything. I often see on this forum (as well as others) people who start with a Varmint countour after a while are looking for something a little lighter after living with it for a spell.
 
I have had the 16,18,20 and i now have a 16in armalite with a match barrel. It will shoot 1/2 moa and has done it several times. It the most accurate AR out of the others i have had. But it also has the match barrel on it to. but i say the advice above is very good advice. All the ARs i have had have been MOA rifles 1 inch and under so accuracy is not effected between the three from what i have noticed. Just weight difference. But if you was PD shooting then i would want the heavy barrel for heat reasons. The longer barrel may give you a tad more vol but from what i understand the 223 reaches full vol in the 16 inch barrel. I sure love my 16 in easyer to handle easyer to swing. You can get it in and out of the truck with out beating the [beeep] out of everything inside. And it not as heavy when you carry it all day. I think the heavyer barrel rifles are a little more stable when shooting off the bench as well.
 
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I have the R-15 VTR Predator with 22 inch barrel and to me it is alot more stable then the 18 inch they have , there wasnt much weight dif. between the 2 ,so i went with the one that fit me better and it will have a little more vol. then the 18 but like the others said it is all in what you plan on doing with it.
 
I think it probably depends on your hunting style. I tried to build up the lightest one I could as I do a lot of hiking or snowshoeing and I don't want a 11 pounder for that. It is a 16 in lightweight barrel and I don't plan on sustained fire. Still working up loads so can't confirm accuracy yet.
 
Often times shorter barrels will deliver tighter groups but they always suffer from the velocity drop so a close range 250 yd max shooter will likely prefer a 16" barrel where as the long range hunter will likely prefer a longer 20"-24" barrel for the velocity gains.

I had a 14.5" Bushy before as well and the accuracy was excellent and the gun was great to carry but when you shoot the short barrels AR's the blast is unbelievably loud, with a 20" barrel it is much more livable.

So in closing it is important to purchase several AR's so you have one that is best for every situation
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It's a disease, how many AR guys do you know that just have one
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Personal preference. Some like the 16" flamethrowers and some like 20, 22 or 24 inch barrels for one reson or another. How it shoots is one reason, but most AR's will shoot better than the people shooting them. Many people choose a 16" barrel because it is easy is carry and shoot quickly. Other like the longer barrels for the added stability that the longer barrrel gives you. Like Turbo said above it's a disease. Pick your poison.


blacksheep
 
Originally Posted By: TURBO6046
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It's a disease, how many AR guys do you know that just have one
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i only have one...
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....FOR NOW!!!!!
 
Going from a 24 inch barrel to a 16 inch barrel will most definitely cost you substantial velocity loss. It will not matter to whatever you shoot with it but its there. I went from a 24 to a 20inch and lost 200fps but that does not mean you will lose 400fps in a 16 inch but you could. All guns and loads will vary.
A barrel will shoot or it won't length is not necessarily that important in the accuracy dept.
 
Good info so far and I appreciate it.

I "think" I'm going to go with a 16" heavy barrel on my next coyote rig.

I currently have a 20" Shilen that Voldemort (He who shall not be named -DC-) made for me. It's fluted and light weight and very accurate, but like everyone I cant leave well enough alone and want to try to make a nice accurate AR even lighter.

Typically my shots are under 300 yards so I think that I will still have good enough velocity to do what's need with the shorter barrel. I will still have my 20" rifle so if I come upon country where I think I may be taking pokes out there a little longer I may just use that rifle.

Thanks again,
 
All else being equal, a shorter, fatter barrel will be more accurate than a longer, skinnier barrel. A shorter barrel will be louder and slower than a longer barrel. Overall balance of the rifle will be impacted by both barrel length and diameter.

I have a 16" carbine, but my 'yote rifle wears a standard contour 20" and my PD rifle wears a heavy 24". My competition rifle has a heavier 26". The extra 4" of barrel between the carbine and the 'yote rifle doesn't add that much weight, but helps stability and balance while adding a few fps. My PD rifle's 24" heavy add stability off the rest, more fps and better heating/cooling for extended shooting where the 'yote rifle doesn't get shot but once or twice at a time. The PD rifle doesn't get carried far, so the weight is not a factor. You certainly don't want to carry the comp rifle with its 26" very heavy barrel, but when I shoot offhand with it, it sure sits steady.

Barrel choice is a series of tradeoffs. Pick what works for your application and style of hunting.

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Fast Ed
 
Andrew,
The variety of barrels is because of personal preference and application.

Difference in 18" heavy vs 18" Bull is just weight, no significant accuracy or velocity differences. My opinion the heavy barrels balance better when shooting off hand and unconventional positions.

1/2" or 4"? if your talking about accuracy potential, there is nothing to do with the contour of the barrel, its about your concentricity of your chamber to the bore, crown and load development.

You won't necessarily lose any accuracy due to barrel length, only velocity. Some people think velocity has to do with accuracy, which it does not. Match your bullet to your barrel twist and find your optimum velocity for that combination.

Got any other questions, give me a call at the shop.
Scott
 
All things being equal barrel length does not affect accuracy. If you want to shoot long distances with long bullets like 77 grain or 90 grain Sierra HPBT you might look at a barrel with 7" twist rate. At the other end of the spectrum are small, high velocity bullets like 36 grain varmint grenades that shoot well from 9" and higher twist rate barrel.
9th
 
Seriously, unless you're trying to hit small targets at 400+ yards, or shooting a long string of rapid-fire shots, a bull barrel isn't any advantage (and yes, I own one).

For predator hunting, where you'll shoot 2 or 3 shots, you would be better off with a light contour, quality barrel and finding a load it shoots well.

I built my rifle as a dual-purpose compromise. I had D-Tech flute a 20" bull barrel to knock off all the weight I could, and it's still accurate and heavy enough to P-dog with without getting hot too quickly. It's fairly heavy, but I can hump it between stands without permanent neck injury, so I'm good with it.
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If I wanted one just for coyotes and cats out to 200 yards or so, I would go a lighter profile.

I'd say pick a good quaility non-chrome lined barrel, use a free-float tube, and get a good trigger and optics and you'll have a setup to be successful inside 200 yards or so.

I might beat you punching paper off a bench, but probably not by enough to practically matter.


 
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I have a 16 inch HBar and 20 inch HBar .223Rem. Up to a 250 yds shot there is not much of a difference in the two. Once you get to the 300 yd line, the longer barrel keeps the better grouping but both will still kill a coyote or larger.

FYI: 300 is my limit to shoot. 16 inch was my choice for lighter weight and a smaller package with the collapsable stock.
 
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I went from my 20" DPMS Panther Heavy Barrel to my 18" R15 and haven't looked back. To me, for the sport at hand, the extra weight saved is worth much more than the "potential" accuracy or velocity that I might gain. I have no problem grouping my R15 at 2.5" at 300 yards, making it a sub MOA gun that is a joy to carry for miles a day. While my DPMS was a tack driver, and slightly more accurate(on paper groupings), it was a burden on the shoulder after even one or two stands. I love the way the 18" balances and moves quickly to pick up targets when I need it to.
 
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Much of this has been said, but the heavier bull barrels are more heat related than accuracy. If you are planning to use it prairie dogging and send 300 rds a day downrange then you will appreciate that bull barrel. For predator hunting where you might not shoot at all but hike several miles, then the lighter profile will be best.

Length seems to be a matter of preference. I'm in the middle of a build and started out wanting a 22-24 inch barrel for a pd gun. After doing a lot of research I changed my mind and am now going with an 18 inch Noveske barrel. The velocity gains of increasing barrel length on a 223 after 20 inches is really negligible.

There are people that will say another 150 fps is important, but to me it's not worth the extra weight and bulk. And the accuracy from a good 18 inch won't be outshot by a longer barrel in the field.
 
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