Thanks for all your comments on my last post, "$1000 for a new 22 rifle". Your inputs were very helpful and gave me a lot to think about. I enjoy researching things and your ideas gave me a lot to look into on the old interweb. Now for my bext question, as I move forward on my 22 project, do you recommend a 18 inch bull barrel or a 20 inch bull barrel. I have read some about accuracy versus velocity and such. Give me your preference and why. Thanks Q
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18 versus 20 inch barrel on 22LR
- Thread starter Quick1
- Start date
Brian Pfleuger
Moderator Emeritus
The difference in accuracy and velocity will be irrelevant.
No difference in accuracy at all. Velocity difference, depends on ammo. 20" may be anything from slightly slower to slightly faster.
Given variances in barrel dimensions, those numbers are only relevant for the same barrel cut to different lengths. Any given 18" barrel might be faster than a 20" or slower than another 18. Generally speaking, 22 LR actually starts to LOSE speed somewhere between 16 and 18".
No difference in accuracy at all. Velocity difference, depends on ammo. 20" may be anything from slightly slower to slightly faster.
Given variances in barrel dimensions, those numbers are only relevant for the same barrel cut to different lengths. Any given 18" barrel might be faster than a 20" or slower than another 18. Generally speaking, 22 LR actually starts to LOSE speed somewhere between 16 and 18".
My two favorite rifles are CZs with barrels of 27 and 28.5 respectively.
If a 22lr is done accelerating at 13 inches, it seems I have well more than a foot of in barrel deceleration. While they may provide lower muzzle velocity, they also may provide more consistent velocity.
At 100m, their groups are much less tall than any of my other 22lr.
The red part above is just a guess; I haven't chronographed them.
If a 22lr is done accelerating at 13 inches, it seems I have well more than a foot of in barrel deceleration. While they may provide lower muzzle velocity, they also may provide more consistent velocity.
At 100m, their groups are much less tall than any of my other 22lr.
The red part above is just a guess; I haven't chronographed them.
Two inches of barrel isn't enough to have much of an effect on speed or accuracy. Once you start talking about 6" or more then it might make a difference. Between 18-20" I'd buy the one that looked and balanced best and not worry about the rest. That would be 18" for me. But some like them longer or shorter.
There have been some tests showing extremely long 22 RF barrels do in fact lose some speed compared to more moderate lengths. The only advantage anything over 20" offers is a longer sight radius when using iron sights.
There have been some tests showing extremely long 22 RF barrels do in fact lose some speed compared to more moderate lengths. The only advantage anything over 20" offers is a longer sight radius when using iron sights.