Barrel length ?

[Arokcrwlr]

If all of my shooter sixguns have barrels between 5.5" - 7.5", will I be disappointed with a sixgun with a 4.75" barrel?

I am thinking of dropping some significant coin on a custom in 454 Casull - will the short barrel be a detriment for a hunting sixgun?

 

[Bucks Owin]

Gonna lose some velocity with that caliber I'd imagine, but then it has plenty to spare....JMO :wink: If YOU like it, buy it! Bet you'll recover your coin if it doesn't suit you, plenty of folks love that length it seems...

 

[Don Lovel]

you know, I would think that for a 454 Casull, you would need to be developing loads that work well in the shorter barrel, less muzzle flash from unburned powder would be desireable
but you will know full well your gun is stout enough to handle very hot 45 Colt loadings

 

[GhosT]

Arokcrwlr,

3/4" barrel difference?(between shortest till now)

Ya know damn well ...teasing us...lol
FREEDOM ARMS?....Just a first guess.

Ya gotta detail the gun ,before ask our opinions!

 

[maxpress]

IMHO a hot 45 or 44mag will kill just as well close as a 454. Theres only so much tissue to go through. A 454 just gives the same killing power at greater range. That being said I dont really see to much sense in going short on a longer range handgun round.
I know the alaskan is out there but the velocity drop brings you right back to what a 4" Redhawk will do. I have never seen chrono records on a 4 3/4 but i bet there not much under a 5.5.
But hey, whatever tickles your fanny. just because i wouldnt buy one dosnt mean it wont be usefull or fun for you.

 

[Axehandle]

All I can say is, "Buy it as cheap as you can." That way I can gleefully take it off your hands if you don't like it!

 

[flatgate]

will the short barrel be a detriment for a hunting sixgun?

A longer sight radius is beneficial when taking shots at non "close range" targets.

I'd vote for 6" to 7-1/2" barrels on a hunting revolver.

JMHO,

flatgate

 

[Axehandle]

Exactly why I have 4, 4,25, 6, 7.5 and 10 inch FAs!
Short for carry, long for shooting!

 

[arrowhd]

A longer sight radius is beneficial when taking shots at non "close range" targets.

I'd vote for 6" to 7-1/2" barrels on a hunting revolver.

+1. I was thinking the same thing.

 

[CraigC]

I like shorter barrels and find that I actually shoot them better than longer ones, for whatever reason. As far as velocity, your 4¾" FA will probably shoot faster than a comparable 5½" Ruger with the same loads, due to the minimal barrel/cylinder gap, perfect chamber/bore alignment and premium quality bore.

 

[Arokcrwlr]

Haha, you guys are good - yes, it is a FA. My local fun shop has one for a decent price.

After thinking about it and reading the responses here, I think I will pass on it and find one with a longer barrel.

Thanks to all.

 

[EarlFH]

The only other thing I can think of, is make sure that the state that you are going to be hunting in, allows that short of a barrel. Some require a minimum of 6", for hunting.

EarlFH

 

[Tommy Kelly]

I like the short bbl's the sights are clearer closer together. I have 2 rugers I have cut off from 7 1/2 one is to my favorite length 4 5/8 the other I left at 5" because that's as far back as I could go and stay out of the warning on the side of the bbl. I don't care for the warning but dont want part of it missing and the rest there. I have a 454 alaskan and it's a great shooting gun I can hit a 6" spot at 65 yds with the short bbl. Not bad for a old man.

 

[Short Barrel]

Most of my hunting guns are 4"-4 3/4".I have some 3" and my longest is 5.5"

My FA .454 is 4 3/4".I don't feel handicapped a bit.Some of my shorter guns are the most accurate and I took a moose at 65 yds and a bull elk at 75 yds with a 4" .45 Colt so I just can't imagine a problem with a 4 3/4" .454.

 

[Short Barrel]

Here is my 4 3/4" .454.Long or short,shoot the one you like.Dead game can't tell the difference.

 

[Ale-8(1)]

I'll likely never have a FA revolver, but I think if I wuz gonna spend that kinda money on such a fine gun in the .454 chambering, it would have a long barrel to get all the goody out of the chambering.

Nothing wrong with the "shorties" . . . just an observation.

JMHO

 

[CraigC]

I've had the hots for a 4¾" FA for quite some time because of a couple that have been featured in several of John Taffin's articles. Don't care what it chambers, could be a .44Mag, .45Colt, .454Casull, .475Linebaugh or .500WE. Something about the short barrelled, stainless FA with ivory micarta trips my trigger.

http://www.sixguns.com/show/index.html

 

[maxpress]

Here is my 4 3/4" .454.Long or short,shoot the one you like.Dead game can't tell the difference.

Very nice looking gun.
Out of curiosity, do you have any chrono tests. Im just curious.

 

[Bucks Owin]

OOOOOOH Craig! A .500 WE no less! I'm envious! :shock:
(Where's the "drooling emoticon"? )

 

[flatgate]

I've had the hots for a 4¾" FA for quite some time

My "wife's" F.A. is just that. I don't think the .454 cylinder's had 50 rounds through it but the .45 Colt cylinder, loaded with "Ruger Only" 335 gr. LBT style bullets and a good dose of WW-296 is one heck of a "tack driver".



flatgate

 

[MADISON]

It is a fact that with every inch you are short, you loose either
30 feet per inch or if the manufacturer use the other then you
loose 75 feet per inch.

 

[paul105]

Barrel length, like everything else about a handgun is a very personal thing. I happen to prefer short to mid length barreled handguns (3” to 6 ½”) although I have and shoot both shorter and longer. I have a 3 ½”, round butt FA97 “Belly Gun” in .45 Colt that is surprisingly easy to shoot accurately and handles recoil very well.

Regarding velocity loss, here are some velocity comparisons using the same load of H110 under a 315gr SWGC in 1x fired starline cases all seated to the same OAL. Ambient air temp was 60def F (plus or minus a couple of deg). The chrono was 5 paces from the muzzle. These are three different guns, so there are sure to be some differences (the 6” FA83 has always seemed a bit “fast” when compared to book loads), but with heavy for caliber bullets, I doubt velocity differences would be much of a consideration (sight radius probably, velocity not so much)

6” FA83 (w/.45 Colt cyl) ---- 1,220 fps
4 ¼” FA97 .45 Colt ---------- 1,132 fps
3 ½” FA97 .45 Colt ---------- 1,130 fps

Here's a picture of the "Belly Gun"

 

[Bucks Owin]

That's why the .45 LC is a better choice for a belly gun length barrel than a .44 mag...JMO :wink:

 

[Tommy Kelly]

I suggest you find someone that has both short and long bbled guns and try both with the same ammo and the same day. and see which you like the best and shoot the best. I have always shot the shorter bbl's better. Probably because of my bad eyes. The closer the sights the better for me to focus on both and get the clearest sight picture. I shoot the 7.5" guns ok but do better with a 4 5/8" for group size. I could hunt with either but prefer the shorter ones. Whatever works best for you is what you should get.

 

[Arokcrwlr]

I want back to the shop to take another look and handle the FA. I have decided to pass on the gun - not as much due to the barrel length, but it does not have an adjustable rear sight which is a requirement.

 

[Short Barrel]

"Very nice looking gun.
Out of curiosity, do you have any chrono tests. Im just curious."

Maxpress,I have not.I would like to do that some day with several of my shorter barreled guns.

Paul 105,that's great information.You hear a lot of talk about velocity loss in shorter barrel lengths but rarely any real testing to back it up.In dividual guns will vary also but 3 FA guns is a very good comparison.Those guns are built with such tight cylinder gaps and chamber dimensions that I would expect more uniform results than from most factory guns.That 315 gr bullet going out of your 3 1/2" at 1130 fps would take any game on this continent.90 fps difference from 6" to 3 1/2",like I say, the game can't feel the difference.I like that 3 1/2" '97- a lot.

Thanks for the great information.