Forum rules
Welcome to the Leverguns.Com General Discussions Forum. This is a high-class place so act respectable. We discuss most anything here other than politics... politely.
Please post political post in the new Politics forum.
Guys, I have had Colt clones in 7 1/2 and 5 1/2-inch barrels, but have tended to avoid the 4 5/8 out of what I suspect is a fairly baseless prejudice that the short barrel is hardest to shoot straight. I know of course the intrinsic accuracy of a handgun has little to do with barrel length, but it does bear on practical accuracy in the hands of a so-so shooter with 70-year-old eyes --c'est moi!
Wondering if anyone here has sat down with the long and the short sixguns with loads for each known to be accurate in that individual pistol, and shot out to 75 or 100 yards. I would love to know your results.
Thinking .45 Colt, if that makes a bit of difference.
Probably won't help, but at one time had S&W 29's in 4, 6.5 and 8.375 in lengths and even with 44 special loads, the shorter barreled gun was just more obnoxious to shoot.
I have (and have had) .45 Colts in 4" ... 4 3/4" ... 5 1/2" .... 7 1/2" and 8" barrels. I have hunted with all lengths and taken game with them. I don't recall any significant difference between them.
These days? At 77 my eyes sure ain't what they used to be. But I am still shooting single actions of 8" barrel length and 7 1/2" and 6 1/2" and single actions of 4 5/8" barrel length and my accuracy is about as bad with one as with the other.
What makes a difference is how much time you spend on the trigger of the particular model. Just to visit with one barrel length one week and a different barrel length the next month does not help. Shooting every day with one particular gun .. or at least several times a week and dry firing every day with that gun ... is what really makes a difference. Spend 6 months shooting and dry firing that gun 5 days a week and you will find yourself shooting really well.
Back in more primitive times I carried a 4" service revolver, A Ruger security six, It was very accurate. I did notice the ringers in the police qualifying matchs all used 6" revolvers, So I suspect they felt it was an advantage. I never tried a 6" cause I was keeping up with them with the 4"
My usual pair of Colt SAAs both wear a 4-¾" bbl. I haven't shot at paper in the last 10 or 15 years... so I couldn't tell you. I do know that m7 7-½" Colt SAA is not any more accurate... I can tell you it punches smaller holes, only being a .357, vs. the pair of .45s!
Griff,
SASS/CMSA #93
NRA Patron
GUSA #93
There is a fine line between hobby & obsession! AND... I'm over it!!
No I ain't ready, but let's do it anyway!
Shorter barrels- rifle or pistol matters not are more stiff which means less harmonics to effect the barrel.
That being said , a 4⁵/⁸ 'should' be more accurate than a 7¹/².
What will change POI more is bullet weight. As we know heavier spends more time in the barrel than a light bullet. Is this really noticeable? Probably not at most pistol distances for most people.
My best shooting SA is a 4 5/8" Blackhawk, and I beat up plenty of steel at 100-200 yards back in the pre-fuzzy front sight days with a variety of 4" S&W's. Probably has a lot to do with the short guns being more likely to be out and about with you since they're handier to begin with.
I think there is something to the sight radius advantage of longer handguns. I shot a friends 10 inch barreled Mark II, and it was remarkable how easy were getting hits on pretty small targets beyond what most people call handgun ranges. while he was practiced at it, I was not although I have a 6 7/8 in Ruger pistol of my own. That said I think handguns should be somewhat handy. My Mark II seems a bit big to me now as does my six inch L frame. I tend to prefer 5.5 inch on single actions for looks, balance and size, although I like them all. Four inch is nice on my 45 double action and it is quite accurate. I prefer government model 1911s but I do like more compact autos too.
The average SAA pistol has pretty basic sights anyway, so I've never found much difference in various barrel lengths and accuracy. But handling is a larger concern for me, and I just find the shorter 5.5" and 4.75" barrels to be much more to my liking. I've only owned one Colt SAA with the longer barrel, and just didn't care for the balance, or the extra length for carrying.
For handling and packing the 4 3/4" ,but for all around use the 5 1/2" for me . Obviously the longer the sight radius the more accurate it will be .But your only talking couple inch variance.
I can shoot my Ruger single six in 4 5/8" just as accurate as my 6 1/2" Colt New Frontier offhand .
You wouldn't know the difference unless you used a ransom rest or something similier.
