Barrel shortening help

[Ulverston]

Hi,
I was wondering would shortening the barrel of a webley tracker (or any older air rifle, meteor etc) cause a drop in power? I dont think these older barrels would have a choke on them? According to Cardew the pellet actually starts to slow before it exits the barrel so I cant see how shortening a barrel would cause a drop in power-anyone ever done this?
Thanks in advance.

[DCL_dave]

Hi,

If you search on youtube, there is a guide on barrel shortening, re-crowning, etc...don't know if it'll affect power/accuracy that much though, guess it depends on how well it's done...

Hope you don't mind me asking but why shorten the Tracker's barrel?...it's already quite short, isn't it?

[johnbaz]

i don't think you'll notice a drop with a springer but with pre charged or Co2, the longer the barrel, the more power up to a certain length (summat like six feet)



john

[Ulverston]

Hi,
thanks chaps-I was hoping to imitate the tracker-sorry just wrote it wrong! Ive had a look at the vid on youtube-very good indeed....now wheres that hacksaw...

[mrquiver]

There is an article in airgunner, August 1996 which explains it very well, although i've never tried it.
Worth a read, i'm no way computer literate enough to scan & email it but maybe someone on here who has a copy is?
Or you could borrow my copy if you really want to read it.

[Ulverston]

Its very decent of you mrquiver! I will try and buy a copy on fleabay thanks anyway. I intend to practise on a cheap non working rifle first so nothing will get too damaged,

[ronan]

12 in is the max you can go bud use a pipe cutter to start with then finish with the junior hack saw file flat get a ball bearing put it behind a bit of wet and dry push in to the bore and rotate you will get a perfect crown dont forget to ream taper the transfer hole as well more power for less spring better air flow hope it helps

[Ulverston]

Thanks for that Ronan! I would never have thought of a ball bearing in a million years!

[greasemonkey]

hi ,took my old meteor down to 12inches without any loss of power when i was rejuvenating it for my son so it was not over long with a moderator..cheers ..greasemonkey

[Ulverston]

Greasemonkey-how did you fit a silencer after cutting it? Did you turn it down on a lathe?

[greasemonkey]

hi ulverstone, i made an adapter by screwcutting a 1/2" unf male thread on one end of a short piece of brass bar then bored the other end to fit over the end of the barrel locked with a grub screw. i could have just screwcut the end of the barrel but my lathe skills are a bit rusty and if i had mullered the job the barrel would ended up even shorter!cheers .greasemonkey

[Artfull-Bodger]

having done tests on barrel lengths I would not go under 12" myself, you have to bear in mind how fast you accelerate the pellet, if you want to accelerate it up to say 560fps in a 3 inch barrel(for examples sake dont take that literally) for instance you need far more energy to do so than acclerating it in a 16" barrel, so achieving the same power you get a better firing cycle from a longer barrel!

you also get more muzzle flip in a springer as there is less weight at the front affecting accuracy!, if you want to experiment with that, zero your scope at say 30 yards then add a weight to the barrel and hey presto all of a sudden your shooting low!

so unless all your bothered about is how things look, then shortening barrels not really a good move!

[Ulverston]

I think your right 12" is plenty short enough for my needs. Its an aesthetic thing anyway, just need to find someone who can make me an air stripper!