Barrel length for spring rifles.

[slugger]

yes short barrels can make the required power and accuracy...... but..i 'think' that longer barrels are more forgiving of variances like pellet fit and weight.
i believe that a longer barrel does the job of a short one PLUS the last few inches are for calming [via friction] the pellets,
for example [and this is just made up waffle to highlight my thoughts] say you need 6" of barrel length in 177 to get the required spin/accuracy and power..going shorter drastically loses power and accuracy........ now then, if you have a 10 " barrel then the last 4" are to utilise the lower [steadyer] pressure of air [piston has pretty much finished moving by now] to calm the pellet before release, meaning less fluctuation between pellets [variances in tightness/release point etc] which in turn increases accuracy imho

[bigtoe01]

12 to 16 inches I feel is best, around 38 to 40cc of air, around 80mm stroke give or take... I chopped a 35 barrel down a few yrs back from 19 inches to under 10 and ruined it, however i did do it in 1 inch sections as i was curious and found 16 was more powerful than 19, around 14 it lost around 1/4fpe, 12 inches 1/2fpe (which is easy to gain back) at 10 it lost around 1fpe and under 10 (seem to remember it was 8 inches but can't be sure now) it lost near 2fpe....i ended up buying a new barrel...pretty stupid as it was my first ever gun.

Some of my most accurate HW springers have been 19inch barrels shortened to 14 > 16inches, i have a 77 that was chopped to K length and its stunningly accurate.

For a .22 I would probably go to 14 inches, add a shroud that overhangs 2 inches with a few baffles inside and finishes around 4 inches from the breech with a feathered taper...a .177 may need a bit more weight so a little longer. (20mm od) and maybe more efficient with a barrel 16inches long.

[Shed tuner]

12 to 16 inches I feel is best

Great minds

All this consensus is boring, lets have a fight

[Weasle]

Thanks for all the comments chaps. The subject of chokes is very intertesting. I thought I read somewhere that Venom used to chop barrels and remove chokes. After all if you are going to chop a barrel already set in a breech it has to be at the muzzle end really doesn't it?

Nick, I thought that venom used to sometimes reduce the barrel length (if it was a good HW barrel) by reducing from the breach, thus retaining the factory choke - however I also believe that Lowther Walther barrels were sometimes mounted in the original HW breach on other commissioned projects.

When pioneering design, many things are done.

Cheers

Steve

[Rapidnick]

Nick, I thought that venom used to sometimes reduce the barrel length (if it was a good HW barrel) by reducing from the breach, thus retaining the factory choke - however I also believe that Lowther Walther barrels were sometimes mounted in the original HW breach on other commissioned projects.

When pioneering design, many things are done.

Cheers

Steve

My understanding was that Venom/V Mach -and SFS for that matter- shorten the barrels from the muzzle end thus unavoidably removing the choke. Shortening an HW barrel from the breech end strikes me as being an incredibly difficult task but what do I know? Perhaps someone from one of those could come on and tell us?

[evert]

How are the facts regarding barrel volume VS shotcycle? I would think that a longer barrel gives a longer lasting cushioning effect for the piston?

[webb22]

I know that you said no FAC sir, but my Venom 80 has been chopped at the muzzle. In fact , I was told that it's the first thing they did at Venom, was to remove the chokes. I always thought that it would ruin the accuracy, but I can assure you it doesn't. By the by, I've just got back a chopped down and shrouded barrel from vmach, again removing the choke, so once I get some range time, I'll let you know if it's an improvement from its original state, pre- chop...

P.s. 12" is more than enough in a springer IMO

[Shed tuner]

How are the facts regarding barrel volume VS shotcycle? I would think that a longer barrel gives a longer lasting cushioning effect for the piston?

Up to a point it does (second fwd stroke), but once it gets too long, the volume dictates the pressure drops too low to dampen...

[Rapidnick]

I know that you said no FAC sir, but my Venom 80 has been chopped at the muzzle. In fact , I was told that it's the first thing they did at Venom, was to remove the chokes. I always thought that it would ruin the accuracy, but I can assure you it doesn't. By the by, I've just got back a chopped down and shrouded barrel from vmach, again removing the choke, so once I get some range time, I'll let you know if it's an improvement from its original state, pre- chop...

P.s. 12" is more than enough in a springer IMO

My understanding too. I doubt that it will be better than pre-chop but providing it isn't worse then you should be content.

[bigtoe01]

Note sure if you guys have seen this... http://www.sportwaffen-schneider.de/...ducts_id/21791

Thats a 16inch screw cut HW35 barrel, I have one here, i swapped it onto a standard 19inch action and compared like for like, i found the choke less tight, the barrel was accurate with a greater range of pellets and with the choke being less tight it produced more power (plus it was shorter)
Read a few places the crimped end of a HW barrel makes the choke tighter to the top..so inconsistent...the screw cut ones just seem better to me.

[Tron]

As rapidnick said the Fenman was a delight to shoot, it was also fitted with a moderator which made it into a carbine length gun easy to cock and a very fast lock time, Wish I still had mine.

[transporter]

Didn't one of Theoben's break barrel rifles have a 7 inch barrel? Bet that was a bitch to use

In .22 they're quite good but .177 they're harsh but keep them at 11 FTP they're very good
Cheers Ray