Sounds like you may have already made up your mind.., which is good, because you're gonna get some differing opinions. I went 16, but only because it's just a tad easier to handle.

Then again.., a 20" puts you 4" closer to the target...

 

Sounds like you may have already made up your mind.., which is good, because you're gonna get some differing opinions. I went 16, but only because it's just a tad easier to handle.

Then again.., a 20" puts you 4" closer to the target...

Well I haven't decided so that is why I am asking people who have been around this track a few times.

I'll deal with the 'bother' of a longer barrel IF it has better performance on target. If it takes a NASA study, and they have not yet done so, to have some solid results on the 16 vs. 20 option then I'll just pick what goes best with my outfit. But I prefer some data/experience to go on.

 

16in will theoretically shoot better because of less barrel harmonics but a lot goes into play then you could shoot worse technically because the gun is swaying more on the bench because the gun weighs less

 

Honestly, in .22LR I don't think it makes any difference. Quality of the barrel is what counts. Pick the length that you like best.

 

Both of my 457 Varmint MTR's have the 20.5" barrel, they are super accurate if that helps you.

 

Split the difference at 18".

 

My experience only. I shot indoor position and outdoor prone matches from 1968 to 1978 in the master class with a custom Anschutz. I shot benchrest 50 yard ARA, 100 yard group matches and benchrest silhouette matches from 65 to 200 meters from 2004 to 2014 in the master class with another custom Anschutz. Every rifle I competed against from 1968 to 1978 was at least 24 inches more like 26 inches because all were either Anschutz, 40X or 52s. Every rifle I competed against that ever won from 2004 to 2014 was at least 24 inches and ,most 26 inches. From 2004 to 2014 I won about 60 t0 70 matches all with a 26 inch barrel. Some with and some without a tuner.

Now as already pointed out, "IF" everything else was equal, a 16 inch barrel of the same diameter as a 24 or 26 inch barrel will have less sag by it's own weight and should vibrate less in distance and "should" be more precise. But that's not the whole story. There is a theory and might just be true that longer barrels will drop the pressure as bullet exits the barrel causeing less blast disturbance than a short barrel with more pressure, greater blast, If you will ever go to a tuner, as most benchrest rifle do, a longer thiner barrel responds better to a tuner than a short thick one. My 26 inch barrel is a .910 cylinder and as such took alot to get the tuner to the correct settings. It still works because I shoot some ARA matches with and without the tuner and my scores averge 200 points better with the tuner, I own a 308 target rifle I shot in the master class that has a 26 inch straight taper from 1.25 to .75. I own a .221 fireball with a 26 inch barrel and am buliding a 6.5 Creemore with a 26 inch barrel. My 10/22 hunting rifle has a Ruger T barrel that is a straight at 20 inches, my benchrest 0/22 has a Lilja 21 .910 cylinder barrel. As you already said, a little loss in velocity in a long barrel may just pay dividends with less muzzle blast.

 

Longer barrels produce a lower SD in velocity in my experience, and for an iron sight match you have the benefit of a longer sight radius, and probably better weight distribution for offhand shooting.

I think you are correct about the lower gas pressure at the muzzle. Anschutz among others laps their barrels to create a bit of choke in the last inch or so of barrel to help ensure the bullet is in full contact with the bore and that the gasses exit evenly around the base of the bullet as it exits the muzzle to reduce yaw and subsequent precession. Less gas pressure means less disturbance of the bullet when there is in even flow of gas around the bullet at the muzzle due to the inconsistencies inherent in heel based bullets.

 

You absolutely will not lose any velocity in a 20” barrel compared to a 16” barrel. I keep hearing thst internet myth and thats all it is, at least with standard velocity or high velocity ammunition. It might be an issue with CB caps or possibly .22 Short, but both with anything larger than that.

I have chronogrpahed .22 LR ammo lots in barrels of 16”, 18”, 20” and 26” and the velocity continues to rise with barrel length- it just increases less per inch of extra barrel past about 16”.

I blame the ballistics by the inch folks as their sampling methods stink. They shoot just three rounds, but do it over two back to back chronographs to produce 6 data points. That low sample size combined with high standard deviation means that they get an average of 1185 at 16”, 1178 at 17” and 1181 at 18” (for 36 gr Remington) and conclude that the extra barrel either doesn’t increase velocity or slows the bullet down. They also don’t test past 18”.

The thing that is missed is that the standard deviations vary from 16 fps to 24 fps, while the difference between the average velocities in the 16”and 17” lengths and the 17” and 18” lengths is 7 fps and 4 fps respectively. That means there is no statistical difference in the velocities.

To get meaningful averages you need a sample size of about 30 at each barrel length. That larger sample size will produce a much lower and more accurate SD as well as a much more accurate average that is not depended on random chance.

The 40 gr CCI Mini-mag and 40 gr Super-X results are even less conclusive. The CCI 40 gr Mini Mag has differences in average velocities of 1 to 6 fps, with SDs of 16 to 27. The Super X shows an average of 1251 fps at 16”, 1227 at 17” and 1250 at 18”, with SDs of 18 to 26 fps.

It junk data leading to unsupported and misleading conclusions.

The BBTI raw data:

In my chronograph results using sample sizes of 30 (three strings of 10 shots each, I get much lower SDs (around 5 fps for match ammo) and I get much more robust average velocity numbers that are not skewed by outliers (which is also what having a reliable SD is all about).

There are variables in terms of bore differences, choke at the muzzle, etc that can affect velocities but when all of my numerous .22 LR rifles from 16” and 18” carbines, 20”, 22” and 24” rifles and 26” target rifles are considered, there are two distinct trends.

1) Average velocity continues to increase, albeit in smaller amounts per inch; and
2) Standard deviation is generally lower in longer barrels.

Both conclusions make sense as the bullet will continue to accelerate in the bore as long as the gas pressure behind the bullet is higher than dynamic air pressure in front of it, and longer barrels allow more time for any variation in powder burn and pressure to even out.

The choice really comes down to a shorter barrel that will be stiffer for a given weight and barrel diameter or a longer barrel that will offer slightly higher velocity (of minimal to no benefit in .22LR) and a lower SD (which is beneficial to accuracy, particularly at long range).

 

...
I blame the ballistics by the inch folks as their sampling methods stink.
...

Although my stat degree was a long time ago 'everybody' knows that sample size validity is directly impacted by population standard deviation.

Thanks for info!

 

16 vs 20? Imho, probably not too much discernible difference. Assuming everything else is equal. But that is never the case. A longer barrel is heavier, and that means it has more inertia, and that means any of those other multiple variables might have less negative effect. For me , longer barrel generally shoots better than shorter barrels. More weight , less twitch effect.

What you really want is a great barrel, whether its 16 inches or 24 inches , really doesnt matter as much as a tight chamber, clean leads , strong rifling , a late choke and a clean crown. Put that on a smooth action with a light crisp trigger,a good striker hit , in a stable stock, and you got it made👍

PS , my experience, anecdotal as it comes, is that from 16 to 24 the bullet speed does increase, but from 24 to 28 , it drops. This was discerned via Zeroing my guns at 50 yards , then shooting at 100 yards and noting the amount of bullet drop.

 

You might want to pose this question on both the "Benchrest" forums on this site, or in the Rimfire section on benchrest.com. While you may not be building or using a rifle for BR competition, these guys will have more expertise with respect to pure precision issues.

 

Just to add a tiny bit to long barrels versus short barrels.
In the original long Anschutz barrel a lot of Eley Match 1035 FPS SD 6.00 versus a 10/22 with a Lilja 21 inch barrel 1047 FPS SD 5.90. The sample size for this test wasn't large

In the Anschutz with the new 26 inch Shilen Octagon rifling barrel a different lot of Eley Match 1040 FPS SD 5.88 versus the same 10/22 Lilja 21 inch barrel 1041 FPS SD 7.78. That was at least 30 shots in each barrel.

My conclusion only. Does the rifling "type" have as much to do with the SD and velocity as the as the length. Why is the SD practically the same with the Anschutz original barrel and the Lilja barrel but the velocity is different? Yet with the Octagon rifling barrel, the SD is lower but the velocity is the same with both barrels. Does the fact that the rifling in the Shilen is 8 little speed bumps verses the Lilja with 4 square lands and grooves affect what we see.

I'll admit this is only two small tests but the results are so different between the barrel rifling types that maybe we don't know all the answers.

All tests are done with a CED MII chronograph set 10 feet from the muzzle.

 

Can't add anything to all of the dynamics being discussed here but reading on the Kidd website, he describes his 20" Heavy Match barrel as being the most accurate.

 

For me, it has to be a 20" or 24" Bull barrel! I see a lot of them ARA guys with 24" Shilen, barrels, them old guys must know something!
I have
20" KIDD
20" Lilja
24" CZ 457 VPT
24" CZ 457 American X2ea (Oaky they are thin barrels) but still very accurate!

 

For general target use I'd much rather have a 20" barrel vs 16". I like the extra weight, I like how they shoot, and I like how they look. I think I have one rifle (10/22 with Kidd ULW barrel) with a 16" barrel and it's fine because I like the that's it's fairly light weight but all my bolt actions are at least 20" with the exception of the 1416 AV

 

My conclusion (good for today only) is to pick the 16" barrel. I will not be going down the precision shooting rabbit-hole far enough and also not willing to buy $$$ ammo to see the potential advantages of 20".

THANKS ALL! VG info here!

 

I wouldn't buy a 16" unless I was exclusively using it suppressed. Even then I'd likely get the 20".

 

Bench accuracy thing? Or a preference for other aspects (lots of them) of shooting?

 

My preference is the shorter. But then, I like suppressed too. Whatta Hobby!

 

DaveinDenver sir
I shoot almost exclusively bench style 99% of the time. It don’t matter if I’m shooting over a P-Dog colony or at a gun range. With that in mind that’s how most of my rifle are geared towards.
Not one has less than 20” barrel except if it’s factory threaded. Wasn’t really my choice there as it seems few if anyone really offers or inventory’s 20+” barrels that are also threaded. Mind you I didn’t say you can’t get them , as I’m only saying retail it seem its either or.

if I had my way they would all would be sporting 24”-28” barrels but one on a budget has to draw a line somewhere.
Maybe in the future I’ll start replacing barrels one at a time to those lengths. That’s the next challenge ……..well that’s is a discussion for another day.
Let me finish by saying, I’m willing to bet you won’t got the the nationals and find 16” barrels. I wouldn’t know as I can’t afford to compete and pay bills both so I compete with myself and my wife.

I think you already have decided but want us to decide for you……. Get the 20” and I go to cz online and purchase a 16”.Keep the one you like sell the other.

 

DaveinDenver sir
I shoot almost exclusively bench style 99% of the time. ...

Thx for info. I will shoot low-end Eley or similar for paper out to 100yrds (CCI-SV on steel.) Would you say a 20" would print better groups with a 16" at a given spot on the ammo quality & distance scale. Yes, 'better' is relative to distance, etc. so lets say that at 50yrds and that I do not care about the last half-diameter of 0.11".

 

In short , yes.
I believe the optimum length is 24” but that requires a custom barrel.
I’ll stick with my original suggestion especially since accurate factory barrels are hit and miss anyways.
Buy what you want with a 16” or 20” and buy a the other barrel by its self.

With the options available 20” every time

 

My 2 MTR's (.17 & .22 )have 20'' barrels ,. they are quieter .

 

Unless I missed it, no one mentioned the extra 4" of sight radius unless you're using a scope, that'll improve/ help your aim.