barrel

I guess what I should ask is: what is a good lightweight barrel I can get for $200 or less? I am not set on the acculite, it was just a low/mid priced option I found with a quick search. I am open to other brands but not looking to spend too much. Just want something a little lighter that is just as accurate or more accurate than the stock barrel.

 

Ive not used the whistle pig barrels.

Ive had both 10 and 6 inch kidd barrels.

10 is 1lb 14 oz
6 is 1lb

I found the 10inch more consistently accurate. Maybe the weight helped a bit too. Poi did not change with can on or off on the 10inch. On the 6inch the poi changed when removing the can. Give the 10inch Kidd a consideration as to much weight off and you may struggle with accuracy when hunting. The 6inch was sold off. The weight difference was negligible to me since its light to start with.

GL on your choice and report back with what you end up with.

 

I've got three WhistlePigs, including the 12" used in this build. Definitely an improvement over the factory barrel when it comes to accuracy. They are lighter than the factory barrel (I think it's one ounce per inch) by a fair amount. As long as we're playing "Show and tell", I also have the 10" KIDD .920 steel barrel, pictured here. Note that threading on the KIDD is an optional expense.

There is no doubt that the KIDD is more accurate than the WhistlePig, but it's like arguing whether the latest Mustang is faster than the latest Camaro - you will never notice the difference in every day use. Unless you want to shoot from a bench, with a scope mounted, they are mostly equals. Which means you won't notice it in the field. What you will notice is that KIDD claims a weight of 2 full pounds for their little 10" barrel. Although I recall mine being a bit under that, it's still more than twice the weight of the WhistlePig. Slap a can on there, and it's very front-heavy.

If it was up to me, I wouldn't compromise on weight. Although going too light may be a valid concern for shooting groups, it's less so in the field. Balance is more important for that single shot you might have. The flip side is availability. KIDD doesn't ever seem to be sold out. WhistlePig, on the other hand, might as well be selling unicorn teeth. Don't take that the wrong way. They are great barrels, and I am impatiently waiting on my next one. But they are incredibly popular, and sell out very quickly.

Should you have any more questions about either, I'm more than happy to answer them. My current 10/22 collection is split between four Charger variants, and four rifles. So I do have a bit of experience with them.

 

barrel

Thanks, this is just what I was looking for. I sold off my two 10/22 rifles (one I customized, one factory stainless/laminated pink) earlier year and just have this charger now as my only 10/22 platform. I may just put in an order for the whistlepig 10" barrel and wait it out. The charger was purchased as primarily a squirrel gun so the lighter weight wins out over benchrest, as you pointed out. I ordered the kidd trigger kit and a Leupold VX-3 2.5-8x32 today since the 2x leupold on it now just isn't powerful enough for my eyes.

 

Thanks, this is just what I was looking for. I sold off my two 10/22 rifles (one I customized, one factory stainless/laminated pink) earlier year and just have this charger now as my only 10/22 platform. I may just put in an order for the whistlepig 10" barrel and wait it out. The charger was purchased as primarily a squirrel gun so the lighter weight wins out over benchrest, as you pointed out. I ordered the kidd trigger kit and a Leupold VX-3 2.5-8x32 today since the 2x leupold on it now just isn't powerful enough for my eyes.

If you already own a Charger, then a barrel upgrade is a smart option. But if you find a deal on a rifle stock and barrel, remember that you can use that Charger receiver for a rifle build as well. If all I had was a single Charger, I'd keep a rifle-length stock and barrel in my spares, just in case.

 

Too light. Hard to shoot offhand at squirrels for me.

The 10inch kidd was just right. Nice and steady.

6inch kidd was sold because it was to light. Same weight as your current barrel. If you think youll do better with a lighter barrel go for it. Ive found the opposite true.

 

hunting

I have no experience with handgunning for squirrels, I normally use one of my 77/22s. I just figured a lightweight barrel would make hiking all day easier. I walk/wander quite a bit when squirrel hunting. Since the acculite barrel is on backorder I will be using the stock 10" for a while and see how that goes. I guess if I want lighter I can use my MKII 512 pistol. I also figured I would be using either the bipod, a tripod or a tree for a rest which adds weight (bipod/tripod) but also provides stability.

I do have a spare 10/22 barrel, a 19" med heavy taper GM barrel if I remember correctly. I bought a 17 and 19 and put the 17 on my 10/22 and then sold that rifle off but kept the other barrel. I figure someday I may have a use for it. I kind of wish I would have kept the factory barrel off that gun to cut it down for use on the charger.