[Clayshooter]

Barrel length

There are other considerations for barrel length besides velocity. Balance and shootability is a personal choice, but I have always favored a slightly muzzle heavy rifle since it helps my offhand shooting. After saying that the new CZ Varmint that I just bought has a 21" tube on her. It's in the new 22 mag improved - (17)

 

[Clayshooter]

Squeek

Ski, I'm smilin' and LOL. The teeny tiny thing, I'll just take that comment with a big smile. Was there a real void in the ballistic power scale of cartridges offered when the 17 hit? No way, but it is really BIG on the fun scale.

 

[Clayshooter]

barrel length and velocity

I won't be rud but my first response is NO WAY. Shot gun barrel shoot faster at shorter lengths. The reason why people like me who compete shoot longer barrels is not velocity, but rather sight plane and weight for follow through. The results were just posted for the new 17 HMR and they started with what I believe was a 24" barrel and cut off one inch at a time and recorded the chronograph readings from each barrel length. The highest velocity was from the 19" to 17" range. Benchrest boys that shoot centerfire 1000 yard matches tend to shoot short, fat, thick barrels. I believe I read that after 16" of barrel length in a 22 rimfire that the bullet starts to slow down. These types of testing might not seem intuitive, but test after test confirms this to be true. One more thing: the big bang that most people hear is not only the actual powder burning but rather the bullet breaking the sound barrier adds greatly to the noise. Come back with some specific test results, but I would welcome others to comment.

 

[Clayshooter]

velocity

Thanks for the correction on the 22 vs 24" barrel length. I think I was looking at your exact reference before and found it at Al's Varmint something. The point about inside or outside the barrel is a new one to me. Do I get this right? Are you saying that in a 22 rimfire that the peak velocity is achieved at 16' and then the peak repeats itself again at 24"? Or are you saying that below 16" the velocity really drops quickly, but between 16" and 24 it continues to increase in velocity until 24 inches?

On the 17 HMR vs the 22 Mag I would dare bet a full can of soda that the 17's burn rate would be different than the 22 Mag. My best guess senario comes from the fact that the 17 is reloaded with a relative new powder called little gun (sp?) and the Mag has been around longer and probably has a much different style powder. Too bad that they both aren't reloadable (not really, because one of the attractions to the 17 HMR for me is that I don't have to reload for it). If you could reload them and loaded them both with the same burning rate of powder or the exact same powder, the parrallels between the two might be more similar. The above is not from experience, I can't refer to any publications backing this up, this is pure "Clay" conjecture. I will be glad to be set straight when you guys figure out the answer. Thanks for sharing - Clay

 

[Clayshooter]

velocity

I play with a Oehler 35P and am interested in the mysteries of ballistics, I just don't seeing me cutting my 1710D Signature down and inch at a time to figure out the answer to what is the optimum velocity obtainable with a 22 rimfire barrel. Personally, I believe that we all spend too much time talking about shooting and we all would benefit from spending more time at the range with the weapon of your choice practicing basic shooting form and trigger control techniques.

I love this so much that I just have to move my mouth about this subject and when the guys at work get sick of my endless chatter about firearms I have to come home and check the web daily. I know that I need to get a life. I have to get to bed 4 AM comes early.