The shortest barrel shown is 16 1/2"...
Depending on case size, caliber and efficiency, more often than not, a SHORTER barrel IS MORE ACCURATE than a longer barrel. Reason being is that there is less whip and vibration from the shorter barrel and the barrel harmonics are totally different between something like, say a 14" Contender pistol barrel vs. that of a 24" rifle barrel, even if both are chambered for the same cartridge...
I use to shoot Super 14" Contender handguns all the time, before arthritis took its toll on my hands, and shooting 1/2" or less groups at 100 yds. was quite easy to do. The 30-30 and 7mm T/CU were two of my favorite cartridges and two of the most consistently accurate from those 14" pistol barrels...
I'm not saying that the longer barrels are not accurate, because they are and can be superbly accurate...
Look at the efficiency of the 308 Winchester. Put it in a heavy barreled 18" bolt action rifle and a 26" bolt action rifle. For shooting groups at 100 and 200 yds., chances are, the shorter barrel will have the accuracy advantage over the longer barreled rifle. This is one reason why so many S.W.A.T. departments and other Law Enforcement agencies have gone to the shorter barrels...
This could get to be a real lengthy topic (no pun intended), so I'm gonna cut it short (again, no pun intended)....
Depending on case size, caliber and efficiency, more often than not, a SHORTER barrel IS MORE ACCURATE than a longer barrel. Reason being is that there is less whip and vibration from the shorter barrel and the barrel harmonics are totally different between something like, say a 14" Contender pistol barrel vs. that of a 24" rifle barrel, even if both are chambered for the same cartridge...
I use to shoot Super 14" Contender handguns all the time, before arthritis took its toll on my hands, and shooting 1/2" or less groups at 100 yds. was quite easy to do. The 30-30 and 7mm T/CU were two of my favorite cartridges and two of the most consistently accurate from those 14" pistol barrels...
I'm not saying that the longer barrels are not accurate, because they are and can be superbly accurate...
Look at the efficiency of the 308 Winchester. Put it in a heavy barreled 18" bolt action rifle and a 26" bolt action rifle. For shooting groups at 100 and 200 yds., chances are, the shorter barrel will have the accuracy advantage over the longer barreled rifle. This is one reason why so many S.W.A.T. departments and other Law Enforcement agencies have gone to the shorter barrels...
This could get to be a real lengthy topic (no pun intended), so I'm gonna cut it short (again, no pun intended)....
