muzzle loader barrel lengths

[sqdqo]

I have been looking for a new muzzle loader and see most of them available with 28" or so barrel length. Is there some necessary requirement for this long heavy barrel? I see very few down even at 24" I would prefer less carry weight but still want an effective accurate rifle. Does a reduction in a muzzle loaders barrel length negatively affect it? If not which shorter barrel muzzle loaders are worth looking at?

 

[Widude]

The speed of the powder burn is of course the reason for the longer barrels. I have some 26" Knights & one 22" Knight. I plan to shoot the 22" fairly soon. I have a chronograph but may not get around to a head to head comparison of the 2 lengths. I also have a 21" side-lock precussion that shot fine & didn't spit out any unburnt powder that I could see. In a tight stand the shorter length would be easier to manuever.

 

[derfhunter]

It depends on how much powder you are wanting to shoot.
I hav a rem 700ml with a 21 inch barrel that I hunted with for years.
I shot 100 gr. of pyrodex and it shot as good as my 24 inch model with the same load out to 125 yards. Never tried it any further on paper.
If you are wanting to shoot magnum charges you may need the longer barrel.

 

[saxman1]

When a company advertises the barell length does that include the breech plug area?
If it does then a 28" bbl would only have 24-25" of actual rifled bbl.

 

[greatbasin]

I sure do like carrying a short barrel rifle better in the brushy mountains where I normally hunt...and really, with my rifles I see little if any difference in accuracy in relation to barrel length. I think depending on the rifle, for me decisions are based more on carry weight,balance and point ability.

 

[mikew17361]

FYI, if you really want to check for unburned powder, lay a white sheet on the ground starting at the muzzle & shoot over it. The unburned powder (if any) would land on the sheet.

 

[sqdqo]

I don't need magnum loads, I have always used 100 grains with plenty of effectiveness. I currently have an Encore which I am planning on selling, it shoots well but for walking I do it's just too heavy.

 

[mossie]

You will lose about 13.5 fps. per inch of barrel shortening from 28" down to 20". So a 8" cut will cost you about 108 fps. Even though a 28" is a bit more to carry (about 1 lb. from 28 to 24" in a 50 octagon) I prefer the longer 28" tube. I have them at 21" / 24" /28" and 32" . I like the 32" ball gun which is octagon to round ( 7 1/2 lbs.) but by far I like the 28" fast twist 50 tube the most. You will shoot better with the longer barrel in the field but on the bench you won't notice it much. A 28" tube at 7 1/2 to 8 lbs. isn't that bad at all. Length makes a big difference in a rb gun and the fast twist barrel carbines do give up enough that it matters at ranges over 100 yards.

Google ' It's all in the barrel' for a nice article on the subject

 

[Lee 9]

There are several things that affect just how much powder you can efficiently burn, and that is not the whole answer either because the expanding gas is still pushing the bullet faster until the expansion is spent.
For one thing the weight of the bullet you use makes a big difference for an other the burn rate of the powder makes a difference then last but not least the type of burn; all back powder and all of the subs are what is called a constant burn powder the exception is Blackhorn it is a progressive burn powder.
If you use the FFF version of pyrodex or 777 or Blackhorn and get the accuracy you want then a 24 inch barrel is not going to cause you to lose a lot but below that your efficiency will drop fast.

 

[Okie Hog]

Am not an advocate of long barreled guns myself. My old CVA StagHorn has a 24 inch barrel. I have often fired that gun after legal game shooting time at coyotes or just to unload the gun. With 100 grains of Pinnacle, two Pyrodex pellets or 100 grains of Pyrodex RS there is never any muzzle flash. This indicates that all the powder is burned in the bore of the gun.