Barrel Length vs Velocity

[K-1]

Hi Everyone !

I have a petite piece of high grade curly maple that is shaped into a Kentucky Half Stock.

I would hate to put a long barrel on this piece and wondered if you had any information about velocity in 50 caliber barrels 20" to 25" long vs the longer and more traditional length barrels for a rifle. TIA !! Wayne

 

[mikelange]

Me, I'd go with as long a barrel as looked right to me, on your stock. There are a variety of shorter barrels (22"-26") installed on factory guns, so I would imagine that velocities are at least acceptable, but for more power (increased velocity) you need more barrel, up to somewhere between roughly 32" and 39".

I wouldn't go shorter than 26", myself, and I'd prefer 28" or even a little more. But that's just me. With my opinion and about two bucks, at today's prices, you can buy a cup of coffee....

 

[Runner]

I have a little 26 inch 50 flinter that does just fine on deer with a 70 grain 3f load. Don't know about the speeds.

 

[gmww]

Hi Everyone !

I have a petite piece of high grade curly maple that is shaped into a Kentucky Half Stock.

I would hate to put a long barrel on this piece and wondered if you had any information about velocity in 50 caliber barrels 20" to 25" long vs the longer and more traditional length barrels for a rifle. TIA !! Wayne

Hello K1,

According to the Lyman Black Powder handbook copyright 1975,they give the following comparisons. The shortest barrel they use is a 26" 1:66 twist and the longes being 43", 1:66" twist.

The charge used for the round balls I'll be quoting is 70 grns. Goex 3F with .498 round ball, .015" patch, #11 cap.

26"=1574 fps
28"=1585 fps
32"=1663 fps
43"=1725 fps

Hope that gives you some data to consider in your decision! :v

 

[spitfire]

Hi Everyone !

I have a petite piece of high grade curly maple that is shaped into a Kentucky Half Stock.

I would hate to put a long barrel on this piece and wondered if you had any information about velocity in 50 caliber barrels 20" to 25" long vs the longer and more traditional length barrels for a rifle. TIA !! Wayne

Hello K1,

According to the Lyman Black Powder handbook copyright 1975,they give the following comparisons. The shortest barrel they use is a 26" 1:66 twist and the longes being 43", 1:66" twist.

The charge used for the round balls I'll be quoting is 70 grns. Goex 3F with .498 round ball, .015" patch, #11 cap.

26"=1574 fps
28"=1585 fps
32"=1663 fps
43"=1725 fps

Hope that gives you some data to consider in your decision! :v

It was only in the 20th century that it was discovered that the combustion of Blackpowder continues the entire length of the Bore thus enhanced velocity(Kirkland's film studies).Prior to that discovery the historic rational for long Barrels was increased sight radius and rapid reloading initially(example-martial volley fire).

 

[robinghewitt]

26"=1574 fps
43"=1725 fps

That sounds about right, those extra 17 inches only add 151 fps to the speed, and you could easily retrieve that by upping the load a tad :thumbsup:

 

[Walks with fire]

You should make the barrel length as long as possible that provides a good well balanced rifle. It's easy to do if you are buying a barrel blank. A 32" barrel for offhand shooting is about optimal in my opinion. One thing I am starting to find out is that a high velosity 50 yard nice group does not hold up at 100 yards because of the ball rotation speed of the faster load. It seems that a lower charge in my 1/66 twist actually groups better at the 100 yard target even though one would think more velosity is better at bucking the wind--not so as far as I can see. I would build it so it has great offhand shooting balance and a longer sight plane and weighs around 7.5 to 8 lbs. The longer barrel really will help for accurate sighting even if it isn't more accurate than a shorter barrel. Remember you can add a bit of lead under the butt pad to balance her up real nice if she is a bit muzzle heavy. I would go with an even slower twist than 1/66 if I could. Mossie

 

[Mike Brooks]

Stubby guns are for sissies. :blah:

 

[paulvallandigham]

Hell, with the barrel Mike has on this gun, he can reach out and knock them out, and save the powder and ball!

 

[JeffinNZ]

I struck an interesting phenomenon with my .40cal percussion when I chopped the barrel from 39 to 33 inches.
With a top end charge of 50gr FFFg the velocity remained exactly the same at just over 2000fps. With lower charges of 25-40gr the velocity actually WENT UP. :shocked2: EG: 25gr in the shorter barrel went from 1300fps to 1435fps.
Obviously the lighter charges were burning up well inside the 39 inch tube and the ball began slowing down due to friction.

 

[BS]

Stubby guns are for sissies. :blah:

So you must be about 36"s tall? :rotf: :rotf: :rotf:

 

[gmww]

Funny guy you are. :grin:

Hey look behind you!

:grin:

Wonder how you reach up and load that sucker?

 

[J.W.Neely]

Barrel envy.

 

[Mike Brooks]

Wonder how you reach up and load that sucker?

That is actually a serious question I get on these big fowlers all of the time.
You just place the butt of the gun on the ground next to you and grasp about a foot down from the muzzle end of the barrel and walk away from the gun untill the muzzle is at the level you're comfortable loading at. It's all very natural once you have a big gun like that in hand.
I've got old pictures of fellows loading long barreled punt guns the same way.

 

[paulvallandigham]

Years ago, I saw a picture of a young hunter with a long rifle that was taller than he was. To load, he would climb onto a tree stump. The picture showed him standing on the stump loading the gun, with the gun held at a long angle, the butt on the ground as you describe. I don't understand why people don't see the obvious solutions. I like your long barreled gun. The kid was quoted as saying he had to rest the barrel of that long rifle on a tree branch to shoot it, until he got to be a teenager, but he killed a lot of squirrel, and sitting rabbits with it before he could hold it up off handed. Again, if a 5 year old kid can figure out how to load, clean and shoot a long rifle, I think most readers are up to it, too.

 

[gmww]

I don't understand why people don't see the obvious solutions.

:shocked2:

It was meant tongue in cheek. :grin:

 

[K-1]

Thanks for all of the great reponses Guy's ! I have been out of town all week and just got home. This will be what I call a Woods Walker .. 50 cal with a 1:28 just for maxi balls and maybe 40 yards on white tails. I am going to build a matching gun with a much longer barrel in 54 cal.

Anyone have any data on a 22 inch barrel ??? Thanks again !

 

[K-1]

LMAO ... great stuff :applause: