I notice that many condem the longer barrels as being clunky, bulky, a hassle in the brush,getting hung up in the brush, and on and on...I have used longbarreled guns in some really thick stuff in the costal mt, gulleys and narrow strips of solid brush between the clearcut and the timber and the blackberry choked wild rose/thistle thickets in the river flood plains in the valleys and I have found a 42" or 44" to be no more troublesome or slower to put to eye and shoulder than a 32" or 36" barrel is it possible that much of this apprehension about a long barrel is something akin to that of Mr. Center when he made the choice of barrel length for the TC Hawkin,...he simple stated that they went with the 28" barrel because he "could not imaging carrying a 42" barrel through the woods", not considering the fact that it had been done for centuries :hmm:
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Long vs. Short barrel
- Thread starter DeRoche117
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Russ T Frizzen
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Center also said that they went with the coil mainspring because the old fashioned v-spring wouldn't last 5 minutes in the woods. Wonder what he thought they used for over 400 years before he showed up? I expect that he had little or no experience with either long barrels or v-springs or no understanding of or respect for history. He was a dandy marketeer though, you have to give him that! Hawken my foot! :rotf:
"He was a dandy marketeer though,"
No doubt TC is responsible for the rebirth of the sport nation wide for the most part, they have their place as do all the production gunsI have had a couple of TC's but they did not fit well and bit my cheek a little with stout loads if I was not carefull, I am glad they are stil out ther giving an affordable option for those hew to the sport, I do wish they would have put a bit more research and historic goop into the mix but at least they are still making a traditional styled gun.
No doubt TC is responsible for the rebirth of the sport nation wide for the most part, they have their place as do all the production gunsI have had a couple of TC's but they did not fit well and bit my cheek a little with stout loads if I was not carefull, I am glad they are stil out ther giving an affordable option for those hew to the sport, I do wish they would have put a bit more research and historic goop into the mix but at least they are still making a traditional styled gun.
When I said "if my life was on the line, I was referring to the original accuracy question--in other words the greater the accuracy was all that was needed to safeguard my life, NOTHING to do with killing large or dangerous game. I can see where the confusion might have come in, though. The choice of lower caliber just had to do with eliminating as many factors as possible that might detract from one goal and one goal alone--optimum accuracy. This whole thread---as I understand it---is about accuracy and if a longer barrel is more accurate than a 24 inch barrel. And I was trying to say other factors affect accuracy as much if not more, in my experience. 
I've got no issue with the 32" Drop-In barrels. Balance seems OK to me; looks as well, particularly in the 15/16" size.
Still, for use in a blind, I like my 24" Greyhawk. The 21" Cabela carbine is even better. In a blind, the 32" barrel is definitely awkward. Gotta be very careful of where the muzzle is going when you go to mount it. Wouldn't expect a 42" barrel to even be useable in a blind...unless it was a big blind.
Both of those short guns carry well in my estimation, and I enjoy still hunting with them. Does 42" carry as well? If some say it does, I guess I'll take their word. But I bet it doesn't go through doorways as easily or fit into compact cars as easily or fit as many gun safes or gun cases either. So even if the long barrel does carry as well as the short, it's still playing catch-up in my estimation. I don't think it's worth re-arranging my world for the sake of another 10" of barrel...or another 50fps...or a half inch smaller group.
To each, his own.
Bob
Still, for use in a blind, I like my 24" Greyhawk. The 21" Cabela carbine is even better. In a blind, the 32" barrel is definitely awkward. Gotta be very careful of where the muzzle is going when you go to mount it. Wouldn't expect a 42" barrel to even be useable in a blind...unless it was a big blind.
Both of those short guns carry well in my estimation, and I enjoy still hunting with them. Does 42" carry as well? If some say it does, I guess I'll take their word. But I bet it doesn't go through doorways as easily or fit into compact cars as easily or fit as many gun safes or gun cases either. So even if the long barrel does carry as well as the short, it's still playing catch-up in my estimation. I don't think it's worth re-arranging my world for the sake of another 10" of barrel...or another 50fps...or a half inch smaller group.
To each, his own.
Bob
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