Optimum barrel length for the range

[Audioi]

Here's a topic not often discussed so what would you consider the best length for 25~50 yard range gun? I suppose caliber should come into play.

[1986s4]

I rarely get the chance to shoot a pistol that far anymore but when I did my HK USPc .45 did quite well with it's short barrel and slow bullets. But my choice of caliber would be 9mm or .38 super with a 4-5" barrel. FWIW.

[rauchman]

Is it correct to assume you're using irons vs. red dot/scope? I would guess, if using irons, the longer barrel the better to take advantage of longer sight radius. While velocity is better (shoots flatter), I don't necessarily think the longer barrel equates to better accuracy. As an example, I've read repeatedly, and also my own experience suggests, a G26 with <4" barrel is as accurate, if not more so than a G19 or G17 with >=4" barrels.

[Audioi]

Is it correct to assume you're using irons vs. red dot/scope? I would guess, if using irons, the longer barrel the better to take advantage of longer sight radius. While velocity is better (shoots flatter), I don't necessarily think the longer barrel equates to better accuracy. As an example, I've read repeatedly, and also my own experience suggests, a G26 with <4" barrel is as accurate, if not more so than a G19 or G17 with >=4" barrels.

Iron vs Dot, that adds a good twist!

[Audioi]

I did mean to say pistol didn't I

[spinmove_]

I did mean to say pistol didn't I

Well, I mean, you did post this in the Semi-Auto Pistols forum...

[Gray222]

Optimum barrel or realistically applicable barrel?

I'd want a 10+ inch barrel with a nice optic if I had to game the shit out of it - look at competition/olympic guns.

Reality is that we don't know what type of range we are going to find ourselves in and training with whatever firearm you have and whatever sighting system you have is more important than worrying about barrel length.

Carry a 17L if you are worried about pistol barrel length, throw an RMR on it and you'll have a serious pistol meant for 50y engagements.

You can do the same with a 26 and iron sights if you practice enough.

[Audioi]

Well, I mean, you did post this in the Semi-Auto Pistols forum...

Success again!

[Nephrology]

Honestly I think the fitment of the gun is more important than barrel length. I don't really like barrels longer than 5" on any of my guns. Too unwieldy and muzzle heavy. YMMV.

[LittleLebowski]

Doesn't matter, really with a pistol unless you insist on an asininely short barrel. For over 25 yards to 50 yards, you have to go with a red dot.

[TiroFijo]

I often plink at steel targets at 50 and 100 m, and it is not difficult with any kind of handgun, even short revolvers or pistols. The metal targets give instant feedback to adjust POA, if you shoot at paper targets and don't see dust on the berm or have a spotter you may get lost.

9 mm has little drop even at 100 m compared to slow rounds like 45 ACP, 38 spl, etc., and velocity loss is very small for short barrels. More important than barrel lenght is a good grip and trigger. For me, decent iron sights are OK since I compensate drop by elevating the front post.

A red dot is certainly better for > 25 m shooting, but at the price of added bulk, cost, and complexity. Since most of my pistols are intended for defensive shooting I prefer irons.

[Audioi]

I rarely get the chance to shoot a pistol that far anymore but when I did my HK USPc .45 did quite well with it's short barrel and slow bullets. But my choice of caliber would be 9mm or .38 super with a 4-5" barrel. FWIW.

I must agree with availability and cost in the equation then 9 does look like the best bet for the range.

[Jim Watson]

A serious iron sight target shooter will usually pick a rather long barrel.
With conventional pistols the compromise between balance and sight radius comes out in the 5 to 6 inch range.

ISSU pistols usually have shorter barrels because their long actions and forward magazines give them equivalent weight and sight radius.

[OlongJohnson]

7670.

[BehindBlueI's]

5" is all I got.

In a semi auto.

Shut up.

[OlongJohnson]

That ain't braggin', it's just posting a pic of a supermodel.

Seriously, now that they've finally posted MSRP on the web site, my interest level in this pistol has dropped to zero. Less than zero, if you count my ridicule for them telling people at SHOT it was going to be half of what it is.

I'm actually partial to Buck Marks with 6 1/2 or 6 3/4" barrels, but there isn't much talk about .22s on here.

[OlongJohnson]

My bad. I realized the pages I found on the Sig site through Google are for the German pistols.

[Audioi]

7670.
This would be ideal but at $4k I will buy the tanfoglio witness and the CZ 75 TS together!

[Audioi]

Like this, with some leftover change!

[farscott]

I currently have five fifty-yard pistols that I use for formal and informal Bullseye. I have messed around with quite a few more, including a Travis Strahan gun that I shot for a few seasons. The remaining three center-fire ones are 1911-pattern guns and all have five-inch barrels. Two have iron sights and the wad gun has an UltraDot; there is one iron-sighted gun in 9x19 and one in .45 ACP.

For fun, I have shot the 9x19 gun at ranges up to 200 yards with a variety of informal targets. It is as tough as shooting one of the .22 gun at 50 yards.

Five-inch barrels seem like a decent compromise between weight and consistent ammo velocity as a lot of ammo is designed to be shot in a five-inch barrel.

[Audioi]

I currently have five fifty-yard pistols that I use for formal and informal Bullseye. I have messed around with quite a few more, including a Travis Strahan gun that I shot for a few seasons. The remaining three center-fire ones are 1911-pattern guns and all have five-inch barrels. Two have iron sights and the wad gun has an UltraDot; there is one iron-sighted gun in 9x19 and one in .45 ACP.

For fun, I have shot the 9x19 gun at ranges up to 200 yards with a variety of informal targets. It is as tough as shooting one of the .22 gun at 50 yards.

Five-inch barrels seem like a decent compromise between weight and consistent ammo velocity as a lot of ammo is designed to be shot in a five-inch barrel.


I tend to like the 5~6" barrels the best when I can find a gun big enough to support it. I have a Buckmark .22 with a 5.5 steel barrel thats a breeze, now I would like to find a 9mm to go along with it and I currently have too many short barrels to even talk about.