Berettas have "slow barrels"

[medmo]

That's the theory I've heard. I've always been skeptical and have always thought it's just tighter lockup and better fitting of the properly fitted Apex barrel and slide locking points. I've got multiple M&Ps of both generations. They do seem to unlock early compared to almost anything else, but the barrel does remain locked to the slide for what would seem plenty long enough for the bullet to have left the barrel. I even have one of the very early M&P 1.0 Pros with it's 5" barrel which were reportedly one of the worst. Bullseye guns they are not, but I don't think it's unlock timing inconsistencies being the culprit.

My 2.0 Compact is pretty accurate. To the point I'm not doing an Apex barrel for the foreseeable future. This target is at 15-18'ish yards. Ignore the ones out of the 10 ring, I was dialing in my RDO.

Attachment 108409

The 2.0 Compact 4" M&P Apexed triggered 9mm I have is the winner for the Dicken's Drill, with my batch of 9mm compacts so no complaints from me on it's accuracy. I've read that SOME of the dims on SOME of the M&P bbls allow for breach unlocking movement prior to bullets achieving exit causing accuracy problems. That is where Apex came in with their custom fit bbls. I was just questioning, as a student of the pistol:

"In ALL locked breech recoil operaded pistols the barrel and slide remain together before bullet exit."

I'm not certain on that one.

[That Guy]

Yes, some barrels tend to be faster or slower. For instance, chronographing 9mm in SIG P226s and Glock 17s with similar length barrels. The Glocks are routinely faster

Wouldn't that be due to Glocks using polygonal rifling while Sig uses standard rifling?

[Gumby]

Wouldn't that be due to Glocks using polygonal rifling while Sig uses standard rifling?

That's what I've been told.

[CSW]

We know that Beretta pistols have somewhat "slower" barrels compared to other pistols. The reason for this seems to be the larger/wider internal dimensions of the pipe. Has anyone measured the muzzle velocities of other popular pistols such as the G17, G19, CZ-75, P226 and so on, compared to the Beretta 92FS? Does anyone have the measurement results? Also, does the Beretta M9A3 or M9A4 have a higher muzzle velocity since it has a longer barrel?

This is absolutely brilliant!

I've got a perfect reason for my match scores now.
Justified suck, due to slower MV. I knew all along it wasn't me, it was the gun.

[fatdog]

@revchuck38 thanks for linking your chrono data on the PX4

One question in my mind about the PX4 compact and that short 3.27" barrel is if they are getting enough/acceptable velocity for good JHP ammo to do its work consistently. The same questions linger in my mind over other brands of 3" barrel micro 9's. But I don't have one to chrono and see what it really is doing.

[revchuck38]

One question in my mind about the PX4 compact and that short 3.27" barrel is if they are getting enough/acceptable velocity for good JHP ammo to do its work consistently. The same questions linger in my mind over other brands of 3" barrel micro 9's. But I don't have one to chrono and see what it really is doing.

There are at least two ways around this concern. The one I've chosen is to use 124-grain +P ammo, which bumps up the velocity to around standard velocity ammo from a 4". Another is to run 147-grain ammo, which @DocGKR has posited loses less performance from shorter-barreled guns.

[CraigS]

Who is the 'We' in the 'We know that......'?

[Jim Watson]

He’s talking some common reloaded nonsense about how some guns have a slower MV with the same load because their barrels are “slower”

Unfortunately not involving a Beretta, but my experience with third party testing did show barrel differences.
I waltzed into an IDPA Regional with my Sig P226 4.4" SSP and the Minor reloaded ammo I had been using in my Colt 1991A1 5" ESP. Failed at the chronograph. Well, duh, that 0.6" of barrel was the difference by about 35 fps, right?

But wait! This was back when IDPA Power Floor was based on the longest barrel in the Division, not the competitor's gun. Oh, oh, all the chronoman had was a Colt Combat Commander, 4.25". But my ammo still made Minor in his gun.

To summarize, Colt 5" OK, Colt 4.25" OK, Sig 4.4" Fail. Slower barrel? If not, what?

[revchuck38]

Unfortunately not involving a Beretta, but my experience with third party testing did show barrel differences.
I waltzed into an IDPA Regional with my Sig P226 4.4" SSP and the Minor reloaded ammo I had been using in my Colt 1991A1 5" ESP. Failed at the chronograph. Well, duh, that 0.6" of barrel was the difference by about 35 fps, right?

But wait! This was back when IDPA Power Floor was based on the longest barrel in the Division, not the competitor's gun. Oh, oh, all the chronoman had was a Colt Combat Commander, 4.25". But my ammo still made Minor in his gun.

To summarize, Colt 5" OK, Colt 4.25" OK, Sig 4.4" Fail. Slower barrel? If not, what?

<thread drift>

I always loaded my SSR ammo to a 135 PF (yeah, it's been a while since I shot IDPA) to avoid this. My ammo usually got chronoed from my gun anyway, since who shoots revolvers anymore?

</thread drift>

[TiroFijo]

The 2.0 Compact 4" M&P Apexed triggered 9mm I have is the winner for the Dicken's Drill, with my batch of 9mm compacts so no complaints from me on it's accuracy. I've read that SOME of the dims on SOME of the M&P bbls allow for breach unlocking movement prior to bullets achieving exit causing accuracy problems. That is where Apex came in with their custom fit bbls. I was just questioning, as a student of the pistol:

"In ALL locked breech recoil operaded pistols the barrel and slide remain together before bullet exit."

I'm not certain on that one.

Unless somebody at S&W is watching TV and not their high speed films, they should be fine. The factors governing this timing (mass relationship of moving parts, geometry of locking lugs, springs, etc.) have been well known and understood for more than a century.

Every maker can turn a lemon, but it is rare.