Muzzle velocities.

When you look at a box of rifle ammunition, you will see a muzzle velocity. What length barrel is used to determine that velocity?

  • 16"
  • 18"
  • 22"
  • 26"
  • 28"

0 voters

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Doesn’t this vary between ammo mfg’s?

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Kinda like the horsepower ratings- many variables/conditions affect results.
Nothing beats your own chronograph for real world #'s

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Why no 24" to select, I am certain I have seen this, maybe it wasn’t a box of ammo but a scope BDC?

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IDK the answer but am reminded of this article I recently read when selecting a 308

This test obliterated what was previously thought to be fact. Not only was it determined that short barreled rifles are easily as accurate a those with long barrels, but

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T_R:

Hornady commonly uses 24" for rifle ammo. I don’t see that as a choice here.

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Mister_Torgue:

You are right.

Hornady likes 24", Buffalo Bore likes 20" to 22". Of course in some cases, 26" is used (depending on the caliber).

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Yeah I was about to say, all depends on the caliber. Same thing with pistols.

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Page 14 of basic ballistics.

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Fake news!

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Common guy’s vote! I picked a 28” barrel. It’s not correct, but you gotta play to win!

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Ammunition producer’s ballistic tables use 26" Universal Receivers (often). Bullet manufacturers use rifles (often) and 24" is common.

Some of the surplus calibers use 28 or 29" barrels.

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So, who here has a rifle (less than .338 Lapua or .50 BMG), that has a barrel length greater than 26" ?

I can’t remember the last time (or first time), that I saw such a rifle anywhere (again, excepting those two calibers listed above).

Also, excepting foreign rifles, especially mil surp.

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I have a Mosin-Nagant M91/30 with a 29" barrel (OK - Mine’s Tula, but Remington made them as well)

A Springfield 1898 (Krag) with a 30" barrel.

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T_R:

You published exactly what I expected. You have been provided a conversion chart for barrel lengths using 26" as the standard (and the max). Although there certainly are some rifles that have greater barrel lengths, even your materials make it clear that such extra long barrels generally aren’t used (and serve no purpose). Again, there are the exceptions, but only a relative few.

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Stumpkiller:

Pardon my ignorance, but are those mil surp rifles?

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I figured I’d post the table. That’s right from my ballistics text book.

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Yes, but you qualified "foreign, especially mil surp.: The Springfield is a Domestic mil surp. :wink:

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Stumpkiller:

fair enough. ok, all mil surp, and foreign rifles.

live and learn!

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