Velocity loss due to barrel length

[44MAG#1]

I like the shorter barreled handguns.

[dogdoc]

With revolvers for hunting or carrying on my farm while working, I find a 4 inch about perfect. For range toys, I shoot a lot of 6 inches. I hunt some with a six inch but my last deer was with a 4 inch smith 29.

[ss30378]

I'm a tinkerer and a sucker for getting top velocity and accuracy from my pistols/revolvers.

I had 2 ruger revolvers sent to gary reeder to have a new cylinder put on, one was a 6.5" blackhawk 357 and the other was a 5.5" single seven 327. I kept the 357 a six shot and went to a 5 shot on the 327.

Originally the 357 had a .006" barrel cylinder gap with a pretty generous chamber and throat size, it came back with a .002" gap and very tight chambers and throats and much tighter alignment. The 357 gained 100fps with any given load in the same barrel which was kept at the 6.5" length. Accuracy improved across the board.

The 327 had tighter tolerances from the factory with a .004 gap and pretty tight chambers and throats. It came back from Gary with a .001" gap and again minimal spec chamber and throats and tighter alignment. I gained 60fps with any given load in that setup and is very accurate. It is my all around packing gun for woods carry and hunting up to deer sized game.

Revolvers have a lot going on to get top velocity. Chambers, throats, gap, forcing cone, alignment and barrel length all play a factor.

My pistols usually have aftermarket barrels with tighter chambers and tolerances and I've gained anywhere from 25-60fps in speed with the swap with no real issue in reliability.

I've noticed with most loads that heavier bullet loads lose less velocity in shorter bullets than the lighter bullet loads.

[Paul105]

I've noticed with most loads that heavier bullet loads lose less velocity in shorter bullets than the lighter bullet loads.

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I've noticed this as well.