How Long Do you like it.

[bouncer50]

Well in my Ruger single action and Colts i like a 4 and 5/8 barrel. My double action i like a 5 inch barrel. But the only problem they now a days they only come in 4 and 6 inch and longer barrels. My opinion a 4 inch is too short and 6 inch has a better feel but any thing over 6 inch feels weird too muzzle heavy. I have a few old Colts and S&W with 5 inch barrel too me they have the best balance not too long or short. My single action the 4 5/8 have a nice balance for doing spinning the gun like the Hardin butt forward trick. I have a few 8 lnch barrel the only reason i bought them because i got them cheap. They are safe queens.:-(

[Firebricker]

I also think more DA revolvers should have a 5" option I think it is just a good all around length. FB

[44 Special]

I like the 4.62 barrel the best. I can shoot it just as good as my 7.50 barreled Rugers.
There's nothing more sexy than a 4.62 barreled Ruger Blackhawk.

[fragman]

i guess it depends what you want it for. Longer barrel helps with velocity, hinders handling.

I have barrels from 1 7/8" snubby all the way up to 7.5". Love em all.

Aesthetically, yeah the 4 5/8" really looks the business on the BH.

[ballistim]

Depends, I love my 649 snubbie, loved both my BH in 4-5/8", now my New Vaquero in 4-5/8", and would really like to have a SRH at 5.5", that would pretty much cover it for me. I really miss the customized Model 27 nickel plated & shortened to 3-1/2" and even though it was that short I was able to shoot many a jack rabbit with it, wish I still had it, had promised to sell it back to the original owner if he changed his mind, and two years later he did..

[Certaindeaf]

I generally like my auto pistols to have barrels between 4.5-5" and revolvers from 2-4".. but I agree, the 4 5/8" or whatever Ruger and Colt SA's are about perfect for that platform.

[str8wal]

6 inches

[btroj]

Depends.

For carry a shorter barrel is nice. For hunting or range use a longer barrel is nice.

I like a 4 5/8 BH for carry in the field. My SRH with a 7.5 inch barrel is great at the range.

[Groo]

Groo here
This is interesting.
Way back when guns had long barrels. [large frame or "fighting" guns]
A short barrel was 4 3/4 or 5 inch and all was well.
A cop gun was 5 or 6in ,
Then we got cars and barrels got shorter to not poke holes in seat or cop.[ swivel holsters for longer and the "border patrol/FBI slant to fit between the seat and back]
About this time the 357 came out and the magic 3 1/2 in barrel appeared [ although smiths had made short guns for years]
IMHO the correct barrels for revolvers would be 3 to 3 3/4 inch for short guns and 4 3/4 to 5 1/2 for long ones. [ real long 7 1/2in]
With 3in and 5 in as standards.
If you look at Ballistics by the inch , a pattern will appear for most rounds.
There is a big jump in speed at over 2 1/2in ,at over 41/2 in and at over 6 1/2 in.
So unless you need the sighting plane of a 4/6in why pay for the weight / length of the extra inch?

[ejcrist]

Great question. I use my handguns for three purposes, hunting, handgun silhouette, and concealed carry/personal protection. As a result there are only two lengths I like which are 7 1/2" and 5". Barrel lengths of 7 1/2" work great for me for both hunting and silhouette shooting. They're the longest I can carry comfortably while in the field and aren't too muzzle-heavy while shooting at game or steel targets. For daily carry I can't imagine carrying anything with a barrel longer than 5". I have a couple of S&W revolvers with 8 3/8" barrels and they're good for hunting but I pretty much have to carry them in shoulder rigs; they're just too darned long to hip carry. The S&W's work great at the silhouette range but I prefer to the 7 1/2" length for extended range sessions.

[dtknowles]

This is sort of why I like my Dan Wesson .357 Mag. When I first got it I had a 8 inch barrel with a heavy shroud. It was for shooting at the range and I even put a scope on that shroud, it was really fun. I thought I might want to use it as a self defense gun so I got a 4 inch barrel and a standard shroud and a holster. That seemed fine too. I now have a 6 inch barrel with a heavy shroud and a standard shroud for the 8" barrels. If I was carrying in the woods the 6 inch might be my choice. If I could only have one barrel it might be a 5 inch but who knows.

Tim

[bouncer50]

A lot of old gun writer love the 5 inch for a carry gun. Most of my friend i ask have the same opinion 5 inch has a better balance then the 4-6 barrel. My ruger with the 4 5/8 stainless with real stag grip is my beauty girl best of balance compare to anything with a longer barrel. Gunfighter of the old west love the 4 5/8 barrel. I bet Colt was and Ruger best seller are the 4 5/8 barrel.

[hpdrifter]

I like my 5.5" and 7.5" Blackhawk. It's just right for me. Now, if'n I was trying to do a fast extraction, the 4.62 would be the choice, probably even shorter.

[44man]

Depends on caliber and use, carry is always different. I hunt with mine and even 10-1/2" is preferred over short even with a red dot. I don't carry, I hunt deer and shoot long ranges so even the huge 45-70 BFR can be shot off hand.
First is to look at what you do and where the gun will be carried. I use shoulder holsters so it does not matter what size and the gun is in hand when on stand. You sure will not use a hip holster on a 10" 45-70 BFR! :bigsmyl2::bigsmyl2:

[waco]

My 29-5 is a 5". I really like the way it balances.

[Hickok]

For all around carry, I like 4 inches for my Smiths, and 4 5/8 inches for Blackhawks and New Vaqueros.

When strictly hunting with a handgun 7 1/2"-8 3/8".

[44man]

BALANCE is a funny thing. After shooting the long barrels I can NOT shoot short as good. The lighter gun just will not hold still.

[Deep Six]

My advice is to buy several in each barrel length available. That way you'll be well informed to make your decision. That's what I do and it changes daily. Currently thinking I need more in the 5"-6" range.

[rintinglen]

If I had my druthers, I'd have more 3 and 5 inch barreled revolvers than 4 and 6. The "odd" barrel lengths shoot as well as the even ones do, yet are more portable. My hunting guns are longer, 6 to 8 3/8", but for plain packing while brush busting a 5 incher carries easier. And a 3 inch barrel carries like a two inch but shoots like a 4.

[enfieldphile]

5" is best for me! The balance just feels right.

[dtknowles]

If I had my druthers, I'd have more 3 and 5 inch barreled revolvers than 4 and 6. The "odd" barrel lengths shoot as well as the even ones do, yet are more portable. My hunting guns are longer, 6 to 8 3/8", but for plain packing while brush busting a 5 incher carries easier. And a 3 inch barrel carries like a two inch but shoots like a 4.

I say a 4 carries like a 3 but shoots like a 5 and with an underlug balances like a 5 as well :-)

Tim

[huntrick64]

4 5/8" because it balances the best, carries the easiest, and just looks "right" to me. My 7.5" bisley's are easier to shoot accurately, but a pain to carry on my hip.

[Bigslug]

Depends. A 7.5-8" barrel on a Colt '60 Army or '75 Remington feels awesome shooting one handed. On the more modern stuff, not so much.

[tygar]

Fords & Chevys, Fords & Chevys!

The bigger my gut gets the shorter the barrel & the lighter the gun gets, whether revolver or pistol for carry. For shooting from 1 7/8 - 8 3/8 is just fine & for hunting whatever rifle I have is what is best & if I get a opportunity to us a handgun sometime, great.

[Hickok]

I do know that my Smith's and Ruger's with the 4 to 4 5/8 inch barrels get used a lot more because they seem so easy to pack. When rifle hunting I always have one along in a shoulder holster in .44 mag or .45 Colt.

At times when the animal presents itself in the right scenario, I put the rifle aside and pull the revolver out and use it. On these occasions, I feel a great sense of satisfaction!

[dtknowles]

Fords & Chevys, Fords & Chevys!

The bigger my gut gets the shorter the barrel & the lighter the gun gets, whether revolver or pistol for carry. For shooting from 1 7/8 - 8 3/8 is just fine & for hunting whatever rifle I have is what is best & if I get a opportunity to us a handgun sometime, great.

So that is why they call those snubbies, "belly guns" ;-)

[Snow ninja]

See, for me, I like the 5 1/2" S.A. And a 5" in D.A. They seem to be the best compromise for me in terms of accuracy vs. Portability. Just my experience though.

[Petrol & Powder]

This is actually a topic I have some fairly strong feelings about.
I'm not a big single action guy so I'll confine my opinion to double action revolvers.
There's no doubt that within reason, a longer barrel has some benefits regarding sight radius, velocity and sometimes balance.

With all else equal, if one shooter has a 4" barreled revolver and another shooter has a 6" barreled revolver, the guy with the longer tube will probably be able to outshoot the shorter barrel in terms of accuracy.
However, revolvers are handguns - not rifles. Yes, some revolvers can shoot very well but if you need a rifle, GO GET ONE!.

Handguns are supposed to be portable! As in, "easily carried".
A 4" barreled revolver is a very good compromise in terms of accuracy vs. convenience.
A 6" barreled revolver is almost solely relegated to the world of hunting and target work. Yes, one can be carried and many are but compared to a 4" tube they are cumbersome.
It is unfortunate that the 5" barrel has become so rare, it is a good middle ground between a carry revolver and a target gun. The 4" comes very close to being as good and therefore has won out because there is not much distinction between 5" & 6" barrel.

In the realm of handguns that are carried, I just don't think there is enough loss of accuracy and velocity to overcome the burden of a longer barrel when we are talking 4" vs. 6".

[bcp477]

OK, I'll play. I'll be the odd man out here...which I don't mind a bit. I prefer shorter barrels - 2" or 3". My favorite Smith wears a 3" HB, as it happens.

[Petrol & Powder]

OK, I'll play. I'll be the odd man out here...which I don't mind a bit. I prefer shorter barrels - 2" or 3". My favorite Smith wears a 3" HB, as it happens.
The 3" barrel is an excellent choice for a concealable combat type revolver. The 3" S&W model 13 or model 65 is one of the all time great fighting guns. Easily carried, concealed and effective.
I don't think you're the odd man out at all.

[aspangler]

For a long time. :kidding: