Are Shorter Barrels More Forgiving To Load For?

[davisj3537]

So a shorter barrel has less whip and overall more stiffness than a longer barrel of the same contour, but does that translate to ease of reloading? I'm willing to give up a little velocity if it means less hassle during load development.

Have you guys noticed any correlation here or am I overreaching?

 

[AIAW]

Not particularly easier or less hassle. Any practical length barrel is going to take detailed efforts. Also, barrel length has a very small overall influence on chamber pressure.

I wouldn't choose a barrel length or other specification based on how easy it is to load for.

 

[Juggerxxx]

Cannot comment on length but can comment on girth. Not sure if it's coincidence but my thicker varmint barrel has been way easier to do load development with.

 

[Marksman10x]

definitely overreaching

 

[spife7980]

You still have to hit the window for accuracy. Length just changes where that window is at and its entirely dependent on the particular weapon.

So yes and no... depending.

 

[davisj3537]

I just thought that a shorter barrel's harmonics would be easier to work with given they are less significant. The difference must be negligible to have gotten such a unanimous response.

 

[spife7980]

There are lots of variable and surely everyone plays a part. Its just how large of a part that needs to be determined.

The OBT theory is interesting and worth a read http://www.the-long-family.com/OBT_paper.htm
Its basically comes down to tuning for the barrel length but barrel length doesnt make it easier or harder. IE:The formula itself doesnt change, just the value plugged into it that will reach the same result.

 

[TripleBull]

One of the visuals some people use for barrel resonance is the muzzle vibrating up and down due to the resonance caused by firing a bullet. That's an oversimplification, but if you go with it, consider this: The natural vibration frequency of a steel tube depends on stiffness, mass per unit length, length, Young's modulus, method of support, etc. The length has a squared relationship with frequency and it's inverse, so a shorter tube resonates at a higher frequency. If you look at velocity versus time at the muzzle and assume that a barrel only vibrates up and down (not actually correct) the time spent at low velocity near the extremes is less for a shorter barrel with all other variables held constant. So that's a simplified model that doesn't really represent resonance in a gun barrel accurately - but - the length effect does play into the math to a degree.

I'm not endorsing this video as I think it is oversimplified like the above, but it has some value if you want to sit through it:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h407yVskVeM

Note how the speaker in this vid talks about "up and down, left and right" when he talks about the whipping motion of the barrel during recoil:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xq2G2MubmuE

So the way to think about barrel harmonics is not one-dimensional. All 3 dimensions have some resonant components and they change over time as the energy dissipates.

Now that I've totally confused the discussion, I'll sign off. Carry on.