Hi!
Any machine rest testing to find any difference in accuracy between a 4 inch and 6 inch barrel S&W revolvers in the same center fire caliber at 50 yds?
Thanks!
Jim

I too would be interested. I'd bet the difference would be negligible. More than likely the difference would be the same as between 2 of the same barrel length in a machine rest. As I see it the human factor of sighting radius wouldn't enter into the picture as long as the bullets spin was stabilized and velocity was equal. But, then again I've never slept at a Holiday Inn Express.

I believe that barrel length in handguns has very little influence on accuracy; except for the possibility that a longer sight radius might give a better sight picture. Machine rest would eliminate the sight radius question. That said, in my hands my Model 19 snubby is one of the most accurate revolvers I shoot.

__________________
Bob.
SWCA 1821

As S&WIowegan states, the perceived accuracy improvement with longer barrels comes from making smaller errors using the sights.

There is no statistically significant difference in mechanical accuracy solely because of revolver barrel length.

I think for the human side of it, the sight radius helps as well as sometimes some additional weight to help hold steady. They originally made the model 14-5 with the full under lug to aid target shooters. From a ransom rest a minimum barrel length to give the projectile a proper spin is all that's required. Velocity certainly is affected by barrel length though.

Back in the day, late '80's and early '90's, I shot on the department pistol team. Once a year or so, we'd travel to Mountain Brook PD range, just outside of Birmingham, for the purpose of choosing match ammo for the upcoming PPC season. We used this range because it had a Ransom Rest setup at the 55 yard mark, off to the side of the regular target bank. Our primary goal was to find ammo lots that performed well in our custom, heavy barrel PPC guns as well as our 6" Distinguished guns (either Smith 586's or Colt Pythons). We also shot 4" Service matches, but figured any ammo we chose from the testing would serve well in the Service match because we never ventured beyond the 25 yard line.

More than once, just for fun, our 4" Model 15's, 10's, 19's, and 66's found their way to the ransom rest. For the most part, we found no statistically significant difference between the 4" guns and the 6" production guns. Every now and then we'd find a gun/ammo combination that really worked well, but for the most part, with a given ammo, you could shoot groups with the 6" 586 and follow it with groups from a 4" 15 and have a hard time figuring which was which unless we marked the targets.

Our testing was not scientific, but it was a boatload of fun. Too bad we never saved any of the results for future review. We all shot 6" guns in the Distinguished matches, but that was mostly for the extra sight radius, not additional inherent mechanical accuracy.

I kinda' miss shooting PPC matches, but I Really miss the Saturdays at the range with my friends and their families...........