Optimal Barrel Length For Precision 22lr: Video 4 of 11

If maximum precision, weight management, and a specific velocity is your goal, what is the optimal barrel length for your .22lr build?
In this Video, Andrew Workman gives you some insights into barrel length and how it affects velocity, accuracy, and weight of your rifle. Andrew, is the Director of Operations for Vudoo Gun Works, the leading precision .22 rifle company in the country. As a precision .22lr competitor, match director, and Director of Ops at Vudoo Gun Works, Andrew has been amerced in all things related to precision 22lr and is one of the most experienced individuals in the field.

[@nomsolo9935]

So in summary: Started at 26" Velocities max at 21" Velocities remained max down to 16.5" Consistent accuracy at all tested barrel lengths

[@duckslayer11000]

Can't argue with empirical data. Great upload!

[@understandingtruth10]

Some of the best information I have heard, hands down.

[@christinamoneyhan5688]

Very good information. Thank you.

[@artfulalias3984]

Long barrels, 24" and up, with standard velocity 22lr have muzzle blast reduced enough to do little/no damage to hearing. In the days before foam earplugs, electronic muffs, and suppressors, this alone was enough reason for farmers, small game hunters, and target shooters to choose 22lr and a long barrel. Come home with a rabbit without your ears ringing for hours.

[@paultrimble9390]

Cool learned something thanks. Like the video.

[@robertwatson818]

My Savage with a 16 1/4 inch barrel matches the groups I see shot by those with exotic and very expensive rifles. All that money spent does not seem to make much--if any--difference.

[@JamesS.254]

I'd like to add that length of barrel will effect balance in the rifle as well. Some people look to add weight's to their rifles to balance it out, but barrel length will most definitely change the balance point of your rifle. Something to keep in mind for those who shoot a more "traditional" stock on their rifle without the ease of adding weights.

[@erinnmccrankypants5192]

Great vid dudes

[@msi1985]

Perfect so I will make sure I point people in this video's direction the next time they give me a hard time over my 16 and a 1/2 inch heavy barrel!

[@lwstruyk]

Thanks...good to know

[@t3h8ar0n]

For competition, you want the round to be subsonic the whole time so that you don't have a sound barrier transition influencing the flight of the bullet... hence a long barrel to keep the velocities under that.

[@Stone_Horse]

Nutshell, 16.5" barrel.

[@jackdaniels7913]

Grate information thanks! 🍻 cheers 🥃

[@jackdaniels7913]

I cam across a 28" bull barrel for the 10/22 I plan to acquire a side bolt for it and make stupid quiet tack driver 🤑 ohhhh to dream.

[@rickoshea8138]

Long .22 rimfire barrels were used for long the sight radius that enabled, with peep sights. It had the effect of making standard velocity ammo almost hearing safe too. There is no slip in the rifling, so the bullet does not spin faster at 1:16 twist, for a barrel that is 28" long VS 16". This assumed standard velocity ammo.

[@jasyamaha]

Great video, thanks. I have looked high and low for someone who has cut a 22 wmr from 24+ to 20 inch by the inch and performed extensive tests. A 17 HMR tested the same would surely get 1.5 billion views.

[@pnotuner1]

I bought the Ruger American Rimfire with 22 inch barrel and I feel like it would be better if it were about 20.5 to 21 inch. I did recrown the muzzle for better accuracy and it is better than out of the box.

[@chriskell8479]

This is the 3rd, time I have heard or read about the "velocity barrel length " dynamic of the .22LR. And I agree, it's all about use, what are you trying to achieve with the little pew pew. Squirrel hunt, precision, plink. At that point, it's all about the Benjamins.

[@outboardfun3353]

i have shooting ARA brenchrest rimfire .22lr for 21 years. I'm telling you a longer barrel 22" and up will give a lower SD.

[@lawrencehawk5179]

I saw a 22" & a 20" for a 10/22. So.which would perform better when it comes to maximum velocity for a .22lr?

[@markthegunplumber8376]

.22 is a totally different animal when it comes to barrels and lengths etc. i'm rebarreling a Bergara B-14R because i (hate) the carbon barrel, it's to light and it's not a hammer at 100 yards with any ammo i have tried. So, it's getting a 24" 4140 hand lapped Jim T. Lewis barrel at 24" in a taperless contour I spun up and like you described i'll cut it back till i get the accuracy and velocity desired. .22 RF is the most challenging precision rifle i have worked with. An old guy described it to me as being 1/3 rd the shooter and 1/3 rd the rifle and 1/3 rd the ammo and you basically have no control over the ammo because it's machine loaded. I build F-Class and LRB and BR and LRH rifles for a living and install probably 2-3 barrels per week and sometimes 1-2 per day. Shooting .22s can be a real kick in the Nuts and frustrating as hell compared to centerfire rifles which i have been building for 27 years now and having control over the ammo makes it way easier for me. It's beginning to be a rabbit hole i'm wishing i'd never crawled down. I've been married 3 times i'm no quitter and no stranger to pain!!!!!.

[@randymagnum143]

Seems like a good argument for Marlin's microgroove rifling.

[@donnawells2442]

I was always led to believe that anything over 18” would create drag and start slowing the bullet down.

[@robertwatson818]

I have ammo which is rated at 1435 and some other rated at 1480. It would take a very long barrel to slow this ammo down.

[@jeffreydunlap6382]

Fun fact. I have a marlin 25N that I got for my 12th birthday. 21 inch micro groove barrel. Shoots the 60g agulia SSS really well. My CZ 455 suppressor ready with 16.5 inch barrel does that stabilize them. Keyhole’s every round. But with standard ammo. The 455 out shoots the Marlin hands down. I understand this is a little apples to oranges comparison but I found it interesting, and I figure it’s just the longer barrel stabilizing the bullet. Same twist rate…

[@joshuagibson2520]

Those 25n are great shooters. There's something to that micro groove rifling.

[@clutch1141]

Looks aside, the most important factor is range v accuracy. If the bullet leaves the barrel at sonic speed and goes sub sonic before impact it will deflect and negatively effect accuracy. The longer the distance the greater the effect is pronounced. It seems that maybe the purpose of super long barrels is to slow the bullet down so it doesn't transition in flight. If you're shooting over 100 yards this is the problem to solve and what I'm currently working on, but it is difficult as I can only afford so many guns and barrels. It would be great if you did a video on this topic.

[@robertwatson818]

Why "slow it down"? Just use sub sonic to begin with?

[@RimfireAddicted70]

For centuries length has mattered... now we learn it was all about looks. I ordered my Vudoo with a 20" just to be safe. :)

[@_kommandant_3055]

Way back then they used slower burning powder that made use of the extra barrel length

[@IdiotF0ol]

I’d love this to be repeated with 17 HMR.

[@dbriggs1689]

Interesting information. Im researching information because I plan on going the other way with a 22lr pistol build that will be suppressed. Most 22lr run a 1:16 twist like you said so you will get about 1 revolution on the bullet when it exits. I found a 1:9 8 inch barrel that will basically give me 1 bullet revolution on exit so I would assume that the 1:9 twist rate would be a better choice for this build. Do you have any information or experience that you can share on this? Thanks in advance.

[@lawrencehawk5179]

I ordered a used Ruger 20" 22lr, said it was in good condition. So it should be ok? Also been seeing them 18.5" 22lr barrels, they any good as well?

[@mrsmith8436]

Standard factory test barrels used by ammo makers like CCI are 25 inches for muzzle velocity measurments. If they got less than the published muzzle velocity at that length then something else is going on. Makes no sense that there would be large velocity increases from 25 inches down to 21 inches.

[@countryboy4542]

My Winchester 52 D has a 28" Heavy Barrel.

[@artmahmoudian2805]

Hello just a quick question I have 22lr Ruger Target Lite 16 inch bull barrel , is it worth it to go get something like 18 inch KIDD Barrel???

[@lynndragoman1573]

I think the Benchrest crowd puts the tightest point in the bore at the crown and they don't worry about looks.

[@SourPatchPuss]

Funny, I just bought a CZ 457 AT ONE and they only offer it in 24” and 16.5” which is really a shame because I was hoping for smack dab in the middle at 20” but the varmint model that has that doesnt have a damn threaded barrel! So I went with 16.5” because I didnt want to lose velocity with that extra barrel drag but I always think the 16” barrels look funny because they’re so short and stubby.

[@msi1985]

Embrace the stub! We are the bulldogs of NRL

[@Ron-xn4wf]

I have always understood that the max. velocity was reaches with about a 16 inch barrel.

[@michaelshanahan4965]

What about BCA 10.5 in .22 lr?

[@azed5251]

I have been wondering about the Henry Frontier suppressor ready barrel since it is 24” I think.

[@AA-fg3wj]

I would assume that the long barrel that creates bullet drag would actually have a quieter report using a suppressor...

[@Crete1943]

Accuracy has nothing to do with velocity; it has to do with how consistently ammo engraves the bore just so and the projectile exits the muzzle with the same yaw, every single time. That's all. The rest depends on the nut behind the trigger.

[@keithpusavat3896]

I think you mean "Accuracy has nothing to do with any specific velocity." It actually has everything to do with consistent velocity, as well as the factors you mention.

[@Crete1943]

@@keithpusavat3896Nobody said "specific velocity". At least I didn't. I said velocity and accuracy are not to be confused. Fast or slow projectile velocity, consistent or not, repeatable or otherwise, is not sufficient all by itself for accuracy, either at 10m or a mile. For as long as the projectile consistently engraves the bore just so after firing and the projectile exits the muzzle with the same yaw - and precession* - every single time. It could be 200fps or 3,000fps. It doesn't matter. Accuracy has nothing to do with velocity. My airguns at 10m or 25m are as accurate as a big bore at several times the velocity and/or distance. The projectile/ammo used must be consistent and the bore also consistent. The velocity may differ from shot-to-shot but the accuracy and precision do not. A constant/repeatable velocity accuracy does not provide. That's all I'm saying. The consistent and repetitive sealing of the bore from-shot-to-shot does, regardless of other factors, like altitude or if the nut behind the trigger had coffee before shooting. •Nota bene: (*)Precession is the gyroscopic or spinning of the projectile that determines repeatable accuracy. Velocity has nill to do with it. Velocity may coincide or not coincide from shot to shot but it is not the Holy Grail it is claimed to be.

[@bobbymarcum1459]

What about subsonic ammo? 16 in. 1:9 twist barrel or 20 in. with 1:16 to help stabilize?

[@bobbymarcum1459]

45 gr subsonic ammo not the 60 aguila. I like copper on my ammo.

[@patdennis3751]

Barrel length depends on both bullet weight and powder burn rate. If the powder is of the slower variety you will benefit from a longer barrel.

[@russr]

ya, but its a 22.... sooooooooo.....

[@patdennis3751]

@@russr same applies. Can't change physics. Not all rimfire ammo uses the exact same powder nor do they all use the same weight bullets. Granted, not lots of difference, but when you're going for tiny groups it does.

[@TheWilferch]

Would be interesting to take this all the way down to pistol type barrel lengths....how is velocity affected? Meaning.....to find out truly when all the powder is burned and the extra barrel length only incrases drag. From what was said here.....dropping from 26 to about 20 we had lower velocities within 26 down to 20......and then a step-up in velocity starting at about 20-21" and shorter...but...again staying about the same velocity, down to 16". Let's go further and see where it drops off again showing the point where all the powder is burned.

[@mikecook9805]

22lr pretty well burns all its powder in the first 12" of the barrel.

[@TheWilferch]

@@mikecook9805 ...doesn't matter....there is still "pressure" in the barrel after all the powder is burned. Then the question is how much pressure and at what length does this all balance out.... and then the bullet goes slower at longer barrel lengths. The only way to answer (in both directions of longer and shorter barrels )is via real world testing. Paul Harell does a good job (as a START) comparing 25 ACP vs 22LR in SHORT barreled pistols and how the chronograph compares to "box data" of 22LR velocity (which usually uses rifle length barrels for the printed data on 22LR boxes).

[@jackerocket]

If you have a super sonic bullet, will it slow down to subsonic with a 26" barrel? I am thinking for long range shooters, the longer barrel would help with accuracy.

[@PrototypeBMX]

i think it would te guy said they where slowing to around 900fps thats subsonic right? i dunno how a slower bullet would help at long range would it not drop faster?

[@spektr540hemi]

@@PrototypeBMX No transitional disturbance imparted on the projectile may well be more accurate...Being subsonic during the entire travel of the bullet.

[@Realist-sh3dg]

Anschutz has a good reputation all of their 50m comp rifles have barrels over 25".

[@newerest1]

are those able to use magnified optics? i mean, in the rules

[@Realist-sh3dg]

@@newerest1 Yes, most if not all require 11mm dovetail scope base.

[@danamerkel739]

I wonder how different a 22Mag would be.

[@tommcqueen3145]

👍

[@Errol.C-nz]

videos have shown longer barrels can help stabilise the bullet by reducing the blowby pressure as the bullet leaves the muzzle.. the blowby has been shown to create destabilising gas jetting past & around the bullet tail & sides that can start a tail wobble.. its nothing about the modern fixation on bullet speed.. some suppressors can apparently have a similar effect. the ONLY way to test properly is to vice mount the gun at a target like the factories do.. in a tunnel.. to eliminate all other variables

[@randymagnum143]

An 880 sq barrel was better than anything available today.

[@aquilonianace4791]

Cool story, but I don't recall any 16" barrels winning anything. It's always the longer ones. Theory vs practice.

[@binalith4898]

immersed. christ.

[@david9668]

Yeah but you’re also testing a 22 Long rifle now switch that to a 308 Norma Mag with a 28 inch barrel and see what it does

[@newerest1]

this is literally just for 22lr though so who cares about what a 308 norma mag's optimal barrel length would be

[@mikegreen2214]

I wouldn't give that old wives' tale any credence; the idea that a longer barrel would somehow impart more "twist" for a given rate is complete horseshit.