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[Clansgian AT wmconnect.com]

I

> >I don't undertand.  eveything else being the same, a longer barrel should 
> improve accuracy ....bobford

But it's not so.

For example (and there's plenty of blather about this):

"It is also largely a myth that longer barrels are intrinsically more 
accurate. In fact, bullets are stabilized after a very short amount of barrel 
travel, 
and short-barreled handguns can be remarkably accurate."
http://www.handgunsmag.com/rugers_guntalk/rugers_guntalk/

Acutually, that's putting it mildly.  Many of those outlandish target pistols 
have long barrels because it gives you more space between the front and rear 
sight.  But the ammo for those pistols is custom made to fit the barrel 
length.

After the round has conformed to the rifles and has a stable spin, the rest 
of the barrel is a place where something can go wrong.  The bullet can 
distort, 
the powder can burn irregularly, the longer barrel is more prone to desposits 
toward the muzzle which affect accuracy.  The longer barrel will (generally) 
mean greater velocity.  But this can be good or bad.  The added velocity will 
exaggerate any irregularities in the bullet's motion.

Have you ever shot a black powder handgun?  Try loading the shot with a half 
a grain more or less powder in each direction.  You will hit a load that is 
amazingly accurate, and the others will go wild astray.  Do the same with an 
otherwise identical gun but with a different length barrel, and the same 
charge 
of powder will not give the same results.

All in all, for accuracy's sake and using off the shelf ammo, a shorter 
barrel will often be the more accurate.  This difference is greater for the 
larger 
calibres.


James