pencil barrels for 3 gun
How do people typically do in a 3 gun match with a pencil barrel? I notice not many people seem to run them. Are they significantly less accurate at over 200 yards then a medium weight barrel? Thanks in advance.
Quag
For that piece of equipment - if you can shoot it to its limitation, you'll be beating a lot of people.
It depends on the condition, type of ammunition, shooter, targets, distance, etc.
Here are some helpful questions:
1. How many MOA is it?
2. What distance do you plan to shoot and how big are the targets?
If your equipment is within the limitations of your need/want/skill, a pencil barrel is fine.
Well...I suppose that depends on your definition of pencil barrel. Are we talking old school JP ultra-lite barrels or light M-4 type barrel. The pros I know and my friends all shoot medium contour barrels, as the ultra light barrels tend to heat up easily and POI suffers something fierce at major 3-Gun events. Club level matches they are generally fine.
Rich
I guess I was referring to a lightweight barrel contour such as this:
http://www.bravocompanyusa.com/BCM-16-Mid-Length-LIGHT-WEIGHT-Upper-Receiver-p/bcm-urg-mid-16lw.htm
In general (and its a big generalization) the thinner barrels are faster to transition but more "nervous" on aim. They also heat up faster, which can result in zero wander that can be frustrating at long range. Lastly, lighter weight = more felt recoil = slower shot recovery. Something a little heavier would be more common in 3-gun. Remember, you are not carrying the gun very far, so ultra light weight becomes of limited value. Personally, I go the other way (I run a 20" HBAR) as I like to know I can get the barrel really toasty and still retain zero.
In a course that's heavy with closer targets that are relatively large, something like an SR15 would be ideal (pencil weight barrel, but the intermediate-SR25 tube system reduces felt recoil).
That said, with the availability of taper profile and medium contour barrels, there's a reason those are so popular.
Again, I would be hard pressed to fire a barrel to its limit regardless of profile, so consider what real application you have in mind for the rifle and budget accordingly.
I have been running a CMMG 20" A1 barrel profile upper (but flat top) for 2 years now - 1:7 twist, chrome-lined, bone-stock. New it shot around 1.5 MOA or so, which is good enough for just about everything you'll see in a match. No issues at all, and it's not free floated. And yes, you can hit out to 500 with it, or further, easy as long as you can shoot that, know your dope, and obviously see what you're shooting at.
ETA: You asked how people do - that set up got me a top-10 Tac-optics finish at Quantico on a day where everything in (head, fingers that load the shotgun, etc.) worked just right. The rifle is not my limiting factor.
Originally Posted By homeyclaus:
I have been running a CMMG 20" A1 barrel profile upper (but flat top) for 2 years now - 1:7 twist, chrome-lined, bone-stock. New it shot around 1.5 MOA or so, which is good enough for just about everything you'll see in a match. No issues at all, and it's not free floated. And yes, you can hit out to 500 with it, or further, easy as long as you can shoot that, know your dope, and obviously see what you're shooting at.
ETA: You asked how people do - that set up got me a top-10 Tac-optics finish at Quantico on a day where everything in (head, fingers that load the shotgun, etc.) worked just right. The rifle is not my limiting factor.
Hey I forgot I had this thread lol.... Thanks for that. It's what I was looking for. And thanks everybody else for their replies.
