24" barrels anyone?

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Posted: 7/20/2009 11:18:41 PM EDT

thinking of replacing a 20" bushmaster A2 barrel with a 24" DPMS varmint barrel for hog hunting.

Whose using a 24" barrel and what's your thoughts on it?

Posted: 7/21/2009 4:52:40 AM EDT

[#1]

Got a 24 and a 20 RRA. Both shoot the same accuracy wise.

Posted: 7/21/2009 5:07:20 AM EDT

[#2]

Got a 24" RRA. Super rifle but if you are going to carry at all it is HEAVY! Recommend a 20" in the varmint style. Ive also got a RRA Preadator Pursuit, it is a 20" HBAR match barrel (heavier than standard but not the full varmint profile) I love this rifle! Unless I am sitting at a bench, I don't get my 24" out anymore.

Posted: 7/21/2009 5:08:22 AM EDT

[#3]

I had a 24" and got rid of it as soon as I could do so without losing my shirt. IT shot great, if I was prone, using a bipod, ad shooting beyond 100 where I would have time to get on the target.

I just did nto shoot far enough often enough to make it worth having.

Posted: 7/21/2009 5:20:36 AM EDT

[#4]

The velocity difference is probably less than 100 fps with hot/heavy loads, and may be less than 50fps; no velocity advantage with lighter loads.

Posted: 7/30/2009 5:39:32 PM EDT

[#5]

I have a 24" HBAR, 1/9, 5.56, A2, Bushmaster. I picked it up band new just before the last AWB kicked in.

href=http://i742.photobucket.com/albums/xx69/TommysGun/th_24Bushie.jpg" />

Posted: 7/30/2009 5:47:54 PM EDT

[#6]

Bushmaster A2 24" DCM/Varminter 1:9

Posted: 7/30/2009 5:48:01 PM EDT

[#7]

Quoted:

thinking of replacing a 20" bushmaster A2 barrel with a 24" DPMS varmint barrel for hog hunting.
Whose using a 24" barrel and what's your thoughts on it?

The negatives of the 24" outweigh the positives to me.
Positives - maybe 50-100 FPS more muzzle velocity
Negatives - Heavier, may require a new rifle case, potential cost, not inherently more accurate than a 20" based solely on length
Cost vs. benefit analysis says stick with the 20". What's your reason for wanting to switch? I see people hog hunting with 14.5" carbines at 200+ yards.

Posted: 7/30/2009 6:10:22 PM EDT

[#8]

I've got an RRA Varminter with the 24" bbl. I use it mostly for targets and coyotes. For me, I wouldn't trade mine in for a 20: I purposely got this rifle for the longest shots I may encounter which may be 300 to 400 yrds. If you get the 24", get enough scope on it to take advantage of the extra velocity you may get. It IS a heavy s.o.b. so get a good sling too. If you don't have far to walk, you should be fine.but if you are going to be walking all day, a lighter rifle might be more beneficial to you.

Posted: 7/30/2009 6:31:03 PM EDT

[#9]

...and 24" screws up the balance

Posted: 7/30/2009 8:15:22 PM EDT

[#10]

Quoted:

I've got an RRA Varminter with the 24" bbl. I use it mostly for targets
and coyotes. For me, I wouldn't trade mine in for a 20: I purposely got
this rifle for the longest shots I may encounter which may be 300 to
400 yrds. If you get the 24", get enough scope on it to take advantage
of the extra velocity you may get. It IS a heavy s.o.b. so get a good
sling too. If you don't have far to walk, you should be fine.but if you
are going to be walking all day, a lighter rifle might be more
beneficial to you.

Marines have been shooting at 500 meters with beat-to-shit M-16s (with 20" barrels) for dozens of years now in boot camp. Many of them are first-time shooters. 50-100 or so FPS difference in muzzle velocity will have no effect on accuracy at any sort of range.

Edited to quote phatjohn's entire post.

Posted: 7/30/2009 8:41:17 PM EDT

[#11]

I'm really glad I saw this thread, as I was seriously considering swapping my 20"HBAR for a 24".

And for kcr121, are they doing this through iron sights or optics? Just curious...but I would think at that range the limitation would not be the rifle, but rather the shooter's eyes and the size of the sight post.

What I'm getting at is that I can put 'em on paper in a pretty dense group through iron sights at 100m with my 22LR Norinco all day long, but anything beyond that and it all goes to pot because even the minuscule little brass dot on the front sight of that thing is covering up the entire target. What kind of groupings are they typically getting at 500m?

Posted: 7/30/2009 9:22:54 PM EDT

[#12]

I use a Compass Lake Engineering space gun with a Kreiger 24" stainless steel match barrel for our clubs 600 yard mid-range matches. I'm using it with match iron sights and hand-loaded 80 gr. Sierra MatchKings which require single loading. It is not a combat rifle by any means.

Posted: 7/30/2009 9:29:14 PM EDT

[#13]

Here's my reasoning............why not?

got a good deal on a 24" varmint barrel which included a floating block. I already had a bushie free float handguard laying around along with an extra YHM flat top upper so i figured to throw them all together and see what happens. have a 16" upper for playing now (thanks david) and also the 20" that originally came on the rifle. I've got a few spots where i need to thin out the hogs and thought the 24" barrel with a bipod might be just the ticket.

we'll see in a few weeks when i get a chance to put it all together.

Tim

Posted: 7/30/2009 10:58:13 PM EDT

[#14]

Quoted:

I'm really glad I saw this thread, as I was seriously considering swapping my 20"HBAR for a 24".
And for kcr121, are they doing this through iron sights or optics? Just curious...but I would think at that range the limitation would not be the rifle, but rather the shooter's eyes and the size of the sight post.
What I'm getting at is that I can put 'em on paper in a pretty dense group through iron sights at 100m with my 22LR Norinco all day long, but anything beyond that and it all goes to pot because even the minuscule little brass dot on the front sight of that thing is covering up the entire target. What kind of groupings are they typically getting at 500m?

Marines do initial and annual qualification with standard M16A2s with iron sights. Those in combat MOSs go on later to do training with ACOGs and the like.
Marines are also not necessarily shooting for groups, however. In the Marine Corps known distance course of fire, you're shooting at a man-sized target at 200, 300, and 500 for hits and misses, not to shoot the smallest groups; but I've seen good shooters with 9"-10" groups at 500, which is pretty damned good for irons with a 62-grain bullet if you ask me.

Posted: 7/30/2009 11:02:49 PM EDT

[#15]

Quoted:

Here's my reasoning............why not?

got a good deal on a 24" varmint barrel which included a floating block. I already had a bushie free float handguard laying around along with an extra YHM flat top upper so i figured to throw them all together and see what happens. have a 16" upper for playing now (thanks david) and also the 20" that originally came on the rifle. I've got a few spots where i need to thin out the hogs and thought the 24" barrel with a bipod might be just the ticket.

we'll see in a few weeks when i get a chance to put it all together.

Tim

I agree somewhat, I think. If you're talking about adding a 24" upper receiver group to what you've already got, sure, why not? Because we all know eventually that extra upper receiver will grow legs and become its own rifle.

If you're ditching the 20" altogether for the 24", I think that's a bad move. That's just me though; it's your rifle, do with it what you like. Whatever you do, enjoy shooting it.

Posted: 7/30/2009 11:03:43 PM EDT

[#16]

I simply walk to much at my age to carry a 24" Bull along with other shit. A good HBAR 20 (RRA PP) is fine for my needs along with 16" lite weight in AR's. I have a couple in 204 but it's illegal to bust chuck's in Ohio shooting from/off vehicle

I'd have no problems with a 24" as a range rifle or maybe a table top PD. rig.

Posted: 7/31/2009 4:30:55 PM EDT

[#17]

Quoted:
Marines do initial and annual qualification with standard M16A2s with iron sights. Those in combat MOSs go on later to do training with ACOGs and the like.

Marines are also not necessarily shooting for groups, however. In the Marine Corps known distance course of fire, you're shooting at a man-sized target at 200, 300, and 500 for hits and misses, not to shoot the smallest groups; but I've seen good shooters with 9"-10" groups at 500, which is pretty damned good for irons with a 62-grain bullet if you ask me.

Wow. Even at a "man-size" target, doing a hit-or-miss, 500m is still a long friggin' way to fire through the irons. Making it even more impressive is the fact that those Misguided Children are doing it through those rickety-ass rifles Uncle Sam has been known to hand out...

Posted: 7/31/2009 6:06:40 PM EDT

[#18]

looks like i have a millet 4.5x16 to go on the 24" as well. also found a shooting range an hour away with a 1000 yard range.

Posted: 7/31/2009 6:11:29 PM EDT

[#19]

I'm getting my 24" Stag upper on Tuesday...........

Posted: 7/31/2009 6:13:07 PM EDT

[#20]

Just got this Sabre 24" bull barrel for my target AR, most accurate barrel I have ever owned. Yes it is heavy, but I want my bench gun to be heavy.

Posted: 8/1/2009 5:33:35 AM EDT

[#21]

24" Varmint hunting/Match/300 meter Iron Sight rifle with the iron sights installed.

I use 24" barrels on a couple rifles because they allow maximum distance between iron sights without resorting to a bloop tube.

The velocity is not significantly greater and with some loads the velocity is actually less when fired through a 24" barrel.

Posted: 8/1/2009 7:52:07 PM EDT

[#22]

I usually chronograph 100 fps difference between 24"/26" barrels and 20" barrels. I see a real drop between 20" and 16" barrels of almost 200 fps. The velocity change is not linear. Shorter barrels really take a hit.

When I was young I liked heavy barrels. They felt more stable in position and almost always grouped well. Age has changed my view, the heft is not worth it. I have turned most of my bull barrels down to more reasonble proportions. I usually run .850" to a max of .880" under the hand guard. I leave a 1" shoulder for the gas block to butt up against. This also adds to the barrel's mid area stiffness. I then turn the barrel to .810" from the gas block to the muzzle. This style barrel is still vary accurate (and heavy) but much more manageable in the field. It will also accept many standard front sight bases, though I usually have the last 1.5" turned to .750" to accept them all.

You can consider this as a comprimise that looses nothing in velocity or accuracy. It does, however, costs more money.

[ARCHIVED THREAD] - 24" barrels anyone?

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