Has anyone tested any standard 158gr slugs out of these 3 differant length barrels either with factory loads or reloads? Buffalo bore claims it maximizes at 16-20" .
velocities of 357mag out of 24" barrel compared to 18.5" or 20"
JohnnyR
21 - 29 of 29 Posts
Well I decided to chronograph a factory load of American Eagle 158gr SJSP out of my 18.5" Marlin 1894c barrel and my friends 24" Marlin cowboy. Seems all your technical writeups arent behaving as you think.
18.5" 1894C --1750sp
24" 1894cb --1809fps.
Looks like the positive pressure is still accelerating that far.
18.5" 1894C --1750sp
24" 1894cb --1809fps.
Looks like the positive pressure is still accelerating that far.
One must always remember rifle barrels are not always the same. The real test on velocity and barrel length is start with a long barrel and record velocities as the barrel is cut back. To me velocity is not near as important as accuracy. No barrel cuts in my shop.
Have a great day.
Jim
Have a great day.
Jim
Yep, accuracy is key and believe me Ive tested many loads from factory to my own handloads. Heres what happened yesterday at the indoor 25 yard range . My friend just bought his used 1894cb 24" 357 rifle last week. He knows nothing about guns so I went with him to help him along. We never touched the iron sights.I took the very first shot with Am Eagle ammo and hit dead center of the 2 inch red dot. Next shot went thru the same hole. The third shot widened the hole a little at 25 yards. Federal American Eagle has shown great accuracy with my 1894c as well. And almost 60fps more from 18.5 to 24" is on the positive (good side) to me. So Im happy.
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There will be little difference between 357 mag velocity in a 18.5 vs a 20 inch barrel.
357 mag powders burn quickly reaching a pressure peak while the bullet is still in the barrel, in contrast to bottle neck magnum calibers which are slower burning and continue building pressure until the bullet is much nearer the end of the barrel.
As has been mentioned above, this means that beyond a certain length (it works out to about 14-18 inches for 22 LR) no significant velocity is gained by lengthening the barrel. Actually for such calibers long barrels, can even slow the projectile beyond what it would have been for a shorter barrel. Realize that friction also continues as the bullet traverses the bore.
This from Ballistics by the Inch Ballistics by the Inch
Click to enlarge.
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The proper way to do this is to take a long rifle barrel and cut it off, an inch at a time, recrowning the barrel after each cut. Then velocity measurements are gathered at each length and a table is constructed.
I suspect that the tables above were constructed from firing different rifles with different barrel lengths, rather than a single rifle and cutting the barrel.
In any event, note that the fasted measured velocities were at 16" barrel length. Although there was some variation in velocity with lengths longer than 16", the changes in velocity thereafter were small.
The value of a chart like this one, is not the absolute numbers, but the trend. Velocity will increase with barrel length up to a certain length, and afterward will decrease. This maximum is different for different calibers, different bullet weights, different powder choices, and different loads. No doubt there are other factors as well.
Beyond that, increasing barrel length serves only to contribute to esthetics, sight radius, balance, and weight.
357 mag powders burn quickly reaching a pressure peak while the bullet is still in the barrel, in contrast to bottle neck magnum calibers which are slower burning and continue building pressure until the bullet is much nearer the end of the barrel.
As has been mentioned above, this means that beyond a certain length (it works out to about 14-18 inches for 22 LR) no significant velocity is gained by lengthening the barrel. Actually for such calibers long barrels, can even slow the projectile beyond what it would have been for a shorter barrel. Realize that friction also continues as the bullet traverses the bore.
This from Ballistics by the Inch Ballistics by the Inch
Click to enlarge.
The proper way to do this is to take a long rifle barrel and cut it off, an inch at a time, recrowning the barrel after each cut. Then velocity measurements are gathered at each length and a table is constructed.
I suspect that the tables above were constructed from firing different rifles with different barrel lengths, rather than a single rifle and cutting the barrel.
In any event, note that the fasted measured velocities were at 16" barrel length. Although there was some variation in velocity with lengths longer than 16", the changes in velocity thereafter were small.
The value of a chart like this one, is not the absolute numbers, but the trend. Velocity will increase with barrel length up to a certain length, and afterward will decrease. This maximum is different for different calibers, different bullet weights, different powder choices, and different loads. No doubt there are other factors as well.
Beyond that, increasing barrel length serves only to contribute to esthetics, sight radius, balance, and weight.
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23,047 Posts
A 158 grain bullet going 60 ft/sec faster (1750 to 1809) gains about 60 or 70 foot/pounds of energy and flies .10" flatter midrange trajectory at 50 yards. Who cares? Accuracy and on target precision beat velocity any day.
How do you think 55,000,000 buffalo died? Bullets and round balls traveling at 1150-1200 ft/sec killed them all.
How do you think 55,000,000 buffalo died? Bullets and round balls traveling at 1150-1200 ft/sec killed them all.
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^^^^ and most of those lead slugs and balls came from long barreled rifles, but with black powder ^^^^
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Trust me when I say I can get a 357 mag over 2k with 140 grain pills. I’ve gotten the same bullet in a 357 max at just over 3k in 24” single shots. If you get over 1800 FPS with a 158 g pill in a 24” rifle what more do you need accept a 180 g doing almost the same.
If you want the most out of your 357 you are hand cuffing yourself passing up mag primers and W-296. 2400 is the only other powder even close and is better in extreme cold in my experience. Yes my experiments were over recommended loads but 1800+FPS 180 g is attainable with recommended powder loads in 20 and 24” barrels. Mag primers.
If you want the most out of your 357 you are hand cuffing yourself passing up mag primers and W-296. 2400 is the only other powder even close and is better in extreme cold in my experience. Yes my experiments were over recommended loads but 1800+FPS 180 g is attainable with recommended powder loads in 20 and 24” barrels. Mag primers.
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2400, IMR4227 and AA#9 were designed for pistol sized rifle cartridges.
They do work in pistol cartridges, but are meant for 18" to 20" barrels. They do pick up just a little in 24" barrels.
You will have to test your handloads for the best performance. IME, one of those will give the best speed and accuracy. This is also true with Magnum pistol loads.
They do work in pistol cartridges, but are meant for 18" to 20" barrels. They do pick up just a little in 24" barrels.
You will have to test your handloads for the best performance. IME, one of those will give the best speed and accuracy. This is also true with Magnum pistol loads.
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