I just bought a Brevex 500 A-Square with a 28 inch braked barrel. I plan to do some additional gunsmithing on it when I get it, which may include cutting a couple of inches off the barrel and re-cutting the expansion chamber/vents. Any thoughts? Thanks again!

Did you buy that at Gunbroker.com? I think I bid on that gun.

In my opinion, you should have at least 25" in order to burn the powder of that big case and to get the velocity that the cartridge is capable of. Also, longer barrels will have less muzzle blast and less muzzle rise during recoil. I have a big bore with a 28" barrel and it is fine, including in brush, but some people would think it long. Probably 26" is a reasonable maximum.

I like longish barrels generally but a .50 caliber barrel can get a bit nose heavy real quick. I think you'll achieve better balance / handling with a barrel length of somewhere between 22 and 23 inches in this chambering.

[This message has been edited by Nickudu (edited 01-16-2002).]

I have a 23" BRNO ZKK 602 for huntin' and a 27" Ruger #1 for target shootin'. I like them both. For the barrel length question, it depends, as usual on what you want to do with it. My screw on muzzle brakes add another 2-2.5" to the above lengths.
Both rifles are the same overall length due to the action length differences. The extra 4 inches gives an extra 100 fps with most loads in the 500 A-Square.

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Happiness is a warm double.
RAB

Mine has a length of 23 and a quarter inches and I can tell you the muzzle blast IS something you want to take into consideration.

Since you are in the thinking stage why don't you try cutting off the brake and using some downloaded rounds to get a feel for the rifle. If the length doesn't work just chop another inch until it feels like you can live with it. Much less expensive than making it too short then adding a new barrel.

My 500 A Square has a 27 inch barrel, 1 inch of which is an integral brake. Unless you are already too heavy in the front, I'd leave it alone. In fact if it's muzzel heavy, add a mercury recoil reducer to the butt or just add lead shot till she balances. With 570-750 gr slugs the recoil of these guns can be fierce. If it works and shoots well don't mess with it.-Rob

With regard to barrel length; Jamison had an article on the 510 Wells in the April '01 issue of Shooting Times looking at pressure curves.

Data suggested that he wouldn't have lost much had he cut the barrel as short as 20 inches. That gives you quite a bit of latitude.