I know most factory specced doubles are 24-25 inches, but traditional barrel length is approximately 28 inches? Ken says 26 inches max... Any opinions?

I like 26" and above. Ken convinced me to go 25" as a compromise. To *me*, 24" tubed doubles looks stubby and out of proportion, not to mention the extra inches help in attaining original factory MVs.

I always prefer 26 inches as I think they are the right balance. Seems the late BPE and early Nitros that I have owned all had 28 inch barrels. In the late teens and early twenties I noticed 26 predominated with the exception of Jeffrey rifles which generally produced rifles with 24 inches. Just my observations

Dutch

I like 26 inch also. I'm a short barrel nutt but on a double 26 seems to be perfect. If barrels are properly contoured and not pump pipes 24 inch will balance OK and 26 inch will be perfect. I would not go over 26 inch. So 24, 25, 26 would all work. A friend of mine has a two barrel set 450 nitro with 20 inch and 26 inch barrels. Oh I love that 20 inch set as it would be perfect for close up and personal but 26 inch is more practical.

I prefer 26" but 24" is ok as well.

I like 26" inch barrels. I have never had a double with 27" or 28" barrels, but if it was a choice between longer or shorter, I would rather go long than go short.

Agreed.+1

I have had 24", 25", 26" and 28" barreled rifles. The 28s seemed overly long, more like a British shotgun. The others all seemed similar in the bush and I never saw much difference in handling quality.

465H&H

Agree with Ken in 26" max. I like 24" - 26". For me, splitting the baby at 25" is a very good compromise depending upon calibre and purpose. Just my opinion.

I like the shorter barrels. They just feel like they are quicker handling to me. I have a Searcy with 26" barrels and it shoots just fine but my Merkel and VC with 23.5-24" barrels handle better.

If you want a light gun then 24", if you want a heavier gun then go to 26". 25" is good compromise.

More or less it comes down to the make, taper and construction of the barrels, action size, rib weight, etc...

A maker using chopperlump barrels with light ribs and correct barrel taper can produce a faster handling 26" barreled gun than say a 24" monoblocked gun with heavy ribs and slower tapered barrels of the same caliber(usually goes with monoblock construction). Not all guns are created equal.

Aaron is spot on!

Thanks for the replies.. I think I will choose 26 inch barrels. Pretty sure BAiley and Aron can balance this length on the falling block nicely by tapering. Also I am 6ft3 so a bit longer would suit my frame while I carry and handle.

On another note, will
it be feasible to bore out 450 barrels to 470 when they are worn out (I shoot a lot)? Or would replacement barrels be more economical?

26 inch barrels! They perform and give the rifle a sleek look and balance! 26 inch barrels- All else is heresy! With the exception of Tony Black's 28 inch barreled double!

I would leave that decision to the gunmaker.

In most vintage doubles after WW1 and before the 1950s from the UK the barrels are in the 26” range, and balance wonderfully. The 28 “ barrels are most times found on black powder, and nitro for black rifles. Black powder needs the barrel length to get enough velocity to do the job so to speak. Around the time everything had become nitro proofed rifles most of the buyers were used to the long barrels used in the black powder doubles, and had their new rifles made with 28” and sometimes 30” barrels.

The longer barrels even the 26” barrels were simply a hold over from the black powder days, and wasn’t really needed. The fact is a double rifle can be made to balance perfectly no matter what barrel length is installed, and there is a legitimate reason for any length you want depending on what purpose you have for the rifle.

The one thing that is a positive for longer barrels today is, it allows a longer sight radius, but ballisticly it holds little value with today’s powders, and in some cases actually slows the velocity with some of the quicker powders.

I have doubles with 31 inch barrels down to 23 inch, and have had two with 20 inch barrels, and all balanced perfectly, and all got the velocity for the cartridge chambered in them.

In the final analysis, it all comes down to what you want when you have a double rifle made, but today the barrel length between 23 and 26 inch is simply a personal choice as long as the rifle is balanced, and is regulated properly. IMO there is no need to order a double rifle today with 28 or 30 inch barrels unless you want to use black powder!

...Opinions vary, and are not worth anything to anyone other than the owner of that opinion! The above is mine, and worth no more than the reader paid for it!
.......................................................................

With my big bore double rifles I don't mind 24" to 26" barrels . A rifle with short barrels is a pleasure to carry, particularly with in the confines of Jesse and riverine bush where this type of rifle is perfect.
Add muzzle blast is one other negative for shorter barrels though.

Some interesting comments Mac. I believe you are spot-on saying “but today the barrel length between 23 and 26 inch is simply a personal choice as long as the rifle is balanced, and is regulated properly.” I too agree that it comes down to what you prefer. Also, Aaron’s comment “More or less it comes down to the make, taper and construction of the barrels, action size, rib weight, etc...” It is true that these factors and considerations in combination by the maker create the double’s handling characteristics.

If you are not stuck on an exact barrel length but have a preference toward a general length, consider how your decision might positively or negatively effect resale in general terms. If you prefer shorter barrels, more folks will probably be interested in buying a 24” barrel used modern double as opposed to 23.” The same if your preference is for longer barrels, more buyers would generally be interested in 26” as opposed to 28” barrels on a modern double.

I happen to love 23” barrels, as the doubles I have used in this length have handled exceptionally well for me and were perfect in application for use in dense cover. Admittedly though, not everyone is looking for that option/benefit as a necessity and it might be something for them that might only be beneficial once in a blue moon. On a recent double rifle build, I had this same discussion again with a friend in the rifle building and marketing industry. His observation and comment was that shorter barrels (below 24”) will often create the “Nice rifle but effect” when it comes time for resale. The phenomena works in the other direction as well. Perhaps some food for thought to the OP .

Shawn

The three big German manufactures uses as standart:

Heym 24 (standart for the US is 26) inch
Merkel 24 inch
Krieghoff 24 (or 22 for the outside) inch

Here, in front of my bed are two beautifull Heym doubles, de luxe modells, 24 and 26 inch, long.

Both have longer stocks, 39 to 40 cm (German standart ist 37,5 cm).
Maybe the 26 inch version locks a little bit better then it is standing in the rack.
But in the field, in handling, I like the 24 inch. (Maybe it comes from the combat courses, where I always prefere shorter guns.)

Best wishes.

F.

It is like hunting small game with a 12 guage and quick shooting in the thick brush for woodcock,grouse and hare.Thirty is for ducks,twenty eight is too slow for pointing,twenty six and your in the zone,twenty five is hot...

Ok, so the broad consensus seems to be not over 26

I'm a somewhat bias longer barrel fan as my 1905 Gibbs 450ne sports 28" barrel and points and swings like a shotgun..
But each to his own, I will say that I've spent the better part of 50 years hunting Woodcock in our New England alder coverts that can make the Zambezi Jess look like a walk in the park. I've hunted with barrels from 25"s up to 30"s my current gun of the last 20years sports 30" barrels. Never once have I swung on a bird where I have said if these barrels were only 2"s shorter....
The big difference though is that a bird is not so inclined to stomp you...
Just got done re-reading Nyschens' Months of the Sun I'm sure his 450 was sporting fairly long barrels..
Good Luck Good Shooting

Norsk, mine will be 27", so about the same length as a bolt rifle with 23-24" barrels. I like the looks, ballistics, and the longer sighting plane. Perhaps Bailey or Aaron could send you a photo of mine to see if you like the look before you commit on your order.

Biebs... I would be very happy if I could! Is the burn rate on factory hornady loads such that it will be beneficial with barrel lenght @27 inches? MacD37 mentioned slowdown at a certain length dependant on powder used...

My .475 NE has 23" barrels, the rifle is short and very handy, perfectly balanced at 11 lbs +

I have handeled doubles in the 26" range, ie a 1906 Jeffery hammergun in .450-400 3"....that one was ill balanced, too front heavy..

So for me I would say 23-24" length in a heavy double.

quote:

posted document.write('<nobr>'+ myTimeZone('Wed, 24 Sep 2014 02:24:13 GMT-0700', '24 September 2014 14:24')+'</nobr>');24 September 2014 14:2424 September 2014 14:24Hide PostMy .475 NE has 23" barrels, the rifle is short and very handy, perfectly balanced at 11 lbs +I have handeled doubles in the 26

CAN YOU PLEASE POST AN PHOTO OF THIS GUN
:-))
I love that caliber.
:-)

Best wishes.

FM

quote:

Originally posted by Pondoro:
My .475 NE has 23" barrels, the rifle is short and very handy, perfectly balanced at 11 lbs +

I have handeled doubles in the 26" range, ie a 1906 Jeffery hammergun in .450-400 3"....that one was ill balanced, too front heavy..

So for me I would say 23-24" length in a heavy double.

Interesting. I bought an older hammerless H&H .500express here recently with 24½" barrels. I was quite sceptic to even think about buying it because I wanted atleast 26" barrels. Today I am very pleased and haven´t regretted one time. Perfect balanced 3" from the breech(towards the muzzle). Perfect pointabillity too.

I think where we are going with this is that regardless of the barrel length, any gun, rifle or shotgun coming from a quality gunmaker will be or should be properly balanced between the hands. If not, move on.

Bockhunter, here is a previous thread about my double:

http://forums.accuratereloadin...0101804/m/9411088691

Thank you pondoro.
I had read this article before, but I dont realise, that this great gun has so "short Barrels".

Best wishes. F

I like longer barrels. My short barrelled doubles don't get the velocities they should. I also like the looks of a longer barrelled rifle. I don't think a few inches of barrell length is going to affect the handling, except to the positive.

What is the relationship between barrel length (20-28 inches) and velocity? I am reading conflicting reports on the matter. Some sources show no difference from 20-26 inches in 308 for expamle

http://www.tacticaloperations.com/SWATbarrel/

while other sources estimate 25-35fps/inch...

"The significance of both of these high coefficients of determination, however, allows us to verify the velocity variations versus barrel length as being truly linear."

but maybe this is the case?

http://www.weatherby.com/suppo...345?categoryId=22589

Personally I would not let the relatively minor differences in velocity dictate or decide my barrel length. If you like the look and feel of a shorter barrel, I do not think you are going to compromise the velocity to any point worth worrying about. By the same token, I would not get a barrel that, based on your needs and taste, is too long just to gain some modest boost in velocity. In other words, I would let looks, feel, balance, handling, sight picture, etc. dictate the decision on barrel length not velocity.

I find 24" to be too short (unless I'm dealing with a short customer,) and 27" to be too long.

I wouldn't turn down a pre-war H&H with 27" barrels, but I wouldn't order a new one that way either.

Ok, 26 inches is decided then. Tanks for the input!

On a Big Bore double, ie. 400 and above 26" would be my minimum.

I have a 450/400 with 26" barrels and my 450 No2 has 28" barrels. I would not change a thing on either one of those doubles.

On a new made double I would go with 26" barrels over 24" barrels.

IF I was looking at two exactly identical old Vintage British doubles, and one had 24" barrels and the other had 26", 27" or 28" barrels, I would take the longer barrels without hesitation.

However, if you are @ 5'6" or so 24" barrels might be a better choice for YOU...

Hi friends,

Im here in Africa for 4 weeks, for "big cats" in Swasiland and for "fenced / un-fenced buffalo" and "amo test with the biggest german amo-custom-maker" in South Africa.

We had here three Heym doubles, 88 de luxe, with extra Barrels in:
- 24 inch
- 25 inch
- 26 inch

and in the calibers:
- .450/400 NE
- .450 NE
- .470 NE

And we had:
- an Merkel double in .500 NE with 21 inch
- an HH in 500/4?? with 28 Inch

My english is not good to write here exactly detailed results, but I will post some photos later on.

Best wishes.

F.

Looking forward to the updates Bockhunter!

I'm 6'3 and 230 pounds so i believe longer is better for me in that regard. I agree about not deciding based on minor velocity differences.

Hallo togehter,

after more than 20 days of hunting (in different countrys of africa), Im on my way back to Germany now.

It was great.

Great weather, great photos and some great adventures.

E. g. I shoot three old dagga boys in 30 seconds.
This was an great story and an big meat party for the natives.

BARRELL LENGH
After I shoot five different options, from 22,5 to 28 barrels, I must say, it is all aboute THE BALANCE OF THE RIFLE.
How long is the stock, how heavy, how thick are the barrels, pp.
And: Is the double fittet to the owner
For my mind, this is the option.
(Sorry, my english is not good enough for more details.)

Later on I will post some pictures.

Best wishes to all of you.

"The bock"