I'm thinking about buying a new barrel for my 10/22 and was wondering what barrel lengths mean to velocity. What I want to know is at what length does all the powder in the cartridge burn for the high velocity cartridges? I guess I'd like to know for standard velocity also.

Also what twist is best for what bullet weight?

TJR

if i remember right a 22lr reaches max velocity in something like 16 or 17" of barrel. nominal twist is 1 in 16 if you wanted to shoot the heavy bullets i'd go to 1 in 12

I have a Custom Ruger 77/22 and a Custom Ruger 10/22.

The Ruger 77/22 has a Clark Custom Guns 20" Stainless-Steel Bull Barrel on it while the Ruger 10/22 uses the factory Ruger Barrel that I had shortened & recrowned to 17". I have chronographed Remington Bulk Hollow Points in both Rugers and the average velocity for each is as follows:

17" Custom Ruger 10/22 = 1216 FPS
20" Custom Ruger 77/22 = 1213 FPS

For the record I have also chronographed the same ammo out of my two Ruger Handguns. The average velocity is as follows:

5 1/2" Ruger MKII = 1049 FPS
4" Ruger MKIII 22/45 = 1011 FPS

Larry

Based on SD's tests it looks like u reach max velocity at 16" - 17". Anybody else do any tests?

I hate saying I remeber reading somewhere but... A few years ago one of the magazines did a test (cut and crown the same barrel) and had steady increases to 16". They had to stop at sixteen inches for legal reasons. I read somewhere else that the 14-15" neighborhood is the optimum barrel length for velocity.

Thanks Larry for the real world testing. I would have guessed a little lower on the 4" and 5 1/2" barrels.

Optimum velocity occurs at different barrel lengths for different ammunition, but it is typically around 16-18 inches. "Match" ammunition, which is designed not to exceed the speed of sound, probably tops out in a shorter barrel than does Hi-Vel ammunition, but that is only a guess.

Comparing velocities from different barrels of different lengths doesn't really tell you much. You have to start with a long barrel and chop it incrementally for a direct comparison. By the way, the optimal barrel length for highest velocity may or may not coincide in any consistent way with the optimal barrel length for accuracy.

That makes sense. Now I know if I get a 16-18 inch barrel I will likely achieve max velocity form most loads.

I had the barrel of my .22 rimfire cut to 17 inches. It makes abit more noise now!

I have 8 Ruger 10-22's and prefer longer barrels on them. I think they look better.
BUT, YMMV
All barrels are 1-16" twist.
Butchloc nailed the ballistics part.

Don

I've had barrels on my 10/22 from 16" to 20" and found there is more variance in the ammo than in the barrel length. That said I think my favorite and most accurate 10/22 is one with a 16" tube on it. It is also threaded for a suppressor and that makes it even more fun to shoot.

The difference, for me, between a 16" and a 20" was just more weight and harder to clear the barrel in tight sports with the 20".

All my future barrels will be 16".