The best barrel length to suppress is 10.5 for 5.56 and 8 for 300 Blackout if the goal is shortest barrel length that still performs well suppressed. Heres what my 350 Legend shoots like up to 250 yards.distance (*zeroed at 100)drop(inches)velocity(fps)wind drift -inches(10mph crosswind)100 yards0017622.4125 yards1.216842.8150 yards *3.2*16093.5*175 yards6.015364.1200 yards9.814674.8225 yards14.614045.5250 yards20.513406.25. -The 45 Colt is a slower moving round than the .357 Magnum, which makes it more effective at close range. The best barrel length for a 410 shotgun is 20 to achieve great velocity and accuracy. The best barrel length for a 270 WIN is 22-24 for the optimal ratio of length vs velocity. Some mistakenly consider it light for deer, but its an ideal short-range whitetail cartridge thatll shoot much more accurately than any slug. If you want a bolt action or AR15, or if your going to buy factory ammo, then 350 legend then 350 legend is it. Firearms companies soon realized there was a real market for a low recoil straight wall option capable of a higher muzzle velocity than the other straight wall options out there. The speeds are also there. It makes a lot of sense in those scenarios, but some shooters would opt for the 357 Sig in that case. WebAssuming you can handle each equally well, A .357 Mag has more energy, better penetration and with the proper bullet better expansion. Its an ideal cartridge for states with straight-wall cartridge allowances. He serves as contributing editor for several magazines, including NRAs American Rieman and Shooting Illustrated, Varmint Hunter, and Combat Handgunner, and is the editor for Gun Digests Cartridges of the World 13th Edition. At that point, it is equal to a 40 S&W in a short pistol. However, 8 and even 7 barrels are very popular in 300 blackout pistols with the use of subsonic ammunition and a suppressor. Of course, its compatibility with the AR-15 is tempting to a lot of deer hunters who were previously regulated to shotguns. In fact, Ive used that load to take two African buffalo. Learn how your comment data is processed. The low bullet mass is I know no one likes that answer but I just wouldnt shoot 5.56 out of a 7 inch barrel, but 9mm I would. Some 22lr rifles are even made with unusually long 28 barrels to help make subsonic ammo even quieter. And actually, I've always maintained that if I had to choose a .357 Magnum or a .44 in a rifle, I'd choose .357 every-time. I'm not exactly a diehard with pistol-caliber carbines but I definitely enjoy them. However, 18 barrels are also very popular to achieve mire velocity and efficient powder burn. Your family is worth it. if you are willing to pass up any shot thats 100 yards or over, go ahead and use the .357. I recommend RTS Tactical for reliable, rifle-stopping options, Youre worth it. In a single shot I would be happy with either. If you want a bolt action or AR15, or if your going to buy factory ammo, then 350 legend then 350 legend is it. A 24 barrel will add an extra 120 fps compared to 16 but is not considered enough extra velocity to warrant the added barrel length. AR15.Com reserves the right to overwrite or replace any affiliate, commercial, or monetizable links, posted by users, with our own. the biggest difference for me is that there is cheap fmj ammo available for the 350. is even more expensive. Most precision 50 BMG rifles have anywhere between a 30-36 barrel length. The best barrel length for 45 ACP is 5 for use in most handguns. The best barrel length for a 5.56 SBR is 11.5 inches because many shooters will want to suppress or use at distances less than 200 yards. I really wish someone should make a 357 Maximum lever action. The 350 Legend is essentially a long pistol round using pistol powder so 16 tends to be optimal. It really boils down to max distance, drop, and how much the bullets are affected by a slight breeze. For the most part, I dont recommend taking a shot beyond 200 yards with any 350 Legend ammo. The extra portability of a shorter barrel is often worth the trade off to many shooters. I bought a barreled upper in 350 Legend for my AR. 350 Ledgend vs 357 Rem Max | Bloodydecks Latest posts Sportboat anglers gearing up for new regulations? comparing similar 180-grain bullets, it has more initial energy and more expected velocity in 16-inch barrels. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. The 158-grain bullets have less drop at 100 yards because they are going about 200 fps more at the muzzle, but it has less penetration at 100 yards because the bullet has a lower sectional density and ballistic coefficient. Therefore, bullets exit the muzzle at approximately .355 when fired from any of those three cartridges. At 16 a 22lr reaches maximum velocity, however, many 22lr rifles are made with longer barrels to help with balancing the lighter firearms. This is a revolver round that, from a rifle, will push a 270-grain bullet to similar velocities of around 1,800 fps. A revolver has no safetys to manipulate during a VERY high stress situation such as a bear attack and not all 1911s have ambidextrous controls should your gun hand be injured. Thats where it begins to hit a ballistic wall. COPYRIGHT 2023, WOMG. is more comparable to the .350 Legend, but youre losing power and velocity. However, most 10mm ARs perform well with 8 to 10 barrels. Jordan has taught marksmanship, woodsmanship, and self-defense classes. The best barrel length for duck hunting is 28 because duck shots tend to be at a good distance. So this section will mostly cover the best barrel lengths for hunting popular birds and game. Federal sells their .350 Legend cartridges between $26 and $32 for a box of 20. [26 U.S.C. comparing similar 180-grain bullets, it has more initial energy and more expected velocity in 16-inch barrels. Interesting length choice as that is the case length of a 460 S&W, which the law at one point read "traditional straight wall pistol cartridge." Barrel lengths between 10-14 are best for portability in close quarters, and 20 barrels are best if your goal is long range shooting. A longer 30 barrel is used by professional long range shooters to consistently reach out to 1000 yards. I wont be so bold as to predict the future of the .350 Legend. The best barrel length for 308 WIN/7.6251 is 24 for an accurate shot out to 700 yards. Heres why. The .357 Mag falls quite short of that. I need to point out that if you plan to get a suppressor for a 6.5 Grendel pistol or SBR, then a 12 barrel will be more than accurate to make 300 yards shots and is kind of a sweet set up. He also runs his own Gun Blog and YouTube Channel. The Winchester factory round is rather anemic; it launches a 255-grain bullet at about 1,300 fps. Besides, that is one of the most popular barrel lengths anyway. You may see a little better performance but usually its not considered enough to offset the heavier barrel. Originally conceived by the late Elgin Gates and called the .357 SuperMag, the new round was very straightforward. WebThe 350 Legend is essentially a long pistol round using pistol powder so 16 tends to be optimal. When you get above three inches of needed elevation or windage adjustment, you can no longer just hold center and shoot. Using the same case head diameter of the .223 Remington at a length of 1.71-inch, the 350 Legend uses a .357-inch diameter bullet, for a combination that is very easy on the shoulder while being effective downrange. The best barrel length for 5.56 for long range shooting is 20 inches. This cartridge has become extremely popular for older hunters and youth hunters for that reason. It really is all personal preference. Anything above a 26 barrel for 6.5 Grendel doesnt make much sense statistically. The vitals zone on a deer is about 8 inches wide. Now we have that out of the way lets get into the best barrel lengths of some of the most popular calibers. Everything I said up there about the .357 holds just as true for the .44 Magnum. It's a true joy for hunters young and old to use.. Get 12 Issues a year of the country's best firearms writing. Therefore, bullets exit the muzzle at approximately .355 when fired from any of those three cartridges. The Best Barrel Length for 350 Legend AR Pistol Andget thisit can be fired in any .375 Winchester rifle or any .38-55 designed to be used with smokeless powder. Same parameters as above, gets around 2200 fps from the max case and around 2300 fps from a 350L case. The best barrel length for a 357 Magnum is 16 for maximum velocity, 20 for maximum accuracy, and 3 for maximum concealment and portability. The expansion threshold shows that both cartridges are a short-range choice. This newfound legal opportunity has brought back interest in old cartridges that were near teetering on extinction or just holding on due to nostalgia. This cartridge has become extremely popular for older hunters and youth hunters for that reason. Compared to to .357 Magnum hunting loads, the 350 Legend tends to be faster, more powerful, and deliver straighter trajectories. Everything I said up there about the .357 holds just as true for the .44 Magnum. If they have it in stock, it will usually ship pretty quickly and they have good prices there too. The lever actions are considered hunting fud guns by the Left so a very good choice. Copyright 1996-2023 AR15.COM LLC. The best barrel length for a 1911 is 5 for the best concealability and velocity. A compact lever gun in .44 Magnum is an excellent walking-around whitetail rifle in any state. Although many like to argue that one cartridge is better than another, thats really not the case; they all have strengths and weaknesses and even appeal. is more comparable to the .350 Legend, but youre losing power and velocity. For close quarters or indoors, its really personal preference to sacrifice the muzzle velocity for ease of use and concealability. You do lose some accuracy at distances over 300 yards when compared to an 18 inch barrel, for example. At a distance less than 400 yards a 16 to 18 inch barrel would be ideal. The best barrel length for a 5.56mm rifle is 14.5 to ensure full powder burn. A good place to start looking for barrels is Here at OpticsPlanet. Any additional barrel length over 15 actually hurts velocity. When youre taking shots at just a couple hundred yards, 20 to 22 inch or 18 inch suppressed barrels are considered optimal for 6.5 Creedmoor. You may gain another 50 fps with a 26 barrel but most shooters dont opt for the longer barrel. However, the best barrel length for a handgun type 9mm is generally considered to be 5 inches for concealability and portability, and the best barrel length for an AR-9 pistol or SBR type 9mm is 7 to 10 inches. If the pistol is going to be suppressed, 7 or 8 inches of barrel length tends to work best, while shooters who prefer a little more range may opt for a 10 to 14 inch barrel. Any use of this content without express written consent is prohibited. You can get 44 magnums in rifles, carbines and pistols plus specials which are powderpuff loads and both can be used as self defense on two legged abs four legged animals. Some larger calibers with slower burning powder will do better with 28-32 barrels. The best barrel length for a 6.5 Grendel Pistol or SBR is 14.5 inches. The M4 I used in the Army had a 14.5 inch barrel and that was considered a good compromise between accuracy and maneuverability of the weapon. Judging from the ballistic coefficient alone, the 30-30 has a slight advantage. Personally I prefer to conceal my 3.5 inch barrel 9mm single stack in my waistband. It also has a bullet diameter that's lethal on medium-sized big game and a flat trajectory that us Midwestern hunters have never been able to enjoy before. If you liked this article, youll probably be interested in this one too! If youre interested, I have an article detailing the ballistics of 350 Legend with various barrel lengths. However, barrels as short as 22 can be used to hunt bird successfully. A bigger factor to consider will be the gas system length. That'd be the one I would use. WebAssuming you can handle each equally well, A .357 Mag has more energy, better penetration and with the proper bullet better expansion. Same parameters as above, gets around 2200 fps from the max case and around 2300 fps from a 350L case. WebThe 357 mag made for an excellent self-defense round for many years, and countless people still carry it for self-defense today. The most popular carbine barrel lengths are 9 inches, 11.5 inches, or 16 inches depending on caliber used. At introduction, it received a lot of fanfare but soon faded into, well, near oblivion. Its unethical to shoot an animal if you know its not a sure shot. Handgun and revolver type pistols most commonly have barrel lengths between 3 and 7 inches, while AR and AK style pistols will most commonly have barrel lengths between 7 and 16 inches. I like the traditional .357 magnum. The best barrel length for a 223 rifle is 14.5 inches to ensure full gun powder burn. 24-26 barrels are also popular for the 280 AI, however, anything below 24 and you lose too much velocity and wont be making the most of the round. We have lots more on the site to show you. It is a true joy to shoot, and you'll be more accurate because of it. This is understandable: The ability to launch a bullet of 250 grains or more at 2,300 fps was impressive. The longer barrel allows for more velocity and range from the shell as well as a better sight radius for the shooter. I have a contender pistol in 357 maximum and love it, but if the 350 legend had been available when I bought it I might have gone that route. In closer quarters situations an even shorter barrel is advantageous, and when under 100 yards, the accuracy loss isnt noticeable at all. I consider both cartridges to be very similar ballisticaly. Its essentially nothing more than a shortened version of the much older (1876) .38-55 Winchester thats loaded to a much higher pressure. We are compensated for referring traffic and business to these companies. Interesting length choice as that is the case length of a 460 S&W, which the law at one point read "traditional straight wall pistol cartridge." In a single shot I would be happy with either. Although, you will find the recoil to be similar. The best barrel length for 17 HMR is 18 inches to achieve the best velocity per barrel length. .350 Legend is 55,000 and headspaces on that tiny piece of metal we call case mouth. The reason has nothing to do with modern ballistics: Its all about the law. It can be used not only on deer, but elk and bears. That means more muzzle energy and momentum than the .357 with a bigger hole, and with similar trajectory. It would be easily duplicated with the Winchester 350 legend. In other words, its not as aerodynamic and it sheds energy faster. Ill quickly cover what barrel length makes a firearm a rifle, SBR, or pistol and then cover the best barrel lengths for some of the most popular calibers and their different use cases. If you are looking for a point-and-shoot gun, keep it to 150 yards. if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[250,250],'guntradition_com-large-mobile-banner-2','ezslot_9',118,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-guntradition_com-large-mobile-banner-2-0');With the 350 Legend, the minimum threshold of expansion comes at around 1,400 fps. There was a time when rifle cartridges did not look as sexy as they do today. The 350 Legend also uses the same .346 bore and .355 groove dimensions as 357 Mag and 357 Max. After about 16 of barrel length, the 357 Magnum is past the point of diminishing returns on velocity. Similar bullet tolerances also exist for 357 Magnum and 357 Maximum. Ruger and Mossberg are offering it in compact bolt-action rifles, and we are starting to see new ammunition being introduced. The best barre length for a 44 Magnum revolver is 6 for a good balance between weight and muzzle velocity. Winchester released the .350 Legend at the 2019 SHOT Show. Its a classic old deer hunting cartridge. The .357 Magnum generally has a reputation as a fast and powerful round, at least for handguns, but In general though, a majority of AR pistols are between 10.5 and 14.5 inches. Latest: Pitchinwedge 3 minutes ago Fishing Chit Chat Thai curry fish cakes Latest: Cactus Chris 7 minutes ago Fishing and Hunting Cooking Recipes garmin gt52hw Latest: thesaltyhooker 7 minutes ago Classifieds Node Pay First The 4 barrel is also a favorite, although the 1 difference doesnt help much with concealing and you lose a little velocity. Enter the 350 Legend. Most 6.5 Grendel barrels shoot well with a 1:8 twist rate. The best barrel length for a 50 Beowulf is 16 for the greatest velocity vs. length. It can handle bullets that are more aerodynamic. 150-grain ammo is good to about 200 yards before slowing down too much. The best barrel length for 6mm ARC is 18 inches for a rifle with good velocity that is still relatively easy to transport. Other calibers, such as the 300 Blackout, will maintain reliability with barrels as short as 7.5 inches. If I swap out 170 grains a bullet weight of 180 grain in my ballistics calculator and adjust the velocity accordingly, the only difference at 250 yards is about an inch of drop. Some shooters prefer barrels as short as 12 for under 300 yard shots and 24 for out to 800 yard shots or further. Ive talked about the 180-grain bullets, but there are other bullets. The rifle comes fitted with a picatinny rail for optics straight out of the box. The longer barrels will help accuracy because the shooter will have greater sight radius. A carbine is most commonly any barrel length less than 18 inches and greater than 10 inches. Any barrels longer than 14 inches will not produce much more velocity and may even reduce velocity of a 10mm. The best barrel length for a 5.56 for home defense is 10.5 inches, however, 11.5 and 12.5 inch barrels are also popular for this use. For the most part, the straight-wall cartridge has been obsolete for more than 100 years. is more comparable to the .350 Legend, but youre losing power and velocity. The best barrel length for a 6.5 Creedmoor hunting rifle is 20 inches. Theres a wide array of factory loads to choose from and, like the .357 Magnum, it will deliver better accuracy than slug guns. A revolver has no safetys to manipulate during a VERY high stress situation such as a bear attack and not all 1911s have ambidextrous controls should your gun hand be injured. If sighted in at 100 yards, the bullet will be about 3 inches low at 150 yards. In fact a majority of firearm related confrontations are at less than 50 yards. Both are 36 caliber bullets (listed as 0.357, with variance), but one has much higher powder volume, chamber pressure, and initial energy. Sorry, no opinion on extraction other than I never had a problem with .223. However an 18 barrel is recommended for youth shooters which the 410 shotgun is popular with. Stopping Power and Caliber. Barrels longer than 22 show no real improvement over the 18-20 barrels. This was partly because it was introduced at about the time of the AR-15 craze that hit the United States (at that time, everyone wanted an AR in .223 Remington).