How long is too long?

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conradin
Posts: 1999
Joined: Sun Apr 29, 2012 1:18 am
Location: Basement.

How long is too long?

Post by conradin »

Is there a point which the barrel of a free pistol would be considered too long (along with a corresponding long sight radius) to be of advantage? Mine with the compensator ends up being 14". with a sight radius of 17". Is there a certain length which barrel length no longer has an advantage (accuracy)? Same thing for sight radius?

If you can hold a rifle single handed, get rid of the stock and every other accessories such as handstop, foreend, etc etc, and make it look like a pistol such as using pistol sight, do you think you can shoot as good as anyone in the free pistol event assuming that you can handle the weight?
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SamEEE
Posts: 505
Joined: Mon Aug 12, 2013 7:48 am
Location: Aotearoa/NZ

Re: How long is too long?

Post by SamEEE »

I do not think that it really matters so long as you can hold the sight picture together.
All else being equal a longer sight radius is more precise.

Boil it back to fundamental principles: Sight Picture, Hold, and Trigger control.

I hold the TOZ-35 as the gold standard of Free Pistol design, and that sits at about 30cm.
You can test accuracy of ammo/barrel combo by using a machine rest/vice. No other way to know.
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seamaster
Posts: 645
Joined: Sun Jan 16, 2011 6:24 pm

Re: How long is too long?

Post by seamaster »

You can hold your free pistol on a rifle stand support.

It is as accurate as a rifle.

But no one can handle it like a rifle.

Theoretically possible, but physically impossible.
David M
Posts: 1676
Joined: Wed Mar 24, 2004 6:43 pm

Re: How long is too long?

Post by David M »

As the barrel of a Free pistol gets longer the advantage of sight radius is diminished
by the apparent increase of foresight wobble and is a lot more difficult to hold in
any wind.
Prior to Sydney 2000 I built a 10" and 14" barrel (std 12") for my Morini, after a lot of
testing I found the 10" to be the best all round barrel and cut down the 14 to 10.
The gains in apparent sight picture reduced wobble and hold in the wind outweighted
the gain of sight radius.
The 14" shot more inner 10's but the poor shots where out in the 7 ring, the short barrel
shot more 9's and outer 10's.
On a good day the 14" gave the higher score but the averages were up for the 10" overall.
Any wind, nerves or fatigue the 10" was better.
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