Does a Heavy Barrel make a difference in a .22?

[Tho_Sun]

Hey guys,

I just happened across two Savage MKII. One with a Heavy barrel, one without for $50 less. I'm all for paying extra for a performance upgrade, but does a bull barrel really make a difference on a .22? While we're on the matter, there are purists who swear up and down that anything on the barrel will mess with it's harmonics, including sites. I'm thinking .22's don't have the power to have harmonics mess with accuracy, am I going down the wrong road? Personally, I love scoping my rifles. I'm not a big iron site fan so I like the idea of a Heavy barrel with no sites on the barrel. Thanks in advance~

[hybridatsun350]

A heavier barrel is always better for accuracy. Plus, they look cool!

[Sheepdog1968]

From a book I saw on Ruger 10-22s the heavy barrel seemed to improve accuracy. Of course it will make it heavier.

[mif_slim]

I dont think its about "heavy" that makes it accurate. Although it helps in the bigger calibers I think the 22 isnt effected much by it but rather by streight tollerance made from the manufacture instead. You can have a bull barrel but its streightness is some 0.006" of course it wont be as accurate as a lightweight barrel that is 0.0001".
BUt, heavy does help with a more stable shot given that your on a bench. LOL, I tried to do a standing shot with my AR-24" bull barrel....good luck holding that thing stable. hahaha.

[fusionstar]

If your gun is going to be a target rifle, get heavy.
If your gun is going to be a hunting rifle, get light.

I dont think the accuracy is really noticeable from 2 equally good barrels of different thickness.

But the heavy barrel of equal quality should be more accurate.

[Tho_Sun]

To my understanding, heavy barrels help tame barrel vibrations. Correct me if I am wrong, (I probably am) but that is the reason why heavy barrels should be more accurate then pencil barrels, less vibration = more steady shot. Also, things like front sites throw off the harmonics. The thing I want to know is if a heavy barrel really effect a .22's accuracy. I'm guessing the answer is yes but not by much. I'm just trying to learn more as I go along so I don't buy unnecessary things and make good informed decisions as well as correcting my faults in thought processes.

The rifle will be used for paper punching practice with a bipod and prone golpher extermination from about 50-100 yards. My preference is right handed shooting with left handed bolt.

[Fjold]

Take a look at what the 22 rimfire benchrest shooters are doing. They're putting rubber balance weights on their bull barrels to decrease vibration and improve accuracy. Even on the threaded full diameter bull barrels they see an accuracy difference from dampening vibration.

[Tho_Sun]

Sweet goodness, that's the type of reading I'm talking about. You have a link by chance on these dampeners?

[Fjold]

Sweet goodness, that's the type of reading I'm talking about. You have a link by chance on these dampeners?

Google "rimfire benchrest dampeners"

[mif_slim]

"heavy" usually means you can shoot more out of it before the barrel starts to loose accuracy. If the barrel starts to heat up then your accuracy suffers. Many choose heavy because the more metal there is the long it takes for it to heat up. By the time it gets up to the heat to make accuracy suffer the shooter already stops shooting.

Heavy or light barrel you can use a vibration dampener and it should improve your accuracy. Its all about vibration. If you dampen a 0.001" streighness light barrel you can shoot just as good as a 0.001" streightness heavy barrel, but you'll have a lesser shooting session.

[Tho_Sun]

Interesting point, thank you very much for that bit~

[nick]

The rifle will be used for paper punching practice with a bipod and prone golpher extermination from about 50-100 yards. My preference is right handed shooting with left handed bolt.

Well, I can't say I'm fond of golfers, never liked that game, anyway. But aren't you taking it a bit to the extreme? They may be unpleasant fellows, but do they really warrant extermination? Do you live by a golf course?

[Tho_Sun]

It's for a friend. He has a vegetable garden with some expensive plants that are hard to grow. Those little rascals like to eat the roots and kill the garden. It's a big big big big garden.

[smird]

[Tho_Sun]

nothing like relaxing on the back porch with a glass of wine picking off those bloody varmints~