Cutting a semi-auto rifle barrel shorter?

JMcDonald · 04-23-2008, 11:26 PM

I was thinking of having the .22 Plinkster's barrel shortened from 18" to 16.5." Are there any other concerns I should have, like it not ejecting / feeding properly from the alteration of the expansion / recoil time? Or is that not enough of a difference?

Mooseman684 · 04-23-2008, 11:37 PM

As long as it is done properly and recrowned, it should be fine at 16.5 inches.
There are a lot of .22's with 16.1 inch barrels that function just fine !
Rich

ArkansasHunter · 04-23-2008, 11:40 PM

Why do you want to cut it down if you don't mind me asking ?

GlockMeister · 04-23-2008, 11:44 PM

Leave it, 18" is perfect. I could be wrong, but if you go shorter, you could/might lose some accuracy? Again, I could be wrong but IMHO, 18" is just right for a .22 rifle barrel.

Why would or do you want to go shorter?

JMcDonald · 04-24-2008, 12:08 AM

Just to have it a little more compact. I honestly didn't expect to see any worthwhile difference in accuracy between a 16.5" barrel and an 18" barrel, especially since I dont think it will ever seriously be shot more than maybe 75 yards. Of course, you could also say that there isn't that much of a difference between a 33.5" gun and a 32" gun, but I feel that the shorter AOL, for what uses this gun is intended for (short-distance plinking, and any type of bad scenario from my GF hiding in the corner of the bedroom with it, to running through the streets in TEOTWAWKI), would be worth the potential loss in long-range accuracy.

So, the various 22s that have different available barrels, are they manufactured with different bolt springs or something to compensate for the varying waves of cylinder pressures between barrel lengths? Or do they all typically use the same receiver guts? I ask because Id hate to cut the barrel and then have it constantly FTE or FTF because the bolt didn't go back all the way (or something like that).

stitchclimber · 04-24-2008, 12:27 AM

I know with Ruger 10-22's all you have to do is swap out barrels. they make 16, 18 and 20 in ch barrels with no modifications to the receiver. So to answer your question, I don't think the barrel length will effect the guns ability to cycle.

Mooseman684 · 04-24-2008, 12:30 AM

.22 powder is burnt in the first 12 to 15 inches of barrel...so max pressure will be achieved before the bullet exits....22 pistols work with short barrels, you wont have any problems with FTE, Etc. unless there is something else wrong....Ruger 10/22's are mostly all 16.1 inch Barrels, and accurate!
Rich

oldjarhead · 04-24-2008, 12:32 AM

+1 Stitchclimber...
Check out the Ruger Charger. It's little more than a short barreled 10/22.

04-23-2008, 11:26 PM	#1
JMcDonald Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Posts: 382 Trader Rating: (0)	Cutting a semi-auto rifle barrel shorter? I was thinking of having the .22 Plinkster's barrel shortened from 18" to 16.5." Are there any other concerns I should have, like it not ejecting / feeding properly from the alteration of the expansion / recoil time? Or is that not enough of a difference?

04-23-2008, 11:37 PM	#2
Mooseman684 Super Moderator Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Alaska Wilderness Posts: 9,270 Trader Rating: (0)	As long as it is done properly and recrowned, it should be fine at 16.5 inches. There are a lot of .22's with 16.1 inch barrels that function just fine ! Rich __________________ You know you might be facing your doom,when all you get is a click when you're expecting a BOOM!

04-23-2008, 11:44 PM	#4
GlockMeister Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Northern Illinois Posts: 4,952 Trader Rating: (0)	Leave it, 18" is perfect. I could be wrong, but if you go shorter, you could/might lose some accuracy? Again, I could be wrong but IMHO, 18" is just right for a .22 rifle barrel. Why would or do you want to go shorter? __________________ I'd rather be tried by 12 than carried by 6!

04-24-2008, 12:27 AM	#6
stitchclimber Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: The great northwest Posts: 928 Trader Rating: (0)	I know with Ruger 10-22's all you have to do is swap out barrels. they make 16, 18 and 20 in ch barrels with no modifications to the receiver. So to answer your question, I don't think the barrel length will effect the guns ability to cycle. __________________ turning up the radio, got just enough religion and a half tank of gas...

04-24-2008, 12:30 AM	#7
Mooseman684 Super Moderator Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Alaska Wilderness Posts: 9,270 Trader Rating: (0)	.22 powder is burnt in the first 12 to 15 inches of barrel...so max pressure will be achieved before the bullet exits....22 pistols work with short barrels, you wont have any problems with FTE, Etc. unless there is something else wrong....Ruger 10/22's are mostly all 16.1 inch Barrels, and accurate! Rich __________________ You know you might be facing your doom,when all you get is a click when you're expecting a BOOM!

04-23-2008, 11:40 PM	#3
ArkansasHunter Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: South Arkansas Posts: 10,525 Trader Rating: (0)	Why do you want to cut it down if you don't mind me asking ?

04-24-2008, 12:08 AM	#5
JMcDonald Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Posts: 382 Trader Rating: (0)	Just to have it a little more compact. I honestly didn't expect to see any worthwhile difference in accuracy between a 16.5" barrel and an 18" barrel, especially since I dont think it will ever seriously be shot more than maybe 75 yards. Of course, you could also say that there isn't that much of a difference between a 33.5" gun and a 32" gun, but I feel that the shorter AOL, for what uses this gun is intended for (short-distance plinking, and any type of bad scenario from my GF hiding in the corner of the bedroom with it, to running through the streets in TEOTWAWKI), would be worth the potential loss in long-range accuracy. So, the various 22s that have different available barrels, are they manufactured with different bolt springs or something to compensate for the varying waves of cylinder pressures between barrel lengths? Or do they all typically use the same receiver guts? I ask because Id hate to cut the barrel and then have it constantly FTE or FTF because the bolt didn't go back all the way (or something like that).

04-24-2008, 12:32 AM	#8
oldjarhead Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Pottersville, MO Posts: 682 Trader Rating: (0)	+1 Stitchclimber... Check out the Ruger Charger. It's little more than a short barreled 10/22.