Muzzleloader barrel length vs velocity

[whoami-72]

Anyone have any good data on FPS gain with barrel length on muzzle loaders? Everywhere I look either comes back with centerfire data or some guys comment that its going to be higher but doesnt give a number.

 

[ElDiablito]

Toby Bridges did a test years ago with Bh209.

 

[whoami-72]

Toby Bridges did a test years ago with Bh209.

View attachment 720095
View attachment 720094

This is awesome. Mind posting the link?

 

[ElDiablito]

There site is gone but here is an archived version of the conclusions.

MLtesting-4-6

The conclusion of a six part report that takes a look at muzzleloader barrel length and how it affects the bullet velocities produced by charges of Blackhorn 209 and Triple Seven Pellets.

web.archive.org

 

[ElDiablito]

I was able to dig up all the archive articles in the series.

Barrel Length & How It Affects Velocity Part 1


https://web.archive.org/web/20160107104122/http://namlhunt.com/mltesting-4-1.html





Part 2


https://web.archive.org/web/20180128231617/http://www.namlhunt.com/mltesting-4-2.html



Part 3



https://web.archive.org/web/20160104210819/http://namlhunt.com/mltesting-4-3.html



Part 4



https://web.archive.org/web/20160215031353/http://namlhunt.com/mltesting-4-4.html



Part 5



https://web.archive.org/web/20151219135013/http://www.namlhunt.com/mltesting-4-5.html



Part 6 Conclusions



https://web.archive.org/web/20160213050953/http://namlhunt.com/mltesting-4-6.html

 

[Choot]

I have a Cva optima v2 I found for cheap I chopped down to 20in. Need to find some blackhorn so I can test it out

 

[peteo]

Here is a link that a gentleman ran in Hank's Forum conducting a test with recorded results. He cut off a 25-inch barrel 1 inch at a time till it was 17 inches firing multiple shots with a chronograph. The results were interesting. https://hanksmessageboard.freeforums.net/thread/7010/imr-4198-fps-inch

 

[ElDiablito]

I haven't come across specific FPS gain data for muzzle loaders based on barrel length. It seems there's a lack of detailed information available, possibly due to the variability in setups and ammunition types.

Theres some pretty detailed info in those links I posted above….

 

[RockAndSage]

Theres some pretty detailed info in those links I posted above….

Most of the time I like extreme detail, but...could I ask for a quick summary?

 

[ElDiablito]

Most of the time I like extreme detail, but...could I ask for a quick summary?

With higher end Bh209 charges you can expect an average of 25 fps per inch of barrel length difference.

 

[RockAndSage]

With higher end Bh209 charges you can expect an average of 25 fps per inch of barrel length difference.

Thank you. Sounds like it's close to what smokeless guns lose per inch, as well.

 

[ElDiablito]

Thank you. Sounds like it's close to what smokeless guns lose per inch, as well.

Well for what it’s worth, Bh209 is essentially a dirty smokeless powder.

 

[RockAndSage]

Well for what it’s worth, Bh209 is essentially a dirty smokeless powder.

I didn't know that, actually. I've only ever fired black powder out of my muzzleloaders. Any idea what barrel length does with that?

 

[ElDiablito]

I didn't know that, actually. I've only ever fired black powder out of my muzzleloaders. Any idea what barrel length does with that?

Don’t know off the top of my head how barrel length and black interact. Most of the real black I’ve shot was in Africa. There’s prob some data out there somewhere though.

 

[doc holiday13]

Here is a link that a gentleman ran in Hank's Forum conducting a test with recorded results. He cut off a 25-inch barrel 1 inch at a time till it was 17 inches firing multiple shots with a chronograph. The results were interesting. https://hanksmessageboard.freeforums.net/thread/7010/imr-4198-fps-inch

He was using IMR 4198 which really can't be considered for guys shooting 777 or the like. But link @ElDiablito posted, the guy compared BH209 and 777 pellets. Its looks like sweet spot for ML is 28" barrel, but reality is that there isn't much weight or length difference in going with a 30". Velocity gain beyond 28" was minimal

 

[ElDiablito]

He was using IMR 4198 which really can't be considered for guys shooting 777 or the like. But link @ElDiablito posted, the guy compared BH209 and 777 pellets. Its looks like sweet spot for ML is 28" barrel, but reality is that there isn't much weight or length difference in going with a 30". Velocity gain beyond 28" was minimal

I’m a fan of 22”-24” in my muzzys. You don’t gain much except extra weigh with a longer barrel, IMO. 28” is fine in a short action but I’d never pick 30”.