Thinking of putting 350 on chopping block

[cfxlongshot]

I am thinking of cutting the barrel of my 350 a few inches shorter.  When I shoot it, its like the pellet is in the barrel to long and I can't hold it on target long enough.  Don't get me wrong I can keep a 1 inch group at 20yds but I think if I shortened the lock time that I could shrink that by half or more.  I read an old article somewhere and the author wrote of barrel length and how it affects various things.  One of those things he observed was when he was making a barrel for an Olympic target shooter.  The shooter had been shooting standing so long with his current firearm (.22 cal) that he knew the exact moment that the bullet left the barrel, and when the author made the barrel a 1/2 in longer the shooters accuracy went south.  See even Olympic shooters sway while standing albeit alot less than we do but they do sway slightly.  This shooter knew at which point exactly in this sway to pull the trigger for the bullet to leave the barrel right on target.  In a less precise manner it feels to me that when I pull the trigger its like the pellet leaves late and I don't get the precision that I want.  Don't get me wrong I'm not trying to make up excuses for poor shooting because I shoot great with my other guns its just the 350 mag that I have this feeling.  I've tried to compensate by adjusting the trigger pull but it still seems that the gun is already in full recoil before the pellet leaves and I was thinking that this may be the reason that many people have trouble shooting the 350 mag, the barrel may have been designed to long. Any suggestions?

[speedturtle]

Shortening the barrel's length is one of the ways you can shorten rifles' lock time. Another option is to increase the acceleration of the pellet by either decreasing its pellet weight or increasing the compression force of the piston spring. However, if you make the spring more powerful the tradeoff is the added "jolt" upon trigger break and thus a bigger vertical deflection of the muzzle due to the jump. You gain speed but you also increased your P.O.I. change due to the increased muzzle jump. There's also the issue of barrel friction due to differences in pellet dimensions.

My suggestion is try to select the appropriate pellet for your magnum 350 first before putting your rifle to the chopping block. If this option suffices then you save yourself some effort and time. Better yet, once you have found out what pellet your 350 likes to spit then chop it a little more and perhaps you can gain some more additional advantage.

Just my 2 cents on your query cfxlongshot.

Speedturtle

[Timmyj1959@yahoo.com]

I have had great succsess in the past on several guns "chopping" the brls. You have obviously put alot of thought into this & you make several very valid points!! Both my 350 & 34 Panther balanced better and shot (for me) much more accurate with shorter brls.In the pic below you will see my 350 & 34 with "chopped" brls. & muzzle breaks made by my Bestest Buddy Gene!! Sorry its not the best pic of the guns,,, it is the only one I can find without critters layin next to them!!Tim.

[dhum]

Timmy:

Who did the barrel shortening on your springers?

Thanks for any info on this topic.

Don Humphrey

[howie1a]

Timmy did his own barrel shorting they don't call him the chopper for nothing. LOL howie

[tjk]

Before you chop it,...I'd recommend working on your hold. Not that I'm opposed to chopping barrels,...for a better balanced rifle suited to fit the shooter,...I'd say go for it!! But being a heavier weapon,...it's just natural for shooters to grip them a bit harder than other lighter guns. Ex: Diana 34's, Gamo's, Crosmans, etc. Mike wrote a very good tutorial in the China Gate about shooting the B-28's,...which are basically the same rifles. I will admit it feels a bit awkward at first,...much like learning to shoot with both eyes open,..eventually it does become easier,...and second nature before you know it. Timmy's a whiz at chopping barrells and I'm sure he can offer alot of input into it!!! Good Luck, tjk

[Timmyj1959@yahoo.com]

howie1a - 9/27/2009 6:14 PM Timmy did his own barrel shorting they don't call him the chopper for nothing. LOL howie

Yup,,,, Im still "Choppin" em & the good Lord willing I will be for quite some time!!At this point I have yet to have even one tiny negative result due to "Chopping" brls. While a nice true cut with certain precautions taken is certainly important,, IMO a well cut & polished crown is the key to sucsess. I owe my sucsess to the info I have gathered from many Folks,,,,, Mr Howie tought me the basics of cutting a good crown!!Thanks Buddy,,,,, "Chopper".

[kiwi]

Timmyj1959@yahoo.com - 6/9/2009  7:09 AM

I have had great succsess in the past on several guns "chopping" the brls. You have obviously put alot of thought into this & you make several very valid points!! Both my 350 & 34 Panther balanced better and shot (for me) much more accurate with shorter brls. In the pic below you will see my 350 & 34 with "chopped" brls. & muzzle breaks made by my Bestest Buddy Gene!! Sorry its not the best pic of the guns,,, it is the only one I can find without critters layin next to them!! Tim.

   TIM
Those guns are just TO clean & shinny..
Yer would have nightmares if yer seen mine...

Pete

[lillysdad621]

timmy... PM sent. thanks...
kiwi: if i could i would as your 34's hand in marriage... that is what my dream rifle looks like...

[Jaymo]

Chop, chop, chop, engine of destruction. Chop, chop, chop, the perfect killing machine. Chop, chop, chop, it's a symbiotic function. Chop, chop, chop, I keep the city so clean.

[Jaymo]

They are beautiful. I've thought about chopping the barrel on my EAA long barreled R9 and making a full length shroud for it, a la Paul Watts, or R11. I really like those chopped/shrouded bull barrels on Paul Watts' website. Maybe I should do that to my MP512. That and a nice wood stock would make it look much better.

[Jaymo]

I guess nobody got the Alice Cooper reference.