What barrel length 1873?

[Rube Burrows]

I have been reading a lot of post on the 1873 but it leaves me wondering what barrel length to get.

I have few Winchester 94s in 20" and at first I thought I would buy my 73 in the same length but some say the 24 swing better.

I would like to ask the pros and cons of some of the different barrel lengths.

Here where I live I dont have the liberty to handle all that many. I do play to attend a match here soon and maybe there will be some guys who will let me handle theirs but any help here would be greatly appreciated.

[Ten Wolves Fiveshooter]

Howdy Pard

    I love my 1873 45 long colt 24" barrel, it handles great, but for real close work like in and out of door ways or lots of windows, I also have a 20" 1892 in 45 long colt. I guess I'm no help because I loveeeeees them both


                                               tEN wOLVES 

[Dr. Bob]

I'm seldom in a hurry in any stage, but I like my 24" barrel!   

[Rube Burrows]

Howdy Pard

    I love my 1873 45 long colt 24" barrel, it handles great, but for real close work like in and out of door ways or lots of windows, I also have a 20" 1892 in 45 long colt. I guess I'm no help because I loveeeeees them both


                                               tEN wOLVES 

The 24" is what I was thinking about. I have just never handled a 24" as everything I have is 20". I have always liked the carbines. I would also like to get a 92 so I guess a 73 in 24" and a 92 in 20" would work great. 

[Dirty Brass]

I haven't had the opportunity to shoot any matches, but I do shoot a '60 Henry and '66 Yellowboy in 24" lengths and I have a Marlin 1894CB in 20". I can see the advantages of the shorter one in close quarters, but I prefer the feel of the 24" models. As a matter of fact, I picked up a '73 with a 30" tube awhile back at a good price, and have since cut it down to 24" also. I guess that proves I prefer 24"  I hope to get a chance to shoot some CASS type shoots, even if I set up a course on my hunting land and take a stab at it - it sure looks like fun, and both my sons think it's really neat too. 

[Wymore Wrangler]

I've got both the 24 inch and 20 inch barrels, the 20 inch border rifle swings faster for me at SASS rifle ranges.  Most of the top shooters I've seen also seen to prefer the 20 inch barrel...

[Fingers McGee]

I've got both the 24 inch and 20 inch barrels, the 20 inch border rifle swings faster for me at SASS rifle ranges.  Most of the top shooters I've seen also seen to prefer the 20 inch barrel...

+1.  Although I do like to use the Henry some times.

FIngers (Show Me MO smoke) McGee

[Sgt. Jake]

    Joey   Its a personal prefrence thing,for myself I find I perfer the 20" short rifle,have two in that configuration.My reasons the short rifle is still a full octagon,give me enough weight to steady things and not to much to feel nose heavy.Nice smooth swings,holds ten rounds,gets it done for me.Try out a few configureations rifle ,short rifle and carbine,see what feels rite for you,you will find whats rite for you.     Adios  Sgt.Jake

[Rube Burrows]

Thanks for all of the answers. We are planning a trip later this month to TN. I plan to look up gunshops along the way and see if I can find someone who stocks plenty of them so I can handle them in person.

[Driftwood Johnson]

Howdy

Your 20" Model 94 Winchesters are probably carbines. Carbines usually have round barrels. Most of the 24" reproduction '73 rifles have octagonal barrels. An octagonal barrel will always be heavier than a round barrel of the same length, there is simply more metal in an octagonal barrel than a round one of the same cross section.

My point is, a 24" octagonal barrel will probably be considerably heavier than your 20" 94s.

As far as swinging better is concerned, that really is not so much of a concern in Cowboy shooting. Swinging well is an asset when shooting a moving target, like Trap or Skeet shooting with a shotgun. In that case you want a gun that swings very smoothly. But we don't get very many moving targets in CAS. About the only time you really want the gun to swing well is when you build up some momentum, for instance if you are sweeping a bunch of targets from one side to the other. Most shooters will move from target to target, stopping to shoot each target. But if you time it right you can start swinging through the series of targets, levering and pulling the trigger as each target crosses your sights, without stopping at all. But not too many shooters really do that.

On the contrary, I like a heavy barrel because the gun is very steady, and tends not to bounce around very much. The loads we shoot in CAS are not very powerful, and there really is not much recoil to contend with in a rifle. But working the lever can cause the gun to bounce around and I find a heavier gun tends to bounce around less.

All my CAS rifles have 24" barrels, I like long barrels. It is really more of an aesthetic thing with me than anything else.

Here are some numbers for you. These weights are all with the guns empty. Add bullets and they will weigh more. My antique Winchester Model 1892 with a round barrel weighs 7 pounds 4 ounces. My antique Marlin Model 1894 with a round barrel weighs 7 pounds 8 ounces. My Uberti '73 with the octagonal barrel weighs 8 pounds 1 ounce. I shot this gun as my main match rifle for several years. My Henry is the real heavyweight, it weighs 9 pounds 2 ounces. It has been my main match rifle for the last two years. These four guns all have 24" barrels and are chambered for the 44-40 cartridge.

Like I say, I like a heavy barrel because it really hangs steady when you start blastinig. Swinging doesn't really enter into it very much.

[Rube Burrows]

Thanks D.J. for the break down. I had a 66 for a short time before I traded it. I loved the feel of that one. I think it was a 24" but for the life of me cant remember. It shot good for me and was a steady shooter with NO recoil.

I am def leaning more towards the 24".

Im going to TN for a few days and along the way I hope to find some gun shops that have some to handle so I can see for myself.

[Marshal Will Wingam]

I like the 20" short rifle for the same reasons Sgt. Jake does. I have a carbine and it doesn't have quite enough mass to stabilize it. I've shot the longer ones and for fast transitions from target to target, they take too much time.

[Johnny McCrae]

I have an 1866 with a 24" barrel and an 1892 Carbine. I like the feel and steadiness of a heavier barrel. My next rifle will be an 1873 with a 24" barrel.

[Daniel Nighteyes]

Of all the rifles I have tried - and there have been many - the two I consistently prefer are my '66 carbine and my old pre-safety Marlin 1894C.  Obviously, "the right" barrel length is a matter of personal preference.