Difference in barrels: bull, heavy, extra heavy

[JayMund]

Whats the difference? I know bull barrel is awful thick. What i want to know is what are heavy and extra heavy. Whats the order. Bull, heavy, extra heavy? Or heavy, extra, bull?

Just gettin it all straight

[MrMurphy]

Who's the manufacturer?

And what exactly are you using the rifle for, as any of the heavy barrels, except for target rifles or varmint rifles, tend to be more weight than you need for the performance you "may" get out of them.

[JayMund]

Originally posted by MrMurphy
Who's the manufacturer?

And what exactly are you using the rifle for, as any of the heavy barrels, except for target rifles or varmint rifles, tend to be more weight than you need for the performance you "may" get out of them.

Competition
and manufacturer is DPMS

[MrMurphy]

What sort? 3-gun, thousand yard, etc?

[crazymoose]

Usually bull is the heaviest. If you're doing a shooting discipline that doesn't involve running and gunning, then the heavier the barrel the better, as the barrel will be more rigid (better accuracy), and won't heat up as fast. If you have to move and fire quickly, a really heavy barrel screws up the gun's balance.

[JayMund]

its for competition. Mostly 3gun, and rifle matches. I'd like to have 0-500 yards covered. So I wont be doing anything 1000yd matches just yet.

I was thinking about a dpms lo pro. I've shot one before and the only problem i had was the telescopic stock didnt balance well. I plan on getting one with an a2 type stock.

Any other suggestions. Price is a big issue which is why lo pro is my choice. Small size good accuracy and durable for a reasonable price

right?

[MrMurphy]

A standard barrel will do fine out to 500m. A heavy or bull barrel is a serious disadvantage in any run-and-gun type gun games like 3-gun, which are something like being in combat (run stop shoot run). Any room clearing, manuevering etc will be seriously compromised by a heavy barrel.

The split second extra to catch your breath and calm yourself before a 500m shot is far more valuable.

[JWP]

223 at 1k is not a good choice unless service rifle match - then even with 80 gr single loads you have to be an expert wind doper [or shoot insane mil.gov loads that expand the head over 0.010" on first shot - gathered many at camp perry]

i have shot space gun with 29" barrel at 1k pushing 80 at 3k fps and it did ok but wind effects are like 2 moa more for same wind as 175 in 308