It's not because of the longer barrel per se, it's because if one is using iron sights they could expect slightly improved accuracy because the longer barrel allows for a greater distance between the front and rear sights on the rifle; supposedly the longer sight plane allows for improved accuracy. <br /><br />One other important difference is that a longer barrel length usually translates into higher muzzle velocity. Within the range of commonly found barrel lengths (and that if you're non-military the minimum legal barrel length for a carbine in the US is 16") this usually translates to a change of in the range of 50-100 fps per inch of barrel length added/removed.<br /><br />For sporting firearms, marketing types usually refer to a rifle with barrel 20" or less as a carbine, 22" is typical for a non-magnum rifle and 24-26" for a magnum rifle, but this isn't by any means a rule nor does it necessarily apply to military firearms.
Very good replies!!!!<br /><br />In the 30-06 I have both the long barrel and carbine semi auto!!! The differance for me is that the carbine is a quicker pointing rifle then the long barrel!!!! And they are both just as deadly at 500yds!!!!!<br /><br />When i had the 44cal. carbine which was a great rifle for me, shot a lot of deer with it, people would tell me it was only good for a brush gun and not good over a hundred yds. Well when someone would say that I would challenge them on that remark and would suggest to them to stand at 200yds. with there pants down if they only thought the carbine was only a brush gun, "Well I never had any body take me up on that challenge"!! "I wonder WhY"!!!! I'll add that the velocity increases/decreases per inch of barrel are relative to the burn rates of specific powders/propellants.. the barrels rifling 'dimensions' also play a role.. <br /><br />..The same is true for shotgun barrels but, velocity increases/decreases are much less generally @ 5-10fps per inch incrament.. another variable here is the shotcup (wad) and the gas seal its able to maintain.. Many of the newer shotguns are 'over-bored' and depending on your shotshell construction, specificly the shotcup, - velocities might be jeopardised due to inept profomance (expansion) of the shotcup blow-by will occur and velocities will suffer irregardless..<br /><br />hmmmm.... lol.. pardon the tangent
You're lucky.<br /><br />Similar issues didn't go that well for the basic British / Australian WWI / WWII infantry weapon when reduced to a carbine. This is a very concise statement of what happened to a very reliable and serviceable weapon when cut down for jungle service.<br /><br /> http://www.securityarms.com/20010315/galleryfiles/1300/1366.htm <br /><br />Carbines are for short range accuracy 100 to 200 yards, although they'll kill well beyond that.<br /><br />Rifles extend accuracy anything up to 600 yards, more for good shots.
)Actualy JB, a carbine is less powerfull that it's longer cousin. Barrel length is part of the equation for total gas pressure generated before the projectile leaves the muzzel. The longer the barrel, the higher the gas pressure, therefore the higher the muzzel velocity, greater accuracy and higher foot pound impact. (that is to say, up to the point of diminishing returns)<br /><br />My dad has an ancient .69 calibre carbine that uses caps. It was a calvery rifle, and packs a wallup of recoil.
Not where I live. When I was a kid in the 1950's and early '60's, maybe a bit later, you could buy army war surplus .303's for a song. Tons of cheap ammo because it was our standard calibre (or maybe it should be caliber
) and I think it could also be bought as army surplus. <br /><br />The Lee Enfield jungle carbine was certainly sought after by some people here.<br /><br />I hankered after an M1 myself. Looked very neat when wielded by Vic Morrow in "Combat".
