Barrel Length
THE EXTREME VARIATIONS in barrel length we have seen in rifles of all eras from flintlock to present day have long given rise to controversy and persistent myths. I grew up in a time when long rifle barrels were thought to be inherently more accurate and to shoot further; while long shotgun barrels were thought to hold tighter patterns, shoot further and hit harder. You still come across the odd bod who believes this even today.
The notion that long rifle (and handgun) barrels are more accurate stems from the fact that, prior to the advent of telescopic sights, a longer barrel had a longer sight-radius, i.e. the front sight was further away from the rear sight than on shorter barrels, and this made them easier
