These days you can find about any length of barrel on a handgun you want. There are revolvers out there with 12-inch barrels and longer. In today’s frenzy of CCW guns, shorter-barrel handguns are popular because of the need to conceal them. Barrels of three- to four-inch lengths are the most common for concealed carry and four- to five-inch barrels are considered normal for full-sized guns. So, you can basically find a handgun in about any barrel length you want. But does it matter which one you pick? Let’s look at the pros and cons of different sizes in barrel length.
Short Barrel Handguns for CCW
The most common guns for CCW have short barrels. The Ruger LCP Max has a barrel length of 2.8 inches and Taurus makes a snub-nose .357 magnum revolver with a barrel length of just over two inches. This makes them great for carrying and reduces the weight as well. The barrel length changes a lot about the gun and not just accuracy. It can change the velocity of the bullet as it exits the barrel.
For short distances, which is normally the case with self-defense, a shorter barrel will work just fine. This is more of a point-and-shoot scenario at close distances when the need for accuracy is not as important. A shorter barrel on a gun will have more felt recoil and a louder sound as the gun goes off. Short barrel handguns are more stock-heavy and may carry differently in a holster. While there are downsides to shorter barrels, a short barrel for self-defense serves its purpose.
Full-Size Length Barrels on Handguns
It can get a little murky trying to distinguish a full-size from a compact-size gun in today’s gun world. With compact-size frames being paired with full-length barrels, there are endless combinations. Some guns are still considered compact while having a “full-size” barrel. For this article, I will call a full-size barrel anything between four and six inches. Four inches would be the starting length of a full-size handgun. In the past, military handguns have used barrels that are around five inches. Guns like the 1911, Beretta M92, Sig M17, and Glock 17 all have a barrel length of about five inches.
It is easy to see the differences between short-barrel handguns compared to full-size barrels. But is there really a difference between four- and five-inch guns when choosing which one to buy? The simple answer is yes. Like anything gun related, the first answer is the purpose the gun will be used for. The longer the barrel, the better the accuracy. If you are not sure how much this makes a difference, take both to the range. When I’m training on the range, I can tell a noticeable difference when switching from a 2.5-inch barrel to a four-inch and then a five-inch. With the longer barrel, I can shoot faster and more accurately.
Other Considerations When Choosing Between Four- and Five-inch Barrels
A longer barrel does not mean it has to come as a giant heavy gun. As I mentioned above, there are plenty of compact frame guns being made with longer barrels. This is even taking place in the CCW realm of guns like the Glock 48. With this version of a Glock, you get the thickness of a compact gun and the barrel length of a full-size gun. Walther makes their PDP line of guns by listing the grip as full or compact regardless of the barrel length. This means you can have a compact size frame with a five-inch barrel and slide.
A red dot can make any gun easier to shoot but some people don’t want to carry a red dot. If you plan to use traditional sights on a handgun, that one more inch between your sights will help. The extra barrel length to give the bullet a little more twist will have a big impact as well. If you do plan to carry a full-size gun for CCW, a four-inch barrel handgun is easier to conceal. I know we’re getting down to one inch here, but one inch more of barrel on a handgun can be noticeable when carrying. Another factor to consider is weight. While this is not significant from a four- to five-inch barrel, it will change the weight of the gun.
If you plan to carry a weapon in a shoulder rig or don’t mind a longer gun on a belt holster, there are plenty of handguns that have six-inch barrels. Revolvers are easy to find with this barrel length and the accuracy for these guns is downright amazing. I will admit I have never carried a handgun with a barrel longer than five inches. Any size weapon can be used for home defense though.
Summary
Like a lot of things gun related, there isn’t one answer and there isn’t a right or wrong when it comes to the length of the barrel on a handgun. When choosing a handgun to buy, the overall length of the gun is one of many things that will need to be considered. What will the gun be used for, and how it will be carried (if being used for a CCW gun) will have to be factored into that decision. Like I have said many times before, it is best to carry the largest gun possible for CCW. This may be a full-size handgun or the largest gun possible may be a small compact weapon. This could change based on the weather and the clothing that conceals it.
If a gun will be used for home defense, I recommend a full-size with a four- or five-inch barrel. My personal preference is compact size frames and five-inch barrels because the grip fits my hands better, and the longer barrel gives it great accuracy and reduces recoil while increasing velocity. For vehicles, just about any size of a gun will work as long as you have a place in your car for it. If you are planning to buy a handgun and are not sure what size or barrel length to buy, don’t forget that this is America. You can buy more than one!
