.22 bench rest

[Alpha1]

I have had a go at .22 bench rest before using other people's guns. I have had a hankering for a long time to get into it in more detail. What really caught my eye was I believe a BSA Martini MK2.

I think it was owned by someone at the Yarners Gun Club.
I have sort of put the cart before the horse by investing in one of the SHOOTING SHEDS bespoke scope rail with a view to acquiring a suitable BSA Martini and building my bench rest gun.
I have my eye on a donor rifle but it has been messed with so I am not sure.
Anyway to get to the point the rifle I looked at at the Yarners I am quite sure had the barrel shortened. Is this a normal way to go using a BSA Martini MK2 It looked like about a 16" barrel or am I totally wrong?
Would you leave the barrel at its original length or would chopping it to 16" be the wrong thing to do.

[Mattnall]

If you believe popular wisdom the .22LR powder charge gives all it's got by about 12-16" of barrel so any extra is not helping MV in any way. The longer barrel will help with sight radius but that's not a problem for your scoped rifle.
I have cut BSAs down to 12+ inches for hunting and they have been just as accurate before as after on the 25yd range. The guys that hunt with them love them and as there is hardly any moving parts they are very silent with a moderator. I have one of these left and with the old Parker Hale MM1 moderator it looks a bit like a sawn-off shotgun.
So apart from shortening the distance from muzzle to target by a few inches I can't see the need for a longer barrel in your case.

[Alpha1]

Thanks. Nice rifle by the way.

[dodgyrog]

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