What barrel length do you prefer and why? 24", 20", 16"?
I'm looking at a 24" and a 16", both in 357. It will be for plinking mostly.
Thanks.

What barrel length do you prefer and why? 24", 20", 16"? . . .
IMO, depends on where you're planning to use the rifle. If you are going to hunt in the woods or heavy brush where shots tend to be short-range or CAS where quick handling is an advantage, the 20" and 16" would be a good choice. If you hunt in open country where shots are made at longer distances, the 24" barrel will give you better accuracy. If you don't hunt and just enjoy plinking at your local range, the choice becomes easier as any of the barrel lengths will do knowing that the longer barrel will shoot more accurately at longer distances. Hope this gives you a "feel" for what barrel length to choose.

got my new puma with the 24" barrel a couple of weeks ago and still haven't shot it. you cannot imagine how difficult it is to find a range in maine! application processes, voting by the brotherhood, etc. found an affordable range within 50 miles of home and will apply - ain't like when i was a kid and we'd just pop over to the public range any old time.

anyway, checked on prices and found a guy in west gardiner, ray, who will get you his best price and add $50 to it and out the door you go. got the oct. barrel 24" new for $567 with tax. went in thinking of a short barrell but realized i was imagining i still had my saddle mule, cinco, in new mexico, and would be carrying in a scabbard. no, not really. long way from today's truth. got the 24" to give myself as much accuracy as possible. i am also just a plinker. hope this helps, don e.

Plinking with iron sights? No question, I'd go with the 24" barrel for the longer sight radius. Using the rifle as a woods-roaming gun/truck rifle? Give me a shorter barrel. Mine's a 16".

Thanks all for your thoughts. I have a 24" EMF and a 16" Puma in my sights and was looking for help. I appreciate it.
Scout1

Before to lay down the cash, handle a Border Rifle, a 20" octagon barrel with a rifle forearm and no barrel bands. It has the weight and balance of a full rifle with the handiness of a carbine.

I've never heard of a Border model. Please tell me more. Is it built by Puma?
Thanks,

I like 16, 18.5, and 20-inch barrels for pistol-cartridge rifles. The shorter barrels are nice and easy to handle, but still have enough length to take full advantage of the cartridge capacity - since I tend to load my ammo using slower magnum powders.

Puma and Hartford are both names for Rossi rifles. Different names for different importers. Puma is from Legacy Sports International, Hartford is from EMF and IAR.

A Border special, Border rifle or short rifle are common terms for a carbine length rifle with a rifle style forearm and magazine tube mounting rather than the barrel band style of what most people think of as a "carbine".

Go here to check http://www.emf-company.com/1892-winchester-rifle-carbine.htm or here http://www.iar-arms.com/1892-winchester-rifle.htm.