Coffinmaker(onewwurd),
I believe I had read a post a long time ago from you where you said you had multiple barrels.  For some reason a 5 1/2" barrel on a cartridge revolver seems right.  I think it may be that the first revolver that was "mine" was a SAA with a 5 1/2" barrel, I shot it the first time when I was 10 (put a dent in my forehead, from shooting it sitting with my arms on my elbows on my knees).  My grandfather remarked, "Well I guess it is yours now, it's marked you..."  Happy memories.

I have looked at those Pietta 5 1/2 '60s that Midway USA used to put on sale from $199 to $225 and never could get an order in when they were in stock (they wouldn't honor the sale price for back orders, I can't blame them the price was righteous).  If I had two pairs of those I would turn one set into cartridge revolvers and use heel based bullets in them.

~Mako

  Well Heck MAKO 

PLUS ONE (mostly) for Abilene.  It is rather well known I have a preference for "Short" barrel guns.  My Go-To Cap Guns are custom built Pietta SNUBBIES with Three-n-Three Quarter inch barrels.  However, since we are considering Suppository Shooters, my normal knee jerk reaction is to cut the Barrels to the Ejector Housing.

My Go-To Armi San Marco conversions were set up this way although most of my "Parts Stash" guns were OEM at 7 1/2 inches.  I only used the 7 1/2 inch guns at match when shooting Josey Wales.  Used the long barrel guns as "rifles."  Still, those ASM conversions were the most accurate SAs I have ever owned.  From a rest, they would shoot a tight "Cloverleaf" real regular.  Was shooting a 125Gr TC bullet with 3.3Gr TightGroup.  Super nice load.

As an aside, my current Pietta 1860 Conversions actually have three sets of barrels.  A set of 1851 Navy pattern barrels cut at the Ejector Housing, a set of 1860 Army pattern barrels cut at the Ejector housing and a set of Eight inch Army pattern barrels just for Ha Ha's.  My Alter Ego, Hacksaw McGurk get the shakes and begins to drool whenever he spies those eight inch barrels     

All passed around us.

I think Coffin "Hacksaw McGurk" Maker (forwards) likes his around an inch and a half, right Mike?  Or to the ejector, sometimes. 

Mine was made by putting a Navy grip on a "1860 Type II" as Uberti calls it, in .38.   Their 1860 conversions in .38, both R-M and Type II, come with the Navy frame/cylinder.  Since the Type II '60 barrel is the same shape as a '61, it is easy to turn it into a '61 Type II with the Navy grip. Colt made the one tool-room model we have a picture of, with a 7.5" barrel and no loading gate.  But this gun would have been easy to make, even back in the day, just a parts swapper.  Let's say somebody has a '51 R-M conversion, and they blew up the barrel or otherwise ruined it.  You take a '61 barrel, the ejector assembly of a'60 type II should fit, and put them on the Navy frame.  Ta-Da.

I have a matching .44 that is a little more period correct, or at least common. I put Navy grips on it as well since that's what I prefer.  I shoot smokeless Specials and BP Russians in it. 

Oh yeah, to answer the question, 5 1/2" since that's as short as they come.  I do have my Kirst-Strite '61 with a 7 1/2" barrel as well.

I believe I have admired those in person.  They are beautiful Abilene.  and I do like the barrels, including the length.

~Make

A .38 full of BP will never be accused of being a bunnyphart load 

Abilene,
That is very true.  I have had pardners on the posse I was shooting with who were picking up spent brass come to the unloading table apologizing for not finding any of my rifle brass when I was shooting a .38 Spl when I tell them I was shooting a .38, they say, "oh, well I found these .38 cases", and I say "that's mine".   The BOOM from a .38 is impressive to those who shoot smokiless powder. Of course there is fire and SMOKE too.  I get a good plume of fire from my 20" and 19" .38 barrels.

Truth be told, the .44 Russian Case and the .38 spl have almost identical volumes., I usually leave the powder measure with the same adjustment for .38 spl and .44 Russian with coarser powders like 2F, reenactor, skirmish (floor sweepings) or if I got goofy and loaded 1F.  I can get more good quality 3F under a 200 grain in a .44 Russian than a 160 gr .38 Snake Bite.  However the heavier .44 bullet recoils a more and smacks the steel harder.

Many times I have had spectators come over to the unloading table (where I am charging my cap guns with ball and powder again) and ask what I am shooting.  You know how it is, we tend to attract people who are curious when they see the fire and smoke.  They almost always ask if my rifle is a .45, when I tell them it is a .38 spl, they are almost disbelieving because they have been watching other shooters with Rugers shooting 105 grain .38 spl loads that have a rainbow trajectory out to the target 30 feet away.  But, if was shooting one of my .44 rifles  they just nod and say, "it figures".  They really have no idea.  Now the guys shooting the 38gr of BP out of a .45 with a 250gr bullet mainly make more smoke., but there is a deeper boom and more fire.

Plus bunnypharts don't smell like burning sulfur...well unless they are a VERY large bunny.

~Mako