longer and shorter barrels
- Thread starter marty905
- Start date
Shorter - more manuverable for HD and Serious Situations.
Longer - for give the shotguner smoother swings, helps to prevent stopping the swing, and less apparent lead of targets/ game. Best examples are clay targets and hunting.
FWIW , longer bbl can be mounted just as fast as a shorter bbl - and smoother mounting of gun to face.
HTH.
Longer - for give the shotguner smoother swings, helps to prevent stopping the swing, and less apparent lead of targets/ game. Best examples are clay targets and hunting.
FWIW , longer bbl can be mounted just as fast as a shorter bbl - and smoother mounting of gun to face.
HTH.
Depends,
I apologize if I relate something you already know - I don't know your level of experience.
-When I shot Competitive Skeet, Most of us used 28" - 32" in bbls. [ Same for Trap, 5 stand, Sporting Clays, Live Pigeon...]
-Back then 21" and 23" bbl most often seen on "Bird Guns" - like Remington's English stocked Bird Gun. Guns carried more than shot for woodcock, quail and such.
- Today many Ranges do not allow bbls less than 26", 25", 24", or 23" . The individual Ranges sets a minimum bbl length to 1) discourage the short bbl tactical looking shotgun on the range. 2) Political pressures on Gun rights and such have caused many to "Play the PC Game" or to " Keep the Insurance Company Happy game".
Seeing a short bbl gun, with tactical stuff is bad PR. Scares the politicans, and gives fuel to the blissninnies whom hang out at ranges to "find fault".
So Check to see if YOUR club allows a shorter bbl...or ranges you might visit.
If you have a specific goal, type of hunting....etc., express it so we can better assist.
Pesonally - I have run a 100 straight many a time with a 18.5" bbl. For fun and because I wanted to - and could.
All 4 gauges I competed in - I used 28" bbls. I use 28" bbls for most everything. From HD, Doves, Ducks , Slugs....you name it. All my current SGs have 28' bbls. I do have a "special project" for a "special task" that does not apply to your questions. [Not wishing bad on someone, but if a long bbl gets err...,or dinged...
]
I ever get back into serious competition - I'm going 30" or 32" for sure.
Repetion becomes habit-habit becomes faith
I shoot from a low gun position, Many of us can take a 32" bbl , using low mount position, mount gun to face and fell a target / bird quicker than folks with shorter bbls.
Start with 25 Correct mounts of gun to face each day. Work up to a 100 a day. I assure you the efforts will pay dividends .
Get Brister's Book
I apologize if I relate something you already know - I don't know your level of experience.
-When I shot Competitive Skeet, Most of us used 28" - 32" in bbls. [ Same for Trap, 5 stand, Sporting Clays, Live Pigeon...]
-Back then 21" and 23" bbl most often seen on "Bird Guns" - like Remington's English stocked Bird Gun. Guns carried more than shot for woodcock, quail and such.
- Today many Ranges do not allow bbls less than 26", 25", 24", or 23" . The individual Ranges sets a minimum bbl length to 1) discourage the short bbl tactical looking shotgun on the range. 2) Political pressures on Gun rights and such have caused many to "Play the PC Game" or to " Keep the Insurance Company Happy game".
Seeing a short bbl gun, with tactical stuff is bad PR. Scares the politicans, and gives fuel to the blissninnies whom hang out at ranges to "find fault".
So Check to see if YOUR club allows a shorter bbl...or ranges you might visit.
If you have a specific goal, type of hunting....etc., express it so we can better assist.
Pesonally - I have run a 100 straight many a time with a 18.5" bbl. For fun and because I wanted to - and could.
All 4 gauges I competed in - I used 28" bbls. I use 28" bbls for most everything. From HD, Doves, Ducks , Slugs....you name it. All my current SGs have 28' bbls. I do have a "special project" for a "special task" that does not apply to your questions. [Not wishing bad on someone, but if a long bbl gets err...,or dinged...
] I ever get back into serious competition - I'm going 30" or 32" for sure.
Repetion becomes habit-habit becomes faith
I shoot from a low gun position, Many of us can take a 32" bbl , using low mount position, mount gun to face and fell a target / bird quicker than folks with shorter bbls.
Start with 25 Correct mounts of gun to face each day. Work up to a 100 a day. I assure you the efforts will pay dividends .
Get Brister's Book
First there is about a 4" difference in total length between an O/U and an auto or pump. My 28" O/U is the same length as my 24" auto.Those lengths are excellent for both hunting and sporting clays. Shotguns use fast burning powder so you don't find any loss in velocity till you get to less than 18" barrel. While it is popular for sporting clay types to use 32" barrels ,my opinion is that any gain is mostly in the mind.
Longer BBL gives a smoother swing and longer sighting plane for better accuracy.
I once had an O/U with 26"bbls, could not hit anything with it, at least anything that was flying. All my O/U's have 30" bbls now. I know a lady who shoots the same 26"bbl gun and does well with it in Sporting Clays, go figure.
However I find a 30"bbl on and 870 to be awkward and much prefer the 28" bbl.
Many old timers use 26" for skeet, at one time that was considered the proper length for that game. Now almost all the top shooters use 30".
As to ranges barring short barrels, that is probably because of bad experiences with less than responsible shooters. Same reason they won't allow pistol grip cruisers on skeet ranges.
I have seen ranges who normally would lno allow 18" bbls not really complain when a regular shows up with one just for fun. Once they recognize you as a safe shooter you will have no problem.
I once had an O/U with 26"bbls, could not hit anything with it, at least anything that was flying. All my O/U's have 30" bbls now. I know a lady who shoots the same 26"bbl gun and does well with it in Sporting Clays, go figure.
However I find a 30"bbl on and 870 to be awkward and much prefer the 28" bbl.
Many old timers use 26" for skeet, at one time that was considered the proper length for that game. Now almost all the top shooters use 30".
As to ranges barring short barrels, that is probably because of bad experiences with less than responsible shooters. Same reason they won't allow pistol grip cruisers on skeet ranges.
I have seen ranges who normally would lno allow 18" bbls not really complain when a regular shows up with one just for fun. Once they recognize you as a safe shooter you will have no problem.