Optimal barrel length for sabot slugs

[Noreaster]

Looking at a dedicated Remington slug gun in 12 gauge and I see fully rifled barrels from 20-25 inches, (the SPS shurshot is 25 inches.) For a scoped rifled barrel is there a real performance difference between the barrel lengths.

 

[MarkCO]

Not really. The velocity difference is minimal and the sabots are going fast enough that you really can not move the barrel appreciably due to recoil.

With low recoil slugs, you want a shorter barrel length are you start to affect accuracy due to movement of the gun while the slug is still in the barrel. I have found that 24" is about as long as you want to be with low recoil slugs.

 

[Noreaster]

I read somewhere that shotgun slugs get all they need out of 18-20 inch barrels but I don't know if that was for rifled or sabot slugs. Some manufacturers have 26 & 28 inch rifled slug barrels so I wasn't sure. I'm looking at the 18.5-23 inch range from Remington.

 

[MarkCO]

From 21 to 22 to 24 to 26 inches, I see marginal increases in velocity. Not enough to matter.

 

[JohnKSa]

Larger bores and faster powders tend to decrease gains from barrel length increases.

 

[kozak6]

Barrel length doesn't make much difference until you get down into NFA territory.

 

[Gdawgs]

The Savage 212 and 220 are 22", so I'm going to go with that.