woodshed Posted March 24, 2007 Report Share Posted March 24, 2007 What barrel length do you like and think is best for a turkey gun. I'm seeing them sold from 18"to 26". Presently I'm shooting a 28" barrel from a Winchester 1300 with a tru glo turkey choke wood and blued. It patterns great. It just seems like it's sooo long and glossy. It has killed birds though. any comments? I'm having the urge to buy a specialty turkey gun. thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leo Posted March 24, 2007 Report Share Posted March 24, 2007 Re: shotgun barrel length For me the longer barrels are easier to shoot more accurately. The longer sighting plane really helps. Also although I keep hearing barrel length has little effect on pattern, it absolutely seems to me the longer barrels pattern better too. In my opinion, if you're used to and like the results of the long barrel, you won't be very happy with a shorty. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woodshed Posted March 24, 2007 Author Report Share Posted March 24, 2007 Re: shotgun barrel length I'd agree the pattern is more dependent on the choke and shot used than on the barrel length. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Strut10 Posted March 24, 2007 Report Share Posted March 24, 2007 Re: shotgun barrel length What I have noticed from shooting guns from 21" to 30" is this: Shorter barrels are more maneuverable in the woods. Shorter barrels are easier to hold steady for long periods of time. Long barrels shoot faster. Long barrels tend to pattern better, on average, than short ones. 23" is about as short as I like. 28" is about as long as I like. 26" seems to be the best trade-off when considering all aspects. I would sooner have a 28" than a 23" if that's all I had to pick from. The longer tube does give more sighting plane. So long as you have double beads, it's not much of a problem.......even on my wife's 21" 870. If you have a scope or red-dot it's a non-issue. Camo tape will fix a shiny barrel right quick and for a lot less $$ than a new gun. New guns are always nice. Confused yet?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woodshed Posted March 25, 2007 Author Report Share Posted March 25, 2007 Re: shotgun barrel length Strut10 thanks, what do you mean a long barrel shoots faster? do you mean the shot velocity? thanks for the great comments. I didn't think of the weight to hold it for a long period of time. I still want a new gun,,,,yes,,confused,, well not really confused. I KNOW I want a new gun. Whether I can rationalize it enough to the wife is entirely different. I can say she is NOT confused as to what is required or needed. LOL Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Strut10 Posted March 25, 2007 Report Share Posted March 25, 2007 Re: shotgun barrel length [ QUOTE ] ..... what do you mean a long barrel shoots faster? do you mean the shot velocity? [/ QUOTE ] Yep. Exactly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wtnhunt Posted March 25, 2007 Report Share Posted March 25, 2007 Re: shotgun barrel length Got a 22 inch barrel on my winchester, the choke extends it a little, but it is a lot easier to maneuver in tight areas than my mossberg with a 28 inch barrel. Get pretty good patterns with it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Colorado Bob Posted March 26, 2007 Report Share Posted March 26, 2007 Re: shotgun barrel length I'll stick with my 30" full choke----CB Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Strut10 Posted March 26, 2007 Report Share Posted March 26, 2007 Re: shotgun barrel length [ QUOTE ] I'll stick with my 30" full choke----CB [/ QUOTE ] My BPS 10 ga. started life with a 30" barrel. It was a bear to hold for long periods of time, though. But the really big problem was that, when I had it slung on my shoulder, I was about 7 feet tall walking through the woods. That flagpole of a barrel caught on all kinds of limbs and tried to flip me over backwards on many occasions. I soon had it shortened to 23 1/2" along with some other internal work. It's MUCH better now............not nearly so front-heavy. 30" ain't quite so bad on a 12 ga. , but it was miserable on the 10 ga. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
toddyboman Posted March 26, 2007 Report Share Posted March 26, 2007 Re: shotgun barrel length [ QUOTE ] I was about 7 feet tall walking through the woods. That flagpole of a barrel caught on all kinds of limbs and tried to flip me over backwards on many occasions. [/ QUOTE ] LOL I bet that was a sit to see!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
terry264 Posted March 26, 2007 Report Share Posted March 26, 2007 Re: shotgun barrel length [ QUOTE ] [ QUOTE ] I was about 7 feet tall walking through the woods. That flagpole of a barrel caught on all kinds of limbs and tried to flip me over backwards on many occasions. [/ QUOTE ] LOL I bet that was a sit to see!! [/ QUOTE ] Talk about a site to see, LOL. My brother in law had a Marlin 120 12ga. Magnum Pump with the 40" MXR barrel. He couldn't find a case to fit it so my wife made him one out of an ironing board cover. Worked nice but she didn't think about it being PINK! He wouldn't use it. One day I was with him in his jeep turkey hunting and we saw some (in the fall, either sex legal), and he about totalled the inside of that jeep trying to get it out of there, LOL. Now that's a site to see! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tecumseh Posted March 26, 2007 Report Share Posted March 26, 2007 Re: shotgun barrel length My 870 supermag has a 23 inch barrel,it prints a great patteren. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest hookedonhunting Posted March 29, 2007 Report Share Posted March 29, 2007 Re: shotgun barrel length I shoot a rem. 11-87 with a 28 inch barrel. The rhino choke makes it 30. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maytom Posted March 29, 2007 Report Share Posted March 29, 2007 Re: shotgun barrel length They claim you get the best patterns and velocity from a 26" barrel. That being said, I have a 21" barrel on my 1300 and haven't found a need to change barrel lengths anytime soon!! Then add the length of your choke tube to the barrel and you've gained an additional 2"!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Exturkinator Posted March 29, 2007 Report Share Posted March 29, 2007 Re: shotgun barrel length I have a 26" barrel - it patterns just fine and I don't think I have much more trouble getting through the woods with it... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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