24, 26, 28 or 30?

[FSU_Seminole]

Hey guys, sorry if this is posted in the wrong forum but I thought it would be best to ask here. I'm going to buy a new shotgun next month. I'm wondering what most of you use. A 24, 26, 28 or 30 inch barrel on your turkey gun & what are your opinions on which is best?

This gun will primarily be my turkey gun. I may use it to shoot doves every now & then & I might use it on the very rare ocassion someone invites me on a duck hunt. Last season I used a gun with a 28 inch barrel & it got kind of cumbersome carrying it with all the equipment & decoys. I'm leaning towards a 24 or 26 inch barrel but I've heard people say they don't pattern as good at long range like the 28 & 30 inch barrels. Is this true? Or is the shell & choke what really counts?

[Born2Hunt]

I would say for out to 50 yds the 24" would be very sufficent. It would be even better with a good choke tube.

[woodsman2230]

I use a 26" I like it because it is not too long and it still can reach out and touch birds at longer distances.

[Turkeygirl]

Yeah, I think 24 or 26" is definitely what you want for turkey. I think my plain ol' Mossberg 500 20 ga. has a 26" barrel. I took a turkey around 40 yards with that thing....

I'm due for a new gun though

[wtnhunt]

My turkey gun, a winchester 1300 has a short barrel, 22 inch. I like it.

[Rhino]

My turkey gun is a 26" barrel. When the time comes that I upgrade the next one will have a 26" barrel too.

The choke you settle with and the shells your gun likes the best will have a whole lot more to do with tight patterns at longer ranges than anything else.

Don (Strut10) has shot more different shotguns over the years than I have. Here's what he had to say about barrel length from another thread.

No matter what gun you choose.....get a 26" barrel. It will shoot faster. It's not too long to be of any hinderance. And of all the guns I've patterned (that would be lots) the longer barrels seem to (on average) throw tighter patterns.

[Guest spurcollector]

I think 26" is just an all around good length. It serves for about any hunting you want to do.

[Guest spurcollector]

Come on over to Flo-Town and I'll let you shoot my 26" Benelli SBEII.

[FSU_Seminole]

Come on over to Flo-Town and I'll let you shoot my 26" Benelli SBEII.

Thanks for the input guys. I was really leaning to the 26" barrel & thats what I'm going to get.

And spur, I might take you up on that. I am looking for perhaps an 11-87 SuperMag or the Beretta Xtrema2.

[woodshed]

Not to get you back to undecided, but let me add 2 cents.

I guess the velocity of shot reaches its max at 18 inches of barrel length. The pattern you receive is a function of the choke and not barrel length.

The reason wing shooting guns are typically longer is for the balance of the swing and follow through while shooting at a flying bird.

Turkey guns don't have this necessity. If they are shorter they will be easier for you to lug through the woods and move in your blind setup more easily.

I like 20-24 inch barrels for turkey guns. The shorter the better especially if the choke tube sticks out even further.

I've even heard of many going to youth guns for turkey hunting because of the shorter length of pull in the stock. It makes sense to me. I would consider that except I'm not willing to go to a 20 gauge for Turkey even though its proven worthy.

thanks.

[M00N]

My 20-Gauge turkey gun has a 20" barrel and I love my gun. It's lightweight, easy to use in a blind, and to carry through the woods. I agree with Woodshed on the choke and ammo being more of a factor on how good the gun will pattern, than the length of the barrel. I've shot my gun side by side with some other 20-Gauge turkey guns with 22" barrels and their patterns weren't any better than mine once they dialed in the correct choke and ammo combination for their guns. Barrel length is really more personal preferance than anything.

[Ethan Givan]

My turkey gun has a 28 inch barrel. It patterns well out to 45 yards and I dont think the length is cumbersome. I think the differences between a 26 inch barrel gun, and a 28 inch barrel gun are minimal.

[woodshed]

Ethan,

I agree 2 " may be minimal but it is a difference. If you compare 28 inches (which I used to use) to 24 inches which I use now, it's very noticeable. I whish I had a 20 or 22 inch barrel now that I've seen how much easier it is in a turkey hideaway.

[Strut10]

I guess the velocity of shot reaches its max at 18 inches of barrel length.

Guess again. Some time spent with a chronograph will reveal otherwise.

The pattern you receive is a function of the choke and not barrel length.

Basically correct. But.......a dense pattern at 40 yards that left the muzzle at 1300 fps will provide more oomph and margin for distance mis-estimation than the same pattern density that left at 1175 or 1200.

[woodshed]

Guess again. Some time spent with a chronograph will reveal otherwise.

When I wrote this I was remembering this same conversation from last year. This is what a couple of "number" guys said, so I thought I'd pass it on. If it's wrong or you have something different than please don't keep us in the dark.

Where is the peak velocity in the barrel?

Basically correct. But.......a dense pattern at 40 yards that left the muzzle at 1300 fps will provide more oomph and margin for distance mis-estimation than the same pattern density that left at 1175 or 1200.

In this statement we are talking about pattern density more than oomph or distance. That is where I'm under the impression the choke has more of an effect than barrel length. Your comparing like density patterns and relating that to velocity/distance. If I'm missing something please correct me. I'd like to know what is correct rather than debate it. I'm not a balistics expert.

[woodshed]

Guess again. Some time spent with a chronograph will reveal otherwise.

xxx

[woodshed]

Guess again. Some time spent with a chronograph will reveal otherwise.

xxx

Basically correct. But.......a dense pattern at 40 yards that left the muzzle at 1300 fps will provide more oomph and margin for distance mis-estimation than the same pattern density that left at 1175 or 1200.

xxx

[woodshed]

Guess again. Some time spent with a chronograph will reveal otherwise.

Basically correct. But.......a dense pattern at 40 yards that left the muzzle at 1300 fps will provide more oomph and margin for distance mis-estimation than the same pattern density that left at 1175 or 1200.

Strut,

This is all stuff I remember from a string last year. I remember a couple of "numbers" guys saying 18". I thought I'd pass that on. If it's wrong then please don't keep us in the dark???

Where is the peak velocity in the barrel 18,20,20.5"??? I would think it's not way out 23 or 24 or more is it? This is where the purchasing decision could be affected depending on what you want to do.

Your second statement, I think, is more about velocity and distance comparing a like density pattern. I was trying to say that the density it self is more a funtion of the choke rather than barrel length. I didn't mention "oomph"/distance. If that is wrong or I still don't understand your point, also please correct me. I'm not a balistics expert.

[Guest riverrat]

Here is pattern picture from a 835 ulti-mag with a 20" barrel @ 40 yrds.

choke:Kicks .670 GT

39 hits in a 3" circle

194 hits in 10" circle

[Ethan Givan]

My brother shoots a Winchester 1300 12 ga. 28 inch barrel. He has killed two turkeys with it, one at 50 yards, and it patterns awsome! I dont think barrel length makes a difference with pattern. I think the choke and ammo selection is the key.

[Strut10]

Here's an excerpt from an e-mail conversation I had this week with Chuck Boswell of Comp-N-Choke:

".........most all factory ammo testing for velocity is performed from 30" barrels. As far as we are concerned here, 24,26, & 28" barrels are all recommended for hunting purposes. When you get barrels that are in the 21" & 22" catagory, that is when you see significant reduction in muzzle velocity. We will recommend going slightly tighter (.005") with the choke (in the shorter barrels) to get basically the same performance that you get with the longer barrels"

[woodshed]

Strut10,

Thanks, I whish I new how I could get that previous forum string from last year that I read. It's interesting what your guy says about a 21-22 inch barrel losing performance. That is different information from what I thought. He then spoke of tightening the choke. I don't understand how that would increase any performance other than the pattern though. I need to read more on this.

Thanks and I will try to get some more detail as well.

I will say though, my 24" barrel knocks them dead at 40 yards no problem no matter what they say. I'm not sure it's worth the effort but I am interested non-the-less.

[Strut10]

He then spoke of tightening the choke. I don't understand how that would increase any performance other than the pattern though.

Tightening the choke on a barrel increases pressure and that will increase velocity. Barrels shorter than about 23" also respond well (pattern-wise) to a bit more constriction than longer barrels.

I will say though, my 24" barrel knocks them dead at 40 yards no problem no matter what they say. I'm not sure it's worth the effort but I am interested non-the-less.

You're right in there with a 24" barrel. You would pick up some velocity by going to a 28" or 30" barrel. But most agree that the "happy medium" between velocity and user friendliness is right in the 24"-26" range.

[woodshed]

I found this on another forum. I'm not sure it actually answers the question, but it is interesting.

Hello shellitout: Well there are some factors to consider. I'll start with the type of shot you plan on using, lead, steel, hevi-shot,bismuth, a tungsten variety etc.

When lead was the only shot used, before plastic shells and shot cups, there is a reason the older guns came with barrels 25inches, to 36 inches, (the exception riot, trench, slug barrels and coach guns) the shell and gun manufactures had determined that you had a complete powder burn on most shells between the 25-26 inch range. Complete powder burn give maximum velocity which translates to maximum penatration. Very important when trukey or goose hunting not as important when target shooting. While true the choke determines pattern, when using the shells at this time with fiber wads, where the shot columb came into contact with the barrel, a 26 inch barrel with a Full choke vs a 30 or 32 inch barrel with a full choke, there was a difference in the pattern. You didn't see many guns with short barrels being used for waterfowl hunting or at the Trap range!

Then along came plastic shells, cupped wads, the cupped wad will give you a tighter pattern vs the old fiber wad for a given distance.

Then along came the federal mandate to use a non-toxic load for waterfowl and steel was the first choice. A different powder, (quicker burning) higher velocities. In the mid 1980s it was determined to get the max velocity you need a barrel at least 24 inches long when using steel, then you really started to see shorter barrels come out, (shorter than 26 inches for hunting).

Shot such as steel, hevi-shot pattern tighter for a given distance than lead or bismuth. As I said earlier maximum velocity translates into maximum penatration. If you are shooting a gun with a 21 inch barrel, the shot columb didn't have a chance to reach maximum velocity, hence maximum penatration is not achieved either.

Most waterfowlers will not shoot at a goose with much success using a 21 in. barrel at 45 yards using standard steel. Most wouldn't shoot at them using a 28 or 30 inch barrel either simply because at 45 yards standard steel while having a good pattern doesn't have the penatration to bring a goose down on a consistant basis. Hevi-shot does, bismuth does, the tungsten products do. assuming you use the right choke Mod. Imp/Mod, Full, with the type of shot used.

So in some cases barrel length, choke and the type of shot does play an important roll. A great pattern with no penatration means squat!!

Pattern and penatration go hand in hand when your big bird hunting! You need a barrel length that gives you maximum velocity, IE penatration, and the proper choke for a given distance, and the right load for your "target"!

Regards to all

Dave

I think that the question on velocity is where the powder is completely burned in the barrel. From this guys information, it sounds like that is very dependent on the type of ammo you purchase. So we need to figure out what a typical turkey load needs to burn all the powder.

[woodshed]

another guy says:

All the powder burns within 18-20 in. of barrel and the choke is formed within only the last couple of inches on all lengths. In other words, the only thing you get with a longer barrel is a change in balance and a smoother swing from hanging weight out toward the muzzle. A longer sight plane is advantageous with handguns, rifles and rifle sighted shotguns, but not as much of an issue when using a bead sight.