Barrel Length for Sporting Clays

R

RT

CGN frequent flyer
Rating - 100%
175   0   0
Location
North West Ontario
Im looking at buying a 12ga. O/U for sporting clays. Probably a Browning CXS. Its available in 28, 30 & 32 “ barrels.

To me 32” seems kinda long for sporting clays. Is it? I think I kinda prefer 28” barrel. What are the pro/cons of barrel length for a sporting clays shotgun?
 
When you put your gun with 28" barrels in a rack at a sporting clays event, you will look like the guy with the shortest #####. lol
I shoot a Beretta 690 with 28" barrels that I bought to shoot skeet. I also use this to shoot Sporting Clays and don't feel under gunned. I can miss just as many targets as the guys shooting 32" barrels.
I am however looking to buy a gun just for sporting clays and leaning towards 32" barrels.
 
32" inches isn't too long. The theory is that a longer barrel gives you a better sight plane and a smoother swing. My sporting o/u is 32" and my semi-auto back up is 30" but if a 28" gun works for you don't buy a gun with a longer barrel just because most people are using them.
 
32 inches is the most popular barrel length for sporting clays, thats not to say you can't be succesful with 28 or 30 inches though.
Much depends on your own preference and it's important that the gun is balanced properly. One brand of shotgun may not balance the same as another brand with the same barrel length.

I once shot with a guy who purchased a Browning Cynergy with composit or plastic stocks and 32 inch barrels. The plastic stock was lighter than wood and he had steel extended choke tubes in the gun and the result was an extremely muzzle heavy gun. I shot it once and it was like swinging a fence post! He liked it but he didn't shoot it as well as other guns he had, I think he just couldn't admit that the gun was junk.
Most shooters like the balance point close to the hinge pins on an over and under.

Some manufacturers are making 34 inch barrels but these tend to have fixed chokes to avoid making the muzzles too heavy. You would not look out of place at a sporting clays shoot with one.

32 inch barrels tend to dampen the swing and really shine on long crossing targets where the weight helps keep the momentum of the swing going. The downside is they can be slow to get get moving on very close and fast targets. You have to find the happy medium so 32's might do it for you but maybe 30's are a better compromise, only you can decide but not without going out and doing a bunch of shooting.
 
I regularly shoot skeet with IC choked 22" barrelled Browning BPS Upland & have shot a straight 25 with it.

My primary skeet shotgun is a Beretta Perennia with 26" barrels...
 
It depends on the balance of the particular shotgun, I shoot a Blaser F3 Vantage with 32" barrels and Muller chokes, which adds up to about 33.5". Other members of our squad shoot Citori CX with 30" barrels, or 725 with 30 or 32" barrels, and one guy shoots an old Citori with 28" barrels.
 
Depends on the shooter. Size height width weight strength arm length neck length and shape of your face play an important roll on how a gun fits and yet no talks about any of that. How and where you hold the gun determine how it balances in your hands. Longer barrels tend to put more weight out front but there's different ways to balance a gun and each way will result in a completely different handling gun. I prefer 26" barrels and a shorter lop yet im 175lbs and 5'10" but due to a shoulder injury I keep my support hand close to the reciever.
I also shoot low gun for skeet and sporting clays. I have 28 30 31 and 32" guns as well but my preference is 26" 6" of barrel length (26-32") wont make a drastic change in your score but it may shift the weight in or out which will make the gun feel more natural.
The markey trend is for longer and longer barrels and heavier guns for now. Once the baby boomers cant man handle this market trend I can see a big market push for sub gauges. I mean no disrespect but one cant unsee the older gentlemen on the skeet field chasing targets further and further passed the stake and watching their follow thrus drop like a lead brick

Shoulder as many different guns as you can and choose what feels right to you
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom