Barrel length poll. 12.5, 14 or 18.5

What barrel length do you like


  • Total voters
    107
  • Poll closed .
" I like short barrels, but I want the barrel long enough that its not possible to reach the muzzle with my support hand when the gun is shouldered. Thus I consider the 14" barrel to be as short as practical, but perhaps not long enough for everyone. If the gun was to be used in a high stress situation, particularly if you were cold and wet, should your hand slip forward of the muzzle as you fired, it would prove to be a life changing event and could cost you your life. "

Yup. I've seen a guy shooting a 8.5 Grizzy at our range.

Every time he quickly pumps and fires, I grimace at the thought of his left hand slipping off the forend. I suggested that he should get one of those forend straps to prevent his hand from slipping off and going directly in front of the muzzle.

Either install a forend strap, or he should put on a vertical grip. Right now that thing is an amputation waiting to happen.

Great point Dexter, that shorttie could take your hand off, when the brain says pull on the 4th or 5th round and the hand just slipped under the muzzle. OUCH!!!.
Give Up?.......nope!.....it's just a flesh wound!

But you just blew your Bloody hand off for CS!!!
 
That's the beauty of the 870 platform...one receiver, multiple barrels. I have a 12.5" and a 28". Give me two minutes and I can go from a nice, light, camping gun to a 28" choke tubed, plugged and ready for waterfowl gun. 5 rounds is plenty for me (I'm not one of the ninnies that panics about having a loaded chamber around) and, conveniently enough, it's also the size of package of most slugs and buckshot. You don't have to fool with an extra-long plug to make it legal for hunting and you can undo your mag-cap withouyt fear of the spring tossing the mag extension off into the mud if your hands slip.
 
barrel length

12.5in is the nicest to carry or pack......20in is the nicest to shoot more than a few rds.

IMO anything less than 12.5 is too much compromise for the lack of ammo capacity. If a 12.5in isn't small enough you need to reconsider how you pack/carry it

The 14in is a good compromise. The 14 and below have prohibitive muzzle blast and very limited ammo capacity.

I plink, 3 gun and work out with my 18 and 20inchers a lot.

My 14inchers travel a lot and get shot very little!

I am def not challenging how downright kewl a really short pump shotty is kuz they are!! Just not very practical to actually shoot is all.
 
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