Most versatile barrel length for an O/U?

[philthygeezer]

Looking at getting one 12 gauge over/under shotgun to fill out the stable. The gun will be used mostly for skeet, sporting clays, upland birds and ducks in that order of frequency (Likely an 870 would get used for the ducks - no sense in muddying up a fine gun).

Am I best off with 28" barrels?

 

[ben hunchak]

I would recommend 30" barrels in your o/u, similar length to a pumpgun with 26" barrel.

 

[Claybuster]

X2 on 30 inch for all round use.

 

[strider007]

X3 on that 30" barrel...I've taken my advice wisely, especially from that gentleman who posted right above my reply...

 

[Beretta687EELL]

X 4

 

[diemaco]

Well since there is a consensus, what if it were a 20 gauge, and the order was upland/skeet/clays/other?

 

[Beretta687EELL]

28" for upland is fine, a little bit better handling in tight quarters. Currently, any clay target games find anything under 30" to be much less desirable, even in the subgauge guns. Ask yourself, how many shells are you going to shoot and at what.

 

[1shot]

I'll be the odd one out, and admit that I enjoy shorter barrels on my shotguns.
I am not a competition shooter and will likely never be- I'm a casual sporting clays shooter and buster of many winter corvids.
However I do manage to break around 75% of the clays I shoot with my very favourite shotgun- a very nice older 12g Browning Citori Upland with 26" pipes and fixed I/C and Mod.
This length really works well for me- literally point and shoot! Instead of swinging and following through. Mental block?.. I digress..
I really did try to get the hang of swinging a 30" barrel, semis and double guns but I just coudn't make it happen.. Besides, when pushing the bush a longer barrel seems to get hung up and in the way more so- in my own opinion.

 

[Longwalker]

I think that 28" barrels are common for a reason, they work well. All my "versatile" doubles have 28" barrels.

 

[Got Juice?]

X5 30 inch barrels.

 

[Brutus]

I hunt upland game only with my 20 gauge O/U.
I see no reason to deviate from 26 inch barrels for my needs.

But for balance only, I would think 28 inch would most likely feel better in the hand for a 12 gauge shotgun. My two cents.....

 

[NZClaybuster]

Depends on how long your extended choke tubes are

I have 30 inch barrells on my 682, and they are just fine. I have ~26 inch barrels on my superposed, it works fine too.

 

[Covey Ridge]

well since there is a consensus, what if it were a 20 gauge, and the order was upland/skeet/clays/other?

30 inches

 

[Covey Ridge]

I think that 28" barrels are common for a reason, they work well. All my "versatile" doubles have 28" barrels.

I think that there is a change comming.

 

[Woodsman]

28" is my all round favorite for general use (i.e. upland game hunting and occasional clays).

 

[Claybuster]

Well since there is a consensus, what if it were a 20 gauge, and the order was upland/skeet/clays/other?

I'd still go with 30" in 20 gauge if I intended to shoot at targets too.

Just for upland and only upland 28" would be fine. My sxs is 28" but if I were replacing it I'd go 30.

WRT to longer barrels in the thick cover, I've shot a 32" subgauge hunting grouse and didn't find the extra length a problem.

 

[DOGHIDE]

If you shoot sporting clays more then skeet go with a 30 in longer sight radius and extra weight will help.

 

[Brutus]

Well since there is a consensus, what if it were a 20 gauge, and the order was upland/skeet/clays/other?

SKB once upon a time, made a fine 20 gauge O/U with 26 inch barrels for upland hunting.
They also made a very nice SxS Model 100/200/280 for upland with the option of 25 inch barrels also in 20 gauge.
IMHO, in the hands of a good gunner, these firearms would be hard to beat for a speedy reaction on rising birds in close cover.

 

[Grouse Man]

28". But I think all would agree that how it feels to YOU is the most important factor.

 

[Covey Ridge]

If one is shooting skeet more than anything else, I would still go with 30 inches. The hot shots that are using longer barrels are not using them because longer barrrels make thier game more difficult.