Shortest "legal" break action

deckerhead

deckerhead

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Sorry if this has already been posted....
I'm interested to know the shortest backpack shotgun available in single or SxS ? Opinions on the best and shortest bush safety gun people have used.
 
Corwin Arms over and under and wanstalls has a side by side.

Typically 26" overall is as short as you can go, there are factory made exceptions but they're pretty rare.

More details on what you're after?
 
This just arrived yesterday from Corwin Arms. $125 Boxing day sale- $144 shipped expedited to my door. Comes with 3x chokes and 2x extra bead sights, 1x brass and 1x fiber optic (clear plastic).
I took it out today in the -30 deg weather and got the barrel heated up good. I was quite impressed with what pattern a 16" bbl will throw. I tried a couple slugs too.
Definitely something to use "close up".

 
There's a good article on Ballistics by the inch. Unscientific but I think that 19-20" barrel was the best compromise.
 
I'd check Canada Ammo's Dominion Arms backpacker single shots or 'outlaw' double barrel. About the shortest non restricted shotguns I've seen yet.
 
scout_289 said:
There's a good article on Ballistics by the inch. Unscientific but I think that 19-20" barrel was the best compromise.
Click to expand...

Exemple:

birdshot- 12 gauge, 2 3/4 inches, 1 oz shot
12" barrel average FPS- 1040
14" barrel average FPS- 1069
18" barrel average FPS- 1114
19.5" barrel average FPS- 1114
20" barrel average FPS- 1108
28" barrel average FPS- 1159

Then using Remington 00 Buck-
12" barrel average FPS- 1121
14" barrel average FPS- 1127
18" barrel average FPS- 1216
19.5" barrel average FPS- 1205
20" barrel average FPS- 1182
28" barrel average FPS- 1250

Choke determines pattern.

Long Barrel is mainly good for the sight.
 
BoomSticKs said:
Exemple:

birdshot- 12 gauge, 2 3/4 inches, 1 oz shot
12" barrel average FPS- 1040
14" barrel average FPS- 1069
18" barrel average FPS- 1114
19.5" barrel average FPS- 1114
20" barrel average FPS- 1108
28" barrel average FPS- 1159

Then using Remington 00 Buck-
12" barrel average FPS- 1121
14" barrel average FPS- 1127
18" barrel average FPS- 1216
19.5" barrel average FPS- 1205
20" barrel average FPS- 1182
28" barrel average FPS- 1250

Choke determines pattern.

Long Barrel is mainly good for the sight.
Click to expand...

Thank you! hope that the OP finds this helpful.
 
That Corwin Arms pictured above would be a ton of fun with a set of GunAdapters Pathfinder inserts... .410, 9mm, and .22 :)
 
deckerhead said:
Sorry if this has already been posted....
I'm interested to know the shortest backpack shotgun available in single or SxS ? Opinions on the best and shortest bush safety gun people have used.
Click to expand...

If you're truely looking for a gun for safety (which in ontario is a very debatable need) then shorter isnt necessarily better. I'd also want more then one barrel so that would rule out a single shot.

I'd look for a properly stocked pump action with an 18" barrel. You need to be able to control the recoil, and you need to have at least one more shot readily available if the bear doesnt stop at the first one (or you miss).
 
I went with the 20" 12gauge backpacker from Corwin-Arms. Given that the gun folds in half for storage/packing, I didn't see a lot to gain by having the barrel any shorter. The 20" version also tips the scales at right around 5lbs, which is really light for a 12g - and that means its going to kick. The lighter you go, the more felt recoil.

Not too worried about the recoil. Sure, it's going to be stiff, but this isn't going to be a high volume skeet and trap gun. Just something light and handy to take into the bush to pick off the odd grouse. Other than screwing around at the range (where I might let off a dozen rounds with it if I'm feeling frisky), I wouldn't expect to shoot it more than a couple times in a day in normal use.

This will likely become my go-to grouse gun, actually. In the fall when I'm out with my buddy deer hunting, the pattern is we set up in our chosen hide in the morning with a rifle for a few hours, then when the sun's fully up and the deer have settled in to their day beds, spend the daylight hours scouting and looking for deer tracks, and carry a shotgun around with us for any "grouse of opportunity" we scare up. Then set up in our evening hides with rifles again.

I'd been carrying an old Winchester Model 50 for this purpose, but with a 28" bbl and over 9lbs, it wasn't exactly what I would call a handy bush gun.

A single shot 20" bbl backpacker that comes in just under 5lbs fits my use case really well for that.

Sorry if I go into too much detail... I just think it's important to really understand your use case before dropping $$ on one of these things.

I did also order one of the 14" bbl Ricol O/U's that Corwin-Arms brought in, just waiting for shipping on that. My use case for that gun is "Hells yeah, damn ###y, take my money!!!"
 
Oh, and in terms of "bush safety"...

If you're worried about bears... Grizzlies and Polar Bears (for out west or up north respectively), a single or double barrel shotgun isn't going to cut it. You'll want a pump action with at least a 4 round capacity. The first shot will fire wild, hard to aim while you're crapping your pants, and even high velocity slugs aren't guaranteed to stop either of those two in a single shot, you'll want follow ups.

For black bears, wave your arms in the air and yell "Booga Booga Boo" - black bear attacks are extremely rare, and you can generally startle them off.

Otherwise, a single shot 12 gauge is a pretty good choice, so long as you remember to take the choke out before firing off the flare. 12 gauge flares are probably the single most likely thing to save your life in the bush. Usually, bush problems are somewhat self induced - either you get injured or lost - and being able to get off a flare to let others know where you are is what will save you.

Just remember that flares fire off under very low pressure, and can get stuck in the barrel if you have any kind of a choke.
 
smally21 said:
Where can one find the Corwin Arms O/U? And likely $$$?

Thanks in advance.
Click to expand...

http://www.corwin-arms.com/product/ricol-14-short-over-and-under-screw-chokes

$617.00

The black receiver version is already sold out - he only just got them in on the 30th of December. Don't think too long on it, or they'll be done come and gone. I ordered the Black Receiver version, hope to see it on my doorstep Monday (tomorrow). This is what the chromed receiver version looks like.

dsc_0116.jpg
 
grelmar said:
http://www.corwin-arms.com/product/ricol-14-short-over-and-under-screw-chokes

$617.00

The black receiver version is already sold out - he only just got them in on the 30th of December. Don't think too long on it, or they'll be done come and gone. I ordered the Black Receiver version, hope to see it on my doorstep Monday (tomorrow). This is what the chromed receiver version looks like.

dsc_0116.jpg
Click to expand...

I love the looks of that o/u. Just don't have $617
That would be a good double tapper right there!
 
Cool looking O/U.......as far as all the bush protection responses.....I merely stated that as another purpose. As a hunter for over 35 years in central Ontario I'm well aware that its unlikely to run across a polar bear....lol. I like the short barrel folder for backpack ,ATV or canoe storage convenience
 
grelmar said:
http://www.corwin-arms.com/product/ricol-14-short-over-and-under-screw-chokes

$617.00

The black receiver version is already sold out - he only just got them in on the 30th of December. Don't think too long on it, or they'll be done come and gone. I ordered the Black Receiver version, hope to see it on my doorstep Monday (tomorrow). This is what the chromed receiver version looks like.

dsc_0116.jpg
Click to expand...

Sweet mother of gawd! RANGE REPOOOORTTTTTT!!! If the chokes don't end up down range I'm IN!
 
It looks pretty.. but seems about 200 bucks too much for what amounts to a novelty... Nice that it is steel receiver though, and the Turkish walnut is always nicer than Chinese chiu!! LOL :) Just MO as value is subjective in these things...

single selective trigger would be nicer.. there is going to be some bruised index fingers out there from this beast
 
bobbynewmark said:
It looks pretty.. but seems about 200 bucks too much for what amounts to a novelty... Nice that it is steel receiver though, and the Turkish walnut is always nicer than Chinese chiu!! LOL :) Just MO as value is subjective in these things...

single selective trigger would be nicer.. there is going to be some bruised index fingers out there from this beast
Click to expand...

Once you catch the short barrel shotgun disease, there's no going back... My short barrel pump is more useful than I ever would have imagined... This one steps up the game with a bit of class, and with screw in chokes, hoping to get just a few more effective feet of range for taking grouse (my pump is fixed cylinder bore). Even with cylinder bore, a 12g shortie loaded with 7 or 7.5 shot easily takes grouse at realistic ranges in dense brush, where you just aren't shooting that far.

Still waiting on Canada Post to deliver the goods... Wife is getting annoyed at having to clean the forehead smudge off the front window...
 
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