Shotgun Barrel Length

Barrel Length for Duck Hunting

  • 30"

    Votes: 9 16.4%

  • 28"

    Votes: 30 54.5%

  • 26"

    Votes: 8 14.5%

  • Other

    Votes: 8 14.5%
  • Total voters
    55
black_bear

black_bear

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What length shotgun barrel do you use for duck hunting? My duck gun is a 30" 11-87 premier, and it works great for me........
 
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28" or 30"

you'd be surprised what 2" does for containing muzzle blast and jump and getting you on a second target faster. a longer sighting plane = more accuracy.
 
24" barrel is plenty... long barrels have no practical advantage for wing shooting... Unless you think you need to aim a shotgun.:rolleyes:
Shorter lighter barrels swing faster and are quicker to recover from muzzle jump.:eek:
 
As long as possible....smooths swing, reduces recoil , noise, longer sighting plain, better follow up, better for second or third shots!! Trap shooting is similar to waterfowl hunting in only 1 way...targets are at the outside edge of shotgun reach alot of times and that is why serious trap shooters and waterfowl hunters use as long a barrel as possible!
 
I have to disagree with you a little ben... Most serious waterfowlers who are buying new guns are buying 26" guns... or looking for shorter barrels for the guns they have now. You cannot find a 30 inch barrel on most new shotguns, 26-28 are the lengths most offered from the factory.
A 30 inch barrel will not shoot any faster, farther or tighter than a 24 inch barrel with the same choke configuration.
 
In the olden days, there was a common misconception that the longer barrels were needed for the longer shots. This was the same misconception that said that you could shoot through brush and branches with heavy bullets. :rolleyes:

Remember the bolt action "Goose Gun" with the 36" bbl? :runaway:



 
BIGREDD said:
Most serious waterfowlers who are buying new guns are buying 26" guns... or looking for shorter barrels for the guns they have now.
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I agree with you BR but what I dont understand is why "Serious Waterfowlers" are gravitating towards shorter barrels the "Serious Target Shooter" are going the opposite direction.

Its not uncommon to see 32" barrelled O/U's on the skeet field and SC courses. 25 years ago a 25" barrel was common.

Shorter lighter barrels swing faster but they also stop faster (read missed birds) Longer barrels swing slower but smoother.

I like a 28" barrel myself, but I would go up to 30" long before I went down to 26". Could the reason people are buying more short barreled guns is because they are making a compromise between Turkey hunting and Waterfowling with one gun???
 
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Might be a regional thing with the shorter barrels and waterfowlers. Most of the guys I know are using 28" to 30" with only a few at 26.

I like a 30" barrel for a semi and 32" in an o/u because they offer a longer sighting plane and have better handling characteristics or at least do in the guns I own.

I don't agree that a light, short barrel is better for follow up shots. I find follow up shots better with longer barrels.

The other consideration is barrel weight. A Remington light contour barrel at 30 inches feels very different than a standard weight.

Ultimately how the gun feels in your hands and how it fits are most important than the length of the barrel.
 
I'd rather have a shorter barrel (24") for waterfowl. I have used and tried many 28" and 30" barreled shotguns and I just find 24" is the perfect length. Mind you, 80% of my duck hunting in NL is jumpshooting if that makes any difference.
 
gth said:
I agree with you BR but what I dont understand is why "Serious Waterfowlers" are gravitating towards shorter barrels the "Serious Target Shooter" are going the opposite direction.
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Most waterfowlers are using light synthetic camo guns with 3.5 inch chambers and these guns are abusive to shoot. The technology is moving towards guns that are lighter but recoil friendly. Benelli SBE II with comfortech is light and fast and has less muzzle jump because of the Chryo- treated barrel and the comfortech stock. I shoot a 24 inch barrel with mine and it is lightning fast with very little muzzle climb. I also have a 26 inch barrel on another SBE that is almost as quick.
The Berreta Extrema II with the kick off system is probably the easiest recoiling gun made today in 3.5.... these guns are available in 24", 26" and 28" barrels only... and the 26" is the most popular seller. I shot about 100 clays with one recently and it was very fast on doubles... almost as fast as the SBEII but with a little less recoil.
 
I can't really tell the difference in swinging my 11-87 with a 30" or any other 28", maybe because I have the light contour barrel? I also do not have any problems with hunting out of a boat or anything of that matter, and I don't think 2" makes that much of a difference on a hunting gun.
 
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