Shotgun barrel length?

[Poparelli]

I've been looking into one of marstar's Turkish shotguns. For the price and range of features, it seems like a great deal. 12ga 3", Heatshield, optic rail. It also has 5 chokes: C, IC, IM, F.

I was wondering if I could use it effectively for hunting (turkey, deer, duck) as the barrel is 18.5". I have had some people tell me I need a 24" at absolute minimum for anything, and others tell me that with modern powder loads there's really no discernable range difference past 18" anyway and the only reason for a long barrel is easier aiming.

If not I'll look into something else, but I'm a student and don't have a lot of money to spend; so I'd like to get something fun and "tactical" like this that I can still use to hunt.

 

[Longwalker]

You could use a military style shotgun, with rifle type sights for hunting deer and turkeys (on the ground, not wingshooting). Can't think of a worse duck gun. You would be able to make a lot of noise, but hits would be hard to come by.
Why not get something built for hunting, and also use it to blow up milk jugs and fling slugs at the range, instead of buying a "tactical" shotgun that is a handicap for hunting use outside of a range?

 

[H4831]

You heard it exactly right about barrel length. I don't know anything about the gun you talk of, but IN MY OPINION, five chokes is three or four too many! With the multiple choked guns I've had I spent all my time trying to figure out the shot size that worked in each variation. Also, some of the chokes seemed to not pattern any thing, worth a hoot.
My experience has been that for 95% of the shooting, a full choke works best.

 

[Wendell]

You want a combination of shotgun with two or more barrels. Either a Mossberg 500, a Remington 870, or Norinco HP9-1, combined with one or more of their (respective) ubiquitous accessory barrel(s) will meet all your objectives, both easily and in-budget.

 

[sheephunter]

Barrel length has very little to do with velocity and everything to do with the way the gun swings and handles. Short barrels do not work that well on flying birds as they don't swing and balance well so if it is to see use as a waterfowl/upland gun, I'd reconsider.

My opinion is that for a bird shotgun, interchangeable chokes are a must and I wouldn't even consider one without.

 

[7mmlefty]

Short barreled shotguns are best in tight quarters, when grouse or rabbits flush at the most inappropriate times for the hunter.

My first shotgun was a 30 inch Rem Wingmaster 870 mag, worked great for ducks when you've got the swing room.
Small game and grouse, you need a short barrel.

Experience in the grouse covey, will teach you that in quick order.

I had that 30" barrel cut down to 23" and had the Browning chokes put in, years before Remington even came out with the Rem choke tubes.

My most memorable hunt was the day I came within a wing beat of a triple on grouse, had it not been for the 1" thick wild grape vine the load hit on the third bird, God that would have been sweet, but still will never forget that day.

My other favorite grouse barrel was the 18" slug barrel with rifle sights(believe it or not), it shot a lot of grouse, woodcock, and rabbits.
That shotgun has long since been retired and the 24" Benelli
has taken over all my shotgun needs including duck and goose.

I dont think long barrels were really ever needed, cause youre pattern density never really improved much past 50 yds even in the days of lead.

We all get lucky with the odd long range shot, and if it was made with a 30+ inch barrel, the long barrel got all the praise, when it was really only luck, with the right lead.

I could say so much more in praise of short barrels, including open chokes, and heavy lead loads of # 5's, or 6's, but I'll let you guys take over.

 

[mmatt]

^ yeah, what he said.

I agree that a longer barrel helps with your swing for shooting birds on the wing (hey... did that rhyme?) but carry that 30" barrel through Grouse or Rabbit brush, and you'll be wishing for a shorter gun real soon.

I'm a bit of a cheap bas... er... guy, so all I have is an old Cooey 840 with two barrels. One is 21" long, threaded for choke tubes (I have a mod in it and that's all it needs IMHO) and the other is 18" long with no choke. All I hunt is Grouse and Rabbit. I took four Grouse this weekend with it and one Rabbit.

Let me tell you, walking where I walked this weekend, if I had had any longer of a gun, I'd still be there try to get untangled!

Matthew

 

[H4831]

I should have added that I have mostly used double barreld guns. The one I've had for a long time is the Browning Superposed (made in Belgium) Lightning model, in 12 guage with 28 inch barrels. The action is so short on a double, that overall a 28 inch is pretty short. Yes, I usually have the trigger set to fire the modified first, then the full.
My choice pheasant gun is a very light, high quality Spanish double in 20 guage, also with 28 inch barrels. When my son was about 11, he shot a goose out of the air with it. So it is now registered in his name!

 

[sealhunter]

I have used 18.5 inch barrels with seaducks, not a hitch. They pattern fine with a good choke, but swing is a #####.

An 18.5 will suffice, but I'd move up to 26.

Throw deer in the mix and you are stretching it a little too far with a one barrel, 18.5 inch shotgun.

 

[unstableryan]

I have two barrels for my 12 gauge.. and I know I'm streching it here...

A 30 inch full choke and a 19 inch open (half inch is for safety when we were cutting it...)

Now both are fun to carry for different reasons, but the grouse get shot with a modified ~24" 20 gauge NEF single shot usually. A few rounds in the front hand, some more in the pockets, and one in the tube can get your share of grouse with such a cute little 20 gauge.... (it's my mom's ducks unlimited dinner raffle gun)

The long barrel on the 12 gauge will more effectively cut down trees and shoot at grouse a bit like a rifle for the first 20 yards, but the short one is a little lighter, much louder, and slightly less effective against most of the things I have shot a shotgun at. I thoroughly enjoy having both.

I really don't think I could tell the difference between a modified and an improved choke, etc, unless it was ove a year or two of getting dinner with it.

Have fun with your shot gun. The longer barrel will help you shoot flying things. The shorter barrels will make shooting around the remote campsite... 10% more fun.

Shooting is fun...

enough said.