Upland gun barrel lengths

SuperCub

SuperCub

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I'm wondering what bbl length people favour for upland, mostly grouse and woodcock.

Here's what I have on hand .......

SKB M100 20ga IC/M 28" bbls
Winchester 101 12ga IC/IC 26" bbls
Ithaca M37 12ga cut to 24"w/Polychoke
Fox Sterlingworth 12ga IC/LM 30"
Mossberg M500 .410 25"
Cooey single shot 20ga 28"

I haven't used the Fox yet and anticipate that it will be a tad long and muzzle heavy. The SKB is my favourite. I had one before that was 25" but found that the 28" handles better for me.
 
For double barrel guns I like 28” barrels as I find you get a smooth swing but lessens the chance barrels get hung up in cover compared to longer barrels. With repeaters I prefer 26” barrel because of the longer receiver.
 
20” or 28” depending on where I’m out hiking, patterned and with an appropriate choke obviously. Generally mod seems to fit the bill, I’m going to give my 14” choked barrel a go this year for grouse closer in in a couple places I get them regularly. Around here I seem to always be ground swatting between 15-25yrd so the 14” should be fine for head shots.
 
I find that I like 28" barrels for hunting best. If they are much shorter I find them too whippy. I have a double with 30" barrels and I like it for clays but find it too long sometimes in the bush.
 
So SC, what do you like? It's going to depend on distance and reaction time for me. If there's lots of time then long barrels. If an early season reactionary situation for upland would like barrels as short as 25 or 26". If it's bear defense then different answer.
 
Londonshooter said:
So SC, what do you like? It's going to depend on distance and reaction time for me. If there's lots of time then long barrels. If an early season reactionary situation for upland would like barrels as short as 25 or 26".
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I like 28" best on my 20ga SxS. The 26" 12ga M101 has about the same weight forward as the 28" 20ga so it gets a pass.

The 24" M37 pump was an experiment to see if it would handle ok. The OAL is only 1.25" shorter than the 28" SxS. I think it's about the perfect length for a pump or semi for upland. The bbl is also quite a bit lighter than a modern 870. I also have a 26" 870 SP that is way too clunky and heavy for grouse hunting. Might be ok for pheasant.
 
Butcherbill said:
Will really depend on the situation at hand, it’s great for some things yet falls short for others. Like all guns really, I have yet to find one gun that does it all.
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I’m working hard at finding one and feel I’m close. I have a drilling with 25.5” barrels. 16x16 over 7x65r with a .22cal barrel insert

It’s length and balance seems to work for me so far. Swings like an upland double (duralumin receiver) but shoots good with the scope when using in rifle mode.
 
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I have always used 26" since that is what I grew up with on the skeet fields and was comfortable with that length for upland hunting
I do have some 23 and 21 and have to say they handle sweet especially with english stocks and choke tubes
Cheers
 
24" to 26" on pumps and semis. 28" on side by side. Best handling I have is a old Ithaca SKB 900 (recoil) 12 bore with 26" barrel. The gun is light and very reliable and it points well for me. It is an amputee with cylinder bore.

Darryl
 
My upland guns:

Beretta 686 20ga 26"
870 Wingmaster 28ga 25"
Stoeger Coachgun 410 20"

Short barrels and upland game go together especially in tight cover. I must confess that my best shooting on thick cover grouse was with a Franchi 20ga semi, that gun was magic for me and swung/shot so fast I have never been able to duplicate it with anything since, should have never sold it.

Patrick
 
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