Barrel length

A place to discuss Hunting equipment and other related products.
User avatar
GLS
Gobbler Nation
Gobbler Nation
Posts: 3564
Joined: May 16th, 2012, 11:29 am
Location: Lowcountry, GA

Re: Barrel length

Post by GLS »

I shoot whatever comes with the gun. With modern chokes and loads, at what I consider to be turkey distances, the short ones can pattern just as tight as the longer ones. William at Sumtoy was telling me about Killdee's 20 gauge 870 with a 21" barrel was putting 370--380 inside the 10"at 40 yards. 1 5/8 oz., #9s. That's about an oz. of shot inside the 10". One advantage of longer barrels is that they are better on the ears than the shorter ones.
pedro
Gobbler Nation
Gobbler Nation
Posts: 2190
Joined: June 6th, 2012, 9:21 am

Re: Barrel length

Post by pedro »

26 on my 870 sm, 22 on moss 500 20 ga, 28 on most bird guns and 24-25 on the moss 500 .410. It is less clumsy with shorter barrels when slipping through the woods.
2ounce6s

Post by 2ounce6s »

...
Last edited by 2ounce6s on August 27th, 2012, 9:01 pm, edited 1 time in total.
User avatar
GLS
Gobbler Nation
Gobbler Nation
Posts: 3564
Joined: May 16th, 2012, 11:29 am
Location: Lowcountry, GA

Re: Barrel length

Post by GLS »

Out of the box, my 22" Super Bantam with the first choke I put it in it, a .555 PG, shot 320 in the 10". Not much work or time going to and from the paper--it was only 40 yards away. I didn't want nor need that many pellets in the 10" so I went to .570 PG, no buffer, and it is now averaging about 280. This is with Hal's 1 5/8 oz. TSS9 load. No barrel work on the gun. I did have the trigger worked on for crisper, lighter pull. I don't know what a longer barrel on this gun would accomplish for turkey hunting other than add weight, length and maybe reduce the noise at the stock end. YMMV.
2ounce6s

Post by 2ounce6s »

... I'm out. :wave:
Last edited by 2ounce6s on August 27th, 2012, 9:02 pm, edited 2 times in total.
User avatar
BrentM
Posts: 125
Joined: July 17th, 2012, 12:02 am
Location: Jackson County, Alabama

Barrel length

Post by BrentM »

I guess I've always just had good luck with short barrels. Best thing about these days is that you can read on the Internet about everybody else's research for free and then go buy the combo that works best for them and it usually works just as good for you.
I knew when I bought that 870 compact that I would need a truglo ssx and HW 7's because everybody that has tried it worked wonders for them. Then I changed to TSS and figured out it don't matter about the barrel or choke if you use that stuff.
I'd say you could wad turkeys up all day long at 40+ with one of those little home defense barrels if you shot TSS and choked it down a little
pdqt
Posts: 185
Joined: July 11th, 2012, 1:43 pm

Re: Barrel length

Post by pdqt »

Back in the old days it used to be a 30" full A5 all the time. When steel started showing up I bought a 26" hasting barrel. There was very little differance in the patterns, but the shorter barrel was easier to handle in the woods. :thumbup:
User avatar
ICDEDTURKES
Gobbler Nation
Gobbler Nation
Posts: 8583
Joined: July 8th, 2011, 10:27 am

Re: Barrel length

Post by ICDEDTURKES »

And one other thing that has not been stated.. A 26 inch vs say a 20 inch is 6 inches less you need to crawl to get him in gun range. :lol:
savduck
Posts: 953
Joined: July 29th, 2012, 11:18 am

Re: Barrel length

Post by savduck »

Ive also never understood the shorter barrell makes it more manueverable arguement. Ive been shooting em 20 years and never lost one because I couldnt get the gun on them.
User avatar
Johndoe
Gobbler Nation
Gobbler Nation
Posts: 3420
Joined: June 22nd, 2012, 9:50 am
Location: Tallahassee Fl

Re: Barrel length

Post by Johndoe »

1st turkey I ever missed was with a long barrel. I had to raise the barrel to get passed a vine and he caught me. I would have to have had a short barrel at the time to see if it would have made a difference. I think it would.

I think it is clear that there may be tiny differences in performance with short vs. long barrels. It is my "Experience" that tells me its not enough to worry about. It is the experience of some that a longer barrel is no problem in their woods. I really like short barrels in my area.

Really it is a choice like what brand gun. We all have our favorite's.

John
Image

There are no numbers on any of my clocks below 8. Then all of a sudden, 2 days before turkey season they appear. Then right after the season they disappear.
What's up with that
User avatar
3toe
Posts: 289
Joined: July 12th, 2012, 10:23 am
Location: Central Alabama

Re: Barrel length

Post by 3toe »

Walking through the thick stuff is one area I like my shorter barrel. When I duck it ducks with me. On my back it's about 6" below my head. Hunted with several buddies who have 28" barrels and cussed a lot trying to slip through tangles and thick brush. I just laughed and went on through. :). I don't get 200+ in a 10" circle at 40 but I get enough with factory ammo to tote him home if he wants to go.
User avatar
MKW
Gobbler Nation
Gobbler Nation
Posts: 1346
Joined: August 31st, 2011, 10:18 am
Location: SC

Re: Barrel length

Post by MKW »

I really like a barrel 24" or shorter on my turkey guns. As to the question of effort/money to get shorter barrels to shoot well...I bought a 20ga Rem 870 SPS-T with a 20" barrel right before last season. Turns out, I was forced to get it ready quickly when I stripped a screw on my FF-II base on my Benelli M1 20ga. I bought a TruGlo SSX choke, screwed it in, threw in a Fed HW #7, and shot a 180+ pattern at 40yrds which hit directly at POA. That was the easiest gun I have ever worked with. I toted it on every hunt last year and it performed in outstanding fashion. Sometimes you get lucky! :D

Mike
Ultimate Predator
User avatar
ccleroy
Posts: 735
Joined: February 22nd, 2012, 3:57 pm

Barrel length

Post by ccleroy »

savduck wrote:Ive also never understood the shorter barrell makes it more manueverable arguement. Ive been shooting em 20 years and never lost one because I couldnt get the gun on them.

No doubt, first thing I check at a setup is muzzle maneuverability and swing. If there's something in the way it gets clipped, broken , snapped or the sorts.
User avatar
davisd9
Gobbler Nation
Gobbler Nation
Posts: 1352
Joined: June 28th, 2012, 10:15 am
Location: South Carolina

Re: Barrel length

Post by davisd9 »

My 835 has a 24" barrel and that is short as I will go on my main rig. I prefer and 24" or 26" barrel with the 26" being the best of both worlds. I have killed birds with a 20 gauge with a 21" barrel with lead #5s, but it was just to kill one with the 20 ga and he was 12 steps from me. :)
User avatar
Turkey Talker
Gobbler Nation
Gobbler Nation
Posts: 3665
Joined: June 7th, 2011, 9:20 pm
Location: Green Swamp Florida

Re: Barrel length

Post by Turkey Talker »

savduck wrote:Ive also never understood the shorter barrell makes it more manueverable arguement. Ive been shooting em 20 years and never lost one because I couldnt get the gun on them.
yeah i agree with maneuverability, but if you are hunting in THICK crap like we do down here in Florida, that shorter barrel gets through with you a hell of alot easier. even when slung across your shoulder, having a 26" barrel compared to a 20" can be like getting your clothes caught on thorns every turn in the swamp. Longer barrel in the Cutt SUX! :thumbleft:
Image
Image
Image
savduck
Posts: 953
Joined: July 29th, 2012, 11:18 am

Re: Barrel length

Post by savduck »

Turkey Talker wrote:
savduck wrote:Ive also never understood the shorter barrell makes it more manueverable arguement. Ive been shooting em 20 years and never lost one because I couldnt get the gun on them.
yeah i agree with maneuverability, but if you are hunting in THICK crap like we do down here in Florida, that shorter barrel gets through with you a hell of alot easier. even when slung across your shoulder, having a 26" barrel compared to a 20" can be like getting your clothes caught on thorns every turn in the swamp. Longer barrel in the Cutt SUX! :thumbleft:

Thats all I hunt here in south Ga, river swamps, its pretty thick here, especially going through ty ty thickets.. Had barrels hang up in vines and bushes before, but again never when set up on a turkey
blade
Posts: 36
Joined: September 3rd, 2012, 9:23 pm

Re: Barrel length

Post by blade »

21 + 1 1/2" choke on my 12 auto and 26" on my 20 gauge o/u. (both turkey guns) 28" on all my wing shooting guns.
User avatar
Grover
Gobbler Nation
Gobbler Nation
Posts: 1121
Joined: July 3rd, 2011, 12:11 pm
Location: Central Illinois

Re: Barrel length

Post by Grover »

26"on my 12 ga Benelli's, M1 and SBEII
25" on my beretta and 870.
I got a new Rem 870 - 20 ga that has the 21" barrel, I can't wait to get it set up and see how it does.

I'm building a 20 ga, 1770 Fowler flintlock with about a 4 foot barrel, actually I think it's 36".I don't remember, :scratch: I'm excited to see what it'll do too.
"INFIDEL"
User avatar
Grumpy
Gobbler Nation
Gobbler Nation
Posts: 4858
Joined: January 22nd, 2012, 12:03 pm
Location: N.C. Montana

Re: Barrel length

Post by Grumpy »

It takes 18 inches of barrel to burn all the powder, with the new powders and wads and shot that is all that is needed unlike the older shotguns with the lighter powders and paper wads and soft shot that needed the longer barrels to perform well.
I was not his father but he was my son,,MAK IV, 10-15-1993 - 4-22-2007
"Rest in Peace my Little Buddy"
User avatar
Spuriosity
Gobbler Nation
Gobbler Nation
Posts: 2760
Joined: April 23rd, 2012, 10:12 pm
Location: Western North Carolina

Re: Barrel length

Post by Spuriosity »

Grumpy wrote:It takes 18 inches of barrel to burn all the powder, with the new powders and wads and shot that is all that is needed unlike the older shotguns with the lighter powders and paper wads and soft shot that needed the longer barrels to perform well.
The powder may all be burned in 18", but it's still pushing in a longer barrel. Don't let anybody tell you that an 18" barrel gives as much velocity as a 26" barrel, because it is absolutely is not true. The gun mfgs like to tell you the powder is completely burned in 18" so they can sell short barrelled turkey guns. If queried they will tell you the difference in velocity is not "significant", but they don't define significant. The difference can easily be 100 ft/sec, and to me, that is "significant".

Can you kill turkeys with modern loads and 18" barrels...absolutely. Is the velocity the same as from longer barrels....absolutely not.
drenalinld
Gobbler Nation
Gobbler Nation
Posts: 1330
Joined: December 10th, 2011, 8:37 pm

Re: Barrel length

Post by drenalinld »

28" tubes for me on a 12 ga because I can't find 30"....lol

Maybe I have short man syndrome???

Powder burned or not, there is still pressure building velocity. I would love to see more actual velocity comparisons.
User avatar
ICDEDTURKES
Gobbler Nation
Gobbler Nation
Posts: 8583
Joined: July 8th, 2011, 10:27 am

Re: Barrel length

Post by ICDEDTURKES »

drenalinld wrote: I would love to see more actual velocity comparisons.
I have actual data from the same gun with the barrel being cut off 2 inches at a time.. I just have to find the damn book.
User avatar
hawglips
Gobbler Nation
Gobbler Nation
Posts: 3794
Joined: July 7th, 2011, 9:58 pm
Contact:

Barrel length

Post by hawglips »

Longer barrels give more velocity and pattern better - in general. Going from 20" to 28" can give 100 ft per second more speed. That equates to about five yards more killing energy.

I like 28" to 26" in all gauges including .410. Never had an issue with a long barrel causing me to miss a turkey, but I have had times when an extra 5 yds of energy was welcome.

I don't buy "turkey guns" anyway. But the gun mfrs know it's a good way to separate hunters from more cash.
User avatar
hawglips
Gobbler Nation
Gobbler Nation
Posts: 3794
Joined: July 7th, 2011, 9:58 pm
Contact:

Barrel length

Post by hawglips »

drenalinld wrote:28" tubes for me on a 12 ga because I can't find 30"....lol

Maybe I have short man syndrome???

Powder burned or not, there is still pressure building velocity. I would love to see more actual velocity comparisons.
There was an article a few years back in turkey & turkey hunting that showed good data and an actual test he ran.
User avatar
Hoobilly
Gobbler Nation
Gobbler Nation
Posts: 13330
Joined: August 15th, 2011, 10:15 pm
Location: Argos Indiana
Contact:

Re: Barrel length

Post by Hoobilly »

21"to 26" is what I like

I find myself using different guns for the sole reason of...cause I want to.
Don't start none, won't be none!

https://foxtrotammo.com/
Post Reply

Return to “Equipment/Product Reviews”