# Good barrel lengths for pheasants?



## Idek (Jul 26, 2006)

I currently have a 28" barrel on my gun, and might like to go a little shorter. One reason is simply to make it a little more maneuverable if I'm near willows or thicker brush. The other reason is that I replaced my wood stock with a synthetic. I like the grip on the new stock, but it is lighter, and now the gun's balance point shifted forward a little. Would a shorter barrel help shift the weight back much?


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## Wingmaster55 (Feb 25, 2006)

A shorter barrel probally would make a little differance. But it would be easier to say if I knew what kind of gun you have. Say its was a remington they make a light contour barrel.


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## Idek (Jul 26, 2006)

Ah, it's a mossberg 500 (12 ga.)


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## Wingmaster55 (Feb 25, 2006)

You could add weight to the buttstock or you could go with a shorter barrell like 24in. or 26in.


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## mburgess (Aug 11, 2003)

I like a short barrel hunting upland game, not sure why? Maybe easier to get a bead out in front of the bird. All I know is I shoot better with a shorter barrel upland game hunting.


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## Idek (Jul 26, 2006)

Thanks.

I may look into a 24" barrel. I don't know if 26" barrels are available for my gun.

Any tips on adding weight to the stock? I currently have one of those elastic ammo sleeves on the stock. I keep five shells in there at all times just to add a little weight, but I'd like a little more.


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## Idek (Jul 26, 2006)

By the way, what's the advantage/s of a longer barrel anyway? Do they have better patterns?


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## Wingmaster55 (Feb 25, 2006)

I am not sure i think i heard a longer barrell will swing with more grace and might effect pattern or velocity but not alot


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## Burly1 (Sep 20, 2003)

The longer barrel will put more weight out front which helps with the all important swing and follow through on crossing birds. I still like the shorter barrels for upland. For many years my favorite upland gun was a 24" barrelled 1100 12 gauge, choked skeet. Absolute death to those close flushers! Good hunting, Burl


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## upland420 (Dec 27, 2004)

The longer the barrel the tighter the pattern...thats why your waterfowling guns are generally 28-30" and upland/turkey models are usually 24-26". 18" is the minimum allowed by law.


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## usmarine0352 (Nov 26, 2005)

*Shorter Barrel: * Easier to swing. More manuverable. Less weight.

*Longer Barrel:* Smoother swing b/c of weight out front. Tighter patterns.

All in all, unless your a really poor shot, and need the extra length to help your swing. Stick with a *SHORTER BARREL*. If you know how to shoot, you can do anything with a* 26" inch barrel *that you can do with a 28".

So I always go with a *26". *

And I hunt pheasant, ducks, geese and grouse. All of those are different situations, from inside laydown blinds, to swinging in thick timber, to open plains.

Good luck.

:sniper:


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## Jiffy (Apr 22, 2005)

Guys I am pretty sure that barrel length has little to nothing to do with pattern. I believe pattern size is in direct corelation to your choke. I could be wrong though. Maybe somebody who knows for sure can clear it up. Thanks...

I use this shotgun on upland game: http://www.remington.com/products/firearms/shotguns/model_11-87/model_11-87_upland_special.asp

Mine is a 1100, this one is a 11-87, it is a pheasant killing machine!!! The only difference between mine and the one in the picture is that the 11-87 has interchangeable chokes and mine is a fixed modified. My dad bought it for me back in '85 and I have been using it since then. It is probably the most reliable shotgun I own. I wish I could have $1 for every pheasant I've killed with it. I could probably buy a whole "fleet" of new ones.

*edited because apparently I have forgotten how to type* :roll:


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## Burly1 (Sep 20, 2003)

You got it right Jiffy. Barrel length has nothing whatever to do with pattern constriction. It's all about the choke, and in newer guns, back boring. Back boring provides a smoother transition from the chamber to the tube, enabling the shot charge to travel through the barrel with less disruption, enabling more consistant patterns. Good hunting, Burl


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## Bobm (Aug 26, 2003)

tall people tend to shoot long barreled guns well so thats one more variable to consider,

I personnly like 30 inch barrels with cyl chokes, my double is 29 inches

cyl by lite modified


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## g/o (Jul 13, 2004)

Road hunters prefer short barreled guns, They come out the window easier


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## always_outdoors (Dec 17, 2002)

I shoot a 26" barrel on my citori for upland hunting. My gun weighs just a tad bit over 6 lbs. I like to do a lot of walking, so a shorter, lightweight gun is a plus. Total gun length on that gun is only 43". I don't use this gun for waterfowl. Upland only.


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## Idek (Jul 26, 2006)

It seems barrel length is a personal preference to some extent, but those of you who like the shorter barrels like them for upland hunting, which is what I'd be doing.

Does anyone know of good places (online or otherwise) to buy barrels?


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## magnum3.5 (Sep 19, 2003)

Yeah,Live 2 hunt but that gun is loud! I was next to you there last night at the range and the muzzle blast is more than the other guys. Maybe you followed the bird longer but we sure felt it. Randy and I both thought it was louder than the other guys on the line. Oh by the way today is pick on live2hunt day.


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## NDTerminator (Aug 20, 2003)

I like a 26" barrel for all shotgun applications. My upland shotgun is a Ruger Red Label O/U with 26" tubes. I tend to snap shoot rather than swing a 24" barrel, and I find the 26" handier and more responsive than a 28"...


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## gonehuntin' (Jul 27, 2006)

Boy, now here's a subjective topic. I think barrel length is all preference, nothing to do with pattern density, etc. My personal preference is for a gun that is slightly barrel heavy. I prefer the 28" barrels but I also have an old browning o&u with 26" tubes I love. It is the one I start each season with. Then when I'm in a duck or goose blind, I shoot an old browning A-5 Humpback with 32" barrel. I love the long sight plane for duck and geese; it is entirely different shooting than pheasant or grouse. In general, 26" grouse and woodcock, 28" pheasant, 32" duck & geese. If I could only carry one gun it'd wear 28" tubes. 
It also has something to do with your strength. I'm a good sized guy so it doesn't bother me a bit to tote the heavier guns. Someone a hair smaller may like the lighter guns.
I think there is no question though that the longer barrels are better swinging guns and easier to swing through than the short guns. A friend of mine have a Citori 20ga with 26" tubes in an extremely light weight. I can't hit squat with it. But then for my entire life, I've shot the heavier mid-length barreled guns. Strictly preference; try both lengths and take the one that comes up the nicest.


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## Ref (Jul 21, 2003)

I'm 6'3"and I shoot a 24" barrel on my Benelli M1 and love it. I don't think that being on the tall side has anything to do with it. It's quick on the roosters and I also shoot alot of geese with the same gun. ...99% of my goose hunting is over field decoys.


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## KEN W (Feb 22, 2002)

Ref.....you shoot a 24",I shoot a 28" and our "other brother" shoots a 26.

Both Ref and I have put Limb Saver recoil pads on our guns......makes a huge difference when hunting geese out of a lay down blind and not always getting the gun properly into your shoulder.That adds another 2" or so to the gun.


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## ShineRunner (Sep 11, 2002)

I load all my shotgun shells and I am always reading stuff about this subject. Somewhere I read that barrel length doesn't have very much to do with velocity or pattern anymore because of the new technology in components. If this is so then the length of barrel is a personal preference only. I will try to find the information about this I will post it. :beer:

I am using a 3" 20ga load that is great for pheasant. Well over 1300' per second and I get a 65% pattern at 35 yards using a 30" circle. I have a Benelli M-1 with 24" barrel.


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## Zeboy (Aug 21, 2003)

I just had to make a few comments on this one . . .

For starters - You can't compare the barrel length of an automatic or even a pump with that of an O/U. The receiver length is completely different between an auto and an O/U.

My point is - If you take your Binelli MI with 24" barrels and put it next to any O/U with 28" barrels you will find tha the overall length of the two guns are very similar.

Yes - Barrel length is very much a personal preference. Try as many guns as you can get your hands on before you have to make the purchase. You may be suprised at what you decide.

In regards to O/U's - when I was young and naive I went out and bought a couple guns with 26" barrels because I thought they would be lighter and quicker . . . Bottom line is that they have both been replaced with those with 28" barrels. The swing is smoother, the balance is better, they are just as quick with very little difference in weight. The only thing that is lighter is my wallet because I wasn't happy with the guns I originaly purchased.

Good luck. Do your homework first.


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