Barrel length?

[Gary O]

I have a shotgun with a 26" barrel that I would like to assign to home defense. It has a cylinder choke. Is this barrel too long for the job? Thanks...

[rromeo]

Really yeah. It would work of course, but you would be better with shorter so you don't bump stuff. What kind of shotgun?

[deckhandmike]

If it's 26" with a cylinder choke I'd chop it down unless it was some kind of heirloom.

[WMG]

Back before everything had to be tactical and mall ninja approved , folks defended the home with hunting shotguns and/or often 5-6 shot snub revolvers.
If it works for you ... which it may in your case ... let it be
if wanting/needing it shorter then chop it.
Only you know the size/type of home you have and how you intend to implement it's use.
But since it seems to be a dedicated gun , you are out nothing by making it fit the exact need if it needs chopped.

[Barbarosa]

First rule of gun fighting is to bring a gun, so you are better off than with a stick. My grandpa used a bolt action 10 gauge with about a 40-inch barrel; nobody messed with grandpa.

[XVIga_Rob]

26" is considered a little long for HD. However, it is probably the best length for an "all purpose" gun. Does the barrel have a 'fixed' choke, or does it use 'screw-in' chokes, with a cylinder choke installed? Depending on the gun, you may be able to find a shorter barrel with a fixed cylinder, or even with screw-in chokes. Or, possibly a longer barrel with 'screw-in' chokes, then cut the 26" to another length.

[WMG]

First rule of gun fighting is to bring a gun, so you are better off than with a stick. My grandpa used a bolt action 10 gauge with about a 40-inch barrel; nobody messed with grandpa.

Don't know your age but as a kid , most gandpaps weren't to be trifled with.
Most if not all had come back from the war and were tuff men of a different breed without any doubt.
My one pap had been trying to smuggle a captured 32ish caliber handgun back home and during a train ride shot himself in the hand.
Wrapped it in a hankie and that was that as he didn't want to bring attention to the fact he was smugglin a gun.

But anyhow....
My current shotgun has what is probably close to a chopped 19 inch barrel , the previous one was a factory 22 inch barreled Win 1300 turkey gun.
When I was young and in the service , under the legal handgun age. I bought a stevens 12ga that had every bit a 28 inch barrel with fixed modified choke.
Wasn't a real great gun to be honest but I got it from a box store that was going out of business and got it for pennies on the dollar.
copper plated winchester 00 loads were kept in it down in Norfolk VA where it was the only house firearm at that time.
Out of the 3 different residences I had down there it came off of the wall mounted gun rack twice.
Interesting enough in Norfolk it seems the slang term for a shotgun at that time was "a gauge" and was very easily recognizable as such.

[b.thomas]

I spent most of my miss-spent youth shooting ducks/rabbits and don't own any shotguns with a barrel length shorter the 26"! So using a shotgun with a long barrel won't bother me it all.
I have no inclination to search out the bad guys that intrude into my home..............I'll wait them out with my shotgun/cell phone in a safe place and let the LA county sheriff do that for me.

[Horrendo Revolver]

You are good to go as is.