12ga barrel length for hunting

[12ga]

Can someone explain to me the importance of a long barrel for shotgun hunting? It seems to me that if using a short barrel (18"-20") with a choke patterns well, the additional inches on the barrel have no purpose?

[AAShooter]

Longer barrels give you a longer sighting plane and better accuracy. The same issue as longer barrels/slides on handguns. Try shooting 25 yard targets with a snubnose revolver . . . most people have big problems. Longer barrels tend to be used for longer shots. Short barrels for closer dynamic shots (i.e Dove Hunting).

Second is the balance of the gun. This is somewhat personal but most hunting barrels tend to run 26 - 30". This gives a comfortable swing and follow through.

All that said, if you find a short barrel shotgun comfortable, well-fitted to you and shoot well with it . . . go for it.

[toby]

A short barrel will max out and overrun it's pattern at too short of distance for shooting Dove ,Quail, Rabbit's especially the Dove. You want to be able to shoot even out to 30-40yrds, I shoot a bit further, a short barrel will not hold a pattern that far.

[CWDraco]

I hunted deer with a Savage Police shotgun when I was 16. Bagged two with it.

The longer barrel does add velocity which translates to more energy and distance.

[Dattebayo]

A short barrel will max out and overrun it's pattern at too short of distance for shooting Dove ,Quail, Rabbit's especially the Dove. You want to be able to shoot even out to 30-40yrds, I shoot a bit further, a short barrel will not hold a pattern that far.

What kind of garbage information is this? Sorry bud, but grouping and pattern size has absolutely nothing to do with barrel length (at least within the legal 18"). Most of the pressure is expelled out of a shotshell at 18" and there it no benefit of a longer barrel but a longer sight plane for easier pointing and gun balance for a smoother swing.

Pattern size is determined by barrel choke and shotshell load. The barrel length has the least to do in affecting this.

[Bazerkly]

What type of shooting do you do?

The question is what type of shooting do you do? Up close or a distance? In Trap I use a Browning with a 34" barrel, doubles and Skeet a 28" barrel. Next question you need to ask is "Tell me about Chokes" Then Shot!

[12ga]

The question is what type of shooting do you do? Up close or a distance? In Trap I use a Browning with a 34" barrel, doubles and Skeet a 28" barrel. Next question you need to ask is "Tell me about Chokes" Then Shot!

I know people use long barrel shotguns for hunting, skeet, trap. My question is not IF people use them. My question is WHY. Specifically, when the choke determines the pattern rather than the length of the barrel. What advantage does a 34" barrel with a choke have over a 18" barrel with a choke?

[JagerDog]

I know people use long barrel shotguns for hunting, skeet, trap. My question is not IF people use them. My question is WHY. Specifically, when the choke determines the pattern rather than the length of the barrel. What advantage does a 34" barrel with a choke have over a 18" barrel with a choke?

See AAShooter's post above. In handicap trap, you're looking for long sighting plane and "stable". This means longer barrels and generally heavy (but balanced) guns. Balance is subjective, but stable with good follow through generally means a bit more forward weighting.

In faster side-to-side moving games/situations, you'll usually want a little less mass and have the balance a bit more rearward (neutral..between the hands).

The short barrels for HD or designed for maneuverability in close quarters and situations which don't call for much precision. On shotgun games which call for swinging, they would be deemed "whippy".

Obviously, you can shoot trap/skeet/sporting clays with an 18" barrel, but you will be handicapped. In a duck blind a longer barrel also helps to put the muzzle blast out of your partners ear plane.

[MongooseV8]

I'd like to point out that most shotgun barrels only have a single bead and there is no advantage having a "Longer Sight Plane" as mentioned a few times in this thread. Some barrels have a mid bead but its not fair to compare a shotgun to a snubnose revolver.

[Cuda440]

It's not about longer sight radius, its about how the gun feels while pointing.

If you're doing tactical or HD type shooting, you want a shorter barrel with real sights that you aim like a rifle. For clay sports or hunting, you want a longer gun that you just point where it feels right while focusing on the target.

A longer barrel will give your peripheral vision much more to use while you focus on the target and let training and instinct take over for aim.

The bead is mostly just used to get yourself positioned, ready, and knowing where the gun is, before looking away from the bead to focus on where the target will be coming from.

[Thefeeder]

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Extend your arm and point your finger at a ~4" wide object that is ~40yds away....now point what you estimate is 3' to right or the lefty of the object.

Now do the same experiment with your arm only half extended.

Which is more accurate to point the long arm or the short arm?

[AAShooter]

A good articles on the topic:

http://www.chuckhawks.com/shotgun_barrel_length.htm

http://www.learnaboutguns.com/2008/05/31/selecting-a-shotgun-barrel-length/

http://www.clayshootingusa.com/html/archive/jul_aug04/longenough.pdf

[AAShooter]

I'd like to point out that most shotgun barrels only have a single bead and there is no advantage having a "Longer Sight Plane" as mentioned a few times in this thread. Some barrels have a mid bead but its not fair to compare a shotgun to a snubnose revolver.

I think it comes down to basic geometry in both cases that provide an advantage to the shooter. Minor positioning errors over a longer sight plans results in a smaller offset error at the target.

[Brd_Hntr]

Go shoot some shotguns at clays or birds and one of the things you will notice is how much faster a short barreled shotgun swings. Perhaps go look at some extreme cases in your local gun store. Browning used to offer a 24" 20 gauge shotgun which was too fast for most shooters. Compare that with a 32" barrel. Longer barrels increase weight and inertia. It is easier to smoothly swing the longer shotgun and 'stopping the gun' is less of a problem.

Notice that skeet shooters tend to want a 26" barrel and trap shooters 30" or longer. It is easier to hit close crossing birds with the shorter gun. In trap it gets easier to hit the further birds with the longer barrel. The swing is slower and more stable. The longer barrel also helps reduce pointing errors.

Hunting shotguns tend to be a compromise length, so 28" is very common. The choice of length is often dictated by the species sought. Turkey and waterfowl hunting using a long barreled shotgun makes sense, but when quail hunting a light fast double often works better.

[MongooseV8]

A good articles on the topic:

http://www.chuckhawks.com/shotgun_barrel_length.htm

http://www.learnaboutguns.com/2008/05/31/selecting-a-shotgun-barrel-length/

http://www.clayshootingusa.com/html/...longenough.pdf

I think it comes down to basic geometry in both cases that provide an advantage to the shooter. Minor positioning errors over a longer sight plans results in a smaller offset error at the target.

Im not trying to be a stick in the mud, simply trying to understand your point. I read all the links and they all seem to be subjective opinions to suggest what shotgun I should hunt with.

Maybe Im doing it wrong but when I look down the barrel of my shotgun, I see the bead on top of the rib. I dont understand how the bead being 7+ inches further makes me a more accurate shooter since the sight picture would basically be identical. Since there is no rear sight (or mid bead) I dont get how the longer sight radius/plane is an advantage like it would be with a rifle or pistol sight picture.

I think the only advantage (if you want to call it that) a longer barrel has is it is easier to swing steady for most shooters. It has been my experience that simply adapting my skills/practice with a shorter barrel results in the same swing, with the advantage of quicker movement capability for those quick side to side moving targets. Sure if you have been shooting 3 Foot barrels for the last 30 years and you try shooting a shorter lighter barrel you would have the tendency to over swing and or stop and shoot. Had you been shooting that same short barrel for the same 30 years, I doubt that you would see the same "whippy swing."