Barrel length question

[Greenecj]

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Decide to buy a new turkey gun for next year. I'm going to go with the 870 super mag

My question is does barrel length make a difference in pattern? Would a 20" pattern the same as a 26"?
I plan to use my Carlson long beard choke with Winchester long beard xr 5 shot

Thanks in advance

[Ihuntoldschool]

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Maybe but not necessarily.  You can take two different 20 inch barrels and they won't pattern the same a lot of times.  Or you can take two different 26 inch barrels and they won't necessarily pattern the same either.  Choke is what determines pattern, not barrel length.  Now it is generally true that a longer barrel will shoot farther than a shorter barrel. So if you go with the 26 over the 20, you can probably safely shoot 6 inches further. A longer barrel gives a longer sight plane which MAY make you slightly more accurate.  It is really a matter of handling and personal preference as far as barrel length goes.  If you want to use it for other games besides turkey and don't want to have to buy another barrel then I would go with the 26 inch.  If strictly for turkey, go with what feels, handles better;again this is more personal preference.  Now the 26 will shoot a higher velocity than the 20 inch, this may even look substantial or relevant at the muzzle or 3 feet from it. Don't be fooled the faster the shot starts the faster it slows so by the the time you get out to say 40 yards any velocity difference will be negligible and irrelevant when it comes to killing turkeys. Now, some people will tell you that a longer barrel will pattern better than a shorter barrel, but this is not necessarily true.  It can go either way, sometimes the longer will pattern better, other times the shorter will pattern better, and this can vary based on the shell used. Often times it is reported that a shorter barrel needs to be choked tighter than a longer barrel to get the patterns you want; this is not true it only needs to be choked the same.  Choke determines pattern, not barrel length.  The advantage of a shorter barrel are so obvious when it comes to turkey hunting that it's barely worth mentioning the word maneuverability.  Shorter barrels are obviously louder if you are concerned about noise.

[Oconeeguy]

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My experience with 20" 535 vs 28" 500 (both freshly deep cleaned) with exact same choke on the same day, shooting shells from the same box - the 28" generated a more dense pattern at 40 yds. Maybe just my experience but the difference was very noticeable.

[coonhunter]

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 If it's going to be a dedicated turkey then get a shorter barrel.
It handles a lot better.  I have a 26" 870 and my brother in law has a 21" 870. It will pattern just as good as mine just with a little tighter choke. I.e. I shoot a 665 and he shoots a 655. 

[KYStalker]

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I've used a 24" and 26" barrel, my absolute favorite is my 22" 935 grand slam.  So much easier to run and gun in hardwoods.

[allaboutshooting]

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Decide to buy a new turkey gun for next year. I'm going to go with the 870 super mag

My question is does barrel length make a difference in pattern? Would a 20" pattern the same as a 26"?
I plan to use my Carlson long beard choke with Winchester long beard xr 5 shot

Thanks in advance

I see that this is your first post, so first of all, welcome to OG. As you've no doubt already seen, there are many folks here who will do their very best to be of help to you. We look forward to hearing more from you.

Barrel length can make a difference in patterns. A 20" barrel may not pattern as well as a 26" barrel, using exactly the same shells and choke but then again, it may pattern just fine for its intended purpose of cleaning killing a turkey at all reasonable and ethical ranges. It seems to really boil down to what you get used to in the fields and woods. Most times, I use a gun with a 28" barrel and it works just fine for me. In years past, I used a SxS with barrels about 18.5" and it worked very well. I've also used many guns with barrel lengths in between those.

The important thing is to take your gun/choke/shell choice to the range and see just how it patterns for you. If it's a 40 yard gun, that's great, if it's a 30 yard gun that's great too. You just get to call them in closer and have more fun.

Thanks,
Clark

[Greenecj]

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Thanks for the input guys. I believe I'll go with the shorter barrel

[tha bugman]

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If its a dedicated turkey gun go with the 20"

[grayfox]

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I personally love the short barrels. I hunt woods & it's handy with so many trees & bushes that always seem to be too close to a tree you want to sit by. I had a hard time getting my 21" barrel on my 870 Express shooting the pattern I wanted but a big thanks to Clark who helped me out & now it shoots great with the choke & shell I use. My buddy had a 26" on his 870 Super Mag. & later bought a 23" & seen no difference. It shot patterns just as good as the longer barrel. The longer barrels in general are probably easier to get good patterns out of but if you work at it the short ones can work too.

[mossyoakpro]

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I have the Remington 870 Turkey with 20" barrel....If you deep clean your barrel on arrival and put in the time to try different chokes you will find the "sweet spot" for your gun.  Mine happens to be the Patternmaster choke shooting a 3" Hevi-13 #6.....there have been many birds that have taken a ride in my truck with that combo.

I like a lot of folks on here love to tinker with our set up and find what is best for our needs...that makes it a lot of fun and you will gain a lot of confidence knowing the capabilities of your gun.

Enjoy!!

[mtns2hunt]

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I'll stick with the 26 inch. as stated shorter barrels are louder and I am trying to save my hearing a bit. I also like the longer sighting plane as I use open sights. Patterns very well with #5, 6, and 4 LB. As for maneuverability I have never had an issue. It is carried at an angle and slides under brush or limbs easily.  I too, think it is a matter of personal opinion and would recommend trying out several combinations both shooting and carrying.

[mikejd]

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You will be fine finding a nice pattern and killing turkeys at a reosanable yardage with either. But what feels comfortable. For me that's the shortest I can find.

[woody]

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Split the difference. I believe you can get the supermag with a 23". That has become my favorite length. I set up a 3" 870 with a 23" barrel. I love that gun.

[Ozarks Hillbilly]

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My first dedicated turkey gun was a single shot 12 ga. Stevens long Tom 36" barrel. Since then I have carried guns as short as 21" barreled 11-87. Currently I pack a 870 SM 23" barrel. For me it seems to be the perfect balance in a dedicated turkey gun.