Post what your ideal barrel length is and why?
IMO 24" is nearly ideal. Long enough to shoot good patterns but short enough for easy handling in the woods. I have four turkey specific shotguns and three out of the four have 24" barrels. The other has a 26".
I like 26".
26" for me also
Quote from: Spuriosity on January 24, 2012, 06:53:55 AM
26" on repeaters, 28" on O/Us. I use my guns for more than just turkey hunting. Barrels any shorter than these do not swing well for wingshooting. Shorter barrels also give up velocity, no matter what the makers of those barrels tell you.
Your correct about shorter barrels not swinging well, although I'm not sure how applicable that is to turkey hunting. Shorter barrels do give up some velocity - about 50-70 fps between a 28" and and 18". That's not 50fps per inch, that's 50fps
total. Not really worth worrying over.
Until someone comes up with a reasonable explanation and some
hard data to the contrary, as far as I'm concerned there is no practical difference in patterns between say a 20 and a 28 inch barrel.
I've gotten my best patterns from 12 gauges with 28" barrels.
I have used barrels from 20" to 28". I hated the 28". It was a borrowed gun. I now have a 26" barrel SX3 and it's my all time favorite. Its lite to carry and the recoil is sweet. It points well,shoots awesome patterns with just about any turkey load and its easy to carry even in the thick stuff. I am also more accurate with the longer barrel. Percieved recoil is less than with short barrels.If I were buying a gun tommorrow it would be a 26".
They will all work :icon_thumright: just will need to tune the gun with a choke to fit your needs. Most just say this works our t it in and go. You can kill birds but if you want the most out of it you will need to play some.
In 12 gauge and especially 20 gauge, 26" seems just about perfect.
Thanks,
Clark
My 835 (the old viking grade) came with a 28 inch barrel and I was never happy with it until I put a 24 inch with an extended tube. It's awesome now, a bit lighter and easier to maneuver through the brush.
My new 870 has a 26 and so far seems ok, we'll see after I carry it around this spring.
I use a 23" on the 870 SM...I had a 26" originally but have always liked to hunt with the shorter barrels. The 26" did out perform the 23" as far as pattern density however.
i get my best patterns from 26", but 24 is good also.
Alright, Now that we have some responses let me reword the question a bit. It appears most like a 26" or shorter barrel. Why do people buy a short barrel and then add an extended choke? Does that no defeat the purpose of a short barrel? Or does an extended choke do something more than lengthen the barrel?
24" down from 28"
24" or 26" barrell with an extended choke is still shorter than 28" or 30" with the same extended choke.....Im confused as to what you are looking for...
Quote from: C J Stahly on January 24, 2012, 11:28:11 AM
24" or 26" barrell with an extended choke is still shorter than 28" or 30" with the same extended choke.....Im confused as to what you are looking for...
I have a 28" barrel. I want something shorter or so I think. However, most turkey chokes are of the extended variety. I'm contimplating buying a non extended choke for the barrel I have versus buying a shorter barrel and then buying an extended choke. Clear as mud?
For pumps and automatics that are 3" guns, IMO a 26" barrel is ideal. If the gun is chambered for 31/2" shells, it has a longer receiver and a barrel length of 26"-24" will give similar handling characteristics. I've owned turkey guns with 21"-23" barrels and didn't like the increased db's, the shorter sight radius and swing intrinsics, and have noted that barrel movement on short barrels translates to a wider arc of movement and pattern placement at all distances. There are numerous valid reasons that ammunition and tube manufacturers, and card and competition shooters utilize barrels of 26" or greater. The maneuverability of a 26" vs 21" barrel in the woods is a moot point unless your pushing through honeysuckle or brambles. IMO the proliferation of ultra-short turkey guns has been a marketting ploy w/ little or no validation in the real world of turkey hunting. I started turkey hunting before choke tubes were available and when most waterfowl guns sported 30"+ barrels and killed my first turkeys with a Browning Auto V w/ a 32" full barrel and a Stevens 10 gauge w/ a 36" full barrel which are both extremes at the opposite end of the short barrel discussion. I don't hunt with either of them anymore.
I prefer to turkey hunt with a 24 inch barrel due to mobility.
Quote from: rebelman on January 24, 2012, 11:51:52 AM
Quote from: C J Stahly on January 24, 2012, 11:28:11 AM
24" or 26" barrell with an extended choke is still shorter than 28" or 30" with the same extended choke.....Im confused as to what you are looking for...
I have a 28" barrel. I want something shorter or so I think. However, most turkey chokes are of the extended variety. I'm contimplating buying a non extended choke for the barrel I have versus buying a shorter barrel and then buying an extended choke. Clear as mud?
You could do that but will definitely limit your choices and will probably eliminate some of the best chokes out there.
I think 24" is about perfect. My 20" Mossberg 535 is too short. Muzzle blast is significant, and the shorter barrel somewhat limits good patterns. My 26" barreled 870 is too long for hunting tight cover, or if using a blind.
After carrying everything from a 21" barrelled youth gun to a 28" barrelled standard gun.....I think the 23-24" range is about perfect.
my gun has a 24" barrell and its perfect for hunting in tight places.
Rebelman, I suggest doing what I did with my 28" barrel (if it's a designated turkey gun): Spend $50 having your barrel cut to 23 or 24 and rethreaded for Rem choke. Then you can use a top notch extended choke tube.
I have two different barrels for my 12 gauge BPS. I have a 28" for geese and ducks, and a 21 3/4" for turkeys. I originally had a 26" barrel, but after a mishap while hunting, I had to get the barrel cut down and re-tapped. This actually works out really well and I still get great patterns. I never liked turkey hunting with a longer barrel and the shorter barrel is much easier if you hunt out of a blind.
killed bird last year with 20 ga, 21" barrel
26" works best for me. It has enough length to get a superior pattern without being overly long and cumbersome. I wing shoot with 26" barrel guns as well. Most just seem to swing and point well.
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I prefer a 23" - 24" barrel.
With the numbers I can put up shooting TSS and the right choke, the extra barrel length for the sake of getting a better pattern is nearly irrelevant. I got a 20" barrel last year on my remington (all my other guns are 26) and when I'm crawling around or moving thru tight spots with lots of briars etc, its extremely nice not to have the extra length.
Quote from: decoykrvr on January 24, 2012, 12:15:22 PM
For pumps and automatics that are 3" guns, IMO a 26" barrel is ideal. If the gun is chambered for 31/2" shells, it has a longer receiver and a barrel length of 26"-24" will give similar handling characteristics. I've owned turkey guns with 21"-23" barrels and didn't like the increased db's, the shorter sight radius and swing intrinsics, and have noted that barrel movement on short barrels translates to a wider arc of movement and pattern placement at all distances.
A second of arc is a second of arc. Barrel length has nothing to do with it.
Quote from: decoykrvr on January 24, 2012, 12:15:22 PM
There are numerous valid reasons that ammunition and tube manufacturers, and card and competition shooters utilize barrels of 26" or greater.
There are very good reasons to have a barrel 26" or longer. But they have to do with wingshooting and swing dynamics, not turkey hunting. If you think having a longer barrel gives better patterning PROVE IT. HARD DATA please.
Quote from: decoykrvr on January 24, 2012, 12:15:22 PM
The maneuverability of a 26" vs 21" barrel in the woods is a moot point unless your pushing through honeysuckle or brambles. IMO the proliferation of ultra-short turkey guns has been a marketting ploy w/ little or no validation in the real world of turkey hunting.
Try walking through the woods with the gun slung on your shoulder. You'll appreciate the shorter barrel when it doesn't snag on every bush you walk under. I like a short barreled woods shotgun for the same reason I like a short barreled woods rifle. Nobody has any problem understanding the appeal of a woods carbine, even though the ballistics sacrifice is far greater with a rifle than a shotgun.
Quote from: decoykrvr on January 24, 2012, 12:15:22 PM
I started turkey hunting before choke tubes were available and when most waterfowl guns sported 30"+ barrels and killed my first turkeys with a Browning Auto V w/ a 32" full barrel and a Stevens 10 gauge w/ a 36" full barrel which are both extremes at the opposite end of the short barrel discussion. I don't hunt with either of them anymore.
Got tired of lugging those long barrels around? I don't blame you.
Pretty safe to say 18" to 32" barrels will all kill turkeys. It depends on where and how you hunt. I myself walk alot,shorter and lighter is the way I roll. As long as you shoot and pattern what ever you get and find your maxium range youll be fine. Killed alot of turkeys with a super short Winchester 18" barrel turkeys didnt care they just died.