Longer Barrel = more accurate, correct?

[bird]

Longer will pattern better more times than not but there are anomalies for sure. 260 with 6's is BADD!

Yes It Is!  

[ILIKEHEVI-13]

I'll say that with consistency comes repeatability.  When you get 1 or 2 great patterns out of a choke is one thing, but how many times can it be repeated is entirely another.  From my findings I'll take a 28" barrel over a 21" barrel anyday for overall load consistency for denser patterns.  

[bird]

Many a longer barrel can't touch those numbers in the same load and choke.

Obviously 260 with H13 3.5" 2.25" #6 is the best your gun got, or you wouldn't be promoting it so much.... but what was the lowest count in 10" that it got with this load.

Just curious.

Hate to disappoint you but I do have a life and no I'm not made of money.  I don't sit around and shoot up boxes and boxes of shells just to find the best pattern so I can take pictures to show off.  These patterns are one and only boys.  No need to repeat the shot over and over wasting shells and hard earned cash.  Hell who knows... If I kept on blasting holes in paper maybe I could of even posted up bigger numbers than the 260 with the 6's and maybe not. 

bird

[redleg06]

Regardless of whether or not I could squeeze 10more hits out of a longer barrel, at sole point enough is enough on the pattern board and an extra few pellets means less to me than comfort and my feel/ utility preference for the gun....in other words, I'd take birds gun with that patter ALL day over a 28" barrel because I like a shorter gun in the turkey woods, (and that's a hell of a pattern for the 6's) even if that means I give up a handful of pellets because that pattern will sure as hell give one a headache...

It would be a different story if a 28" barrel was shooting a 300 count pattern and the 23" barrel gave a 200 count pattern with the same choke and load but in most cases, all else being equal, I have Not PERSONALLY seen such a drastic difference as to make me justify a longer barrel. But again, what I value in a turkey gun maybe different than the next guy or the next.

I shoot a 20" barrel 870 and load it with TSS 9's and I'm ok with shooting a 350 count pattern even though I might be able to get 400 out of that load with a longer barrel...  

[paladin]

"Turkey Shoot" guns are limited in length because...longer shoots better.
It is easier to find a good load choke combo with longer barrels.
With all that said I reccomend the shortest barrel you can buy.
When the bird is to your right and you swing the gun and the last inch smacks a tree you will understand. I have an 18", a 20" and some 24s.

[westtennhunter]

870SM, 24" bbl, .660JH 3.5 inch Hevi 6's. 256 in 10 @ 40 (lazered):

[Nick_The_Tinkerer]

Paladin just out of curiousity - how about some pics of your various rigs

[redleg06]

All patterns 40 yards taped and laser. PG .670 and a 23" 870SM Read the paper....

[yelpy]

Those are some really nice patterns you put up bird and I agree with you. Just because you have a shorter or short barreled gun does not mean you won't be able to get it to shoot as good as a longer barreled gun will. They all can take some work and may like a certain choke/load combo but you just have to find that by experimenting with different choke/load combo's. You may find some barrels short or long are just flat out shooters others need more time and experimentation.

[Longshanks]

my experience i prefer the longer barrel for pattern wise, although the shorter is a little easier to maneuver

Thats my experience as well. Provided I do the work and testing..I'm able to achieve higher numbers out of the longer barrels. Seems to be the consensus with most folks. Longer barrel is more stable for me in wing shooting for sure, I can't tell any difference shooting something stationary.

[Gooserbat]

My experience is all thing being EQUALL the longer barel will shoot some tighter, but probaly not enough to matter in the field and as far as more acurate?  Well that's one I can't say for sure.

[GeorgeJR]

If your blind hunting might as well go longer and can use it for non turkey hunting as well.  If your in thick cover most likely your shot is shorter as well so short barrel is easier to get on the neck of the bird w/o hitting a bunch of underbrush.  I hunt in a blind and run 28", but use the same set-up (minus the red eye and turkey choke) for upland game as well.

[mnbirdbuster]

Ive already posted to this thread but feel i have more to add! The thread started out questioning better patterning in relation to barrel length and it turned into more of a personal preference thing! I will squash any argument if a longer barrel throws a better pattern with a single fact...(NWTF Still Shoots allow a barrel to be no longer than 30" If a longer barrel didnt help then this sanction wouldnt be there

[Longshanks]

Ive already posted to this thread but feel i have more to add! The thread started out questioning better patterning in relation to barrel length and it turned into more of a personal preference thing! I will squash any argument if a longer barrel throws a better pattern with a single fact...(NWTF Still Shoots allow a barrel to be no longer than 30" If a longer barrel didnt help then this sanction wouldnt be there

Yup

[Gobble!]

Ive already posted to this thread but feel i have more to add! The thread started out questioning better patterning in relation to barrel length and it turned into more of a personal preference thing! I will squash any argument if a longer barrel throws a better pattern with a single fact...(NWTF Still Shoots allow a barrel to be no longer than 30" If a longer barrel didnt help then this sanction wouldnt be there