What type of Gun/What barrel lenght do you use

k31shooter · Post by **k31shooter** » Tue Jan 21, 2014 12:12 pm

Hey all,
I am looking for a new all around O/U or SxS shot gun. That being said, what does everybody shoot/what length barrels?

By all around i am looking to do,
Skeet, sporting clays, trap
Grouse and woodcock in Michigan.
maybe some duck hunting

I am leaning towards a 26" barrel, is there a downside?

My budget is 1000-1500.

Thanks in advance!!

Vonzeppelinkennels · Post by **Vonzeppelinkennels** » Tue Jan 21, 2014 12:40 pm

Since your want to use it for Trap,SC,Skeet,as well as hunting you might want to compromise some on the barrel length & go a little longer.I like a 26 inch for hunting but a longer sight plane is better trap,SC,& Ducks Skeet could go short again.
JMO!

RichK · Post by **RichK** » Tue Jan 21, 2014 1:38 pm

In trap, 32"-34" barrel dominate the sport.

Sporting clays and skeet you can get away with a shorter barrel.

For hunting you will want either a longer or shorter barrel depending on what you are hunting.

One gun will never be very good at everything.

If I was limited to one gun it would be a 30" barrel.

buckshot1 · Post by **buckshot1** » Tue Jan 21, 2014 2:14 pm

I second what the others said about barrel length, although choosing a barrel length depends a lot on personal preference and the balance of the particular gun. I'll also add that you want a much lighter gun for something like grouse/woodcock. A trap or skeet gun generally weighs around 8 lbs. You won't enjoy lugging a gun that heavy through the woods all day. A grouse gun is generally around 6 lbs with a 26 or 28 in barrel (in an O/U or S/S).

You really need a dedicated skeet gun if you want to shoot competitively in a league. If you're not a competitive skeet shooter, then you should consider an autoloader like a 12 gauge benelli m2 with 26 or 28 in barrels as a do-everything gun in that price range. At around 7 lbs, it'll be tolerable for carrying around but will still be effective on skeet and ducks. It'll come with shims and spacers so you can get a good fit. It'll also be durable enough to drag into a duck blind or goose field. I wouldn't take any of my O/Us duck or goose hunting. There's nothing better than a nice double gun, but it wouldn't be my first choice if I could only have one shotgun.

fishvik · Post by **fishvik** » Wed Jan 22, 2014 8:13 am

I have a 28" barrel pump 12 gauge for waterfowl, pheasants and late season sharpies and a 26" barrel S/S 20 ga. for most everything else. I don't do any competetive shooting.

Wyobio · Post by **Wyobio** » Thu Jan 23, 2014 10:33 am

I do not shoot much skeet or sporting clays, but I would echo what other posters have said. I find that I shoot more consistently with a heavier, longer barreled gun. This is especially true when hunting open country for birds like pheasant, sharptails, chukar a huns and for hunting waterfowl. I imagine that the swing through the shot better, but who knows?

I have a super light weight o/u with a 26" barrel, a shorter length of pull and cylinder choke(s) that is great for the thick stuff where you want to get off a quick shot at close range.

If you are looking for one gun, I would definitely go with a 28". A 30" or longer is pretty much limited to waterfowl and clays, you are not going to want to carry that into the grouse woods!

Wildirishman64 · Post by **Wildirishman64** » Thu Jan 23, 2014 10:10 pm

I hunt grouse in Kentucky. Most of the habitat is in very deep thickets so I'm shooting a Russian mp-18 28 inch single barrel synthetic stock. Very light and durable, not worried about dropping it or slamming it against down tree limbs to get a good shot lol. I like the challenge with my fixed modified barrel shooting 6's as I wait for the bird to commit it's flight plan. My GSP is a great hand as my hunter, she gets me close enough for the shot. Most of my enjoyment is watching her get "birdy" and goes for the point. Hope this helps. Btw, when I pheasant hunt I take my 20 gauge o/u. With improved and full for those extra long shots

roaniecowpony · Post by **roaniecowpony** » Sat Jan 25, 2014 12:52 am

You are asking for a single gun to do everything from A to Z. One gun will do it, but will be handicapped in some of the things you mentioned.

For example, grouse hunting and trap are on opposite sides of the shotgun configurations. A grouse gun must point instinctively, have a relatively short length of pull (for you), shoot flat to point of aim, have a wide patterning choke, be light and quick and fairly short barreled to avoid the branches and trees. A trap gun must be aimed almost like a rifle, long barreled, have a high point of impact, a relatively long length of pull (for you), have a slow deliberate swing weight and be tight shooting. Sporting clay guns tend to be long barrled as well.

My recommendation is you think about more than one gun. Failing that, I'd say get a 28" barreled o/u 12 ga that weighs around 7 lbs.

jack the dog · Post by **jack the dog** » Mon Jan 27, 2014 8:16 am

For what you are going to be using it fro, get a 28".

Neil · Post by **Neil** » Mon Jan 27, 2014 11:04 am

An O/U 12 ga with 28" barrels and choke tubes.

I have about a dozen shotguns in my safe, but in truth I could get by with my Browning Citori Field, which is within your budget.

Correction. Seems the price on new Citoris has gone up a bunch. Would have to go used to stay in your budget.

Mountaineer · Post by **Mountaineer** » Mon Jan 27, 2014 2:46 pm

If you mean shooting Trap as opposed to shooting trap targets then a 26" barrel length on a sxs or o/u will not provide any advantages and few winning scores, comparably....there, a longer barrel will help with the targets presented....nor will a sxs be a good choice for Trap.

For SCs it depends upon why you are shooting SCs....if shooting for gun familiarization then shoot what you want to get better with...if you are after score instead then consider what delivers score...likely that will be balance, recoil reduction and trigger.

A 26" doesn't mean much in the grouse woods unless measured against a 30"+ set of barrels.
Balance is the real story teller for grouse, not barrel length or weight.

Waterfowl would seem most concerned these days with durability, steel capability and shell length options...I would not choose either a sxs or o/u.

For a grouse scattergun using occasional SCs or better yet, skeet for practice, then a 26" or 28" sxs or o/u that fits re balance and hand bulk will work a treat.
I would consider used O/Us like beretta, miroku, browning, skb and on and on for that price range....choice of make does not matter much.

In NW Pa or W Mi you are not far from Jaquas....make a trip and try some different scatterguns on.

Neil · Post by **Neil** » Mon Jan 27, 2014 6:43 pm

Well said Montaineer.

As an aside, not a correction, I was a AA trapshooter, 27 yard handicap, and I use to shoot a Grand American Model 21 (Win SxS) for fun, my scores only went down 1 or 2 targets out of 100. Enough I didn't shoot it in competition, but for a causal shooter it is meaningless.

I have never owned one, but the CZ is worth considering.

And with bismuth or other than steel nontoxics, 3" shells will work for waterfowl.

Mountaineer · Post by **Mountaineer** » Mon Jan 27, 2014 7:15 pm

Early Trap guns were often SXSs...LCs, Foxes, Parkers and on to your M21.
I should not have said a sxs would be no good as the shooter and gun particulars matter...just that a 26" sxs at Trap would be setting a high hurdle.
I made the back fence as well but was never what I considered a 27 yard shooter...I did give my money to folks who were 27 yard shooters.

I do wish I had used the great American Trap singles....they look the part, to me.
Great old shotgun game, inclusive of all manner of shooters...I miss it.

A casual shooter should indeed shoot what he likes.
Today, there are scatterguns aplenty of any barrel orientation....most a matter of fit & try, wallet & a personal sense of esthetics or tradition.

lugmastro · Post by **lugmastro** » Tue Jan 28, 2014 1:03 am

Browning A5 Sweet Sixteen is my go to gun. 26in barrels with an IC choke.

grousehunter 61 · Post by **grousehunter 61** » Wed Jan 29, 2014 11:53 am

k31shooter, if you could give us your experience with shotguns, it would be easier to give you advice. Most start out on pumps or semi-autos. A lot of shooters use an O/U for trap and skeet, the reason for this is they probably started with a single bbl shot gun, pump or auto, the wide sight plane of a SXS puts them off target. My go to gun, is a 1929 Fox 16ga SXS with 28 inch bbls. The most important thing is to get a gun that fits, drop at heel-drop at comb-length of pull, if the gun doesn't fit, you will be hampered and not a very good shot. There are guys out there that can shoot anything, but they are few and far between. So a little background on your shooting skills sure would help. Find someone in your area that is very experienced with shotguns and fit, follow their instructions and find a gun that fits.

DoubleBarrel GunDogs · Post by **DoubleBarrel GunDogs** » Fri Jan 31, 2014 10:47 am

roaniecowpony wrote:You are asking for a single gun to do everything from A to Z. One gun will do it, but will be handicapped in some of the things you mentioned.

For example, grouse hunting and trap are on opposite sides of the shotgun configurations. A grouse gun must point instinctively, have a relatively short length of pull (for you), shoot flat to point of aim, have a wide patterning choke, be light and quick and fairly short barreled to avoid the branches and trees. A trap gun must be aimed almost like a rifle, long barreled, have a high point of impact, a relatively long length of pull (for you), have a slow deliberate swing weight and be tight shooting. Sporting clay guns tend to be long barrled as well.

My recommendation is you think about more than one gun. Failing that, I'd say get a 28" barreled o/u 12 ga that weighs around 7 lbs.

Good post.

I'd add that you have a good argument to own at least 3 guns. At least this is the excuse I give to my wife.

Nate

Uplandish · Post by **Uplandish** » Sat Feb 01, 2014 7:36 pm

Try them all before you buy. What works best for me, might not be good for you.

That being said, all my grouse guns have 30" barrels, that extra measly 4" of barrel isn't going to hang you up any worse than 26" barrels. That exttra 4" of barrel will add a little bit of weight and help you out in the swing or even the poke n hope.
If you think about it, of all the times a tree stopped your swing was it at the very tip of the gun?

I am currently dreaming about a baby frame 28 gauge beretta with 32" barrels for my next grouse stick.

Nutmeg247 · Post by **Nutmeg247** » Sat Feb 01, 2014 7:50 pm

I read a similar thread a few years back, and ended up getting a 28" SKB O/U 12 gauge based on similar advice. It's worked well for me, though it wouldn't be my choice for duck hunting for several reasons. I had thought about getting more of a sporting clays gun (I'd shot some and did find them easier to shoot), with the idea that most of the time I'd have the heavier, longer gun broken open and across my shoulder, anyway. While there's something to that, I'm glad at the end of the day to have only a middling-weight gun.

USMC · Post by **USMC** » Sun Feb 02, 2014 4:26 pm

For quail, Huns, sharpies The 28ga baby frame Beretta O/U works for me with 28" barrels. Very nice to carry!

Waterfowl or nasty days the Beretta or SBE semi with 26" come to bat.

Pheasants or Clays it's the Beretta O/U with 32" pipes..

Choices are good thing in my book... And yes the longer the barrels the better I shoot or at least I like to think so

original mngsp · Post by **original mngsp** » Sun Feb 02, 2014 8:23 pm

For all upland birds I use a 28" barreled O/U. With screw in chokes and the advances in premium ammunition there isnt anything that a 20 cant do. The 28" barrels give better balance and a little more out front weight to help the swing.

Waterfowling I use a 28" semi-auto 12 gauge. The heavy gun isnt a problem when sitting in a blind.

buck · Post by **buck** » Mon Feb 10, 2014 2:25 pm

Trap, Pheasant.....28'' SXS.

Grouse, woodcock.....20'' SXS.

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