Length of barrels

[Iantay16]

Just wondering if the length of barrels are as important as Ballance, I am shooting with 30" barrels ( sporting), a few people I talk too say that this is right, but also some people tell me they are too long to start with and  to go down to 28" barrels, I borrowed a gun with 28" barrels and my opinion was that everything seemed hurried, am I right in sticking with my 30" ones?.

Sorry if some of my questions seem silly,just trying to understand all the different aspects of the sport.

 

[timps]

Length of barrels is completely subjective to the shooter and personal preference on sight picture. No one can tell you which one is best for you and considering you have tried 28” and you didn’t like them you have answered your own question.

The most popular length for sporting is probably 32” with 30” close behind, 28” is just not a popular length these days at all. Why someone would say a beginner should use 28”  first is a mystery to me, why would they be too long, why start with an unpopular size which limits gun choice?

I started with 28” then 30” now 32” but 28” was the fashion back then and what my dad gave me. When I got my son his first 12 bore it was a 30” I would never have even considered a 28” and he preferred and shot better with my 32” anyway so I got that wrong as well.

Change because you prefer swinging it and shooting it not because someone tells you it’s the done thing (even though it isn't) is my advice.

 

[Iantay16]

Length of barrels is completely subjective to the shooter and personal preference on sight picture. No one can tell you which one is best for you and considering you have tried 28” and you didn’t like them you have answered your own question.

The most popular length for sporting is probably 32” with 30” close behind, 28” is just not a popular length these days at all. Why someone would say a beginner should use 28”  first is a mystery to me, why would they be too long, why start with an unpopular size which limits gun choice?

I started with 28” then 30” now 32” but 28” was the fashion back then and what my dad gave me. When I got my son his first 12 bore it was a 30” I would never have even considered a 28” and he preferred my 32” anyway so I got that wrong as well.

Change because you prefer swinging it and shooting it not because someone tells you it’s the done thing is my advice.

Thanks timps I reckon your advice is bang on the button, I feel that with the 30" everything seems smoother and appears to be slightly slower ( possibly my imagination), but it definitely feels right.

 

[ips]

like timps I cant understand why someone said to start with a 28 ?

30" is enough barrell for anyone in my opinion. I have owned and shot 32" but never got on with them (that's a personal thing however) 28" will be way to lively for most people and especially for sporting or trap so stick with a 30" is my advice.

 

[Iantay16]

like timps I cant understand why someone said to start with a 28 ?

30" is enough barrell for anyone in my opinion. I have owned and shot 32" but never got on with them (that's a personal thing however) 28" will be way to lively for most people and especially for sporting or trap so stick with a 30" is my advice.

Cheers Ian.

 

[timps]

Thanks timps I reckon your advice is bang on the button, I feel that with the 30" everything seems smoother and appears to be slightly slower ( possibly my imagination), but it definitely feels right.

No not your imagination at all, the balance and length of barrel go hand in hand which in turn alters how it swings. The longer barrel also aids pointing, I know you should never look at your barrel but it is in your peripheral vision and the longer it is the more information your brain has to process subconsciously.

 It also depends on your style of shooting, aggressive shooters might benefit from a gun that slows them down a bit, more laid-back style might benefit from a livelier gun.

There is genuinely no right or wrong answer to this only personal preference to suit your shooting style. But to give you guidance the debate for sporting is usually 30” v  32” not 28” as it is never really argued  that 28” is the way forward. If anything, it’s to go even longer at 34” and to be fair people have won recent world championships with 34” guns so they have proved the case for them but they are way too much for me.

I can’t recall the last time a 28” won a major sporting title so why learn with something you have to change then relearn sight pictures when you get better?

Barrel length is one of the things that is open to all sorts of old wife’s tails.

I was at a shoot where someone blamed missing a target because his 28” was out of range  the 30” his mate was shooting was in range hence why he hit it ;-).

Stick with the 30” and change when you shoot a gun that feels better to you is the best advice anyone can give.

 

[Iantay16]

No not your imagination at all, the balance and length of barrel go hand in hand which in turn alters how it swings. The longer barrel also aids pointing, I know you should never look at your barrel but it is in your peripheral vision and the longer it is the more information your brain has to process subconsciously.

 It also depends on your style of shooting, aggressive shooters might benefit from a gun that slows them down a bit, more laid-back style might benefit from a livelier gun.

There is genuinely no right or wrong answer to this only personal preference to suit your shooting style. But to give you guidance the debate for sporting is usually 30” v  32” not 28” as it is never really argued  that 28” is the way forward. If anything, it’s to go even longer at 34” and to be fair people have won recent world championships with 34” guns so they have proved the case for them but they are way too much for me.

I can’t recall the last time a 28” won a major sporting title so why learn with something you have to change then relearn sight pictures when you get better?

Barrel length is one of the things that is open to all sorts of old wife’s tails.

I was at a shoot where someone blamed missing a target because his 28” was out of range  the 30” his mate was shooting was in range hence why he hit it ;-).

Stick with the 30” and change when you shoot a gun that feels better to you is the best advice anyone can give.

Thanks very much.

 

[Wonko the Sane]

For decades the most dificult shooting game, box birds, was shot with 70cm or 72cm barrels.  Haven't checked lately but I'd guess 75cm may be making some inroads.  I know that I never felt handicapped in any way at flyers with a 70cm Mirage I was shooting at the time.  I believe that the 75cm barrels continue to dominate OT and similar.

As with Ian, I've tried 32" barrels several times on several different guns.  Never rang the bell for me.  I still shoot mostly the 72cm things and may now and then snap on the 75's for no reason other than to exercise them.  The barrels are all of similar weight and insensitive clot that I am I detect no difference in feel or performance.

Just last week a gent I know who shoots a (for me) ponderous 32" K80 was interested in trying the TSK stock on the MX1 (see recent purchase thread for pix).  The MX1 is a 72cm w/ kg1.380 barrels so about as different from the K80 as is possible.  Even tho the stock was not really fitted to him he managed to shoot it really well and was effusive about the gun and I had to deny him the possibility of ownership.  Just sayin' ....................

YMMV of course - - shoot what you like but know that fads rule the world and opinions are like rectal orifices for several reasons 

 

[westley]

Barrel length is one of the things that is open to all sorts of old wife’s tails.

I was at a shoot where someone blamed missing a target because his 28” was out of range  the 30” his mate was shooting was in range hence why he hit it ;-).

Stick with the 30” and change when you shoot a gun that feels better to you is the best advice anyone can give.

Ah, yes I have heard that said, a bit like 21 gram loads not reaching the target and needing 28 grams  ??  

 

[Oldblaster]

Go for 34" barrels and just cut to length. Sorts out your choke choice at the same time, problem solved!

 

[jwpzx9r]

The barrels on my gun are a classic 75cm... Perazzi have won numerous medals with these guns although they will do any length you want. 

 

[Smurph]

My first gun was a 28" but I now shoot a 30" for sporting.

28" felt far too quick and I never really felt in control of the gun because of this.

I am 6ft4 and I think height can sometimes have something to do with it (that said, I know shorter shooters who use a 32").

When I first started out I had a lot of people telling me my gun was too short. Not really what you need to be thinking about when you're just getting used to shooting and have other peoples opinions in the back of your mind.

As others have said, at the end of the day it comes down to personal preference. The 'right' sized gun is the one which feels comfortable in the shooters hands.

I no longer take too much notice of what others think is right for me. I know what I prefer, but that is through trial and error.

I shoot a 32" for trap, and most shoot 30".

 

[Simonix]

I started shooting with a 30". Liked it. 

Bought a 28" for game days. Felt like swinging a cocktail stick!

Tried a 32", and loved how it steadied my swing and slowed me down. 

Been shooting 32" ever since. For sporting and game. 

Saying this, my semi auto is 30", but with the longer action, swings like a 32"....

 

[Iantay16]

Go for 34" barrels and just cut to length. Sorts out your choke choice at the same time, problem solved!

Thanks, very helpful to a newcomer.

 

[Oldblaster]

Thanks, very helpful to a newcomer.

Meant to be light hearted! But in my opinion go for 32" barrels, very pointable and great for swinging on long crossers, and just as quick on close targets. But do try before you buy. 

 

[Wonko the Sane]

It has seemed to me for some time that shooters are generally the most humor challenged people I know.  I could make some guesses as to why that might be but it would be contrary to my continuing status as a perfectly lovely person.

 

[Iantay16]

Meant to be light hearted! But in my opinion go for 32" barrels, very pointable and great for swinging on long crossers, and just as quick on close targets. But do try before you buy. 

Thank you.and sorry I took it the wrong way.

 

[Finners]

I too started off with 28's but as has been said, that was considered the norm back then (late 1980's) Since then, I have had a succession of 30" guns. However, although I'm only a fairly average 5' 9" I swapped to 32" a few years ago and really like them. 

My gut reaction is the you're generally better off with 30 or 32's. 28's are harder to find and/or sell on generally and offer no advantage for Sporting Clays that I can discern.  

 

[chippy]

Its not just barrel length its barrel weight as well.  I shoot a 32" Beretta gold e and its far livelier than a 30" Browning or miroku.