On Barrel Length: How long is long enough?

[John Davis]

I find the preference for barrel length an interesting subject. Is it practical or emotional? Sometimes it seems to be what’s popular at the time and like any fad tastes change. Wide ties vs narrow ties. Wide lapels vs narrow lapels. But there is certainly a practical side to it as well. For skeet, quail, grouse I would think 26 to 28 inches would be optimal. However I’m not a skeet shooter and have never seen a grouse, so what do I know. For sporting clays, pheasant, ducks seems like 30 inches is about perfect. Of course I’m pitiful at SC’s and most of the ducks and pheasants I have taken aim at had nothing to fear. I will say with some personal conviction that 30 inches is my preference for doubles trap, 32” for singles and 34” for handicap. And 5 to 6 feet seems a bit extreme but I wouldn’t be surprised to see Randy Roberts running the sporting course with such a gun now that he knows they exist.

[mobirdhunter]

John, I agree that there must be an element of fad or fashion in the vogue of certain barrel lengths. I remember growing up that short barrels were quite popular. Certainly handling characteristics come into play, but a well balanced gun is a well balanced gun, no matter its barrel length. I can also see the advantage to barrel length as it pertains to weight and the inertia of the gun movement. But that's perhaps as much about weight as barrel length. I've read Churchill's theory of shooting his 25 inch guns.

Now, the question is, will Reggie Bishop shoot at the bird to make it flush and Randy Roberts gets the follow-up shot or vice versa? And I wonder if any of those 6 foot guns are still around (and in whose safe)?

So, for me, I'll hedge my bets and get as many different barrel lengths as possible. Hey, it's a good excuse for acquisition...

[Randy Roberts]

Originally Posted by John Davis

Is it practical or emotional? Sometimes it seems to be what’s popular at the time and like any fad tastes change. And 5 to 6 feet seems a bit extreme but I wouldn’t be surprised to see Randy Roberts running the sporting course with such a gun now that he knows they exist.

John I think it's a bit of both. Todays SC targets just keep getting further and further away as target setters try to dupe a shooting fraternity that continues to improve. The distances we shoot at now days certainly lend themselves to longer barreled guns. Plenty of tight targets to go around as well but I have never felt handicapped with a 32" or 34" gun. Emotional, you betcha. I like the long barreled guns for aesthetic and practical reasons. They just look cool and racy to my eye and I am drawn to them. While not a straight stock guy I will admit that a straight stock with long barrels is really svelte to my eyes. I won't enjoy shooting it as much as a PG but it looks way cool.

I'm not sure that I would call this a fad any longer. It may have been a fad when the SC game was in its infancy but it's here to stay now IMO. Shooters like the long barrels on the SC course. I am not sure when the last time I saw anything under 30" on the course, most are 32". Granted they are modern guns but I believe this preference will carry over to the SxS market when these boys go shopping. Let's not forget the hunters either. Folks have come to appreciate those long barrels in the dove fields, upland coverts, prairies, duck blinds and just about any place they can be used.

Gotta go, Polaris is calling me back. Seems I stumped their engineers when I requested a gun caddy for 60" barrels

[Double Lab]

I agree with Randy and Reggie on their points but for me it's balance first and good triggers next. Way back when I shot a lot of 26" and 28" guns at sporting clays they were still choked M/F and I did reasonably well with them. But they balanced well and they fit well enough to get by. But as I got older and hopefully smarter I found that longer barrels did help and that the fundamentals of good shooting didn't change. The longer barrels helped with consistency. There is something magical about a straight grip smallbore that just might make me shoot a tad better. Not always but it doesn't matter. They are just cool.