Long barrel vs short barrel.........same choke?
- Thread starter Tomcat141
- Start date
Well, I'm thinking in terms of how velocity may affect the pattern. Typically, low recoil loads (being understood here as lower velocity) tend to pattern better. But honestly, I can't say I understand enough about the relationship between speed and pattern, or speed and choke to draw a sound conclusion. Though I was recently told speed can kill patterns and at least in my case, my best patterning loads are under 1300 FPS.
Tomcat141
.410
Thanks for the reply. I have been reading many posts on different forums which agree with what you have just stated. For my limited shooting, I have just about decided another barrel is not necessary for me. I would be better served by buying more ammo and range time. I enjoyed shooting a few clays over the weekend and wondered if my short turkey gun was causing my misses......probably not lol.
A shorter barrel will have a negligible effect on the pattern. In general, it will start opening up as soon as it exits the muzzle. The 28" barrel just puts the muzzle 8" closer to the target.
Where it will make a difference, with clays, is in the swing. The 20" barrel will swing faster, quite possibly overshooting the clay. For skeet, a 26 or 28" barrel is preferred for it's slower swing (more weight out front). Also, the longer barrel will have more inertia which will encourage proper follow-thru.
Where it will make a difference, with clays, is in the swing. The 20" barrel will swing faster, quite possibly overshooting the clay. For skeet, a 26 or 28" barrel is preferred for it's slower swing (more weight out front). Also, the longer barrel will have more inertia which will encourage proper follow-thru.
Tomcat141
.410
Thanks Pawpaw. I think my present barrel will serve me well unless I run on to a good buy or get into shooting clays regularly.
To everyone, I appreciate your answers.
The only place I see porting being a problem is that it doesn't work well with FliteControl.
I don't see any huge or distinct advantages. It may help some with muzzle climb, and possibly "perceived" recoil. But I don't know that the impact is great enough to be measurable.
I don't see any huge or distinct advantages. It may help some with muzzle climb, and possibly "perceived" recoil. But I don't know that the impact is great enough to be measurable.
Tomcat141
.410
Thanks, good to know. Like I said above, my 20" with accu chokes should do everything I need. I'm an old fart, so don't do a lot of shooting anyway
Unless I run on to a killer deal, I will stay with what I have. If I should decide to buy something, I will look for the non ported barrel with vent rib and accu chokes.
Tomcat141
.410
Way to go! You guys are making me feel better all the time about my new to me SG.FWIW, shot skeet this past Saturday with some friends. I shot my 28" 930, both of my buddies JM pros (not sure if 20" or 22" barrels) and my 20" coach gun. I think I had my longest streak with the coach gun, but, I'm weird like that though.
I have a good story also. Sunday afternoon, my grandson, who is 16 was shooting his dad's Mossberg 500 with a 28 inch fixed choke. Not sure it was mod or full. My grandson and a guy in his 30's to 40's with a high dollar trap gun, bag for his shells and all the goodies and a regular trap shooter had a trap shootout. My grandson, who has not shot a lot, won the first match. There were three shooters taking turns calling for the bird. If the first shooter who called missed, then the next shooter to his right shot, and if he missed, the last shooter shot. If all three missed, it was a draw. The 3rd shooter was out pretty quickly and it came down to my grandson and the experienced shooter with the fancy trap gun. Bottom line, my grandson won. We were all very proud of him. The next match, my grandson finally lost after quite a few rounds, but he did himself and the 20 yr old Mossy proud. It was a good day!
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I can tell you from personal experience, shooting a barrel with porting from an semi-enclosed space is ungodly loud. If hunting from a blind make sure the porting as well as the muzzle extends beyond the window/opening.
I've seen where Federal recommends against using FliteControl with ported chokes, but I haven't been able to find anything similar about ported barrels. If you have found anything, would you please share it? I am genuinely interested since I have a 500 with a ported barrel.
The reason I ask is because ported chokes and ported barrels are two entirely different animals even though they share the "ported" moniker. Ported chokes generally have large vents all the way around and are typically designed to strip the wad from the shot column. Ported barrels have a series of small vent holes along the upper side of the barrel and are intended only to vent gasses up, creating a downward push on the barrel.
(Personally, I can't tell that my ported barrel really does anything at all. I would rather not have the ports.)
Tomcat141
.410
Thanks again Bobster, MikeD and Pawpa. All good information to have. I have pretty much decided to just keep my 20" accu choke barrel. If I would happen to run onto a killer deal on a non-ported ribbed 28" barrel, I may change my mind. I just don't shoot enough clays to justify the extra money at this point. That could all change, though.
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Longer shotgun barrel length nowadays does little to nothing to gain velocity.
Back in the days when folks used slow burning black powder it did, but modern powders burn quickly and usually within the first several inches of barrel anyway with neglible gain in velocity.
There is a reason why pistol powder and shotgun powders are typically interchangeable when you're loading your own.
As has been said, only real thing to gain with a longer barrel is more weight to be packing around and a slightly longer sight radius with the bead, which again is not going to do a whole lot in the distance you're going to be using a shotgun anyway.
I have used 18 inch, 24 inch, 28 inch and even 32 inch barrels.
You wanna guess which I prefer the least carrying around, up, down, and through the mountains?
Back in the days when folks used slow burning black powder it did, but modern powders burn quickly and usually within the first several inches of barrel anyway with neglible gain in velocity.
There is a reason why pistol powder and shotgun powders are typically interchangeable when you're loading your own.
As has been said, only real thing to gain with a longer barrel is more weight to be packing around and a slightly longer sight radius with the bead, which again is not going to do a whole lot in the distance you're going to be using a shotgun anyway.
I have used 18 inch, 24 inch, 28 inch and even 32 inch barrels.
You wanna guess which I prefer the least carrying around, up, down, and through the mountains?
Tomcat141
.410
Ummm, maybe the 28 and 32" barrels. The short barrel is what sold me on this last Mossy. I love the 20" length. The gun is nice and light overall, even with a light mounted on it.
Thanks for the input.