Home Forums Birds & Dogs Waterfowl 26” vs 28”

Back to the 26" or 28".

With an auto loader, they are about 3"s longer than an O/U same barrel length.

Two years ago, I borrowed an O/U to hunt ducks in MO. It felt short, and swung fast for me.[felt short, 28" bbls] It could have used longer barrels for balance.

Auto loader, you loose no speed in 2"s less barrels, kind of depends on fit and balance, and range shooting.

Depends on how old your eyes are and how they focus, the longer sight plane may help.

You don’t loose FPS with an O/U or SxS either with 2 inch less barrel.

For conversation: The young Bucks who shoot for money and have great eyes also use the longer barrels. Almost exclusively. In fact I know if none that go below 32’s in SC. Must be a reason?????

Almost 40 years ago, I remember watching 30" go to 32" then to 34" in trap shooting.

Not sure that you need that length for shooting over decoys.

But what ever works for you, use it!

Reason being what was mentioned.

Over decoys, you don’t. Pass shooting out a way, there are advantages.

It is never a handicap! Decoys, Grouse woods, range, it is an advantage period.

I have always used a 28” barrel for waterfowl. The last 15 years or so has been with a SBE2. I like to use extended chokes now as well. With That platform and my LOP; it was a long shotgun...

When I decided I no longer shoot wanted to shoot 3.5” shells, I opted for a 26” M2 with the extended Carlson chokes. I find it to be the better combination as I still have a good balance of speed and follow thru.

I am also hunting in tighter cover for ducks and less field hunting for geese FWIW.

2” difference on a repeating shotgun with a long 3.5” capable receiver makes no difference in swing from 28-26”. The 26” is gonna be 2” less to hang on crap or fit in a case or such, but on semis and pumps, it’d be hard to tell any other difference over 2”. For ducks and geese, I’ve gone as short as 24” and not noticed much (if any) difference in swing or balance. 24 vs 30/32, sure. Doubles are a different animal.

Maybe you can't, but many can! I have never had my barrel hung up in the duck blinds, goose pits, duck boats, layout boats, in the grouse woods, or anywhere else for that matter. I have never found it hard to put a gun no matter the length of the barrel "hard to put in a case".

First, the point was: there’s not enough difference to matter in 2” of barrel on a 3.5” hunting repeater,
You’re not getting a 50” gun in a 48” case, easily.
2” wont make much difference on maneuverability, but 4-6” could.
A shorter barrel is far easier to deal with in timber, buck brush, and other places. Shooting vs carrying....but I grew up quail and rabbit hunting in briar patches and grow up cut overs, while duck hunting in everything and everywhere. In layouts, nice box blinds, or boats, you don’t have anything to contend with.

If you’re noticing a huge difference in wing shooting with a 3.5” repeater in a 26 vs 28” barrel (in the same gun), then there are a ton of more prescient excuses for misses, such as fit/POA VS POI, head, LOP, overall balance, etc,.,,,that’ll be having far more influence than 2” of thin metal at the farthest end of the equation. Shooting professional clays is a different conversation.....and I’ve never shot a clays tournament with a 3.5” goose gun, either.

The only shotgun I've really done a bunch of bbl length attempts is the 12ga 303 Beretta I bought circa 1990ish. I've shot 22, 24, 26, 28, and 30" bbls on that same action/stock. I shoot the 26" the best of the bunch.

I have 2 30" 12 and 2 30" 20ga Beretta 391's. In both gauges, the 30" bbls make me lazy over time. I swing less with my body, more with my arms and fall behind. When that happens, I move back to my Franchi 26" AL 48 28ga that's so light it forces me to get back in the habit of swinging with my whole body. A few years ago I picked up a 26" Beretta 626 20Ga who's "shortness" of OAL also snaps back my "whole body swing" form almost as good as the ultralight Franchi.

It is the opposite for me. The mount is initiated with the hands and arms, and short barrels have me mounting with less control..and usually faster and out of sync with the clay or Bird. Crossers need a lot of hip involvement..not so much with quartering or straightaway.

Addition:

I’ll take longer everyday, as long as the balance is there.

For conversation...

In the thick, timber or brush, two inches shorter is no advantage as far as maneuverability. Your shotgun is most likely to hit anywhere along its length as at the end..





Neither is shorter necessarily an advantage in the open...Based only on its length....And trying to fit a shotgun longer than the case will naturally be a problem..Boots have much the same issue...

This is a really personal decision, but if you like shorter barrels, go with the 26". If I were buying an A400 and had a choice, I would pick 28". If I found a good deal a better deal on a 26", I would buy that and not worry about the missing two inches.

Let me correct that for you.

The mount is initiated with the front hand and arm. The trigger hand/arm is just along for the ride.

If anyone cares to argue that take it up with one of the greatest shotgun coaches ever Jack Mitchell.

And more than a few others also.

I was only making the observation that for myself short barrels don’t point as well and the hands initiate the mount or point. The core may or may not do all that much, depending on what the target is doing.

When it comes to SxS or O/U field shotguns, if the barrels are going to be long, then they best be lean also. They most often come out of places like Scotland, Germany and England and unfortunately cost more than a new Landcruiser. Even the good Spanish examples cost more than most are willing to give.

Very few American made double guns make the cut and very few Americans have the opportunity to handle shotguns that do. Thus long to them becomes the pig on a shovel and they move to shorter.

A shotgun shooting acquaintance says, “A swordsman chooses his sword from experience and with care.”

And to quote Stick, “Spent primers are the ultimate tutorial.” Most come up short on experience..


Old friend carried his Rem 1100 12 gauge last year Pheasant hunting and then picked up my Ithaca 37 28 gauge and the light came on. I just set him up with a A400 20 gauge and he is "Smiling like the butcher's Dog." (To quote Mike Lang)


Addition: I also saw Duffy take a short barreled 20 gauge NID he just won, and up at a place you are familiar with, and quickly tune himself into consistently breaking 40 yard crossers. Spent primers?????

6 pounds 1 ounce of the way they should be made....I'd even wear a kilt and leggings....proudly Double triggers, wonder if I could make them work
The wee Cocker or Springer would have to be happy in their birthday suit....


https://www.gunsinternational.com/g...ide-by-side-shotgun.cfm?gun_id=101409265

It only costs that much because he has a rep for handmade shotguns, only makes 30 or so a year and they function correctly out of the box....America could do the same for much less....and the Spanish do....Watchout for the Turks.....

They still won't sell here....It's mostly semi-auto and the I just can't shoot a SxS excuse...Of course most never shot more than a couple boxes of shells out of one, if that...Spent primers again...

I would wear whatever the hell anyone wanted me to wear for a DMB.

Damn, we would have them howling!!!!

Duffy??? Who Dat?

I might have seen him break a target or two.

Get your camera's, cell phones out now. Cause once she is in my hands that's all she wrote folks!