Nimitz Posted July 20, 2011 Share Posted July 20, 2011 I know this question has been asked many times & I've searched the forum for previous threads but from what I've been able to read so far I haven't found a lot of conclusive pros & cons for 21" vs 24" barrel length on an M2. Since I won't be able to shoot 20 matches with each barrel length to gain enough personal experience decide for myself, is this really a Chevy vs Ford type question or am I missing something specific? I realize that stage design could have some influence on this decision since I doubt I'll be traveling to many different matches except for what my local club offers so I'm checking with folks who have shot their competitons to see if anyone has any opinions as well ... If I've entered the 'paralysis by analysis" realm please let me know so I just move on & get the gun ... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jesse Tischauser Posted July 20, 2011 Share Posted July 20, 2011 It's just like the old 18" vs. 20" discussion on rifle barrels. If you want it light and ultra reliable get the 21" but you will loose a little velocity. If you want a heavier gun with mire velocity and ever so slightly less reliability get the 24" gun. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
modenar1 Posted July 20, 2011 Share Posted July 20, 2011 It's just like the old 18" vs. 20" discussion on rifle barrels. If you want it light and ultra reliable get the 21" but you will loose a little velocity. If you want a heavier gun with mire velocity and ever so slightly less reliability get the 24" gun. Can you elaborate on what makes the 21" more reliable than the 24" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nimitz Posted July 20, 2011 Author Share Posted July 20, 2011 +1 on the reliable question & also the cons with losing a little velocity? thx Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom D. Posted July 20, 2011 Share Posted July 20, 2011 (edited) Interesting topic. What I don't understand is the 21" barrels with mag extensions out past the barrel. Might as well have a longer barrel, IMO. And please elaborate on the 21" v. 24" reliability issue. Would that mean that even longer barrels are even less reliable? Seriously doubt that as most shotguns are produced with barrels longer than 24". Edited July 20, 2011 by Tom D. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jesse Tischauser Posted July 20, 2011 Share Posted July 20, 2011 (edited) The inertia driven benelli guns are susceptible to the amount of weight on the gun. A shorter barrel is more reliable than a longer barrel because the longer barrels weigh more. It's similar to the problem that occurs when you strap a barrel clamp, flashlight, side saddle, 2 round oh crap caddy, or even something like an X Rail on a Benelli. The added weight makes it more difficult for the gun to recoil properly to cycle the gun. Now the weight of a 21" vs. a 24" isn't much and won't cause the gun to fail to cycle but technically the lighter the barrel the more reliable it is. The cons of a shorter barrel losing velocity and also having their pattern spread faster means you may only be able to take a 6" plate at 15 yards with a 21" as compared to being able to knock it down at 17 yards with a 24" barrel using the same choke. My 18", 21", and 24" all allow about 1-2 yards more distance from targets as the barrel gets longer. It's not a problem either I just need to know my pattern for each barrel with the 3 chokes i run and the combinations effectiveness on the types of targets we shoot in 3 gun. Longer barrels allow you to shoot farther with less choke basically. Edited July 20, 2011 by Jesse Tischauser Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
prreed10 Posted July 20, 2011 Share Posted July 20, 2011 (edited) I started a quest for a m2 in January. Ordered a 21", but while I was waiting, I came across a used 24" locally and picked up. Shot it for 3 matches and got the call about 3 months ago that my 21" was in. I shot them side by side and the shorter one swung quicker, but the difference was very minimal. Finances allowed me to only keep one, so I kept the 21" since it was new. I'd go with whichever is easier to find Edited July 20, 2011 by prreed10 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
modenar1 Posted July 20, 2011 Share Posted July 20, 2011 The inertia driven benelli guns are susceptible to the amount of weight on the gun. A shorter barrel is more reliable than a longer barrel because the longer barrels weigh more. It's similar to the problem that occurs when you strap a barrel clamp, flashlight, side saddle, 2 round oh crap caddy, or even something like an X Rail on a Benelli. The added weight makes it more difficult for the gun to recoil properly to cycle the gun. Now the weight of a 21" vs. a 24" isn't much and won't cause the gun to fail to cycle but technically the lighter the barrel the more reliable it is. The cons of a shorter barrel losing velocity and also having their pattern spread faster means you may only be able to take a 6" plate at 15 yards with a 21" as compared to being able to knock it down at 17 yards with a 24" barrel using the same choke. My 18", 21", and 24" all allow about 1-2 yards more distance from targets as the barrel gets longer. It's not a problem either I just need to know my pattern for each barrel with the 3 chokes i run and the combinations effectiveness on the types of targets we shoot in 3 gun. Longer barrels allow you to shoot farther with less choke basically. Thanks for the clarification Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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