Short barrels and long extensions

[thatgrittyguy]

Random question. Why the emphasis on 20-24" guns when there's a +6 or more extension tube? I've noticed some hate on 26"+ guns. Reduced sway maybe?

typed slowly on my cell...

[MikeRush]

I went 24" for weight.

[MarkCO]

The extra weight and barrel length (really past about 22") do not provide any benefit on the scorecard for 3Gun.

In the Clay sports, there is some benefit, and they are not stoked with half a box of shells.

[roxymajor]

I can see some of my shotty cohorts rolling their eyes... here goes Greg Brown again on his short barrel stump speech...

Four major benefits to the short barrel.

1. Lighter weight equals quicker swing splits as you become a better shooter.
2. Lighter weight is less stressful to your arms and reloading technique.
3. Shorter barrels give you a larger knock down spread (90% of the match stages have steel targets are within 13 yards. I can knock down a 4x6" 5/8" steel plate at 13 yds with my 18.5" Benelli Cylinder choke. If there are "no-shoots" or longer plates, i can still choke-up).
4. Clay targets are much easier to hit with an 18" barrel with cylinder choke (no body WANTS to look at their front sight ).

Disadvantages are:

1. Doesn't look cool (barrel is shorter than tube). (you see the shirts that we wear.. is cool factor an issue ??
2. Less weight, slightly more recoil.

I am saving my pistol grip speech for later!

Edited May 8, 2014 by roxymajor

[roxymajor]

Oh, and most shot shells/slugs hit max velocity about 18" in the barrel.

[thatgrittyguy]

No concerns about the longer sight radius helping with distant slug hits?

I'll proudly admit to my newbie status in the 3 gun game. Currently making the transition from Steel Challenge to 3 Gun.

[roxymajor]

sight system is more important.

No concerns about the longer sight radius helping with distant slug hits?

I'll proudly admit to my newbie status in the 3 gun game. Currently making the transition from Steel Challenge to 3 Gun.

Sight system is more important. Most 3 gunners are using some kind of compliment sight with their front bead. You can search around for different systems. I have rifle sights on my 18.5" barrel.

[kuduman]

Roxy, I want to hear the pistol-grip speech.

[EkuJustice]

I'm gonna disagree on the barrel length and choke theory. A cylinder choke from a 18 inch isn't giving a bigger pattern than a cylinder in a longer barrel. The choke is what's controlling the pattern not the barrel length. The barrel ID also has some effect on patterns but is minimal and really not an issue for what we do. The lighter weight swinging better depends on how you move the gun. Personally I have much better control and feel of the gun with a heavier gun vs a light gun. The extra barrel length weight shouldn't be an issue at all for the amount of time we are using a shotgun on a stage and even the "heavy" guns are not that heavy.

[TISCHLJ]

My old eyes really took to going from a 21 to a 24VR on my older M1s90.

Running a "Gobble Dot" turkey sight system on the rib. My SG shooting has greatly improved . . .

A Briley tube that holds 10 comes just past the bore about a shotgun shell length . . Got rid of the PG . .

[toothandnail]

I shoot a 19", PG, with RDS

OH, . . . . almost forgot 24 rounds max load

[jtielke]

When I bought my shotgun most matches had an 8 round limit on the tube so anything longer than 21" stuck out past it. Rules have changed but my M2 still runs great.

[uhcoog1]

I know there is a weight advantage and slight spread advantage to a shorter barrel, but it's not significant enough to affect my performance.

I own 21, 24, and 26 inch barrels on my 3 gun shotguns. I bought the brand I wanted, and what was cheap and had chokes.

[robg2008]

My new work in progress 3 gun is a 26 inch with a +6 tube that sits about flush with an extended choke tube for a 10+1 capacity. I also have a +2 cap for when i feel the need to have extra room.

[roxymajor]

IN CAPS....

I'm gonna disagree on the barrel length and choke theory. A cylinder choke from a 18 inch isn't giving a bigger pattern than a cylinder in a longer barrel. The choke is what's controlling the pattern not the barrel length. IF YOU MEASURSE THE PATTERN FROM THE MUZZLE THAT MAKES MORE SENSE, BUT IN A MATCH U DONT GET TO STAND ANY CLOSER TO THE TARGET THAN A GUY WITH THE SHORTER BARREL. THE GUY WITH SHORTER BARREL WILL HAVE LARGER PATTERN WITH CYL CHOKE. The barrel ID also has some effect on patterns but is minimal and really not an issue for what we do. The lighter weight swinging better depends on how you move the gun. I MOVE THE GUN QUICKER BECAUSE I CAN START STOP THE BARREL QUICKER, I GIVE YOU A 10 lb SHOTGUN AND I WILL USE A BROOM HANDLE. ITS PHYSICS. Personally I have much better control and feel of the gun with a heavier gun vs a light gun. The extra barrel length weight shouldn't be an issue at all for the amount of time we are using a shotgun on a stage and even the "heavy" guns are not that heavy.

A LOT DEPENDS HOW U RELOAD THE SHOTTY.. AFTER A 2 DAY MATCH THE LIGHT SHOTTYS ARE HEAVY!

[alma]

I just set up a new gun for 12 in the tube. The manufacturer makes 26",28",and 30" so I was looking for a 26". A new 28" was available for $200 less so I am a proud owner of that now. The tube is still a few inches longer than the barrel so I don't feel that functionally it is vastly different.

[cas]

If if you want to put a super fine point on it, yes a short cylinder pattern will start to open up sooner than a longer cylinder pattern. But what are we talking, 4 - 8 inches sooner?

[roxymajor]

If if you want to put a super fine point on it, yes a short cylinder pattern will start to open up sooner than a longer cylinder pattern. But what are we talking, 4 - 8 inches sooner?

Yes, but this is magnified as the shot gets further down range. Think about clays and no-shoots. Works both ways. Starting 4-8" sooner is the difference between broken clay or knocking over a no-shoot with a bad sight picture. .1 second making sure you get a hit. Longer barrels pattern better with same chokes. I shot at the Versamax match last weekend and Fortin said he used a Lt Mod the whole match, 28" barrel, no way I could have done the same thing with my 18.5" with the same choke (he got more of the 1-1/8oz on the steel than I would have with the same lt-Mod choke). I do have to change chokes more often but have a big advantage on closer steel, clays and run/shoot stages.

This might be a good experiment next range day with different barrel lengths and distances. I will try to post.

[EkuJustice]

The choke pattern is not even throught the pattern with center being far more dense. The longer barrel with longer sight radius is more precise in the placement of the pattern which puts more of the core of the pattern on the steel which extends the range as there are sufficient hits to knock it over. If it's hit farther out on the pattern it's not as dense and there are fewer pellets to hit the steel to knock it down. The bore diameter has some to do with the pattern as well and a bigger diameter barrel is easier to get a nice open pattern out of where a smaller diameter barrel is easier to get a tight pattern out of.

[roxymajor]

No concerns about the longer sight radius helping with distant slug hits?

I'll proudly admit to my newbie status in the 3 gun game. Currently making the transition from Steel Challenge to 3 Gun.

I have rifle sights on my 18.5" M2 barrel, with a front fiber optic installed. My opinion is everyone shooting any major matches needs a rear sight of some kind for any length of barrel.

[CJW]

M2 Tactical with 18.5" barrel and ghost ring rifle sights, 11 round magazine tube. I have never felt like I did not have enough shotgun barrel to make my shots. There were targets placed next to clay non-threats at the Rockcastle/Benelli Shotgun Championship, and I did not collect a single non-threat penalty while knocking down the scoring targets.

The only problem I have with the 18.5" barrel is that my local trap range has a 24" minimum barrel length requirement, so I had to get a Briley 6" extender to go play trap/skeet/clays with my 3-Gun blaster.