26" or 28" Barrels in SxS for hunting?

[Kestrel]

Still thinking about that Beretta 471 Silver Hawk SxS. I've never had a double and am trying to find out if I should get the 26" or 28" barrels? Also, they have an Optima Choke system, combined with backboring. I assume this would be better than the standard chokes?

(What am I going to use it for? I'm not sure. Just really liked the looks of the gun and have always wanted a SxS... Probably for pheasant one day or other bird hunting...)

Thanks,
Steve

 

[PJR]

My preference is for longer barrels and 28" is the minimum of any of my guns. I think they handle better and swing more smoothly. The next double I get will be 30" minimum. I've never found the longer barrels to be a problem even in the densest of thickets.

Paul

 

[HSMITH]

The only thing wrong with 26" barrels is they are 4"+ too short. I have yet to shoot a barrel that was too long, and I dearly love the 30"+ guns.

Joe Public would be well advised to buy the longest barrel offered. The old wives tales about barrel length are so numerous and entrenched there is no way to counter them most times though.

It really is too bad that the general shotgunning populace is ignorant of the benefits of the longer barrels, they purchase 99% of the shotguns so the few people that really study shotgunning are stuck with short barrels off the rack or hideously expensive custom options.

 

[Dave McCracken]

I've done well with a couple short barreled doubles. But, as I get older the better I'm shooting with long barrels.

Good makers offer 28-30" barrels as light and well struck as the shorter ones, and most of the hot shots I know use the long ones.

 

[SkunkApe]

For grouse and woodcock in heavy cover, I prefer the shorter barrels. This type of hunting requires the frequent holding of the gun in one hand, while pushing brush aside with the other. Those extra couple of inches at the end of the barrel add a lot of felt weight, with leverage working against you.

Heres my test: If I can't easily hold the gun in one hand with my arm fully extended at 90 degrees to my body with the gun barrel parallel to the ground, its too heavy, or its barrels are too long, or the grip is too large. (Or worst of all, it has a pistol grip. Game guns should have English stocks.)

 

[Kestrel]

skunkape,

Why should it have an English grip, instead of a pistol grip? I think the Silver Hawk is offered in both...

Thanks,
Steve

 

[SkunkApe]

SteveW13,

Personal preference, mostly. If you get the double triggers (like you should), you'll find your hand slides straight back more easily to engage the rear trigger.

More importantly, English grips are smaller/thinner, and allow for easier carrying of the gun as I desribed above.

And last, but not least, the English stock is just plain sexy. Sexy girls have slim waists; so do sexy guns.

 

[PJR]

The barrel weight difference between a 26" and a 28" is about 50 grams or under two ounces, not much of a difference. Italian guns have the barrel weight stamped on them.

But the straight stock is much easier to carry in the field because you don't have to twist your wrist to carry the gun while keeping your hand in a shooting position.

And it does look sexier.

Paul