26" or 28" for upland game

[All4eyes]

I have been hunting upland game for years, and just bought a 26" M2. I have always used a 28" barreled gun, and was wondering what the benefits of the 26", besides it swings a little quicker. I also hunt ducks and geese, did I give up anything by doing this. Just not sure I made the right choice.

Did I make a good choice?

 

[dakotasin]

yes.

i believe the ultimate upland bird gun is a 26" 20 ga... throw ducks and geese into the equation, and i think a 26" 12 ga is as good as it gets for a do-all scattergun.

go huntin' and don't worry!

 

[gbran]

My goto gun for upland game is a 26" double sidexside, 2 triggers, 1st bbl improved, 2nd bbl modified. Tried lots of guns over the years, been using this one for the last 10 or so. Mostly quail in the mountains, chukkar, pheasant. I shoot dove also, but give the birds away as I don't like them.

 

[Flyboy]

I got my 12ga 870 with the 28" barrel specifically with the thought that it might help me a bit on the longer shots I meet with ducks and geese. Having shot it next to a 26" gun on the skeet fields, I'm firmly of the opinion that it smooths out my swing. Personally, I like the longer barrel; I think, in the end, it's a question of taste.

In other words: the only way to answer your question is to go shoot it. A bunch. I'm sure you're heartbroken.

 

[All4eyes]

I shot some pheasant and ducks with it this weekend, but was afraid that I lost a little for the ducks and geese. It will take some getting use to, but it is really a nice shooting gun. Did I loose any velocity with the shorter barrell?

 

[Tim the student]

I think whatever you are most comfy with will be the best choice. I've noticed a 28 helps with my follow through.

I don't think you will notice any velocity loss with the shorter barrel. The experts will be along shortly.

 

[wgp]

I've had a lot of barrel lengths and while the real question is what fits you best, I have found that I prefer a 24" in a semiauto and 26" in a double. I have come to avoid extremely short barrels (20" or 21") because they just don't swing smoothly on flushing birds.

 

[HGUNHNTR]

It takes roughly 18" to burn all of the powder in most shotshells. You will notice no difference in performance at all, between the 26 and 28" bbl. For upland hunting I prefer the 26" for its slightly faster swing. The 28 would probably be better for clay target shooting.

Take a look at the majority of turkey specific shotguns. If a long barrel helped you shoot farther these would all have 30 inch tubes. They don't, most are int he 21" range, and shoot remarkably well at a distance.

 

[kentucky_smith]

Upland in heavy cover for grouse: 22-26, preferably sxs or ou and in 20 gauge.
Upland open fields for quail and pheasant: 22-26" auto okay 12 or 20
Turkey 20-22 12 or 20ga, 3" capable a plus pump or auto
Ducks and geese: 28-30 3" or 3.5" pump or auto

I like having more than one shotgun, with backups.

 

[All4eyes]

It takes roughly 18" to burn all of the powder in most shotshells. You will notice no difference in performance at all, between the 26 and 28" bbl. For upland hunting I prefer the 26" for its slightly faster swing. The 28 would probably be better for clay target shooting.

Take a look at the majority of turkey specific shotguns. If a long barrel helped you shoot farther these would all have 30 inch tubes. They don't, most are int he 21" range, and shoot remarkably well at a distance.

That is what I was looking for, the more I shoot this thing the more natural it feels. Now if it would cycle properly I would be happy. I bought a new Benelli M2 and am very disappointed, it keeps jambing when it ejects the the spent hull, and tries to eject the live round with the spent hull.

 

[MCgunner]

I shoot geese with a 24" 10 gauge "turkey" gun. I shoot doves with a 20 inch 20 gauge side by side coach gun, I/C-Mod tubes installed. I have shot ducks with that 20 gauge coach gun, but I prefer my 28" 12s, either Mossberg 500 or Winchester 1400 auto.

There's not really any rules that you have to use this or that and if you can adapt to the different handling, hey, why not use a coach gun on doves? It's quick, it's light, it works for me. Don't tell me it can't be done 'cause I do it and do well with it. It ain't the only gun that can be used on doves. I've killed 'em with a Mossberg and my Winchester, too, and HAVE used my 12 gauge 28" side by side for dove and everything else in the past. I just sorta like the little 20. Now here's something even I think is goofy. My hunting buddy has me loading him some 10 gauge 6 shot for his BPS to use on doves. ROFL! Who am I to tell him is dumb, though? LOL He likes the gun, but that's a little ridiculous. The gun, BTW, has a 24" barrel on it just as his 835 ultimag does. But, the thing is up near 10 lbs. Ain't gonna be the quickest gun to the shoulder, put it that way. LOL

I own shotguns with VERY different handling characteristics, yet, I adapt myself to them. That little 20 is very whippy on high, sustained lead shots, but very quick to change direction on those birds that come in juking and jiving at close range. It will reach out just as far as a 28" gun, though, just requires more swing concentration and follow through.

Never hunted grouse, pheasant. We don't have 'em down here. I'm thinkin' my 20 or maybe my old 12 side by side, if it ain't got too much choke (M/F fixed) would be the tool. My loss, I know. One of these days.......

 

[dakotasin]

try a different brand of shells. some guns are sensitive to certain brands.

mc... i thought everybody in the entire state of texas was in s.d. right now? you'd of thought they were, anyway, from all the texas license plates that show up here every pheasant season...

 

[MCgunner]

Yeah, well, I'll be one of 'em some day. LOL Been up there to your little town of Sturgis in August before. Saw the faces and did all the tourist stuff. I rode up on a motorcycle, though. Isn't that about pheasant season?

They pretty much feel the same way as you in New Mexico and Colorado this time of year, too. I HAVE done that.

 

[sourdough44]

26" for me.

 

[HGUNHNTR]

Try some different loads of you are having cycling issues, you could also be having an issue with your magazine cut-off.

 

[ArmedBear]

It depends on the game, the gun and the scenario. "Upland game" probably covers more types of game, and more shooting scenarios, than any other category.

Quail hunting in dry brush? 26" O/U 20 or 28 gauge. Speed is everything.

Pheasants? I just used a 28" 12 Gauge 391 and it swung perfectly for the way these pheasants are flying. Others may favor a 26" for those cloudbursts of birds in South Dakota, but here we're talking about one at a time, maybe two, rising from the brush.

Pass-shooting doves? Long and skinny. There's a reason for the Cordoba's distinctly long feel, though I don't have one. A 20 or 28 Gauge O/U skeet gun with 28" or 30" barrels and field, not skeet, chokes screwed in would be my choice, though I don't own such an animal.

 

[jmr40]

It also depends on the gun. They all point and balance differently. Benelli's tend to be a little longer overall than a Remington so a 26" barrel on a Benelli balances and handles about like a 28" barreled Remington, at least to me.

Also don't always believe what the manufacturer says is the barrel length. If you actually measure some of them you will sometimes find they are off a little. Some that I have measured are longer or shorter by nearly an inch. Others are right on the money. I believe that they start with a long barrel and cut them to the length they want. On barrels with vent ribs they have to cut where the rib post is and they just select the one closest to the length they want. Just a theory on my part.