Best trunk gun barrel length?

[bokchoi]

Hey,

I wish to get a shotgun for the trunk of my car; my friends want to drag me on a road trip in my 4-cylinder across the Canadian praries, and I want to know what the best / most versatile length for a shotgun barrel should be. (Yes, it is legal for me to go across the country with a registered, unloaded shottie in the trunk). Up here, 14" barrels are not restricted.

I plan on getting a 12 guage Rem 870, in either a 14", 18", or 20 - 22" barrel... which would be best for my purposes? I am currently leaning towards 18, as I'm used to handling a 14".

This is unless, of course, I should so something wild and get the M6 scout or something in 22/410, just to give the girls something to do if I get bored.

 

[firestar]

If you can get a 14" bbl go for it! I can't believe you can have 14" bbls in Canada but us in the States can't.:banghead:

I have an 18" bbl but would get a 14" if it were legal. A shot gun is a close range tool so you want a short bbl. You lucky dog!

 

[swampgator]

I doubt the "casual" user of a shotgun would realize any benefit or defecit from the differences between an 18" barrel and a 20" barrel.

That being said I'd go with the 20" out of personal preference.

 

[HS/LD]

Go and throw a few around and see which one FEELS the best for you.

Modern powders burn quickly and are all gone by about 14" so it makes little difference in the functioning of the gun.

So....


HS/LD

 

[Kahr carrier]

Heck if you can get 14incher use that.

 

[Mannlicher]

If all your gonna do is drive around Canada, what difference does the barrel length make?

If you plan to USE the shotgun for something, then choices might need to be made. Length then depends on what you are planning to do. Hunting? self defense (In Canada? do you need to do that there?) plinking at tossed tin cans. ? One gun with two interchangable barrels might be the ticket.

 

[Kharn]

I'd go with 20", since I like IC and rifle sights more than a 18" cylinder barrel with a bead.

Kharn

 

[labgrade]

You want an all 'round SG?

Play with a few different barrels that you think swings/points best for you. Then get a coupla different chokes & play enough to find what patterns best for what you want to do.

Standardize on the one best choke to do it all, stick with it, & stack yer fodder for that.

I've a few different shotguns that'll do a bit different for different things, but have one 870 21" 12 gauge w/modified choke that will shoot slugs to 50 yards, do doves, quail, pheasants, ducks, geese - defense.

It'll not do everything as well as any of the "specialties" will," but it does do everything good enough to do anything - plenty good enough.

And that what's a shotgun is all about. That's my take.

BTW, nothing so worthless as a "shotgun in the trunk." Yeah, I know, but just had to bring it up .....

 

[bokchoi]

I'm not entirely concerned about SD for the car (like labgrade said, it's not entirely useful for that purpose in the trunk), but I do want that option open.

Since we'll probably covering a few thousand kilometers (Edmonton to Vancouver, then to Calgary, and then to Winnipeg), I'd feel a little safer having a shotgun with flares and birdshot in the trunk, in the event of emergency. Of course, I'd still like to have the "SD" option open, as unlikely as it may be, and I'm more accustomed to shooting shorter barreled shotguns than long ones. I have no problem putting slugs into a man-sized target at 50 yards out of a 14"

 

[Kahr carrier]

 

[HSMITH]

21" choke tube barrel. Second choice for a trunk gun would be a 26" choke tube barrel. Best yet would be a 21" AND a 28" in the case with it.