Ideal barrel length for clay games: 26" or 28"?

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Justin

Justin

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THE CHAIR IS AGAINST THE WALL
I recently picked up a new Frachi 612 with the intention of having it for more than one game. It'll have a short barrel and tube extension for shooting 3 Gun, and I'd like to pick up a second, long barrel for shooting Trap and skeet.


It looks like the longer barrels for this shotgun are either 26 inches or 28 inches. So, for clay games, what barrel length would be ideal?
 
Justin,

I prefer 28".

Less Percieved lead, smoother swing, less chance of stopping swing, seems to balance better and this aids in better 'gun fit'.

I actually prefer a longer bbl, 30"-34" if can. Some guns do not offer these lengths, and the only real downside I found was in shooting some 5 stand and /or Sporting Clays the "cages"/ "blinds" - being a bit confined. 28" seems to work better for me in these set ups. Hence I settled for 28" and recommend so for folks with Combo Guns.

Regards,

Steve
 
Generally, longer is better, especially for trap. Again, generally, slightly shorter is better for skeet, which involves shorter range targets and wider sweep angle. Sporting clays is kind of a combination, but I would go with too long over too short there.

Between 26" and 28", for all arount clay games, I would go for 28".
 
If you check a sight like Browning and look at the barrel length they sell with their "Sporting" grade guns, like the Citori XS Sporting or the Citori XS Skeet, they seem to have the longer 28" to 32" barrels. I'd go long and then get extended choke tubes.
 
I really like my 26" barrel. Its a good compromise for a do-all SG.

That said, for a clays only bbl, I'd go with 28" as well.
 
For clays, the longer the better (IMO). My two main clays guns sport 30" barrels and when I get a custom one made, it will have 32". If I had a dedicated single-barrel trap gun, it would probably have a 34" barrel.
 
Longer is better.
usually
But you didn't say how big you are.
if you are 5'2", 28 is going to be too big. My wife (5'4") shoots a 28" barrel on her O/U and it's perfect for her. It's too short for me.
 
I would get a 30" if I couldn't get a 32", and if a 34 was available I would think LONG and hard about it. The longer the better on a target gun, and don't let anyone tell you they are slow and don't move well. I would be happy to prove them wrong over a couple rounds of double skeet and shoot low gun doing it.
 
TrapperReady said:
For clays, the longer the better (IMO). My two main clays guns sport 30" barrels and when I get a custom one made, it will have 32". If I had a dedicated single-barrel trap gun, it would probably have a 34" barrel.
Click to expand...

Do you strike them with the gun or what! :D
 
:) My Beretta 391 sports a 30" barrel. So does my Browning 425 O/U. A 34" barrel on an O/U would be just a bit longer than the 391, due to the difference in the length of the action. Remember, a pump or semi-auto will add about 3-4" of length to the receiver over a single, O/U or SxS.

I'm planning on having a Kolar sporting clays gun made sometime next year, and at a minimum, it will have 32" barrels. If they can let me test a set of the longer barrels first, I may change my mind.
 
Longer barrels are not necessarily needed, even in trap, with modern shells. However, many swear by the longer tubes. Personally, my Citori o/u 26" just feels right to me and swings sweetly when hunting or skeet shooting.
 
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