Barrel Length for Semi Auto Skeet/Sporting Clays

[coyotemaster]

I just took two aspirin and thought I might partake in this saga. Longer barrels don't mean longer range, that is a holdover from black powder times when it took 34-40" of barrel to burn the powder. Modern powders are burnt in 20-24" of barrel. If anything a longer barrel could give less velocity than say a 26-28" barrel because of drag. Choke is the sole determiner of how tight the pattern is and ultimately the range of the shot charge. Longer barrels are a definite advantage for pass shooting and a whole bunch of American sporting clays shooters shoot 28-30" tubes on auto loaders because the point more precisely and swing through easier than short tubes.

If you are still convinced that short barrels open up fast and long barrels hold tight go to the range with a patterning board and some newsprint and shoot a couple hundred patterns with tight and open chokes in each barrel. While you are at it take a thick phone book and check for penetration (ie. pellet energy) I have already done these things but you will probably need to do them to see for your self.

[0145wirbelwind]

Add about 2" to the barrel length of an auto to get the rough equivalent of an o/u.

The longer forend that contains the magazine puts weight slightly forward in your hands as well.

My suggestion is to go for the 28" and you have something that approximates to a 30" o/u.

Another thing to consider is fitting in your gun cabinet. A 30" auto,especially if it has extended chokes,won't fit in some cabinets without being dismantled.

 

Vic.

Yes you are so right about the cabinet. I had to buy one for muzzle loaders