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28" or 30" Barrels


DGillingham
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This has probably been done before, but here goes.

I am just getting back into shooting after about 15+ years. I have my SGC already now just looking around for a gun. 

I used to always shoot a beretta 686 ( can't remember exact model) with 30" barrels, so I have been looking for something similar to this. However I have been offered a 686 Silver Pigeon field that is a couple of years old. The only thing is it is 28 " barrels.  

I know being out of shooting for a while, I will probably not notice the difference , I was just after everyone else's opinion will I be better in the long run just to get 30" barrel now? Or am I really not going to notice the difference other than the gun fit.

 

Thanks in advance.

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I know this is most probably not what you want to here but , there is not one person on this forum who can give you an answer , you really do need to have a go before you commit , . 

Well done for getting back in the saddle , and the best of luck with whatever you go for , 

Remember theres no rush , go and try stuff out that’s in you budget , ?

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In 30 years of shooting I have never really been able to notice a huge difference it certainly doesn’t seem to make any difference to my shooting. I have a perazzi with 28 inch tubes and my pigeon gun (a lanber) has 30’s. couldn’t even tell you the barrel length on my other 3 don’t think it matters. More important is gun fit and the overall feel. 

Good luck welcome back to the sport!

 

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I have shot eveything in 12 bore from 25 to 30 inch barrels. I can honestly say only the very short barrels seem to be noticeably different. As has has been said it is all about gun fit and balance, not barrel length. Psychologically though if you are going to have a nagging doubt about 28 inch barrels then wait for a good 30 inch barrel beretta. It will come and welcome back into the sport.

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Thanks for replies.

 

Lucky enough it is a friend offering me gun, so I will be able to have a go with it. As Dave at Kelton said I may have that psychological nagging about the 28" barrels, but in all fairness if I want to change up in the future  I know I should not lose to much money on it.

 

Thanks again.

Edited by DGillingham
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This topic comes around on a regular basis. I have shotguns of all barrel lengths from 27" to 32". Barrel length was never a consideration with any of them ( I bought them because I liked the look of the gun ) and I shoot equally well with any of them. Shooting is very much a mind game. 

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I've probably shot certain shotgun barrels much shorter than most of you, but for gamebird, pigeon etc I prefer 30 inch and I am told, don't know how true it is , but many skeet shooters now shoot 30s. As said above, it is really up to how you feel when you pick the gun up and shoot it. You really need to go to a dealer who has facilities for you to shoot a few clays before making a final decision. 

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Had guns with barrels from 26” to 32”. Very little in it between 28&30” however I do prefer a 30” just seems to swing and balance better to myself. It would depend on what you are shooting as well, for example if it was Dtl or abt then I would go for a 32” barrel as there not a great swing required , general sporting or general rough or game shooting I would go 30. Everybody to there own basically what feels right to you 

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10 hours ago, Gordon R said:

28" barrels do not sell as easily as 30".

This. Most RFD’s will tell you ‘no one wants 28” barrels anymore’, which may generally be true, but it’s his way of saying ‘I’m not going to give you much for yours’. It isn’t a reflection on the gun however.  Should you wish to buy a 28” barrelled gun from him however......?

 

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It's an indiviual thing about what gun feels right.

I'm presently using a 26" which handles great and suits the type of shooting I'm doing but in the past I've used 28 & 30" guns which handled as well.

I must say I'm  enjoying shooting the 26" more than any I've owned.

 

Edited by Robertt
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im like scully i shoot a variety,while there all 28in but different calibre 28/20/12g, except my outlander sa,while its 28in,its as long as a 30in o/u,and my hushpower u/o 20g is about 33in,but i shoot em all just the same without thinking about how long they are,buy what you like the feel of,an dont even think about barrel length.

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Once long barrels were a necessity with slow burning black powder, not necessary for that purpose with modern powders.   As Gunman says above it depends on how the gun handles more than barrel length. Personally I shoot both 28 and 30inch  barrels and another in between and can miss equally well with any of them.

 

Blackpowder

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If your primary use is clay shooting I'd advise against a Beretta field model of any length simply because of the light weight. If you put a hundred shots through a lightweight gun in less than 2 hours you - or more specifically your shoulder - will soon start to regret your choice.

Field guns are expected to be carried a lot and shot only a few times whereas the significantly heavier sporters are expected to be shot a lot and only carried a little.

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On 20/02/2018 at 18:22, Westward said:

If your primary use is clay shooting I'd advise against a Beretta field model of any length simply because of the light weight. If you put a hundred shots through a lightweight gun in less than 2 hours you - or more specifically your shoulder - will soon start to regret your choice.

Field guns are expected to be carried a lot and shot only a few times whereas the significantly heavier sporters are expected to be shot a lot and only carried a little.

Thanks for that Westward.

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On ‎20‎/‎02‎/‎2018 at 18:22, Westward said:

If your primary use is clay shooting I'd advise against a Beretta field model of any length simply because of the light weight. If you put a hundred shots through a lightweight gun in less than 2 hours you - or more specifically your shoulder - will soon start to regret your choice.

Field guns are expected to be carried a lot and shot only a few times whereas the significantly heavier sporters are expected to be shot a lot and only carried a little.

I don't necessarily agree with the first paragraph.

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