Optimium Barrel Length for shooting clays

**hl1978** · Posted On: 7/28/2006 3:42pm

Two questions since there is a gun show this weekend, and I need a new barrel for my mossberg (the current one is too short for use at the local range).

I mostly shoot wobble trap, and the range requires a barrel at least 23" in length. How much of a difference will a 28" make vs a 24". Is a choke tube worth it?

I own a mossberg 500, and the 20" was too good of a deal to pass up. The sad thing is that a longer barrel, shorter magazine tube and spring is probably going to cost me about the same price as what I paid for the shotgun itself. Might even just be cheaper to buy a new 24 or 28 length 500!

**Nid** · Posted On: 7/28/2006 3:43pm

I suggest a new gun. :OD

**hl1978** · Posted On: 7/28/2006 3:50pm

Originally Posted by Kein Haar

I suggest a new gun. :OD

Yeah i did plenty of research on shotguns months ago, with the exception of the cost of a new barrel!

**IzzyDaHedgehog** · Posted On: 7/28/2006 6:27pm

You happen to have wandered into my area of quasi-expertise...

AFAIK, barrel length has little/nothing to do with pattern. It affects a rifle, because the barrel spins the bullet for more/less time, but a shotgun it makes no difference. Just get whatever barrel length you feel comfortable swinging and gives you better sight picture. I would go with the 28", but that's me.

As far as adjustable chokes, it depends on what comes with your gun and what yardage you're shooting at. If you're at the 16, you're probably fine with a cylinder choke. I know guys who shoot Improved-Modified at the 27 and do well; since I'm an Annie Oakley shooter, my gun is choked rediculously tight (breaks them nice from the 34 yard line though). If you're planning on moving around yardage-wise, switching from trap to skeet, or using this for sporting clays, get the removable chokes.

**csinca** · Posted On: 8/02/2006 4:14pm

Izzy,

Do you prefer pump - autoloader or a break action?

I'm looking at picking up something to start shooting some trap or skeet and for the life of me I can't make up my mind...

so far I've looked at:

Remington 870
Remiington 11-87
Mossberg 500 (Liked the Remington better)
And just recently a Fabarm Gamma2 O/U

not having fired any of them I'm going in circles

Chris

**hl1978** · Posted On: 8/02/2006 4:19pm

when i took a class at the local range we got to try .410 12 guage and 20 guage as well as over under/pump/semi auto setups.

I'm sure your local range would have something along the same lines, or offer rentals so you can try it out.

pumps seem to be the cheapest by far, but you can have some difficulty pumping then aquiring the next target, where as you dont have that problem with O/U etc.

**IzzyDaHedgehog** · Posted On: 8/02/2006 6:01pm

Originally Posted by csinca

Izzy,

Do you prefer pump - autoloader or a break action?

I'm looking at picking up something to start shooting some trap or skeet and for the life of me I can't make up my mind...

so far I've looked at:

Remington 870
Remiington 11-87
Mossberg 500 (Liked the Remington better)
And just recently a Fabarm Gamma2 O/U

not having fired any of them I'm going in circles

Chris

Break-actions are nice, but a good single-barrel trap gun (Browning BT-100, Perazzi, Ljutic, etc.) is expensive. A non-shitty over/under will cost at least $1000 new, and even a little above $1k can be a bit crappy.

The most important thing is gun fit. If it's a skeet/sporting clays gun, or just for general shooting, it should shoot flat. Trap guns shoot high (mine doesn't, but many do), so if it's going to be just for trap maybe look into something with a high comb. Talk to an instructor, they'll help you get something fitted to you.

Obviously, for shooting multiple targets an autoloader is better.