Which Shotgun Barrel Length is Best

Jon goes through the pros and cons of barrel lengths, and shows you how you can work out which is best for you.
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[@Kenin6328]

You guys make some seriously good videos. making it incredibly easy for a complete novice (like myself) to get a quick and complete grasp of every weapon you talk about. Please continue your amazing work.

[@Xnocturnus]

A well-produced and informative video. Wearing headphones, I could swear that I was sitting right there with John talking over my left shoulder!

[@sanketshinde1142]

A great unbiased overview! Serves as a great framework to put your decision in order. I am soon to make a purchase. This video helped! Keep up the good work!

[@chriswoods2647]

Thanks! You are a great addition to our knowledge of the sport! I'd love a video on barrel manufacture, forcing cones and locking mechanisms when you have the chance.

[@tgsoutdoors]

Great video ideas, we shall put them on the list

[@klausameling8558]

In my opinion one of the best explanations of choosing the proper Shotgun Barrel length. Thank you from Cologne!

[@tgsoutdoors]

Cheers Klaus. We might have missed a few bits off, but it will do the job

[@klausameling8558]

Hello Jon, no false modesty. You can hardly improve that without getting lost in too many details. Keep up the good work, great channel!

[@davidedmunds1713]

I've been experimenting with barrel length for sporting clays. I have two Browning Citori's, a White Lightning 30" and 525 Sporter 1 with 28". Almost identical guns but for barrel length and a few cosmetic differences. In the house/shop the 28 feels better. On the range the 30 feels easier to use as the 28 feels a bit skittish. However I'm scoring slightly better with the 28??? That seems to fly against popular advice so I guess it's very much down to personal preference. I'm 6'2" and a bit late to this party but hope someone finds that useful.

[@wilbridgeforth4670]

That was brilliant, thank you.

[@Adf8702]

American guy here learning quite a lot about shotguns from your channel. Thanks for the great work (I recognize this is an older video, but very nice nonetheless). Jon: How tall are you, anyway?

[@daverobson2147]

Great video as ever, thanks! Very helpful for me as I look to buy my first shotgun soon! 👍

[@tgsoutdoors]

Cheers Dave

[@mattconroy3357]

Very informative thank you

[@benjicollins1]

Thanks John. That makes a lot sense

[@tgsoutdoors]

No worries Ben

[@royal-1664]

I'm looking at buying a cheap Hatsan escort semi auto that I don't mind getting knocked about while pigeon and duck shooting from a hide. I can choose from a 24", 26" or 28" barrel. What would you guys recommend ?

[@paulwood9741]

Great info about barrel length. Could you do a video on shooting style? Maintained lead, swing through, sporting clay. Thanks.

[@tgsoutdoors]

When we get out on the clay ground again, we sure will

[@refaiabdeen5943]

Cheers Mate!

[@CheekyD69]

Very informative. I shoot a 32 O/U 12g, 28 O/U 20g and a 28 SbS 12g (for the game days mainly). For me as a medium individual I certainly find the 32 O/U the easiest to shoot with when doing clays, the 28 20g just seems to swing too fast and just not to be as pointable

[@eddrosdick3724]

Great video. Thanks! I have an entry level 28inch Stevens O/U 555E 12 gauge. Now thinking of a Beretta 686 32 inch for trap. Keep Stevens for skeet. Hmmm

[@tgsoutdoors]

would you go for the trap fixed choke edition?

[@nickcross5828]

good informative video, would this information apply if the gun was completely balanced at the hinge pin, so in affect wouldnt the barrels be equal?

[@ranch_enthusiast]

I think changing the length of the barrel would change the mass moment of inertia regardless of where the balance point is.

[@tobiastorsi]

Probably a difficult or stupid Question: Would you rather get a Beretta 690 with a nice custom fitted Stock or go straight to Perazzi or Krieghoff and, because spending that much money on Wood and Woodwork on a "cheap" gun. Or is the 690 or something similar that good, thats it is worth to put a custom stock on it and save the rest of the money (Difference is probably 6k€)?

[@JB-tc8el]

6 foot as medium height?? That made me laugh 😁 another good video though thanks.

[@SirBoDen]

My choice, a 18” bush/ highland pump, mostly using 1/4 or 3/4 extended choke tubes, seems to live in a different world. I may be 50fps down compared to a 28” but maneuvering in the bush is so much easier. Getting on target fast with pigs or cougars matters. Never had a problem bringing down waterfowl with a 18” barrel. It’s a SXP Dark Earth if you’re wondering.

[@ramachandrannarayananiyer6274]

Thank you ji ❤️❤️ very useful to me my choice 30 .32

[@giggergigger1]

13:30. Re your questions, i dont know johnny its your chart :) good vid

[@beeeeee77]

Hi John, thank you for such a comprehensive video. I would like to ask you, is it be possible to hit a clay target with 28" barrel at the limit of shooting distance for 30" barrel shotgun? For example, if shooting limit for 30" barrel shotgun is lets say 70 yards, will it be possible to hit the same distance target with 28" barrel shotgun?

[@JK-mh5lm]

I’ve seen guys blast clays at 90 yards with a 25 inch Side X Side,

[@mchughcb]

I find 26" better if you are going to shoot one handed.

[@licensetochill79]

Very informative video. It depends I think more on what type of shooting you going to do. Here in the US you see a lot of 26 inch barrels on guns. Due to the fact most of the shooters are going to be hunting not shooting skeet trap for Sporting Clays. I myself prefer a 28-inch barrel. Because I enjoy hunting as well as skeet trap and Sporting Clays. So it's a balance of Both Worlds to me. Although I have two old side by sides that are 25 inch barrel. That is when I go into thick trees and brush and a 32 inch barrel shotgun for duck hunting over water. There is a time and place for every length of shotgun barrel

[@tgsoutdoors]

Really could do with a multi barrel set!

[@licensetochill79]

The Gun Shop I usually plan my hunts accordingly. Either I'm going to hunt fields Lakes or Woods. And since I started buying over and unders. I stopped using my pumps and semi auto

[@tgsoutdoors]

They are just that bit nicer to use!

[@wizardofahhhs759]

A 28" barrel will kill turkeys dead at 60 yards, my 26" barrel I normally have to stay within 45 yards maximum.

[@scolopaxhuntingclub]

There are also 24 and 26 inch barrels...what about them?

[@terminator1716]

26" is not a short barrel. It's the best choice for a semi-auto.😄

[@1valg]

6;38. You say there is no substitute for a 30" gun, yet you score the 32" 3 points?

[@tgsoutdoors]

Sure i meant 32", sorry mate. Just said 28, 30 and 32 too many times and might have lost my mind!

[@1valg]

Definitely a possibility! Ha ha ;-) I thought as much, nice schematic by the way :-)

[@LuckyJack]

Makes me wonder: why did Browning put the B725 Hunter with 26" barrels on the market, only recently? Who would buy such a short gun?

[@terminator1716]

26" is not a short barrel. It's the best choice for a semi-auto.😄

[@grahamking2239]

Do you sell Longthong ?

[@tgsoutdoors]

Just short ones I’m afraid

[@john-paulsilke893]

Where does my 14.5”, 8.5” and 12” guns fit in? 🤪. Just kidding those are for wildlife when I’m fishing around nasty bears near Alaska in BC Canada.

[@tgsoutdoors]

Luckily we don’t have a bear issue whilst fishing locally Wait Unluckily we don’t have bears when fishing locally - would be nice to have that experience one day!

[@john-paulsilke893]

Absolutely, the bears are amazing. Only once did I run for my shotgun, (I have two tossed on the ground on either side of our crew, fish in groups!). The bear simply ran in amongst us faster then I could get it, stole the fish and took off). Amazing experience to see a two year old bear 300kgs or more within touching distance moving at 40kms or faster. I don’t shoot thieves, so off he went and we called it a day and went back to camp for what we were there for, drinking! One other non-event, big grizzly, very big close enough to 450kgs to not make a difference walked over to our gear and ate my spare rod, two tackle boxes and finally a nylon bags with some sandwiches. The whole bag, not just the bacon sandwiches. Again, we don’t shoot thieves, and in this case vandals. We are after all Canadians so “go on bear”, and of course “sorry bear you need to go”. 🤪 Yes we say eh lots, but we say sorry way more often.

[@DFox-ud3gx]

For bears a444 big bore lever action is a bear rifle lol

[@docmartin7547]

this is tedious, you haven't considered anything under 28"???

[@0zfer]

skip to 18:30 and just look at the results

[@vicerichter1163]

as if Im gonna listen to some yankeedoodle toodleloo tea sipper. Lol

[@drmann15]

This was the least helpful 20 minutes of my life. And I have diabetes