Thread: Shotgun barrel length

Now I know my wife tells me that length doesn't matter but I have a question about shotgun barrel lengths for shooting rabbits etc from a truck.

What are peoples thoughts, We have been using a long unwieldy 28" A5 for the job but I'm looking at a shorter 18.5" pump gun for this.

Usually sending number 3 or 4 lead shot in the dark so we aren't talking huge ranges.

So the question. Will the 18.5 cylinder bore be as effective as a choked(not sure what type of choke) 28" What are the pros and cons of the shorter barrel?

Cheers,
Willy

Shorter barrel bigger bang.

Longer barrel, smaller bang.

Longer barrel, you tend to have the muzzle well out of the truck cabin ... still smaller bang.

Shorter barrel, might have muzzle inside truck cabin or nearly inside truck cabin ... still bigger bang.

Most velocity is achieved in the first foot of barrel, but a longer barrel WILL still have higher velocity.

Unless you use red dot etc, longer barrel easier to aim accurately.

Hard to compare two things at once, so better compare one aspect:

- With long and short cylinder barrels, more spread with the shorter barrel, and tighter groups and a bit more velocity with the longer barrel.

- With long and short choked barrels, again tighter groups with the longer barrel as less pressure behind cup upon exit, but it will still leave the muzzle of the longer barrel a bit faster than from the short.

My advice: unless you play CQB against the rabbits in complex of abandoned narrow winding military tunnels, go for the longer barrel.

Probably the best reply I could have hoped for,

It is what I thought, short barrels other than their portability are more of a tactical sort of thing.

I will get a long gun and then I suppose I can cut it off if I feel the need.

A longer barrel will make you swing better on moving targets. Less stopping when you shoot and promotes follow through.
If most of your shooting is at stationary targets then the comments above become relevant

I had a 28" barrel shottie and replaced it with 18" semi for shooting out of ute, the difference was amazing. So much easier to use it was incredible. I'm a farmer and use shottie exclusively for pest control (not ducks), would never go back to anything longer than 18". I'm even eyeing up one of those 14" jobbies....

The choke you use has the most impact for close stuff a 1/4 improved cylinder or half a modified and when you stretch out a 3/4 improved modified or full with lead 4shot 32grm is a good all rounder. As said short barrels don't swing as nice and you really have to watch the bonnet etc when shooting of the back and the muzzle blast will be louder because it will be right there and rattle around in the vehicle

Originally Posted by Ben Waimata

I had a 28" barrel shottie and replaced it with 18" semi for shooting out of ute, the difference was amazing. So much easier to use it was incredible. I'm a farmer and use shottie exclusively for pest control (not ducks), would never go back to anything longer than 18". I'm even eyeing up one of those 14" jobbies....

my ears hurt just thinking about that...

36grm load of #3 lead is THE BEST rabbit load without question..falcon loads are cheap and kill exceptionally well...we used to go through a case a night. longer barrels definately nicer all around to use..Ive tried short and VERY short.....great for developing a flinch....20" plus for this Kiwi...28" about sweet spot for all the reasons cordite gave...Ben has point re ease of use..but he probably in ute alone so picks up from passenger seat and pokes out drivers window...COMPLETELY different to someone on back of ute...and a short barrel will be excessively hard on DRIVERS ears ....the noise cancelling earmuffs are gold for this.

Originally Posted by Micky Duck

my ears hurt just thinking about that...

I've been slowly increasing my occupational deafness for years, I always use muffs with a shotgun, it amazes and shocks me every time I see someone without hearing protection. A few weeks back I made the mistake of shooting a hare without the muffs, I had a beanie and headspot and somehow didn't notice the muffs were around my neck, man that thing is loud! When I was younger I used the shotgun without hearing protection all the time, idiot.

I actually find I hit more with the 18" semi because the 28" is black and at night it is quite possible to be sighting with eye position slightly too high when in a hurry in the dark and cramped space, this sounds really dumb but I've noticed I was doing it several times. As you say, shooting out of the ute window a bit cramped, and I found my accuracy was far better with short barrel.
@William I guess my story is once I got the 18" barrel shottie the 28" has hardly ever been out of the safe. YMMV. The chokes make all the difference.

try some of the falcon sp36 loads in #3 and report back......99% confident you will be stoked with results.
the only other load that comes close is a load of #2s for shear smack down power ,but the 3s are a better balance for smaller stuff...the #2s would do duty on goat under 20 yards at a push..they are deadly on wallabies out to 50 yards.... and yes choke IS everything.
back when full time rabbiting my bakail had zero choke as I had cut it off.40 yards was it...35 better and nothing walked or hopped away any closer.
the astra with its 3/4 choke would snot any bunny out to 50 yards and some quite a lot further than that.... on stoney hard ground we shot a few lots further than that,we were recovering bodies for pet food so I KNOW what was hitting them,often out past 50 yards bunny would scoot off like unhit,but we saw the pellets pattern all around on dry dusty ground,after shot...watch and rose hip 20 yards further on would start shaking...bunny dead under neath with 2-3 pellets in chest region.

shoot every thing with this turkeys to clay birds 14 inch barrel way to much fun

My favorite all-rounder was a 22inch Ranger Pump, with interchangeable chokes. I found it still swung nicely, but that missing 6inches made it all the difference for "convenience".