The leaves were still fully green and we hunted covers so tight that it was sometimes difficult to raise any gun. Do that for a couple of hours and you notice the weight of the gun. As far as the buckshot and home defense loads are concerned, try a few different brands to see what patterns the best out of your barrel. Of these disparate versions, only the semi-auto or pump-action shotguns are really appropriate for home defense purposes. This replicates hunting conditions. It is personal preference. ; For a side-by-side shotgun, 28″ is the perfect length, though a lightweight 30″ can do the … Eventually, though, Browning ironed out the kinks in their prototype, and the gun buying public and even major militaries came aroun… That long barrel allowed me to be a bit more precise on the long shots, while the light weight of the gun made it less tiring to shoot. An auto with a 26″ barrel will be the same overall length as an O/U or SxS with a 29?” barrel. Avoid the Winchester shells - they are a noticeable step down in quality. Last Updated on January 7, 2021. Well, it depends. Standard 16 yard rise targets are typically broken at about 31-36 yards and handicap targets may be broken as far as 45-50 yards from the shooter. Chamber lengths: Every shotgun barrel has a chamber where the shell is inserted for firing. My suggestion is to go for the 28" and you have something that approximates to a 30" o/u. It comes with great features such a comfort tech system to reduce recoil, Air-Touch grip with a checkered pattern, and a fiber optic front bar. It wasn’t really the ideal time to go. That’s like enlisting your eight year-old niece to pick your hunting dog from the litter of puppies. This isn’t the cheapest among the Hatsans, but a new one is only around £475, and £300 or a little more is a reasonable estimate for a well-conditioned secondhand semi-auto shotgun. ( Log Out /  A longer barrel gives you better accuracy. The best semi auto shotgun may not be as reliable as a pump shotgun, but it is safe enough to serve a homeowner who needs to defend their family and their property. With over-and-under shotguns, you need to have balance, and the build of the over-and-under enables it to absorb recoil better, so for me the best length of barrel is 30″. Remember, an auto has an extra 3?” of receiver length compared to an O/U or SxS. The Benelli M2 is our pick for the best home defense shotgun, rivaled only by the other semi-auto Benelli firearms on our list. Choices are 24, 26 or 28". This is the number 1 semi-automatic tactical shotgun in the world and it might just be the best defensive shotgun for sale in 2020. History of The Semi-auto Shotgun. The Technoid writing for Shotgun Report, LLC ( Log Out /  ( Log Out /  A chamber’s length corresponds to the length of the shells that fit into it. Forgetting about the weight of the gun for a minute, a 30 inch barrel on an over/under shotgun would translate to a 27 inch barrel on a semi-auto. 30 inches. The Remington 11-87 is the best shotgun for a young hunter to start with. TGS-What I’ve Learned From Reviewing Shotguns. Fill in your details below or click an icon to log in: You are commenting using your WordPress.com account. Answered 2011-04-11 14:34:36. Polaris Just Announced a New Full-Size Electric Ranger—and Hunters Should Pay Attention, Wisconsin Hunters Take 216 Wolves and Exceed Harvest Quota in Controversial Hunt That Closed After Just Three Days, Our Newest National Park Allows Hunting? Before we go into modern semi-automatic shotguns, let’s have a look at the prototype, the grandpappy, the Godfather of all modern semi-automatic shotguns: the Browning Auto-5. One of the best of the new, affordable range is the Turkish-built Hatsan Escort, and it is the Escort Magnum you see in the illustration. I once went woodcock hunting in New Brunswick, Canada at the opening of the season September 15. If you … In addition, it can be an excellent choice for a sports person who needs to hunt or just shoot targets. Something to consider when you are thinking of sighting plane length. A 2 ¾-inch chamber can take shells up to 2 ¾ inches long; a 3-inch … The Series X is a semi-auto 12 gauge shotgun with a full tactical pack to allow the shooter to set the gun up as they desire. While it would eventually go on to revolutionize the shooting world, it was about as reliable as a broken clock when it was first released, and no one really trusted it. The TriStar Arms Raptor is a gas-operated semi-auto shotgun with an affordable price. 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We need to start with this epic boomstick to know how the modern semi-auto shotgun industry started. It gets personal. Shooters with a standard length of pull will likely find that a 30-inch gun is optimal, while reduced-length stocks may balance best with a 28-inch barrel. There is no answer, as we use a system of stock, action, and barrel or barrels so there cannot possibly be a 'correct' barrel length anymore than there could be a 'correct' stock length or a correct action length. ... At the top of the list is the barrel length. ( Log Out /  This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Balance and pointability. Enter your email address to follow this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email. Basically, I would pick the barrel length on a pump or auto that feels right to me as to balance. Due to the receiver length of an autoloader, a 32 inch barrel on an autoloader makes the gun as long as a 40 inch O/U. I get all my birdshot from Walmart. Expert advice on weighing a barrel’s balance, swing, and handling. The Browning Auto 5 was originally created in the 1800s with a patent finally put on it in the 1900s after about 100 years of use. There’s no realistic ballistic advantage either way. My recent trip to Argentina was to “test” a 30″ twenty gauge Beretta 391 on dove, duck and partridge. With a mid-sized barrel length and relatively light weight, the Mossberg 500 home defense shotgun is an attractive option for moving through tight corridors. Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email. Sometimes it is best to have luck decide things. It offers strong accuracy and delivers a well directed spread. Of course, if I were using the gun for grouse and woodcock, where the cover is really tight, then I’d go with 26″ or even 24″ on an auto. Skeet is a 4 guage event, firing 12, 20, 28, and .410 gauges in registered events. The auto/pump has about 3.5″ more receiver length, so a 28″ barrel on an auto/pump is equivalent in length to that of about a 31.5″ O/U/SxS. If you’ll primarily be using your semi-automatic shotgun for long-range purposes, you’ll want a barrel length somewhere in the range of 24 to 36 inches. A little brother to the VR80, the VR82 moves the semi-auto shotgun line into 20-gauge territory. Ditto the Benelli. A Bonnier Corporation Company. The more you increase the shotgun barrel length, the more you add to the front end loading. It’s probably just as good as system as all the other methods. Barrel length on a field gun is a function of two things: Personal preference and the balance qualities of the particular gun in question. As I said above, between 26″ and 28″ I’d pick the barrel length that made the gun feel best in my hands. All rights reserved. So, comparing dove and woodcock, I would have been happy with a 24″ or 30″ barrel. Hunting dove, quail, rabbits, ducks and geese - and the occasional evil clay bird. 18 inches is as short as you can legally go with a shotgun barrel without requiring a tax stamp and federal registration. The barrel is 24 inches long. Whether you prefer a 12 or 16-gauge shotgun, the 1897 is available in both and even comes with a 20” or 30” barrel length. Most serious Skeet shooters purchase a 4 guage/barrel over-under. The reliability and safety of the Silver Pigeon platform is well-noted and borderline legendary. If you are a large man, you will be able to handle a bit more gun. For a grouse gun and deer gun, I would go 24" to get the extra handiness and quickness. (Often in error. For general shooting, something in between would make sense. 26″ or 28″ in a semi field gun? I’m sure that I would have hit (or missed) just as many dove with a 28″ barrel. As I said above, between 26″ and 28″ I’d pick the barrel length that made the gun feel best in my hands. Learn how your comment data is processed. The Mystery of Shotgun Barrel Length. Benelli has set the standard for all other shotguns. You should also consider your physical stature. Post was not sent - check your email addresses! Remington design engineers have stated for years that the ideal barrel length for their competition shotguns is 27 inches, and that logic would seem to fit into the paragraph above. 1. Remember you can easily shoot 500 shells per hour on dove down there. Outdoor Life may receive financial compensation for products purchased through this site. For general shooting, something in between would make sense. Someone who has very long arms and shoots a shotgun with a long length of pull (say, 14 ¾-inches or more) may find that a gun with 32-inch pipes provides proper between-the-hands balance. The longer forend that contains the magazine puts weight slightly forward in your hands as well. Copyright © 2021 Outdoor Life. I’ve covered barrel length and perceived lead in a separate response buried somewhere in the archives. Priced accordingly, the auto shotgun is an affordable and reliable option for the home. I realize these are radically different use cases, but is there a barrel length that would work okay for both? 24″ barrels would not have been too short on an auto. Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is prohibited. Or you could just buy whichever length the store carries at that time. Some trap guns are sold with barrels as long as 34 inches and 30-32 inch barrels are the most common lengths. This is because trap shooting is a long range game. 28 inch barrel lengths offer enough speed and accuracy for most hunting trips and more than enough for the range. In the Beretta 391 20 gauge, I would probably pick 28″ as the gun is lighter and more responsive than the Remington. Add about 2" to the barrel length of an auto to get the rough equivalent of an o/u. You should also consider your physical stature. It isn't barrel length, as Seamus mentioned, it is also the weight of the barrel and how the entire gun balances, feels, and swings. I’m looking to get a semi auto, probably Stoeger M3000, primarily for trap but also for the occasional defensive shotgun class (front sight). Pump or Semi-Auto Operation Shotguns come in every flavor imaginable. I like a field gun to be relatively quick handling as much of my shooting is poke ‘n hope. To spare you the trouble and the hassle of applying for one, what you can do is just follow the legal length of the shotgun barrel. I’m leaning toward 24” at the moment. Change ). Change ), You are commenting using your Twitter account. Remington 11-87: Best Youth 20 Gauge Semi-Auto Shotgun. Change ), You are commenting using your Google account. This versatile shotgun is famed to be great for hunting small to medium game, home defense and informal clay pigeon shooting. Benelli M2 Tactical Features and Info: 18.5" Barrel I am looking to purchase a 20 gauge semi auto shotgun and have noticed that the guns with the choke tubes are now comming in 26 inch barrels. For Skeet. Certainly that's blasphemy to most Americans, who by and large swear by the bore whether they’re knocking down ducks on the wing or confronting bumps in the night. Truth be told, the 12-gauge isn’t for everybody. Many products featured on this site were editorially chosen. Sar USA SAR9 Semi-Auto Pistol 4.4" Barrel 9mm 17+1 Black Interchangeable Backstrap Grip Black OUR PRICE Now: $349.99 17% off MSRP: $422.21 It gets personal. The SBE semi-automatic shotgun series is capable of firing 2-3/4 inches, 3 inches, and 3-1/2 inches shells without the need for adjustments. The typical barrel length is 24" or 26". That’s right, a 30″ 20 gauge gas semi. The Mossberg 500 is the most popular home defense shotgun on the market, and for a good reason. Bruce Buck On a target gun, length is also a factor in precision on the longer shots, but this really wouldn’t apply to a twenty gauge gun in the field. Change ), You are commenting using your Facebook account. This gun will not only be ready when you need to use it for self-defense, but also easily be able to be passed down to future generations if properly maintained. The Best Semi Auto Shotgun: What to Take to the Range and What to Keep at Home. These are the most expedient forms of operation for a shotgun, delivering the fastest action and, in my opinion, the best results. Before I share my top picks with you, we need to discuss the Browning Auto 5. There’s no realistic ballistic advantage either way. A certain length is legal but if you want to go shorter, yo are required to acquire a license for your firearm. Next up was the non-NFA … Still, to me, the bottom line … Due to the extra length of the receiver, a 26" barrel will give you the same overall length as a 28" break-action like an O/U. With extended chokes, perhaps 41 inches. The pack includes a 24 and 18.5-inch barrel, a fixed traditional stock, or six-position side folding tactical stock, a +2 and +6 magazine extension, and high visibility sights with a stock optics rail. It is built with a synthetic stock and forend, as well as a chrome-lined barrel … The Mossberg 590 AOW features a barrel length of 10.25 inches, which is about as short as it gets for a 12-gauge shotgun. They wouldn’t have the weight to swing very well, but most of that tight cover is snap shooting so swing really isn’t the issue. For competition, this is excellent. Capacity is a Problem With Benelli M4 We have to face the fact, though, that a 5+1 capacity is a problem in a lot of scenarios. They seem to swing best for me in that length as they can be a bit heavy up front with longer barrels. For the rifle, the legal length is 16” while the shotgun barrel should not go shorter than 18”. For example: The Remington 1100 20 gauge autos have always felt best to me in 26″ barrel length. Even with an 18.5″ barrel, this semi-auto shotgun is a joy to operate. Another thing to consider is fitting in your gun cabinet. I don’t have much experience using an auto for upland birds like grouse, pheasant and woodcock, but I have shot a whole bunch of dove with 20 and 12 autos. When it comes to home defense, the shorter barrel is optimal for tighter spaces and offers better control should things get hairy. If you are smaller, a shorter gun would be more in proportion. 18 to 20-inch Barrel This length of barrel keeps the weapon short and maneuverable when used inside buildings or even vehicles. These auto shotguns […] Never in doubt.). A 28" or 30" gas-auto shotgun would be most appropriate. While a longer barrel means better accuracy and precision over long distances, keep in mind that it also means decreased maneuverability in a dense forest and increased overall gun weight. A 30″ auto has the same sighting plane as a 33?” O/U! A very common question is what is “the best” barrel length? So, comparing dove and woodcock, I would have been happy with a 24″ or 30″ barrel. The 100rd packs of Federal & Remington are pretty good for semi autos.
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