I am looking to get a new gun that will strictly be used for turkey hunting. I am looking to get the 12 Ga benelli nova. My question is do I want a 24", 26", or 28" barrel.
What are the advantages of a longer barrel.
I really don't see any advantages to a longer barrel for turkey hunting. You'll find the shorter barrel is eaiser to move around without being noticed by those beady little turkey eyes. If you were pass shooting birds a longer barrel could pay off, but no need for it with turkeys.
I have been told and read many times that it takes 24" to get a complete burn of the pwoder charge in a 12ga. I don't know this for sure, as I have no way of independently testing this, but I trust the sources that I have read and who told me.
I personally like a 26" barrel. For me it seems to be a good all around, do everything barrel length. I use a 26" barrel for deer, crows, rabbits, dove, and turkey. One advantage that a longer barrel has, is a longer sight radius, which may make shooting with a bead sight a littel more accurate, but that's debateable. As for the choke, you should have a Imp Cyl, Mod, and Full, that comes the gun. Most Full chokes should be about .690" ID or so. For a turkey choke, I would recommend something around the .665" ID. IMO this ID Choke give the best patterns with #6, #5, and #4 shot, from what I have seen. I don't see any need for a .640" ID choke, and I have not seen many that shot that great anyway. If Benelli does not have turkey chokes avalaible, there are several good chokes on the market by Hastings, Briley, Colonial, and Carlson, and any of them would do you a good job. You could get the flush kind, the extended kind, or the extended & ported kind.
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The longer the barrel, the higher thhe velocity, (up to a point) I like the 28" barrel, when turkey hunting you are most likely going to be sitting, not walking/stalking. So I don't find the shorter barrel to have any advantage.
For a choke, I think the extra full choke is best, but I would test all of them first by patterning them on paper/cardboard., My 12 gauge shoots tighter patterns at 35 yards with the modified, than it does with full. My buddy's 12 is just the opposite. My 10 gauge shoots very tight with the extra full.
i have always liked the lighter shorter barrel especially since the technical writers have proved that the longer barrel has no advantage over the shorter one as long has you have a screw in choke.with that being said,i have hunted with a rem 870 exp super mag with a 26" barrel and extended turkey tube.however,with the tube, the barrel is closer to 28" long.this is too long to suit me to turkey hunt.i had a browing A500G with a 28" barrel that was close to 30" with the tube so i sent the barrel to carlson's chokes and had it cut down to 22" and a .670 dia. tube installed for #4 shot.i now have the ideal gun to turkey hunt with.the patterns at 45 yards with federal prem and rem hevishot are more than adequete.it is just a matter of individual preference.in thick stuff in river bottoms where i hunt,the short barrel is easier to get around and handle.
I think most labs have found you get you get complete powder burn with an 18" or so barrel. Long barrels are a carryover from the day of blackpowder when you actually needed a longer barrel to burn your powder.
I really don't see any advantages to a longer barrel for turkey hunting. You'll find the shorter barrel is eaiser to move around without being noticed by those beady little turkey eyes. If you were pass shooting birds a longer barrel could pay off, but no need for it with turkeys.
Right! Use a 24", or even a 20", if you can find one that shoots the patterns you need (tight!!).
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With a shot gun there is no advantage to a longer barrel in obtaining tighter or more accurate shot patterns. That is all in the choke that you use no matter the barrel length. The pellets are not being stabilized by the barrel in any way.
You may or may not increase the velocity of the load with a longer barrel but how much velocity do you need to smack a turkeys head at 30+- yards?
I would opt for the shortest barrel offered for the ability to move if needed.
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barrel length
