BOSS-2

I have a pretty dang dang long barrel on my Winchester 120 and just curious if there is any reason to get a shorter barrel. I plan to hunt quail, duck, dove, and maybe turkey sometime in the future, with it. For any of these applications would it be advisable to get a shorter barrel. I'm not exactly sure how long the barrel is....speaking of that, in order to determine, where do I measure from?

Thanks

adkfreeridex

for duck and turkey a long barrel is fine, because most likely it is a full choke or maybe modified. for the quail and dove you probably dont want a full choke, and improved cylinder is good for upland game, also the long barrel will slow the gun down a bit. a shorter barrel will make a bit more snappy for those quick flushes. hope that helps
bob

driftrider

Breach to muzzle.

I's been my experience that, given the same amount of choke, a shorter barrel will pattern very similarly to a longer barrel. I think a lot of people have the notion that the shorter a shotguns barrel is, the wider the pattern will be at any given range (the "sawed-off shotgun"), but that's only true if the shotgun has been shortened without reinstalling a choke system, essentially leaving it cylender bore. Velocity should also not be effected too much either, because shotguns burn moderate amounts of fairly fast burning pistol like powder that is most likely burned up inside the first 12-14" of barrel length.

The biggest thing that barrel length effects if how the shotgun balances and "swings" on birds. I shotgun with a short swings quicker by virtue of less mass sticking out there in front of you, where a longer barrel swings smoother and somewhat slower, allowing one to track a bird and lead it properly by making timing somewhat less critical (or at least easier to accomplish).

If it were me I'd pick a longer barrel for the quail and dove, but not one so long that it interferes in a duck blind...say 26". For turkey, since you aim at a turkey rather than swinging with them as the fly, you can get away with a substancially shorter barrel. In fact, if you look at the purpose built shotguns designed for turkey hunters, you'll usually see that they do have shorter than normal barrels in the 20-24" range. The reason is because such guns are smaller, lighter and more compact and are thus easier and handier in the thick woods, and being shorter there is less relative movement for a turkey to see it you move a little while calling them in. That isn't to say that a 26"+ barrel won't work for turkey hunting, but the shorter barrel is a convienience.

BOSS-2

Thank you for the insight...and this all seems to make sense. From where do i measure to determine the current barrel length of my 120? My model does have screw in chokes, with the existing choke a modified. I'm looking to snag both the full choke and the improved cylinder, as well as the tool to exchange these.

Thanks.

driftrider

Breach to muzzle.

Mike

pharaoh2

My bet, is if you have the Win choke, you probably have a 28-30" pipe. My money's on 28". To find the length, measure from the tip of the muzzle, (Front of the barrel) to the breech. (The back of the barrel. Guestimate where the shell fit's in, and measure from there. Or just ahead of the ejection port) As was said above, your powder is burned up in a fairly short distance. I was always led to belive it was 18", but I could be wrong. My personal hunting gun sports a 20" barrel, with chokes. The biggest misconception is folks figure if you have a longer barrel, you'll get more reach. In reality, if you have a 28", you'll get 8 inches more reach than me. I like the shorter barrels myself, because I use the one gun to hunt pheasant, grouse, ducks, etc. Sometimes in thick cover, or sometimes on the baldassed prairie. The short overall length makes it a fast pointing, good handling gun, especially in the thick stuff. Good hunting.

Paul L Mohr

Sometimes the length of the barrel determins how well your shot will pattern. Not really the size of the pattern, but how well the shot is distributed thru out the pattern. In most cases a longer barrel will pattern more evenly from what I have seen.

I have never hunted water fowl, but I do turkey hunt. You don't just buy some shells and head out. I mean you can, but I wouldn't suggest it. Just like a rifle you have to buy some different kinds of ammo to see what works best in your particular weapon. I don't just look for a specific size of pattern, but more one that is very even thru out the pattern. When shooting at a target the size of a turkeys head you don't want big holes or gaps in the pattern. The only way to know is to shoot different brands and shot sizes to see what works best out of your barrel and choke.

Normally a longer barrel or more so a longer choke will not distort or deform the pellets as they go thru the choke. I think it actually has more to do with the length of the choke than the barrel to be honest.

And like said above a longer barrel will point and track better in most cases. At least that is what I've been told from friends that shoot skeet and trap.

Good luck,
Paul

adkfreeridex

though the powder may be burned in the first 18"of the barrel, the gas is still expanding untill it reaches the end of the barrel, thus your load will be accelerating durring this time, but like everyone said you wont notice the difference over 4" of barrel length. i have found that the best length is 26" for everything. you can get the smooth swing like driftrider said, but its also not cumbersome as much as a 28-30" in the tight brush for birds and bunnies. as for a nice short length for turkey hunting...it might be convienent, but not necessary. most of the time you know where the bird is comming from and have time to position the gun, so its not as critical as a shorter length for upland hunting. but 26 is a nice length, thats what i have on my gold and ithaca......but a 30" full on my marlin turkey gun.

BOSS-2

Paraoh2, you are right, my barrel is a winchoke 28". It'd be nice to have it a few inches shorter, but the cost for a new barrel is going to run me what the gun itself is worth. Maybe I'll find a used one cheaper somewhere, but till then she's staying at 28". That said, it was my dad's gun, though he rarely shot it, so it has significant sentimental value to me. I plan on using it for a long time...but just getting into hunting itself.

Don't worry, I won't be just running out there shooting everything in site..I'm trying to learn as much as I can before I do anything.

A quick question....because I've read bits and pieces everywhere, but want it all in one spot to reference:

Can you guys give me a run down of when to use the following:

1) chokes....(i.e. choke type for Duck, quail or dove, turkey, (skeet for practive) )

2) Shot size for all above

3) My barrel takes both 2 3/4" & 3"....when would it be advantageous, if ever, to use a 3"??

4) I understand that steel shot (or other metal) is being used for waterfowl due to ducks or geese dying from eating lead shot. Fortunately, this gun is new enough, according to Winchester, to use steel shot, but is there any ill effects one can get from eating something that has had lead shot used on it?? NO, I don't plan on eating the lead shot, but if the shot was lodged in the meat...then removed, does this have any ill effect on the person eating it?? This may be a stupid question, but just want to be sure.

I think that does it for now, but look forward to your responses. I'm just getting into hunting at age 29 and you guys have been a terrific resource, and a great help for someone who never was fortunate enough to be taught all this at a younger age. Thanks again for you time and experience.

adkfreeridex

well im not big duck hunter, but i know a tiny bit about that
duck: modified choke, 3" steel loads...shot size:5-6....other guys might know better
turkey: full choke, 3" lead or those expensive non toxic loads, shotsize: 4
dove&quail: improved for tight cover, modified if your shots will be longer, 2 3/4" express loads in 7 1/2 shot size should work well, maybe 8's for doves
rabbits: improved for tight cover, modified if your shots will be longer, 2 3/4" express loads in 6
skeet: improved, 2 2/4" cheapest loads you can find, size 8 shot is good.
these are just my preferences...other


you use a modified choke with steel shot because it is not a "forgiving" as lead and it shoots faster.....if that was done in a full choke you can damage the barrel by the pressures that are generated behind the fast moving steel loads that dont compress as it gets forced out the smaller diameter.
eating a tiny piece of lead here and never never hurt me....but it is known in the state of california to cause birth defects and reproductive harm....so it is good to check over the meat. plucking the little ball of lead out then cooking it up and eating it (the meat, not the piece of lead) wont hurt you any.

btw, i know many people who hunt with a 28" barrel. i would not worry about a shorter one unless over the next season or two you feel that you would benifit from shorter one.
hope that helped,
Bob