What Barrel length?
 

I am buy a remington 870 express soon and I dont know what barrel size to get the come in 26 and 28 inch, and I hunt mostly pheasants and partridge.

RE: What Barrel length?
 

I have an 870 as well and I also do a lot of bird hunting. I'm telling ya you should get the 28 inch. Theres nothin better, I think it really helps with my swing through. Never had a 26 but I don't think I'd change over at all.

RE: What Barrel length?
 

go to a gun store and try both of them out. the 2 inches can really make a difference.

RE: What Barrel length?
 

What changes when you have a differnt length of barrel? And hey Fickly, since you own one, how do you change the choke, do they just screw out or do you need to buy the choke wrench?

RE: What Barrel length?
 

the ease and speed of your swing will change with the different barrel length. depending on your shooting style, one of the barrels would be better for you than the other. i've got a 26" on my semi. had to borrow a 28" barrel for a month and had a hard time hitting anything with it. i was shooting behind the birds.

RE: What Barrel length?
 

The lenght of the barrel is for pointability with both eyes open. I shoot Quail with 28" and Doves & Ducks with 30".

RE: What Barrel length?
 

I hunt with both 28" and 26" inch barrels. I like the 26" better...

RE: What Barrel length?
 

I'm going to probably buy a 26", thats whatis on my browning,and I was going to go buy it tomorrow, but I just found out I'm working all weekend[:@]

RE: What Barrel length?
 

Riffer, just take your choke wrench, if you have one, real easy to get and put it down on top of the choke, lock the teeth in a screw it out, thats all.

RE: What Barrel length?
 

Do you know if the choke wrench for my Browning BSP would work on this gun?

RE: What Barrel length?
 

For some shooters the LOP, DAC, DAH, Barrel length, etc. are considerations when getting a gun fitted or buying a new one.
Iam ainstinct shooter, so having everything exact does not matter to me. However, a gun that fits and feels good is a must.
(Example) It is hard for me to shoot a youth model. The LOP is way too short.A trap gun would be hard to shoot crossing or incoming targets, your head is up too far.
Other than that if you keep your head down and keep swinging you should be succesful with any gun as long as you have confidence in the gun and your shooting ability.

RE: What Barrel length?
 

I have both a 26 and 28 inch barrel for my Browning B-80...A longer barrel helps you with pass shooting, the added weight out front keeps you swinging through the target after you pull the trigger....

I use the 26 inch barrel for close in shooting like quail, rabbits being run by begals, and doves that are coming in to corn, sunflowers, in other words, situations where an Improved Cylinder choke is your best choice because the shots are close and some shootinng is spot shooting...

I use the 28 inch for pass shooting crows, ducks. doves in the late season, deer with buckshot and in these cases I usually have a Modified choke in the barrel...

RE: What Barrel length?
 

I find that I can shoulder and get on the birds (whether geese, ducks, grouse, pheasant, etc.) with a 26".... If your not swinging through properly, that's more of a shooter form issue...

RE: What Barrel length?
 

IMO......For quail and rabbits, where shooting is at close range and in brushy country, the cylinder choke is best. Usually, a barrel length of 26 inches serves well with this choke. For shooting pheasants, waterfowl, grouse, and other game at long ranges, the full choke barrel works more successfully, and barrel lengths of 28 or 30 inches are recommended. Actually, a longer barrel does not give a hunter much additional killing range, but it does make sighting easier.

RE: What Barrel length?
 

Think we'll have to agree to dis-agree :)

Years ago I hunted with longer barrels (28 and even 30 ")! I've found that since the introduction of steel shot and other lead alternatives that the longer barrel doesn't have ANY real advantage for upland game or waterfowl. If your shooting a lot of lead, that may be different. I shoot steel for pretty much everything, because where I hunt, that's the law (minus shooting some clays or something like that).

Simply put, for me, the 26" is easier to swing, shoulder, and get on target.

Maybe it's just the group's that I hunt with, but most of us shoot 26" barrels now as our primary guns for everything (upland game and waterfowl).

At the end of the day 26 or 28 .... Doesn't really matter, it's just what your most comfortable with...

RE: What Barrel length?
 

Okay so I got the gun today, it's a 26 inch, but I cant get off the magazine spring retainer, so I can put the Magazine Plig in, can somone help me out?

RE: What Barrel length?
 

Don't know, mine came with my Remington chokes, it's got a swivel handle and it has 4 teeth, so if yours is near the same it'd prob work, as long as the gauge is the same, i'm sure it is. Post a pic so I can have a look at it if possible but go ahead and try it

RE: What Barrel length?
 

get the 28 inch barrel like HOG said.
it swings and balances better.
i hunt brushy thick stuff with beretta uricka 28 inch and its fine.

i tried the 26 inch and it does not SWING or balance right...
2 inchs more does not add any weight t
hat you notice,so why not get it..
you wont be sorry..

RE: What Barrel length?
 

+1

RE: What Barrel length?
 

If your 870 is like mine then the spring retainer can be removed with a pair of needle nose pliers and replaced simply by pushing it back in place. Be ready when you remove the retainer because the spring will be coming at you fast. I personally simply put a pencil in the hole to plug my magazine but it is not completely legal in TX since tools are not required to remove the plug. I have a 26 inch and love it.

RE: What Barrel length?
 

As mentioned before, try the two lengths for a side by side comparison. My husband used to shoot 26" when he first started. Next was 28". When he bought his most recent new shotgun he got 32" and shoots it better than he did his old 28" (which by the way has extended choke tubes so it's basically 29").

I started with 26" on my 12 ga. I have 26" on my 28 ga. My next 12 ga will have 28".....
The extra length can help with follow through.

RE: What Barrel length?
 

you are correct............
26 inch lengths are for POINTING,like is close shot and you point..
28 inch are for both,point/swing..


i tell people all time, you are only looking at 2 inchs in length,no weight to amount to anything..
i get a kick out of some of the sales pitchs..
hey hunter if you are in brush, that 26 inch is quicker..

well, tell me that 2 inchs shorter is going to increase my chances in brush..

give me break...

28 inch swings better and feels better than a 26 inch on a semi-auto..

i cant speak for other shotguns.

i would not go over the 28 inch for hunting upland ,brush or not..

28 inch is best all around length in a semi-auto..

RE: What Barrel length?
 

My Benelli M2 has a 24" barrel and I really like it. It really helps me get on the birds faster. Sure, I have to concentrate on keeping my swing going, but I don't have much trouble with that.

RE: What Barrel length?
 

thats great..
question is how fast dowe have to be.
look at all shots you missed,most likely it was the first one you missed close ,then got bird on second which was farther out...

thats happened to me a lot with pheasants..
shorter barrels just dont swing good but they POINT faster but how fast do we need to point?

sad part,some will buy the 24 inch 26 inch and then wish they had the 28 inch,i hear it all time ..
to bad you cant try a gun out before you buy it..
i was lucky, i have friends that had 24 /26/28 inch,i tried them all and 28 inch felt better to me and sight picture down barrel was much better..

a short person could have trouble with a long barrel, so 24/26 may be better but for someone 6ft and up, 28 inch is better, i feel...

RE: What Barrel length?
 

i have a 36 i use for duck hunting they call me long barrel and a 30 for pheasant