Over/Under Barrel Length
#1
Typical Buck
Thread Starter
Join Date: Apr 2003
Location: Cologne, MN
Posts: 510

What barrel length should a person go with for hunting pheasants with an over under?? Do most typically use a 28" or is there not much difference between that and a 28" besides weight?? Just curious as to what others are using...
#2
Fork Horn
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Cropsey IL USA
Posts: 365

depends on the gun the smaller gauges that tend to be lighter a longer barrel will give you abit more weight out front which makes for a smother swing but a gun say a 12 that has more weight to begin with 26 in. barrels are fine the smaller ga. guns it's not uncommon to see 30 in. barrels out there by smaller i'm talking light weight 20's and 28's using the 28 over dogs and tight sitting birds where your shot will be say 30 yds. max.
#3
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: NW Ohio , 5 min from Ottawa National / Magee Marsh
Posts: 2,051

I like my 30" barrels on my SKB 585 12 gau.
But my 20 gau has 28" barrels and I like it also.
Could live with either barrel length .
But my 20 gau has 28" barrels and I like it also.
Could live with either barrel length .
#6
Spike
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location:
Posts: 42

I think a 28" is the way to go. Actually, if you look at top skeet shooters, they are shooting 28" and 30" barrels. Depends on your style of shooting.
If your a snap, point, shoot, shooter, a 26" might fit your style better.
If your a snap, point, shoot, shooter, a 26" might fit your style better.
#7
Typical Buck
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: Colorado Springs, CO
Posts: 510

I have 3 O/Us, SKB 20ga 505 has 26" barrels and it is quick moving. I have killed a lot of Pheasants with it. My SKB 585, also a 20ga, is a slower swinging gun than the 505, killed a lot of pheasants with this one too. But my killer of choice for long days a field for upland game is my Ruger Red Label with 28'' barrels in 28ga. Light, fast and deadly.
Gselkhunter
Gselkhunter
#8

I have a 26" barrel on my 20ga. quail gun which is nice and fast. On my skeet/sporting clays/trap gun I have a 28" barrel which makes it nice and blanced. I would go with a 28" barrel....it's a good all around length IMO for hunting & recreational shooting.
#10
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location:
Posts: 91

I shoot a Browning Citoi lightning with 26" barrels. When I first bought the gun, the barrels seemed hard to get used to, since I was going from an auto with 28" barrels. The overall length of the gun was much shorter than the auto, since the action is so short. It took some getting used to, but now am glad that I have the 26" barrels. I have shot lots of birds with that gun and would never consider anything else now. I have shot ducks over decoys, pass shot ducks and geese, shot early season pheasants that get up under my feet and made long shots after others in my group failed to down the bird. For me, it's the perfect gun. Shooting lots of clays in the off season is the key.