26 Inch vs 28 Inch Barrel

[Shoot2Kill]

Happy Friday afternoon....

I recently won a Savage 223 Varmint rifle at a banquet that I'm thinking of trading or selling outright for a new shotgun since I doubt I will use the 223 very much.

I'm looking at the new Remington 870 Super Mag Turkey/Waterfowl combo gun....this gun comes with a 26" barrel and I've always shot ducks/geese with the 28" on my Winchester. What are your thoughts on the 26 vs 28 for waterfowl over decs? Does it matter that much?

Thx!

[Jackpine Rob]

From a horsepower standpoint, there is no difference. Some think that the longer barrel provides a better pattern and more complete powder burn thus more velocity, but neither are true with modern powders and chokes.

Personally, I grew up shooting a 30", downsized to a 28", and will probably get a 26" on my next duck gun. The most important thing for YOU is going to be which feels good in your hands, and while you're swinging. It might be worth it for you to find a buddy with a shorter barrel and shoot a couple of rounds of trap just to see.

I have found that I can pick up the kids' youth 20 gauges with 24" barrels and hit just fine, so I'm guessing you will make whatever adjustment is necessary just fine.

[magnum mike]

Jackpine is right on. The only advantage of a longer barrel is a longer sight plane. The only shotgun I own with a barrel longer than 26" is my trap gun. For hunting the 26" pipe will be fast swinging & light.

[dan z]

26" = fast swing more jump aftershock but faster to get back on point

28" = smooth swing and a better sight plane less jump aftershock but slower to get on point.

I like a longer barrel but horsepower wise there is no difference !

[SledNeck]

28" for me

Your ears can definatley tell when the guy next to you in the blind is shooting a 26"

[surewood]

Been shooting a 28inch for years. Shot some trap and hunted some with my brothers SBE2 26inch and loved the shorter barrel. So I ordered the new Stoeger 3500 with a 26inch barrel.

[Gordie]

I have a mossberg 835 ulti mag turkey gun with a 26 inch barrel that hold really tight patterns at 40 yrds with a turky choke and with the mod choke its just about right for over decoys.

Most all my waterfowl guns are 28 0r 30 inch barrels thou

[fishkid]

i got the 28 inch super mag and love it. bigger is better right....

[Gordie]

I was wrong my mossy 835 is a 24 inch barrel so that just proves to me its all in the choke

[gador2]

Old school guys like the longer barrels like 28" or 30". I personally feel the 26" barrel is the perfect all around gun. If you are strictly hunting geese, I would say 28-30" is a good choice for the swing. If it is for only pheasants/grouse, I would say 24" is better because that is more of a quick, point and shoot sport. Like I said, I like the 26" and I use it for doves, pheasants, ducks, geese, and deer and I think it is great for the all around barrel. With all that said, it comes down to what you like. Whatever YOU are comfortable with is the best so choose whatever you like.

[H20fowlr]

If you haven't shot a 3 1/2" before you need to take into account it is longer overall with the same barrel length than a 3". I grew up with 30" and 28" Remingtons. I have had a SBE that I have had for 13 years. I use it for everything and went with the 26. I spend a lot of time waterfowl and pheasant hunting, and have used it for sporting clays, trap and turkey. I think the length is not an issue with performance. I like the shorter length for ease of getting out of the cases in a hurry, clearing openings in a blind, and pulling up on rising birds. My experience is patterning your gun and your ammo selection. I found the stock Benelli chokes to be fair to poor. My IC patterned high and to the right. I bought a Briley ported choke that handles the "muzzle jump" stated earlier, and the pattern was excellent.

My $0.02

[jigginjim]

It's all in the choke and shells you use when shooting. Thats why guys pattern shoot their guns. My sons 20Ga. shoots a better pattern at 35yds than any of our 12ga. guns. The pattern will work great as a turkey gun, pass shooting ducks, and jumpy late season pheasants.

[DitchPickle13]

There's only a very negligible difference between the two...really just comes down to prefereence because both will do the job.