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Forums10
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Apr 29th, 2024
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Joined: Jul 2005
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Sidelock
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OP
Sidelock
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 7,065 |
Is it safe to go back in the water?
I find myself attracted to and even buying some sixteens and twentys and 28s with 26" barrels.
The thread on the twelves current desirability got me to thinking about my short barreled guns. One of my favorite twelves is an FN from the 1920s with 26" barrels that weighs 6-3.
So are short barreled guns losing their stigma or is this just a phenemenon peculiar to me?
Best,
Mike
Last edited by AmarilloMike; 02/15/11 11:07 AM.
I am glad to be here.
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Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 206
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 206 |
26" barrels are great I have used them for shooting all my driven game for the last 40 years. J. Purdey gun and Winchester cartridges 1 1/16oz. # 6 shot. I know the gun and the cartridge like my right arm. When I miss it is down to me not the gun or cartridge.
John Foster
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Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 6,275 Likes: 205
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 6,275 Likes: 205 |
Mike, not too long ago [a few decades] 26" barrels were sought after and 30" and longer were ignored for the most part. Times and fashions change. I have shot more game with my 26" 20 gauge than all my other guns put together. This gun also has 28" barrels which I never use.
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Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 13,880 Likes: 16
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 13,880 Likes: 16 |
Is it safe to go back in the water?
I find myself attracted to and even buying some sixteens and twentys and 28s with 26" barrels.
The thread on the twelves current desirability got me to thinking about my short barreled guns. One of my favorite twelves is an FN from the 1920s with 26" barrels that weighs 6-3.
So are short barreled guns losing their stigma or is this just a phenemenon peculiar to me?
Best,
Mike Spoken like a quail hunter. Mike, my favorite quail gun is a 26" .410. When I go up to a big gun like a 20g, I prefer it to be a 26" in the guns I have. For me, I think it's more about the "Rocketman effect" (moment of inertia) than barrel length when chosing a quail gun. Too much 'swing weight' and I don't like them for quail over my lab. If I could afford a proper dog, I could probably use 32" 12g #3 frame Paaaakas or a Supercalafragalistic Fox.
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Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 496
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 496 |
Amarillo:
At the risk of propagating another endless thread, I must say that Daryl has it pegged. It's all fashion and propaganda. Shoot what you like and what works. Short or long. And bugger the rest.
Best, Kensal
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Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 13,880 Likes: 16
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 13,880 Likes: 16 |
Mike, I wish you'd remove this post as I've already seen a small spike in short barreled guns. 
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Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 680
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 680 |
Hell I didn't even know I couldn't hit anything with my short barreled guns until I got a computer and an Internet connection.
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Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 1,227
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 1,227 |
My only grouse gun for a couple of decades has been the same 26" 20ga. If I could wave a magic wand (anybody have a 28ga I can borrow?) and make them 28", I would. All the SxS's I've added since have the 30-32" barrels I prefer, but I have no intentions of changing out the little 20.
I'm not so sure the preference for longer barrels is a fashion trend. Except for the early game of skeet and .410 guns, hasn't the 26" length always been the scarcest ~ least popular in doubleguns? Maybe the move to 26" was the fad and the current love affair with longer barrels more a return to normalcy.
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Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 1,373 Likes: 6
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 1,373 Likes: 6 |
hasn't the 26" length always been the scarcest ~ least popular in doubleguns? Dig or one of our other UK friends can probably provide better detail on this, but I think Churchill managed to sell a few XXV" back in the day. Because I (attempt to) use the instinctive shooting style, I have always wanted to try a Churchill XXV with the special rib in the field, like Churchill advocated. Unfortunately, I have not met anyone yet who owns one - proving your point, perhaps. I think AyA still offers a "XXV" model - I wonder how many they make every year?
Last edited by Doverham; 02/15/11 01:52 PM.
Such a long, long time to be gone, and a short time to be there.
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Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 14,144 Likes: 202
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 14,144 Likes: 202 |
Campbell hit the nail on the head. Diggory will confirm Campbell's statement. In the early days, the 26" gun was a rare journey into the unknown for people who already owned longer barrelled guns. Then NSSA skeet made 26" guns more the norm for skeet and bird hunting, maybe from 1935 to 1975, a relatively short period in shotgun history. The recent popularity of longer barrels is a return to normal. However, just to be safe, I bought a great 26" gun this weekend.
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