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4 members (SKB, azgreg, 2 invisible),
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robots. |
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Key:
Admin,
Global Mod,
Mod
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Forums10
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Most Online1,344
Apr 29th, 2024
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Joined: May 2016
Posts: 1,439 Likes: 220
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: May 2016
Posts: 1,439 Likes: 220 |
As Cold Iron has suggested, one size doesn't fit all. If you can bench press a Volvo and shoot mostly clays, a heavy long barreled gun makes sense. At 72 with left shoulder surgery, a 6-6 1/2 lb. 26" 12 ga. with neutral balance makes sense for me. For clays a 6 1/2 lb. 28" 12. ga. works fine. The long heavier ones worked for me years ago, not anymore! My 5 lb. 12 oz. 26" 12 ga. open choked Churchill is my golden arrow in Michigan's grouse and woodcock woods. Karl 
Last edited by Karl Graebner; 08/08/19 11:31 AM.
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Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 9,800 Likes: 101
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 9,800 Likes: 101 |
wonderful pitchers...
sadly arthritis in the right shoulder has ended my shooting for a while...hopefully recent platelet rich plasma injection will allow me to shoot again...
contemplating acquisition of beretta a400 20 ga autoloader, with kick off recoil reducer...understand they are about the softest shooting guns going these days...any experience with as400 or other recommendations for soft shooting guns would be appreciated...
Last edited by ed good; 08/08/19 01:36 PM.
keep it simple and keep it safe...
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Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 4,118 Likes: 524
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 4,118 Likes: 524 |
For quail and woodcock, I shoot several double guns that have 25-26" barrels. For dove, I currently enjoy using my 29" E&G Higham or Darne R10 (27+") both in 16 ga. The Higham is also a good woodcock gun (f/c) with a Polywad spreader in the f barrel. I don't shoot any particular length better than the other but that's the Indian, not the arrow (or bow). Cold Iron, the stock mod on your Browning is a work of art and I never tire of seeing Karl's Churchill which I mistakenly thought was 25", not 26". Gil PS: CI: how long did it take to "toll" in those grouse?  Stan: I have an idea where you think a 25" barrel is useful.
Last edited by GLS; 08/08/19 01:24 PM.
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Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 1,578 Likes: 32
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 1,578 Likes: 32 |
Different horses for different courses. I carry a 26" sxs about 90 percent of the time, but that 90 percent of the time I'm hunting Grouse/Woodcock over a Setter. Most shots are under 25 yards. I may shoot a 28" gun a bit better, but I like a less then 6 lb gun that I can carry in one hand while fighting through brush with the other. PS. Doves are a totally different deal. 30" sxs 16 gauge Fox.
Double PS. Clays games are totally different.
foxes rule
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Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 13,372 Likes: 1318
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 13,372 Likes: 1318 |
sadly arthritis in the right shoulder has ended my shooting for a while...hopefully recent platelet rich plasma injection will allow me to shoot again...
contemplating acquisition of beretta a400 20 ga autoloader, with kick off recoil reducer...understand they are about the softest shooting guns going these days...any experience with as400 or other recommendations for soft shooting guns would be appreciated... We have great differences of opinion, ed, but I truly hope your shoulder heals so that you can shoot. I am blessed with good health, and at 67 can still handle my 9 1/2 lb. Perazzi and HE Fox easily, with no soreness or pain afterwards. Having never experienced what you are going through I can only imagine how much I would miss my shooting. Best wishes, SRH
May God bless America and those who defend her.
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Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 13,372 Likes: 1318
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 13,372 Likes: 1318 |
One thing I note here is that not one single person has mentioned the shooter's Stature. It seems purely unreasonable to me that a person 5' 8" tall (ME) would desire the same feel to a gun as one of 6' 6".
My personal preference leans toward a gun having a barrel length of around twice the pull length. In my case, as I am well fitted with a 14" pull this means a barrel length of 28", which does happen to be my personal favorite. I have shot well with barrels from 26" to 30" but the 28" remains my favorite.
Another thing that has not been mentioned is weight distribution of the barrel itself. Many years ago when I was still on the fence a bit about shooting Damascus, I had an FE grade Lefever sent to Italy for a set of steel barrels. It was a 7˝lb gun & I wanted to lighten it a bit so specified 26" barrels. Whichever one of the Bernadelies that did the work matched the weight identical to the 30" set. Consequently, it has thicker walls down the entire length than the originals. You're correct that these two things haven't been mentioned on this thread but, they have been many other times on other threads, by me and others. Absolutely spot on with both comments, Miller. Hope you're feeling stronger after the meds/treatments. SRH
May God bless America and those who defend her.
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Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 15,457 Likes: 88
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 15,457 Likes: 88 |
All this talk by Beto made me go out and buy a 26" 20
Ga. Citori Lightning today....
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Joined: Apr 2013
Posts: 696 Likes: 61
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Apr 2013
Posts: 696 Likes: 61 |
25" 12ga Bernardelli at 5 lb 15 oz it is a bird killing machine with B&P High Pheasant 1 oz 6's. I switch to 7's in grouse and woodcock country. Montana wild birds, I took the picture because of the three different colored birds.  I will say that the shotgun I shot over hunt test dogs was a 30" barreled Win 101. With the Bernardelli it was shoot them as soon as I was on them, with the 101 I could ride the birds out to give the dogs better retrieves.
Last edited by oskar; 08/08/19 04:40 PM.
After the first shot the rest are just noise.
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Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 2,999 Likes: 113
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 2,999 Likes: 113 |
sadly arthritis in the right shoulder has ended my shooting for a while...hopefully recent platelet rich plasma injection will allow me to shoot again...
contemplating acquisition of beretta a400 20 ga autoloader, with kick off recoil reducer...understand they are about the softest shooting guns going these days...any experience with as400 or other recommendations for soft shooting guns would be appreciated... We have great differences of opinion, ed, but I truly hope your shoulder heals so that you can shoot. I am blessed with good health, and at 67 can still handle my 9 1/2 lb. Perazzi and HE Fox easily, with no soreness or pain afterwards. Having never experienced what you are going through I can only imagine how much I would miss my shooting. Best wishes, SRH Wow Stan, your Perazzi weighs 9 1/2 lbs.....have you added extra weight?? I’ve been shooting an MX-8 with 34” barrels that weighs 8 lbs 9 oz. I like the 34” barrels on the long shots, but can’t tell that much difference from 32”. I wondered if 34” would be a problem for the close shots, but that does not seem to be the case for me. Personally, I wouldn’t want a sporting clays gun with anything less than 32” but that’s just what I like. For grouse hunting (quail too) I like 28” but have gotten tangled up in beer can sized aspen with 28” when a bird went out. Probably would get tangled with 26” too....it’s thick stuff. I’m 6’1” so a fan of longer barrels. Having said all that, I learned how to shoot skeet in the old days with 26” and shot some good scores, but now I’m not real keen on 26” and certainly not anything shorter. Different strokes for different folks, I guess.
Socialism is almost the worst.
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Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 9,800 Likes: 101
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 9,800 Likes: 101 |
stan: thanks for your kind words and thoughts...ed
keep it simple and keep it safe...
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