Short barrel shotguns

M

Montana Pete

Guest
I picked up a SKB O/U double quite a few years ago. I believe it has 28 inch barrels.

My son and I were sharing the gun for sporting clays, and I wanted to get him a nice gun. Sharing this gun on the sporting clays course, sometimes those barrels would get goshdarn HOT.

I found an SKB double for him much like mine, but with short barrels-- I think, 24 inch. It was in a retail gun shop, and had been marked down about four times. Original price was about $1900, and I got it for about $1350. The shop owner said it had been in the inventory for about 1-1/2 years and he needed to move it.

My son and I have traded guns a few times, and I have shot this short barrel. Other than barrel length, it is about identical to my own SKB.

I think this gun is for fast pointing birds, like quail.

It is harder to get a smooth, steady swing because the gun is lighter in the front. However, it is a fast rising and fast pointing gun.

Does anyone know quite a bit about these barrel length issues? What is the short barrel gun really best for?

Who does the manufacturer hope to attract with this particular gun?

I know one thing -- this gun looks really "cool." Whether it is the ideal gun for most shooters I just don't know.

Incidentally, both guns have screw-in choke tubes.
 
Extened Choke Tubes

Give Carlson's a call and ask them if they have extended Sporting Clays Choke Tubes to fit your shotgun.

785-626-3700.

First class outfit that stands behind their product and work!!!!

Short barrels on a shotgun are sort of like light weight hunting rifles; which may equal harder to shoot, but easy to carry.

WOW! I just read your post again 24 inch barrels maybe even extended tubes won't help.

I won't go less than 26 inches on an autoloader, which is much longer than a double.

Remember shotguns are very strange things, some will shoot for you and some just will not. Get rid of the one's that don't.

The more I think about it I would not buy it. Or give your son the one you already have and buy the cool one for yourself, then he can wax your butt every time at the range.
 
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Today's ammo doesn't require the long barrels and chokes that used to be common to pattern well. The benefits of a longer barrel are a longer sight plane,and as you mentioned, more muzzle weight for balance and follow thru.FWIW--Mike Ezell
 
I own and have been shooting skeet with a Browning Citory for some 15 years. It has 26 inch barrel. At the time I bought it that was the prefered length or a 28 ich barrel. Through the years the rules in skeet have been changing. The easyest birds have been replaced with diffycult doubles on station 4 ( the longest range) At that time they also used 32 grams loads but cut it down to 24 grams as of now. This has made the game more diffycult and now the trend in barrel length is almost all use 30 inch barrels and some in Trap even 32 inch. The short barrel makes for a light snappy gun for quick pointing but as you said the swing will not get quite as smooth as with the longer barrel. I can only assume that when this 24 inch barreled gun was made it was with the point in mind to have it lighter and snappier than the dominant barrel length of 26-28 would give. Incidentally I tested different barrel lengths for velocity from the same brand og shotgun shells and found out that there was almost no loss of velocity from 19 inch barrel to 32 inch one using claybird shells. There might have been a difference if I had tested one and a half ounce magnum loads. I still use the 26 inch Browning but if I was buying a skeet gun to day I would buy a 30 inch one although the short barrel is very good introducing women and youngsters to shotgun shooting.

BA
 
Of the shotguns I have owned

the Parker Reproduction 28 Ga with Im/ Mod chokes was the best one for me. The way it came was perfect for my build and shooting abilities. I also owned an SKB three barreled Skeet set in the past and it was pretty darn good. I think all of them had 28" barrels. I have seen guys shoot Mosberg pumps fairly well also. ;) :D
 
Add a barrel weight.some clamp on, some replace the mag. tube cap.Available from most trap,skeet and sporting clays suppliers.

Chuck.
 
Mr. Pete,

to answer your question, for quail/snipe in close quarters(heavy brush/woods).

FAST handling and usually LIGHT, for POINT shooting.

It will NEVER be a "Sporting Clays" gun unless you can purchase longer barrels as a replacement.
 
The only Sporting Clays

Edwin D said:
Mr. Pete,

to answer your question, for quail/snipe in close quarters(heavy brush/woods).

FAST handling and usually LIGHT, for POINT shooting.

It will NEVER be a "Sporting Clays" gun unless you can purchase longer barrels as a replacement.
Click to expand...

I ever shot was a 5 station the club I belong to has. I got out of shotgun shooting 15 or more years ago so I probably shouldn't have said anything. The nostalga bug bit me when I thought about those two guns I mentioned. Sorry for the intrusion. :eek:
 
Since posting the initial message on this thread, I have talked to my son and he tells me it is a 26 inch barrels, not a 24.

Of course, a double does not have the length of an action-- some here have talked of autos. Well, a 26 inch double will LOOK short.

I have shot some skeet and done lousy. I find it very hard.

Sometimes with skeet, it is actually hard to swing the shotgun fast enough get ahead of the bird.

I suspect the 26-inch shorter double might work well in that situation.

Thank you to all who wrote in. I learned something.
 
Mr. Pete,

Skeet, like Trap, like Five Stand, like Sporting Clays, is a game.

Once you learn the game, it becomes EASIER.

Be patient with yourself, and enjoy the journey.

If you continue to shoot clay targets with a shotgun, YOU will have longer barrels.
 
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