barrel length and shot pattern in 20 gage smoothbore

[chuck-ia]

Just wondering what your thoughts are on barrel length for a decent shot pattern, I know there are many variables in wads, if you were to choose between a 38" barrel and a 42" barrel what would you choose? This is a 20 ga oct. to round barrel. thanks, chuck

[Hungry Horse]

 I have owned a 36” barreled 20 gauge, a 42” 20 gauge, and two 30” 20 gauge cylinder bores. The 30” barreled guns were by far the best. I will say I used them all for hunting more than target work. None of them were anything other than cylinder bores. The short guns shot round balls, and shot loads very well, and many pheasants, and turkeys, were harvested with them, along with one nice elk bull with a single shot each.

Hungry Horse

[Daryl]

My 20 bore English styled "pelter" has a 31" bl. and with it's imp/cyl. choke, shoots modified patterns(60% in 30"@40yds)
Between 38" and 42"? I would say the 38" would swing better, but much depends on the style and weight distribution.
Either "could" shoot better patterns - depends on the barrel and loads used. A 30" cylinder choke could beat both.

[chuck-ia]

Have a ways to go before I decide, just got a stock blank and barrel, the barrel is 44", just too long and heavy for me. thanks, chuck

[Prairie dog shooter]

I choose barrel length based on how I want the gun to balance for off hand shooting.  Within historical context.  Patterns are a function of load development. 

[Woodpecker]

I have a double with 28" and a single with 44" barrels. I can only note that my experiences with 2F patterning with #5 and 7.5 show the shorter barrels to be more finicky with powder to shot ratio. Powder needs to be slightly less volume than shot to not blow the pattern regardless of wad type. The longer barrel has not blown a pattern with more powder than shot so I can only deduce that the longer barrel can give higher velocity to the same charge of shot.

Per Greener:
"It is true, that, with a small charge, the short barrel will kill at the distance of thirty yards, as well as the long one; but put in the long one as much powder as it can consume, then try the two at twice the distance, and you will find out the mistake under which you have laboured."

[chuck-ia]

thanks, chuck