Hunting Washington Forum

Other Hunting => Turkey Hunting => Topic started by: Craig on June 22, 2025, 01:01:49 PM

Title: What barrel length 24”, 26” or 28”
Post by: Craig on June 22, 2025, 01:01:49 PM: Been shooting a 28” barrel. Anyone use a 24” or 26”? Have you noticed any advantages or disadvantages with shorter barrels? Or mostly personal preference?
Title: Re: What barrel length 24”, 26” or 28”
Post by: kentrek on June 22, 2025, 02:22:40 PM: Go shorter

This gets over thought... you need bullet x going velocity y to create damage c at your max range youl be shooting... im personally am about a 650-750 yard max guy but would like a little margin for error for my bullet to function

So chop that barrel down until you start hitting a velocity your not comfortable with
Title: Re: What barrel length 24”, 26” or 28”
Post by: elkaholic123 on June 22, 2025, 02:25:18 PM: Quote from: kentrek on June 22, 2025, 02:22:40 PM
Go shorter

This gets over thought... you need bullet x going velocity y to create damage c at your max range youl be shooting... im personally am about a 650-750 yard max guy but would like a little margin for error for my bullet to function

So chop that barrel down until you start hitting a velocity your not comfortable with
That’s quite a poke at a Turkey! 🤣🤣🤣
Title: Re: What barrel length 24”, 26” or 28”
Post by: kentrek on June 22, 2025, 02:35:19 PM: Quote from: elkaholic123 on June 22, 2025, 02:25:18 PM
Quote from: kentrek on June 22, 2025, 02:22:40 PM
Go shorter

This gets over thought... you need bullet x going velocity y to create damage c at your max range youl be shooting... im personally am about a 650-750 yard max guy but would like a little margin for error for my bullet to function

So chop that barrel down until you start hitting a velocity your not comfortable with
That’s quite a poke at a Turkey! 🤣🤣🤣

:rolleyes: friggin turkey hunters.... shows my reading skills !! And how little i think of turkeys !

Carry on....i got nothing to contribute towards turkeys :chuckle:
Title: Re: What barrel length 24”, 26” or 28”
Post by: Farmer72 on June 22, 2025, 02:38:58 PM: I went with a 24" as it was nicer to carry and not get caught up on branches/brush. With the chokes today you don't loose much range with the shorter barrels. I have gotten turkeys at 60+ yards with the 24" and XXFull choke. Of course the goal is to get them alot closer but the range is there if needed.
Title: Re: What barrel length 24”, 26” or 28”
Post by: EnglishSetter on June 22, 2025, 03:49:17 PM: The ballistic performance loss of shorter barrels is minimal. The advantage, if you're calling from a blind/stand for an ambush is less likely to get hung up on brush and/or spook the bird as you manipulate the shotgun.

In CA, the turkeys got thick enough, we didn't have to deal with calling/stands. Instead we shot them on the wing while pheasant hunting.

If not already shooting TSS, I'd likely put my efforts there vs changing barrel/gun.
Title: Re: What barrel length 24”, 26” or 28”
Post by: actionshooter on June 22, 2025, 08:39:15 PM: Quote from: kentrek on June 22, 2025, 02:35:19 PM
Quote from: elkaholic123 on June 22, 2025, 02:25:18 PM
Quote from: kentrek on June 22, 2025, 02:22:40 PM
Go shorter

This gets over thought... you need bullet x going velocity y to create damage c at your max range youl be shooting... im personally am about a 650-750 yard max guy but would like a little margin for error for my bullet to function

So chop that barrel down until you start hitting a velocity your not comfortable with
That’s quite a poke at a Turkey! 🤣🤣🤣

:rolleyes: friggin turkey hunters.... shows my reading skills !! And how little i think of turkeys !

Carry on....i got nothing to contribute towards turkeys :chuckle:

Now now-- :chuckle: I thought turkey hunting was the silliest thing ever... I mean they got now horns right?? :chuckle: Then I went with a buddy.. turkey hunting is some pretty fun s**t..

Now on the barrel length... I stick with a 28" because I have killed several between 50 and 60yds and my testing shows barrel length does make a difference for the long range turkey hunter.
Title: Re: What barrel length 24”, 26” or 28”
Post by: ASHQUACK on June 22, 2025, 10:13:38 PM: On my sp10 I have a 24", both my browning 12's have 28" mostly because that's what they came with from the factory. My weatherby 20 has a 26". I honestly think it's just a personal preference. I really don't notice much difference. I pattern my guns and choke combos to make sure I'm covering the kill zone out to yards. I think that's really more important than barrel length.
Title: Re: What barrel length 24”, 26” or 28”
Post by: C-Money on June 23, 2025, 05:31:32 AM: If I was to buy a designated turkey shotgun, I'd probably look at the shorter barrels. I've always just screwed in a full choke to the "do all" 28" workhorse shotgun I have at the time and gone for it. A short barrel may have an advantage in a pop-up blind. Other than that, :dunno:
Title: Re: What barrel length 24”, 26” or 28”
Post by: birddogdad on June 23, 2025, 09:08:19 AM: here.....https://www.fieldandstream.com/stories/guns/shotguns/shotgun-barrel-length-tips

pretty much sums up all the discussions.

for the record, i run a 24" 20ga with red dot with TSS and turkeys (about 5# carry) dont stand a chance inside of 60yds but i limit myself to 40ish for the show! Consider a 28 too.....
Title: Re: What barrel length 24”, 26” or 28”
Post by: salish on June 25, 2025, 08:23:32 AM: I have a Mossberg Super Bantam Youth 20ga pump that I sometimes use. The barrel is 22" and I have a Jeb's .555 choke in it. The shotgun kills turkeys just as well as my longer barreled guns and is much easier to get through brush with. And it's super nice if you're hunting out of a blind.
Title: Re: What barrel length 24”, 26” or 28”
Post by: Call em in on June 25, 2025, 12:47:43 PM: I prefer a shorter barrel for turkey hunting. Handier in the blind and the brush.
Title: Re: What barrel length 24”, 26” or 28”
Post by: salish on September 30, 2025, 09:45:20 AM: I have a turkey shotgun with a 22" barrel that kills turkeys just as well as my longer barreled guns. It's a Mossberg Super Bantam Youth Turkey shotgun in 20ga. I have a Jeb's .555 choke in it. It's much nicer to carry and use than the longer barrels. Lightweight, too.