While many are, not every owner at Brays is an expert hunter or sporting clays enthusiast. For those interested in exploring the sport or refining their shot, we sat down with one of our onsite Teaching Pros, Jim Arnold, NSCA III to find out which barrel length is best for different shooting sports here at Brays. With our upcoming Side-by-Side / Sub-Gauge Shoot in January where owners can choose their barrels, Jim gives us some insight into how to shoot your best shot for your game.
What length barrel should I use? Barrel length is an important part of the gun’s overall balance. Longer barrels tend to make the gun more nose heavy while shorter barrels make the gun more stock heavy. Shorter barrels are quick and longer barrels provide for more deliberate shooting. Field guns tend to have shorter barrels than target guns. Field guns need to be lighter for comfort of carry. Shorter barrels are lighter, quicker and help prevent getting the barrels hung up on the twigs and tree limbs in upland shooting.
The trend in recent years has been toward longer barrels for wing and clay. This thinking is true for barrels up to about thirty six inches. No respectable field shooter is going to pack a thirty six inch barrel to improve his field shooting. There are far too many other factors to be considered including practicality.
Which size should be used for sport shooting? Sporting shooters lean more toward longer barrels in the thirty to thirty two inch range. Again, many factors must be considered in addition to pointing accuracy at longer shorts. The size and strength of the person is most important. The thirty four inch Perazzi that I have points much differently than does my thirty inch Browning for sporting. It takes a bit more work to shoot that longer barrel, but for now the accuracy is worth the trade off.
What is best for skeet shooting? Twenty six inch barrels were the thing for skeet back in the sixties, but now many competitive skeet shooters are shooting thirty inch and even longer barrels. Again a lot of personal choice is involved here, but the trend is toward longer barrels. Here is a brief guideline:
- Sporting Clays: 28” to 34”, most popular 30”
- Skeet: 26” to 32”, most popular 28”
- Trap: 32” to 34”, most popular 34” single barrel
- Upland: 24” to 30”, most popular 26”
- Waterfowl: 28” to 32”, most popular 30” Auto
How do I choose the best barrel for my game? “Trend” or “trendy” might just be the key words here. Manufacturers are always pushing for change so they can sell more guns. Shooters are always looking for the trick that is going to make them better. There is no quick fix to shooting better. The right barrel length for you should be the one that fits you and your game. Comfort and confidence in your equipment should come ahead of all factors. Pick what feels good and enjoy your game.
Jim Arnold, founder of Custom Shooting Sports, is a Level III Shooting Instructor and can often be found at the Brays Island Gun Club. For the last 40 years, Jim has been making better shooters and is often published in sporting publications around the country.