theintz Posted July 21, 2006 Share Posted July 21, 2006 I haven't bought my Benelli yet but I am torn between the 28 or the 26 inch barrel? I duck and pheasant hunt...with an old 12 gage with a 24 inch... 2 3/4 chamber...just not cut out for what I want to do...more made for deer hunting. Any help would be great... PS. Looking at getting into turkey hunting if the wife doesn't shoot me 1st!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Feltrosport Posted July 21, 2006 Share Posted July 21, 2006 look at it this way...barrel length these days is for pace of swing. There is only 7 fps per inch for barrel length so the difference between the 26 and 28 is that the 28 will shoot about 14 fps faster at the muzzle. Big Deal. If you are of small stature then go 26 or if you are taller than average then the 28. Both lengths will shoot the same. [ 07-21-2006, 12:27 AM: Message edited by: Feltrosport ] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ol'Roy Posted July 21, 2006 Share Posted July 21, 2006 Originally posted by theintz: I haven't bought my Benelli yet but I am torn between the 28 or the 26 inch barrel? I duck and pheasant hunt...with an old 12 gage with a 24 inch... 2 3/4 chamber...just not cut out for what I want to do...more made for deer hunting. Any help would be great... PS. Looking at getting into turkey hunting if the wife doesn't shoot me 1st!!! Wich ever you like best, I have shot all the critters listed above with 26 and 28'' barrels. I would go with the one that points best for you, my SBE has a 28'' barrel and my brother has a 26'' barrel on his. They both shoot about the same, but we each have our own set of prefferences and it is probably the same for you Good Luck Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tucker301 Posted July 21, 2006 Share Posted July 21, 2006 Watch a video on barrel length Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
puddle jumper Posted July 21, 2006 Share Posted July 21, 2006 I just bought a new SBE 2 28" barrel a couple of months ago, to replace my Stoeger M2000 26". I feel like I can swing the Stoeger 26" faster, and line up the site faster. I have a tough time lining up the mid site and the end site fast enough to get on the clay before they hit the ground. I might just need more practice, but at this point I like the 26" barrel better. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Remy Posted July 21, 2006 Share Posted July 21, 2006 Remember that the receiver on a SBE is quite long compared to many other pumps and autos. If you stand an SBE with a 26" barrel next to a lot of other guns with a 28" barrel, they are about the same length. I have a 26" SBE and have never regretted the decision. Also, if you use an after market choke of the extended type, you gain close to an inch in length with it in place. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mudhen Posted July 21, 2006 Share Posted July 21, 2006 26" for me... mudhen - CA Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sdkidaho Posted July 21, 2006 Share Posted July 21, 2006 Originally posted by Remy: Remember that the receiver on a SBE is quite long compared to many other pumps and autos. If you stand an SBE with a 26" barrel next to a lot of other guns with a 28" barrel, they are about the same length. SBE II, 28" Overall length: 49.6" Weight: 7.3 lbs --- Xtrema 2, 28": Overall length: 50.75" Weight: 7.8 lbs 26": 48.75" --- Not sure about other shotguns in comparison, but the Beretta was definitely longer. The 26" Beretta felt like the 28" Benelli. Watching the video is good advice, and then handling a couple at your local sporting goods shop will help. Also, you can read what was said in these threads in this forum as well: First thread. Second thread. Third thread. I had the same question a while back. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Remy Posted July 21, 2006 Share Posted July 21, 2006 sdkidaho Compare to an 11-87, 870, Browning Auto-5, Win. Model 12, Beretta 303. All these are noticeably shorter than the benelli. The Extrema has an exceptionally long receiver like the SBE. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sdkidaho Posted July 22, 2006 Share Posted July 22, 2006 Yeah, but I'm not interested in those shotguns. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EricStricklin Posted July 23, 2006 Share Posted July 23, 2006 I believe a great deal of how a gun performs is in the barrel and ammo used. A longer barrel means more muzzle veolicty (probably 25 fps per inch more with a shotgun and around 50 with a rifle) and with a shotgun a tighter pattern obviously. Also a longer barrel would cool a tiny bit better and not to mention they have been known to help balance a gun out that has a heavy action. The material a barrel is made out of or lined with makes a big differnece in barrel life too, although that doesn't apply here. Having said that in a more perfect world we would all have shotguns with 32 inch barrels; but it just isn't practical. Personaly I don't feel like 2 inches would make or break a gun's versatility and cause a lot of handling issues but it really is all about personal preference in the end. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mudhen Posted July 24, 2006 Share Posted July 24, 2006 Originally posted by EricStricklin: probably 25 fps per inch more with a shotgun I have read it is around 7 fps per inch on shotguns with modern loads - as someone else posted above... mudhen - CA Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Butch-M Posted July 24, 2006 Share Posted July 24, 2006 26 inch Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr Auto Posted July 25, 2006 Share Posted July 25, 2006 Barrel length is all about the "feel" of the gun. A longer barrel does not provide tighter paterns over a shorter one. Velocity loss is between 5 fps to 10 fps per barrel inch up to a 30 barrel. Any model that has a rotary bolt face will have a longer overall length than a top locking lug design. A barrel length of 26" or 28" would be versatile. Hold the gun you want with both lengths to see which one you like the best. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
P. Steve Morgan Posted July 29, 2006 Share Posted July 29, 2006 I say 26" of the two choices you offered. A 24" barrel would be even better, especially for turkey. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
95 All American Posted August 2, 2006 Share Posted August 2, 2006 HELLO SINCE YOUR ASKING ILL PUT IN MY 2 CENTS I HAVE SHOT ALL KINDS OF SHOTGUNS FROM 30,000 TO 300 DOLLARS THEY ALL DO THE SAME THING, SCATTER SHOT! (1) BARREL LENGTH, THE LONGER THE BARREL, THE BETTER SIGHT PICTURE (BEAD TO BIRD) WILL LOOK AS YOU MOUNT AND SWING THE GUN. THEY ALSO TEND TO BE LESS WHIPPY. (2) IF YOU PLAN ON SHOOTING JUST BIRDS IN THE FIELD I WOULD CHOOSE THE 30. IF YOU ARE USING IT AS A ALL AROUND HUNTING, THE 28 IF IT'S HUNTING IN A BLIND OR STAND 26 AND ANY THING LESS THAN THAT IS PURLY TACTICAL. SEE WHERE THIS IS GOING LONG IS SMOOTH AND SHORT IS FAST THAT IS WHY TACT GUNS HAVE SHORT BARREL FOR QUICK TARGET ACQUSITION AND CONCEALMENT.... BARREL LENGTH WILL NOT HAVE THAT MUCH OF AN EFFECT ON THE PATTERN WITH THE WAY GUNS HAVE DEVELOPED THATS JUST MY 2 CENTS AND THAT DONT MATTER MUCH, JUST ASK MY WIFE!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
noise1 Posted August 5, 2006 Share Posted August 5, 2006 Why not get the best of both worlds with the 28" gun and an extra 24" barrel. Or the 24" barrel with a set of extended criochokes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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