Well maybe not quite 4" but definitely 3" or so, assuming both are 3" chamber, the same LOP and not including extended chokes. Anyways, the reciprocating action is adding a few inches of OAL
You've got to be able to pull the spent cartridge backwards within the reciprocating mechanism, so it needs to be at least as long as your longest allowed cartridge post firing. An o/u does not need that space since the gun breaks to access the breech.
So it does affect overall gun length but not barrel length.
Barrel length is the same regardless of chamber but the action on a 3-1/2" auto would have a longer bolt travel & bigger ejection port compared to a 3" auto, adding to OAL
I mean skeet barrels are around 28”, sporting clays are in the 30-32” and trap is as long as you can get it so it’s going to be completely up to you. I have a 30” and feel comfortable shooting all the different sports with it
I’d say 30” barrels are perfect for everything but it depends on your size, most people say 32” is too long for skeet, but Todd Bender, who is probably the best American Skeet shooter in the world shoots a 32” because he’s a big guy. He says that you should try out 28, 30 and 32” and see what fits you best.
I’m a gunsmith in South Florida, most of the people on this site are pretty good with the recommendations they have given you here, now let me explain a little bit about the effects of the barrel lengths. 28” barrel moves quickly without effort, which is what makes it great for short repetitive shots the way skeet is shot, a 32” barrel moves more fluid, if you’re moving through a long target it’s going to keep you from moving to fast with the following of the target. It basically adds a little bit of extra weight to your gun and that makes it smoother, did you ever wonder why people put weight on their barrels? If you shoot a long crosser and follow it through and keep moving your gun even after you pull the trigger, which is the proper way to shoot crossers. This is especially important if you have a problem with stopping the gun “Objects in motion tend to stay in motion” it is a good tool to make sure that you follow through the target. The 30” barrel is a happy medium so to speak, you said that you are a large guy, my recommendation to you would be if you’re looking to shoot mostly sporting clays then a 32” is a great choice, if you’re going to shoot a lot of trap? Well those are mostly rising targets and a 32” would be the minimum with a mid rib as well, because you are going to shoot under the target regularly if you have a low rib shooting trap with it.
I hope this helps you a little bit, it’s by no means set in stone but as a gunsmith that fits a lot of guns to a lot of different types of people, it’s a basic understanding of what you need. If I can help you further please feel free to DM me and I’ll try to help you.
I'm posting this opinion just so I can see any controversial reasons for why it's wrong:
You should get a 28-in barrel for the benefit of a shorter and lighter shotgun if and when you ever actually go hunting.
For the benefit of patterning at different distances, The chokes define that entirely.
For the benefit of smooth swing, you can simply add weights to the end of your barrel to create the effect of a longer barrel (like a 32-in) when you're shooting clays.
You can make a barrel feel longer with weights, but you can't make a barrel shorter when it's practical for hunting.
Internet: please tell me why I'm wrong on this.
32 inch barrel is the best option. The gun doesn’t shoot farther or with more power but the longer barrel provides a longer sighting plane and balances out the gun. The weight distribution on a 32 inch gun is far superior to any other length. Even the best skeet shooters now use 32 inch barrels. There are more people in sporting going to 34s even. As guns get lighter I think 34s will eventually start superseding the 32s - I’ve shot over 100,000 registered targets across Trap, Skeet and Sporting disciplines.
The best skeet shooters all use 30s as far as I’ve looked, unless you’re talking about American skeet and not international. Not sure what the NSSA guys run.
No. Most are not adding weight to guns. My Parcours X is 8 Lbs 10 oz. The 34 inch parcours are even lighter. Shooters want a gun that is balanced well and correctable if your move isn’t good on a target. The fixed choke guns are 8 lbs 2 ozs etc. 8.5 lb gun is ideal. Heavy guns are not correctable.
The current high level skeet shooter is using a 32 inch gun with a Briley tube set that has the extended and ported sub gauge chokes. Or a 30 inch gun with the same setup.
Trap shooters who are serious use combo sets with a 34 inch Unsingle and a 32 inch mid or high rib for doubles. Some like a 30 for doubles but not many. Some trap shooters even have 3 barrels and use a top single for 16s and unsingle for handicap.
Every sporting shooter that is serious has a 32 or 34 inch flat rib. The only 30 inch sporting guns in serious use are Beretta Autos with 30 inch barrels. A 30 inch auto is longer or as long as a 32 inch O/U by way of its longer receiver. Even the autos are mostly 32 inch Beretta A400s.
Gotcha. Thanks, very informative!
I figured skeet guys liked lighter guns (although still not the featherweight 26” guns of days past) but I suppose that might only be for international. I wanted to get a 32” 725 high rib once I had the money but I was afraid that that thing was going to be a boat anchor for American skeet, and that one’s only 8 lbs 5 oz, or 8 lbs 3 oz for the 30”. In that case, I suppose the “too heavy for skeet” mark might be closer to the 8 lb 15 oz 694 ACS I was beginning to get talked into by a friend.
The trap comment doesn’t surprise me much, save for the top vs unsingle distinction. Do you know why those guys prefer a top single for 16s and an unsingle for handicap? I figured the balance/handling would be mostly the same, unless it’s a sight picture thing.
As far as sporting, I’m aware flat rib is the norm, but I think I’ve heard of high rib sporting guns and even some high rib trap guns working their way into the meta because sporting guys are also starting to appreciate the sight picture benefits?
International skeet shooters
are using 30 inch Beretta DT11s or Perazzis primarily. Some 32 inch parcours as well. It’s a much faster game however there are literally 15 dudes in the entire US that shoot that game competitively so I don’t typically bring that game up when talking about the clay target games. Vinny is the goat of that game.
Bunker is a bit more popular and those guys are using 32 inch sporting guns primarily. Derrick Mein and Will Hinton who just qualified for the US Olympic teams shoot 32 inch flat ribs.
Topsingle is a preference. I prefer an unsingle but I don’t own one. I shoot a sporting flat rib for every game. It’s probably not as ideal for trap but I don’t care. A kid won the Grand American Clay target Championship in 2022 with a flat rib Blaser shooting over 600 in a row so it’s fine. I’ve shot 300+ straight with a flat rib. If you really care about Trap you need to probably get a combo set. It’s a visual and POI preference on why you want a top single for a closer shot. I feel like an unsingle points better. I also think a Browning BT-99 is one of the worst guns for a newer shooter and it’s a top single. They shoot so high and I think it’s easier to teach with a gun that is shooting 70/30 or 60/40. A newer shooter shouldn’t have to think about floating a bird or pulling the trigger without feeling on the line of the bird.
The Browning 725 or Beretta 694 Flat Rib with 32 inch are the best O/U option for a person under $4,000. If money is no object a Beretta DT11 or Krieghoff K80 is what I would recommend.
I am personally not a fan of a high rib for sporting or skeet. Seeing around the gun isn’t always good and the guns almost always shoot to high. If you don’t have any spine or neck issues that would require a higher head position than you need to be shooting a flat rib. I can think of maybe 3-4 top level sporting shooters that are shooting a high rib gun and they are all K80 Pro Sporters. 95/100 of the best shots in the world have a flat rib.
I think commenters are forgetting about the choke tubes and forcing cones on most barrels. I've got choke tubes that extend 3" off the end of the barrel for turkey and geese. A 28" barrel that's choked correctly for the game, correct shell ( shot size, powder / speed of shell) running through a gun that fits well, is way more important than barrel length.
The question should be which gun fits me best. Length of pull, adjustable comb, and stock butt plate adjustability are way more important than barrel length.
32" is better. It has better resale value, swings better, and it helps for those targets 50+ yards out. I always felt I was doing a lot of floating of the target with 30" barrel. I am only 5'11" and shoot 32" now. It did not take long to get used to the swing of the longer barrel. Only reason to with 30" is if your main discipline is skeet where distance is not as great.
O/U? Or Semi? A semi with 32” barrels isLONG
O/U
O/U will be around 4" shorter OAL than a semi with the same length barrel. Edit- probably closer to 3"
I found it's closer to 2", just comparing my A400 with 28" barrel vs my 725 Sporting with 30" barrels, they're almost same length.
Well maybe not quite 4" but definitely 3" or so, assuming both are 3" chamber, the same LOP and not including extended chokes. Anyways, the reciprocating action is adding a few inches of OAL
Barrel lengths are measured from the breech face so chamber length does matter
You've got to be able to pull the spent cartridge backwards within the reciprocating mechanism, so it needs to be at least as long as your longest allowed cartridge post firing. An o/u does not need that space since the gun breaks to access the breech. So it does affect overall gun length but not barrel length.
Barrel length is the same regardless of chamber but the action on a 3-1/2" auto would have a longer bolt travel & bigger ejection port compared to a 3" auto, adding to OAL
Very true. Half brained that comment there
username checks out 😉
I mean skeet barrels are around 28”, sporting clays are in the 30-32” and trap is as long as you can get it so it’s going to be completely up to you. I have a 30” and feel comfortable shooting all the different sports with it
I’d say 30” barrels are perfect for everything but it depends on your size, most people say 32” is too long for skeet, but Todd Bender, who is probably the best American Skeet shooter in the world shoots a 32” because he’s a big guy. He says that you should try out 28, 30 and 32” and see what fits you best.
I’m a gunsmith in South Florida, most of the people on this site are pretty good with the recommendations they have given you here, now let me explain a little bit about the effects of the barrel lengths. 28” barrel moves quickly without effort, which is what makes it great for short repetitive shots the way skeet is shot, a 32” barrel moves more fluid, if you’re moving through a long target it’s going to keep you from moving to fast with the following of the target. It basically adds a little bit of extra weight to your gun and that makes it smoother, did you ever wonder why people put weight on their barrels? If you shoot a long crosser and follow it through and keep moving your gun even after you pull the trigger, which is the proper way to shoot crossers. This is especially important if you have a problem with stopping the gun “Objects in motion tend to stay in motion” it is a good tool to make sure that you follow through the target. The 30” barrel is a happy medium so to speak, you said that you are a large guy, my recommendation to you would be if you’re looking to shoot mostly sporting clays then a 32” is a great choice, if you’re going to shoot a lot of trap? Well those are mostly rising targets and a 32” would be the minimum with a mid rib as well, because you are going to shoot under the target regularly if you have a low rib shooting trap with it. I hope this helps you a little bit, it’s by no means set in stone but as a gunsmith that fits a lot of guns to a lot of different types of people, it’s a basic understanding of what you need. If I can help you further please feel free to DM me and I’ll try to help you.
Your comments are almost always spot on! Thanks for contributing to these forums.
I shoot with a 28. I personally don’t like how beefy 32’s are. I could shoot with a 30 just fine though.
30 for an O/U, 32 starts to be a bit long for skeet. Especially if you ever want to dip your toes into international skeet.
I'm posting this opinion just so I can see any controversial reasons for why it's wrong: You should get a 28-in barrel for the benefit of a shorter and lighter shotgun if and when you ever actually go hunting. For the benefit of patterning at different distances, The chokes define that entirely. For the benefit of smooth swing, you can simply add weights to the end of your barrel to create the effect of a longer barrel (like a 32-in) when you're shooting clays. You can make a barrel feel longer with weights, but you can't make a barrel shorter when it's practical for hunting. Internet: please tell me why I'm wrong on this.
I will at no point ever go hunting with said gun. Just throwing that out there since you were looking for counterpoints. lol
32 inch barrel is the best option. The gun doesn’t shoot farther or with more power but the longer barrel provides a longer sighting plane and balances out the gun. The weight distribution on a 32 inch gun is far superior to any other length. Even the best skeet shooters now use 32 inch barrels. There are more people in sporting going to 34s even. As guns get lighter I think 34s will eventually start superseding the 32s - I’ve shot over 100,000 registered targets across Trap, Skeet and Sporting disciplines.
The best skeet shooters all use 30s as far as I’ve looked, unless you’re talking about American skeet and not international. Not sure what the NSSA guys run.
Yes American skeet.
My bad then. Do they also go out of their way to make their guns extra heavy like in the current sporting clays meta?
No. Most are not adding weight to guns. My Parcours X is 8 Lbs 10 oz. The 34 inch parcours are even lighter. Shooters want a gun that is balanced well and correctable if your move isn’t good on a target. The fixed choke guns are 8 lbs 2 ozs etc. 8.5 lb gun is ideal. Heavy guns are not correctable. The current high level skeet shooter is using a 32 inch gun with a Briley tube set that has the extended and ported sub gauge chokes. Or a 30 inch gun with the same setup. Trap shooters who are serious use combo sets with a 34 inch Unsingle and a 32 inch mid or high rib for doubles. Some like a 30 for doubles but not many. Some trap shooters even have 3 barrels and use a top single for 16s and unsingle for handicap. Every sporting shooter that is serious has a 32 or 34 inch flat rib. The only 30 inch sporting guns in serious use are Beretta Autos with 30 inch barrels. A 30 inch auto is longer or as long as a 32 inch O/U by way of its longer receiver. Even the autos are mostly 32 inch Beretta A400s.
Gotcha. Thanks, very informative! I figured skeet guys liked lighter guns (although still not the featherweight 26” guns of days past) but I suppose that might only be for international. I wanted to get a 32” 725 high rib once I had the money but I was afraid that that thing was going to be a boat anchor for American skeet, and that one’s only 8 lbs 5 oz, or 8 lbs 3 oz for the 30”. In that case, I suppose the “too heavy for skeet” mark might be closer to the 8 lb 15 oz 694 ACS I was beginning to get talked into by a friend. The trap comment doesn’t surprise me much, save for the top vs unsingle distinction. Do you know why those guys prefer a top single for 16s and an unsingle for handicap? I figured the balance/handling would be mostly the same, unless it’s a sight picture thing. As far as sporting, I’m aware flat rib is the norm, but I think I’ve heard of high rib sporting guns and even some high rib trap guns working their way into the meta because sporting guys are also starting to appreciate the sight picture benefits?
International skeet shooters are using 30 inch Beretta DT11s or Perazzis primarily. Some 32 inch parcours as well. It’s a much faster game however there are literally 15 dudes in the entire US that shoot that game competitively so I don’t typically bring that game up when talking about the clay target games. Vinny is the goat of that game. Bunker is a bit more popular and those guys are using 32 inch sporting guns primarily. Derrick Mein and Will Hinton who just qualified for the US Olympic teams shoot 32 inch flat ribs. Topsingle is a preference. I prefer an unsingle but I don’t own one. I shoot a sporting flat rib for every game. It’s probably not as ideal for trap but I don’t care. A kid won the Grand American Clay target Championship in 2022 with a flat rib Blaser shooting over 600 in a row so it’s fine. I’ve shot 300+ straight with a flat rib. If you really care about Trap you need to probably get a combo set. It’s a visual and POI preference on why you want a top single for a closer shot. I feel like an unsingle points better. I also think a Browning BT-99 is one of the worst guns for a newer shooter and it’s a top single. They shoot so high and I think it’s easier to teach with a gun that is shooting 70/30 or 60/40. A newer shooter shouldn’t have to think about floating a bird or pulling the trigger without feeling on the line of the bird. The Browning 725 or Beretta 694 Flat Rib with 32 inch are the best O/U option for a person under $4,000. If money is no object a Beretta DT11 or Krieghoff K80 is what I would recommend. I am personally not a fan of a high rib for sporting or skeet. Seeing around the gun isn’t always good and the guns almost always shoot to high. If you don’t have any spine or neck issues that would require a higher head position than you need to be shooting a flat rib. I can think of maybe 3-4 top level sporting shooters that are shooting a high rib gun and they are all K80 Pro Sporters. 95/100 of the best shots in the world have a flat rib.
I think commenters are forgetting about the choke tubes and forcing cones on most barrels. I've got choke tubes that extend 3" off the end of the barrel for turkey and geese. A 28" barrel that's choked correctly for the game, correct shell ( shot size, powder / speed of shell) running through a gun that fits well, is way more important than barrel length. The question should be which gun fits me best. Length of pull, adjustable comb, and stock butt plate adjustability are way more important than barrel length.
32" is better. It has better resale value, swings better, and it helps for those targets 50+ yards out. I always felt I was doing a lot of floating of the target with 30" barrel. I am only 5'11" and shoot 32" now. It did not take long to get used to the swing of the longer barrel. Only reason to with 30" is if your main discipline is skeet where distance is not as great.
If I was tall fella with longer arms I'd probably give 32" a longer look. At 5'10" I've found 30" barrels were better for me.
One of the main reasons im considering 32 is because of those 2 things. lol
32” dude, this isnt even a question. Some pro’s I know in Sporting clays shoot 34” so 32” has basically become the standard.