What's the best shotgun barrel length?

[glockshooter]

I’m in the process of selecting a shotgun and trying to choose what's the best in terms of handling, recoil, and sight plane. For those who have experimented with different barrel lengths, which one did you prefer the most?

 

[DR505]

That depends on the target. I had a 14" barrel Remington 870 with Trijicon rifle sights issued from my agency for anti-personnel, I have various barrel lengths for different gauges and applications...goose, upland game, deer, etc. There is no one size fits all. I sure miss that Parkerized 14" 870 though.

 

[glockshooter]

That depends on the target. I had a 14" barrel Remington 870 with Trijicon rifle sights issued from my agency for anti-personnel, I have various barrel lengths for different gauges and applications...goose, upland game, deer, etc. There is no one size fits all. I sure miss that Parkerized 14" 870 though.

I'm planning to do a lot of general range work and maybe some local clay shoots so I’m trying to find that balance between maneuverability and a steady sight plane. I’ve tried a few 18–20" barrels, and they felt quick, but the 26–28" options seemed to really smooth out the swing and help with the recoil. Since you’ve used everything from short tactical barrels to longer hunting setups, did you find one length that felt the most balanced for all-around use, or do you think it’s better to customize the gun for each specific task?

 

[DR505]

I'm planning to do a lot of general range work and maybe some local clay shoots so I’m trying to find that balance between maneuverability and a steady sight plane. I’ve tried a few 18–20" barrels, and they felt quick, but the 26–28" options seemed to really smooth out the swing and help with the recoil. Since you’ve used everything from short tactical barrels to longer hunting setups, did you find one length that felt the most balanced for all-around use, or do you think it’s better to customize the gun for each specific task?

Lately I have been using a Browning Citori in 12 gauge with a 26” barrel. For upland game I like this setup.

The shorter barrels are handy, but I think I agree with you regarding longer barrels and their smoothness for tracking a clay pigeon or a grouse.

For clearing a building the 14” 870 was perfect.