Shotgun barrel lengths

[holdmybeer45]

I want to get into either a 14.5" or 18.5" barrelled shotgun and am curious how far out those barrel lengths will be effective with standard buckshot. Like how much range do you lose with the shorter barrel vs the standard? For a defensive shotgun I'd like something effective at roughly 30m or so. If I go the short route I'll likely put a choke on it to tighten up the groups at the range. Any advise and experience you want to share is welcome!

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[Andy54Hawken]

As a general rule....
Barrel length will not affect shot pattern.

Barrel length also does not usually affect how far shot will travel after being shot.
Barrel length can affect velocity , which may play into to just how "hard" the pellets strike a target at a given distance.
At most self defense / home defense shooting distances...I don't think this is a factor to be concerned with.

Barrel length will affect how the shotgun feels / handles ...and is carried ...as well as to an extent....how you shoot it.

What choke is used , will affect the shot pattern...as will the type / size of shot chosen.
Also...it is wise to try different brands of the size shot to see how it shoots from your shotgun / choke combination.

Edit to add....
What maker of chokes ...can also affect the shot pattern...my shotgun does really well with Carlson's Chokes....
While it shot well with the factory WInChoke it came with...the Carlson's Chokes seem to do a better job.

For home / self defense...
I prefer the Improved Cylinder choke with #3 buckshot in my shotgun.
What works best for you...with your shotgun could ( will ) be different...
It is always wise to shoot your shotgun and see just what pattern occurs...and how well you shoot with that shotgun / choke / cartridge combination.

Andy

Edit to add part 2
If you are wanting a 14.5 barrel...the easiest route is a Mossberg "Shockwave" , Remington "TAC 14" or the semi auto versions of those...
Anything else will require more money and such....unless you like felonies...

 

[Joe13]

I want to get into either a 14.5" or 18.5" barrelled shotgun

18" is minimum without a NFA tax stamp .


14.5" and you have a SBS.

 

[ATCclears]

Federal's #00 ammo with the FliteControl wad seems to provide a tighter grouping beyond 10 yards. I read about it, bought some, did some informal testing at an indoor range, and it is my go-to for #00 with the tactical shotgun and its 18" barrel.

You can find it on AmmoSeek.com or similar. Search for Federal and either of LE127 or LE132 product codes.

 

[DLS]

As Andy has already stated, shotgun barrel length has no effect on pattern size. The amount of choke relative to shot size, the type of shot, the wad and even the number of pellets in the load all effect pattern size.

What the shorter barrel does do is make the gun easier to maneuver in tight spaces which can be a plus for a defensive shotgun. The shorter barrel does have disadvantages, however. The shorter barrel reduces velocity which influences the ballistic arc and amount of drop relative to your sights. At defensive distances this a small concern, but something that should be mentioned to thoroughly discuss the issue. The shorter barrel will not swing as smoothly as a longer barrel. Again, for a defensive shotgun this is less an issue since it is aimed like a rifle. On a field gun, the swing makes a huge difference. This is why my dedicated trap gun has 34-inch barrels and the gun I use for sporting clays has 30-inch tubes. My defensive shotguns have 20-inch (because you get one more shell in the magazine over an 18.5 with little lost to tight-space maneuverability).

Shorter barrels have other disadvantages. The shorter tube will have more muzzle blast. A buckshot firing shotgun already has a rather brutal recoil, the added blast increases "perceived recoil" making accurate fire more difficult. This is worse shooting indoors and is in no way a small matter, it really makes a difference in the shooter's ability to make rapid, accurate shots. Additionally, the 14.5-inch barrel is in the Short-Barreled Shotgun range, requiring NFA registration.

Choke and shot size play a role. You ask about "standard buckshot". I guess if there is a standard you would be referring to 00. Buckshot sizes range from #4 (0.24-inch diameter) to 000 (0.36-inch diameter). #4 and 00 are the most commonly available sizes. Shotgun choke affects shot differently depending on its size. In the buckshot size range, over-choking can result in patterns becoming larger. Large shot constricted by too much choke will deform, creating a wider pattern at distance over uniform, still round shot. Typically, any choke over Improved Cylinder will begin to show this effect.

What shot are you shooting? Plain lead? Copper coated? Is the shot buffered? The old "rule-of-thumb" was that buckshot fired in a cylinder or IC choked gun will spread about one inch per yard of travel, so for your 30m (33 yards) range will see a 33-inch-wide shot spread. Since the average torso width of an average man who is facing you is about 15-inches you are facing the real possibility of the majority of your shot cleanly missing the target. This is for standard non-buffered, lead loads. Plating the shot, adding buffering agents and wad selection can reduce this. This is why you MUST pattern your gun / choke / load combo. There is no way to know otherwise.

On the other end of the spectrum, Federal has what is called their "Flight Control Wad". This wad releases much slower and more gently than a standard wad, reducing the pattern spread by anywhere from a quarter to half the size of standard lead loads. (see why you have to test fire!) These loads also use premium, coated and buffered shot. So, if you find these shells give you the maximum reduction from the standard loads, you are still looking at 16-inch spread at 30m necessitating you aim accurately, not unlike a rifle. You are responsible for the pellets that miss your target. You cannot just point your "alley sweeper" in the general direction and then mash the trigger.

The number of pellets plays a role too. The standard 2.75 inch 00 shell has 9 pellets. An interesting phenomenon called the 9th pellet flyer sometimes shows. The way 9 pellets stack in the shell causes one of them to be deformed badly when fired, so you get one pellet landing far out from the rest. This is why many tactical loads have only 8 pellets in 00 size. There are other considerations, but this is already a novel, so I'll sign off and let others chime in.

I hope this helps. Merry Christmas!

 

[aflineman]

Keep in mind, Oregon requires a minimum 18" bubblegumgun barrel for hunting. Even with a tax stamp.

 

[1775usmc]

18" is minimum without a NFA tax stamp .


14.5" and you have a SBS.

Unless he goes with the Remington Tac14 "firearm." Unless those have been made illegal….

Either way anything under 18" can't have a stock on it unless going through the NFA.

 

[holdmybeer45]

Thanks for the great info guys some really good edvice in here! Just for clarification I am looking at the mossberg 990 specifically and I am aware of the NFA laws.

I want to get into either a 14.5" or 18.5" barrelled shotgun and am curious how far out those barrel lengths will be effective with standard buckshot. Like how much range do you lose with the shorter barrel vs the standard? For a defensive shotgun I'd like something effective at roughly 30m or so. If I go the short route I'll likely put a choke on it to tighten up the groups at the range. Any advise

 

[ilikegunspdx]

I woudl get an 18" with folding stock not a pistol grip shotgun. 18" will be shorter when in use, and folding the stock gives roughly the same size for storage. My suggestion is to research it more, starting with the videos below, which explain some of the limitations of that gun.

FullSizeRender.MOV

• ilikegunspdx
• Dec 7, 2023

View: https://youtu.be/LmC3NlfUd-U?si=ufGUHhG90wbJhNDI

 

[dangerranger60]

Short barreled shotguns get really loud! I have 18 and 24" barrels for my SD gun. Since I acquired the 24" barrel, I have not used the 18 again.
That extra 6" really quiets the gun and moves the heat away from my front hand. And the 24 is threaded for a choke. I normally run a mod choke with #4 buckshot.
If I were using it from a truck or moving through doors and buildings the shorter barrel might make a better length. But outside in my yard and around the barns the 24 works so much better for me. DR

 

[Andy54Hawken]

24 inch barrel length is nice.
My newest shotgun has that barrel length....works well for grouse and hunting...
And I can move with it around my house easily.
Andy

 

[WillametteWill]

Tighter chokes do not always play well with buckshot. As @DLS suggested, get some Federal buckshot with FlightControl wads (Hornaday makes a similar product). Also, remember that shotgun barrels are like snowflakes. Two identical barrels with identical chokes will pattern differently. You might want to pattern your gun with the ammo you choose. I run a skeet choke, which is only slightly tighter than a straight tube.

I've seen a few articles on the interwebs about shotgun velocity and barrel length. It doesn't seem to matter much (usually 100 fps or less) until you get to barrels shorter than 14". I suspect that is because shotgun powder is actually fast burning pistol powder.

 

[ilikegunspdx]

24" is my favorite length. I have 19" and had several 18" and they were fine but I agree with danger ranger there is something different about the blast from 22"(ish) and longer vs 18"(ish). My coach gun was 18" and I always wished I had cut it down to 20" or 22" instead of 18" for that reason. My 19" ones have muzzle breaks and are long stroke gas piston so recoil is ridiculously mild on those so not a fair comparison on barrel length. 12 ga Rapid fire lack of muzzle rise on 19" long stroke piston w/brake:

FullSizeRender.MOV

• ilikegunspdx
• May 24, 2024