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Greetings from Texas. The velocity difference between the various barrel lengths is negligible, but can be addressed by diddling reloads a bit if necessary. Trap guns generally have long barrels for an extended sight plane, and for a smooth swing. Both of my trap guns are built like this, a BT-99 Browning with 34" barrel and an L C Smith Olmypic SBT with a 32" tube.
The BT-99 has Briley chokes, and throws nice patterns with all five chokes, in most cases. Barrel length has no real effect on choke, the selected choke tube does. The Elsie is choked FULL and it is (30" @ 35 yards). My Sabatti sporting clays gun has 30" barrels, yet throws a tighter pattern than the Elsie SBT with its choke marked FULL. An even tighter pattern comes from a 16 bore Elsie Ideal featherweight, with 26" barrels.
Barrel length has no effect on distance shot will travel, this is dictated by muzzle velocity, drag and gravity. One shot pellet of a given size (and mass) can only travel so far, no matter how fast it's traveling when it leaves the gun, or how long the barrel is. Just plain physics.
The long barrels found on old double guns were to provide for more complete combustion of their black powder propellants, more barrel time for the shot column meant more pressure, which in turn raised the burn rate of the powder. This would allow the powder to burn more completely and with less residue, a major problem with black. Todays modern smokeless powders work well in a variety of conditions and applications, and do not require the barrel time to produce good velocities (pressures).
Barrel length is a matter of personal preference, and has little to no effect on velocities. I prefer longer tubes, one of my hunting partners swears by his shorties. Whatever the barrel length chosed, the gun should fit properly and be correctly balanced for it's intended task. Thanks, OL
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This year will go down in history. For the first time, a civilized nation has full gun registration! Our streets will be safer, our police more efficient, and the world will follow our lead into the future! - Adolf Hitler, 1935
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