The Firing Line Forums - View Single Post

Dave McC · October 1, 2000, 09:41 AM

I disagree, Gunslinger. Your bbl may be everything you said,and probably is, but that's a result of interior dimensions, not length. Chokes are 50-50 science and magic.

Trap guns have long bbls for reasons of sight radius and balance. Modern powders burn inside of maybe 24 inches with most loads. A longer bbl may actually turn in lower velocities than a shorter one with the same load.Friction with the bore.

Rifles run much higher in velocity than shotguns,House. The slowest load I know of is the 45-70 405 gr moving at maybe 1600 FPS. That's a little faster than the fastest shotshell. BTW, bbls on rifles longer than 28
inches also don't add much velocity, if any.

If I were setting up a dedicated trap gun(unlikely), the bbl(s) would run no longer than 34" at most and more likely about 30". Again, this is for balance/swing.

October 1, 2000, 09:41 AM	#3
Dave McC Staff In Memoriam Join Date: October 13, 1999 Location: Columbia, Md, USA Posts: 8,811	I disagree, Gunslinger. Your bbl may be everything you said,and probably is, but that's a result of interior dimensions, not length. Chokes are 50-50 science and magic. Trap guns have long bbls for reasons of sight radius and balance. Modern powders burn inside of maybe 24 inches with most loads. A longer bbl may actually turn in lower velocities than a shorter one with the same load.Friction with the bore. Rifles run much higher in velocity than shotguns,House. The slowest load I know of is the 45-70 405 gr moving at maybe 1600 FPS. That's a little faster than the fastest shotshell. BTW, bbls on rifles longer than 28 inches also don't add much velocity, if any. If I were setting up a dedicated trap gun(unlikely), the bbl(s) would run no longer than 34" at most and more likely about 30". Again, this is for balance/swing.