|
Some years ago, the NRA's National Rifleman magazine Technical Staff did a study of shotgun barrel length.
The common thoughts were that a longer barrel shot "harder" and farther.
The NRA staff bought a Marlin Goose Gun bolt action shotgun with a 36" barrel and fitted a choke device to the muzzle.
The shot the gun for patterns and velocity over a chronograph, then cut one inch off the barrel, refitted the choke, and tested again.
They continued this testing and cutting off one inch until they got down to 12".
Their results:
Anything ballistically that's going to happen in a shotgun barrel will happen within 18 inches.
Anything over 28 inches and you actually start to loose velocity due to friction.
Patterning is a function of ammunition and choke, not barrel length.
Nothing "got out of hand" until the barrel was down to 12 inches.
Their conclusion was that the idea that longer barrels were better was a hold over from black powder days when longer barrels did produce better results due to the burning characteristics of black powder.
|