What's The Advantage of 32" Barrels for a Sporting O/U?

[calicojack]

My current O/U is a 30". What's the advantage of having 32" barrels for a sporting O/U? I've never owned or a used a shotgun with 32" barrels. Just curious what you guys think.

 

[chillman]

Gets you 2” closer to the target of course.

Seriously, I dont follow the fads of ever changing barrel lengths anymore. Shoot what feels best to you.

 

[calicojack]

Gets you 2” closer to the target of course.

Seriously, I dont follow the fads of ever changing barrel lengths anymore. Shoot what feels best to you.

I might rent one and try it out just to see. I don't have a strong opinion one way or the other, more curiosity than anything.

 

[JasonD67]

For me, it was balance. I went up to Joel Etchens a few years ago to buy my sporting O/U. In my mind I was going to buy a 30 inch. Etchens has a TON of guns so I was able to try them out side by side (I highly recommend doing this if you're looking to buy a new shotgun). For me, the 32 inch barrel was better balanced than the 30 inch (on the same model) and swung more smoothly, so that's what I ended up getting. Depending on your body type and the gun you plan on getting, you're experience may be different. That's why its important to go somewhere with a lot of different guns to try, and not just going down to Bass Pro and trying the 10-12 guns they have on the shelf.

 

[John from MD]

For me, it was balance. I went up to Joel Etchens a few years ago to buy my sporting O/U. In my mind I was going to buy a 30 inch. Etchens has a TON of guns so I was able to try them out side by side (I highly recommend doing this if you're looking to buy a new shotgun). For me, the 32 inch barrel was better balanced than the 30 inch (on the same model) and swung more smoothly, so that's what I ended up getting. Depending on your body type and the gun you plan on getting, you're experience may be different. That's why its important to go somewhere with a lot of different guns to try, and not just going down to Bass Pro and trying the 10-12 guns they have on the shelf.

Good advice. Joel Etchens has been successfully fitting people to shotguns for a long time. They give great customer service before and after the sale.

 

[Cochise]

more weight out front for a smoother swing and better follow through - longer rib to look down (for trap).
All that said the balance of the gun has more to do with who made it and how, than the barrel length.
Real life it shouldn't matter, I prefer longer barrels but 30" is long

 

[w2kbr]

shotguns maybe in a class all their own. depends on the shotgun sport engaged therein, I suppose. Generally the longer the sight radius, the better for accuracy.

 

[El_flasko]

I love 32’s for sporting and 5 stand. they felt better to ME, but you have to be comfortable with what feels right to you. I don’t shoot any trap, that’s a bit of a different animal imho. I shoot a little skeet and prefer 30’s personally there, but that’s because that game the targets are quick and repetitive. Ironically I ditched my over unders all together and went back to what fit me best w a Coles A400 and 30” barrels. Similar in overall length to an over under with 32’s. Get fit and barrel length is what it is. Some say 32’s are better for resale, but who really buys based on that lol.

 

[linkstate]

Like Cochise said, it depends on the gun, weight of the barrels and overall balance.

I had a Browning 725 Sporting with 30 inch barrels. I spent like 45 min at a shop trying both. It always stuck in my head I should have gotten the 32 inch barrels for a theoretical better feeling swing. It was probably all in my head.

I did fine as a casual shooter with 30 inches but still…

If I were to spend some bucks on another current O/U, I would go with 32s and see how it goes. More likely, I’d head up to Joel Etchen as well or contact Jack Bart and take a trip to Cambridge to the Guerini shop and get some expert opinions right off the bat.

At this point, an 1100 Sporting does what I need it to do to for an occasional day of shooting clays. The wood on mine is a very nice bonus for what it cost.

 

[rouchna]

I love m’y 32” barrels on my CG. The balance is just right. Don’t try one, you’ll end up buying one. I blame my purchase on @El_flasko

 

[fabsroman]

I just went and shouldered my 30" 682 sporting o/u, my 30" double super trap o/u, and my 28" 391 semi. The two double barrels felt about the same swing wise. The semi felt front heavy, but I shoot that gun really well. The balance on the semi might feel a little better with a 30" barrel, but when I was shooting more than once a year, I was shooting in the 45+ range at sporting clays with it.

For trap, the longer barrel is better for a longer sighting plane. I have a 34" top single barrel for singles trap.

It really comes down to balance and feel, and what feels good in your hands. I shot a Krieghoff K80 once and had to hand the gun right back to the guy because it felt awesome. I shouldered three different DT-11 guns at the Cabela's in Christiana several years ago and each one felt different, even though they were all the same gun. Right now, I regret not buying the third one I shouldered because it felt like nirvana.

Some turkey hunters prefer a short 24" barrel because the gun is lighter and more maneuverable. Some waterfowlers prefer a 30+" barrel for the extra weight and longer sighting plane. Me, I prefer a 28" barrel for both turkeys and waterfowl. I don't like the longer guns in the blind (i.e., less maneuverable) and I don't like such a short barrel for turkey.

It really comes down to personal preference. All my semis are 28". Two o/u are 28" and three are 30".

 

[STeveZ]

For me 28" in the field, 30" for skeet and 32" for sporting clays (though I'm warming up to 32" for skeet).

First a disclaimer, you concentrate on the target and only see your barrel in the periphery, you don't aim a shot gun.

That said, the extra 2" on the shooter's end translates into feet out at the target. On more distant presentations its harder to match the speed and trajectory of the target and avoid aiming. I find the extra barrel length makes it easier to do so while maintaining a smooth consistent swing.

 

[El_flasko]

I love m’y 32” barrels on my CG. The balance is just right. Don’t try one, you’ll end up buying one. I blame my purchase on @El_flasko

 

[rtse4me]

I have 30" barrels on o/u's and 28" on s/a. For me 32" is too long for fast targets like bunker and international skeet. If you shoot longer targets like in FITASC I would see the benefit in 32 barrels

 

[Doco Overboard]

Length of barrels, will help determine pitch at the toe of the stock and overall fit for how well you see down the gun when you look down it.
A gun with too much or not enough pitch will make the user shoot high or low at a given distance say like 40 yards.
It depends on what you see when you look past the bridge of the reciever and what the view of the top of the rib is and what sort of targets your after.