# 26-28 inch shotgun barrel lenth



## Steve G (Nov 29, 2016)

I am interested in picking up a 20 gauge semi-auto for waterfowl hunting and have been considering the Franchi Affinity. I like the price but not sure that I'd like the 26" barrel. Have any of you shot both a 26" barrel and a 28" barrel and experienced a difference in feel?


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## wagdog (Jan 6, 2009)

I haven't shot the Affinity but i have shot plenty of shotguns (pumps and autos) with a 26 or 28 inch barrel. In my experience, it depends on the gun. Sometimes the balance of the gun is more weight forward which is what I like for waterfowl. Sometimes it isn't and the 26 vs 28 inch barrel of the same model of shotgun doesn't matter that much. Pick up both models if you can and try to get a feel for them. If you can't tell a difference, the birds won't either. 

My chukar gun has a 26 inch barrel and I can miss them just as easy as with my 28 inch duck gun. I think the only time I could tell some discernible difference in how one swung vs the other was in a couple of Remington 1100s. The longer barrel felt like it swung a little slower and wasn't quite as "whippy." Others I can't really tell other than you are 2 inches closer to the birds with that 28 inch barrel!


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## Fowlmouth (Oct 4, 2008)

I will make this easy for you. Get the 26" barrel. I have the Weatherby SA-08 20 ga. with the 26" barrel and my daughter has the Franchi Affinity with the 26" barrel. If you like aftermarket chokes in the extended version they will add an extra 2" anyway. All of my 12 gauges have 28" barrels, and to be quite honest I would have no problem purchasing one with a 26" barrel. I don't believe there is any advantage to having a longer barrel other than what was mentioned about balance.

Goosefreak and I had this conversation last year and we both went for the 26" barrels on our new 20 gauges.

Oh, and BTW I shoot the 20 gauge better than I do my 12's. Love that gauge!


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## BPturkeys (Sep 13, 2007)

Not on the Franchi, but I have had both my 870's, 12 & 20, cut down to approx 24 inchs. I love that short lenght. They are a dream to carry in the field, handle and point nicely. The shorter barrel is especially nice in a sitting position like a turkey setup or duck blind. No need or reason for long barrels today, just use the right choke.


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## toasty (May 15, 2008)

I have 24", 26", and 28" barrels on 20ga semiauto shotguns. A 28" swings slower and is perfect for ducks and pheasants, but is slow for doves and quail. I hunt doves with a 24" and a 26" and then have to make an adjustment to my swing when I duck hunt. It takes a couple hunts to get used to the new swing. I don't like 24" for ducks, it is too fast and I miss more with that vs a 28" barrel. All of them work for turkeys, but sure it nice to hike with a shorter shotgun if it is thick and nasty. Bottom line, 26" works for everything and is the perfect length for a 20ga semi auto imo. 

For O/U, 26" is too short for everything, I like a minimum of 28", but 30" is better.


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## rjefre (Sep 8, 2007)

I have a few Franchi 20 gauges. I prefer the 26" barrel. I've never felt the need for a longer barrel and the balance is nice with the 26" Franchi.
R


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## Steve G (Nov 29, 2016)

Thanks guys. Great answers. I have a 26 inch barrel on my Ruger Red label o/u in 20 and I just don't like it for anything other than upland. I guess that is where my concern came from. The new 20 would only be used for waterfowl. it seems like the extra few inches give me a better sense of point-ability if that makes any sense.

I'll go swing it around in the shop this weekend.


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## AF CYN (Mar 19, 2009)

I went through the same process as you last Spring. For some reason, I just really wanted a 28" barrel. In the end, I think there were only two manufacturers that made a 20 ga. semi-auto with a 28" barrel--Weatherby SA-08 and Winchester SX3. The Winchester is a better gun, but is 2x more expensive. I bought the SA08 with a 28" barrel from Cabelas on special order. They gave me a smokin' deal! PM if you want more info. I really like the gun. 

My Mossberg with a 26" points faster, but I think I shoot better and feel more fluid with the 28". I don't know if it is balance, steady swing, or some other abstract quality of "pointability."


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## dubob (Sep 8, 2007)

Steve G said:


> I am interested in picking up a 20 gauge semi-auto for waterfowl hunting and have been considering the Franchi Affinity. I like the price but not sure that I'd like the 26" barrel. Have any of you shot both a 26" barrel and a 28" barrel and experienced a difference in feel?


If you are considering 26" v 28" barrel on the same make/model shotgun, then there will be NO discernable difference in feel between the 2. When you compare different makes/models (say Win v. Rem), then MAYBE you might feel a difference. You will always feel a difference when comparing stack barrels (O/U)with single barrels (Semi/Pump). Receivers on semi/pump guns are anywhere from 3 to 5 inches longer than stack barrels.

I shoot a 28" Beretta AL390 and a 26" Browning Maxus for waterfowl. Both 12's and I shoot both with no difference in my success rate. I don't plan on getting rid of either gun any time soon.


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## wagdog (Jan 6, 2009)

I'd buy a Weatherby SA-08 in 20 gauge. I've shot AF CYN's and it is a sweet gun. You could shoot target loads and 2 3/4 game loads all day and it doesn't hurt. I think everyone's biggest complaint is that you have to change the gas cylinder to go from light/target loads to heavy loads. I think it takes all of 45 seconds to change out. It is light enough to carry in chukar country and extremely pleasant to shoot. Hard to beat.


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## JerryH (Jun 17, 2014)

I have a 28" SX3 20ga that is a great gun. I like it for clay games but have shot some ducks with it. I have a 26" Beretta 390 - 20ga that is just a slice of heaven. I've nicknamed it Big Medicine. With the 26" barrel it is so snappy popping out of a layout blind. It is a fast pointing gun for me. For hunting I shoot the 26" Beretta better. Clay targets I shoot the 28" SX3 better. Kind of weird


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## caddis8 (Sep 10, 2007)

I thought long and hard last year. Got SX3 12 and thought between 26 or 28. I read and read and read. Somewhere I read 27" was the ideal swing length so bought 26". With my extended tubes I shoot it is 27". It swings nice and really like it. 

So for my .02 (which isn't worth a nickel) 26" is the way to go. Pull up quick, swing quick, and shoot. I shot it well last year. I bet that thing shoots really nice.


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## moabxjeeper (Dec 18, 2012)

I can't say much for 20ga but I hunt with the Affinity 12 gauge. I bought one in black synthetic off a guy with a 28" barrel and I hunted with that for a year or so. My dad sold his heavy Browning duck gun and hinted at buying my gun, all the while I was eyeing the same gun but in camo. I went to the store and picked up a few with the 26" barrel and they just felt different to me. The longer LOP of the Affinity feels better with a 28" barrel to me so I did some looking but finally bought that and sold my dad the black synthetic one.

I would say if you're going with a compact shotgun, 26" should do fine, otherwise, stick with 28". Mine swings plenty fast without being "jittery" and I've been able to squeeze out a few perfect games of skeet with them.


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## Bax* (Dec 14, 2008)

My opinion is to do the 26" barrel.

It would be easier to hunt upland game and make the gun a little more versatile. The longer barrel would be better for pass shooting, but I guess that it all boils down to hunting style.


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## Steve G (Nov 29, 2016)

Thanks again guys. I handled a few 20's yesterday all nice but pretty guns with differing barrel lengths. They weren't carrying any "hunting guns" at the time but at least I was able to see that the barrel length didn't seem to make any real difference in feel or psychology.

I'll just find a working gun, most likely the Affinity as it weighs only 6.0 lbs., and not worry about the two inches.


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## Fowlmouth (Oct 4, 2008)

The Affinity has a nice feel to it, doesn't it. It's basically an M2 with slight differences in the inertia system. I love the high vent rib too. Great choice!


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## BigMac (Feb 12, 2012)

Like Bob said in a auto a 26 is basically the same over all length as a 28 in stacked guns. And I have had a few of the old boys tell me the only place 2" longer on the end is a benifit is......well use your imagination &#55358;&#56596; so I don't get intouble here on the forum.


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## wyogoob (Sep 7, 2007)

I have a number of 26" and 28" barrels and the 26" barrels feel like they're further away than the 28" barrels.

.


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## toasty (May 15, 2008)

Fowlmouth said:


> The Affinity has a nice feel to it, doesn't it. It's basically an M2 with slight differences in the inertia system. I love the high vent rib too. Great choice!


Funny... I hate the high ribs, can't shoot them worth a crap. That is why I shoot Montefeltros.


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## Fowlmouth (Oct 4, 2008)

toasty said:


> Funny... I hate the high ribs, can't shoot them worth a crap. That is why I shoot Montefeltros.


My daughters Affinity shoulders perfect for me. I throw it up and I'm looking straight down the rib. I had to use a comb shim on my SA-08 to angle the stock so I am looking straight down the rib and not down on the rib. It worked out.

I wonder how many people never comb or cast their guns to fit them? I imagine most probably just take the gun out of the box and start shooting it.


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## toasty (May 15, 2008)

Fowlmouth said:


> My daughters Affinity shoulders perfect for me. I throw it up and I'm looking straight down the rib. I had to use a comb shim on my SA-08 to angle the stock so I am looking straight down the rib and not down on the rib. It worked out.
> 
> I wonder how many people never comb or cast their guns to fit them? I imagine most probably just take the gun out of the box and start shooting it.


I had an M2 and even bought the D shim and still couldn't get the POI to match my mounted aim. I went through so much pattern paper to get that gun to shoot and ended up selling that gun after a couple years of frustration. Factory configuration SA-08 is a perfect fit for me, have always shot that gun very well. Lesson I learned is that if you have a thin skinny face, raised ribs probably don't work as well for you. If you have a little meat on your cheek bones, check out a raised rib.


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## Fowlmouth (Oct 4, 2008)

toasty said:


> Lesson I learned is that if you have a thin skinny face, raised ribs probably don't work as well for you. If you have a little meat on your cheek bones, check out a raised rib.


You sayin' I'm fat? lol  
I shot the SA-08 okay out of the box, but the shim does make it feel/shoot better for me. The other thing with the Affinity is that it has a longer receiver and gives the overall length of the gun an extra inch over the SA-08. I like both guns equally, and I had a difficult time choosing between them. I have always had gas operated autos and that's probably why I chose the Weatherby.


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## Steve G (Nov 29, 2016)

wyogoob said:


> I have a number of 26" and 28" barrels and the 26" barrels feel like they're further away than the 28" barrels.


That's interesting. I just swung and bought the Franchi Affinity (26") today and was surprised at how long the barrel looked when looking down it. Also it felt more barrel heavy than I expected, but it snapped up really good so I bought it anyway.

BTW. If anybody is still looking at this thread, what pellet size and choke are you using with your 20 gauge for ducks? I use #3s and an improved choke in my 12 gauge so I thought I would keep it the same in the 20.


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## Fowlmouth (Oct 4, 2008)

Steve G said:


> That's interesting.
> 
> BTW. If anybody is still looking at this thread, what pellet size and choke are you using with your 20 gauge for ducks? I use #3s and an improved choke in my 12 gauge so I thought I would keep it the same in the 20.


#2's & 4's 3" on both with IC Kicks High Flyer. The #2's seem to like a Modified choke better though.


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## Steve G (Nov 29, 2016)

Kicks High Flyer?.


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## Fowlmouth (Oct 4, 2008)

Steve G said:


> Kicks High Flyer?.


Kicks High Flyer choke tubes. Carlson Cremator is another good one. Or you can just shoot the factory tubes the gun comes with. I like to have an extended choke in when I shoot steel shot.


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## Steve G (Nov 29, 2016)

Fowlmouth said:


> Kicks High Flyer choke tubes. Carlson Cremator is another good one. Or you can just shoot the factory tubes the gun comes with. I like to have an extended choke in when I shoot steel shot.


Oh. Got it. Thanks.


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## JerryH (Jun 17, 2014)

Give your I/C choke & #4's a try. You will be pleasantly surprised


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