The 28 is more accurate and better for bird hunting. The 26 is better for defense. They have different feel with larger being heavier. The shot velocity is higher with 28 but not by much.
With the 26″ shotgun, you’ll not lose much reach; it might simply be a matter of changing the lead. The overall effect is the same across the two lengths, however, depending on the firing style, you may consider the larger barrel to be more beneficial.
The Best Length for Home Defense
The gun is an excellent weapon for defending yourself and your family. There is a wealth of information available about expensive strategic shotguns and how to use them, as well as specific training and attachments. It may seem scary at first, but the reality is that a basic, no-frills gun will let you defend your house with ease. Here’s how to turn your existing shotgun into the basis of the home-defense strategy.
Whenever it comes to personal protection, having a shotgun is an excellent idea. In a crisis, you’ll need a rifle that meets your needs and is simple to use.
Work with the shotgun and understand how to operate it till loading, holding, and firing it is easy. A handgun does not need to include a pistol handle or a flexible stock to be effective. You don’t need a flashlight, a longer mag barrel, or a receiver-mounted cartridge holder to protect the house.
Are Longer More Accurate?
A basic field handgun is usually inexpensive and lacking in frills. The length of the barrels is the principal reason against utilizing a field weapon for home defense. Yes, a normal barrel is a little longer to handle within the home, but if you’re experienced with the rifle and can manipulate it within the constraints of the residence, the extra 6-8 inches further than a strategic barrel length may be perfect.
Birdshot, little pellets that produce dense structures at close distance, are less likely than handgun bullets to pass through surfaces.
Buckshot, for example, consists of nine big pellets for the increased knockout force at medium range-equivalent to shooting nine small caliber pistol shots from a given shell. Slugs, the maximum shotgun power, are available.
The Best Length for Bird Hunting
Remember that when you select a longer tube-and there are valid reasons to use it. you’ll be increasing the total length of the shotgun. It’s worth noting that you’re beginning with a 28”, which often has a significantly longer length than a specialized tactical shotgun.
Although barrel length has little effect on shotgun firing rate, it does alter handling. When you’re shooting in dense protection and shooting immobile prey (like birds), a shorter barrel does have a lot of advantages.
You’ll gain from getting a shorter barrel in specific upland hunting scenarios, especially when shooting birds and woodcock in close cover.
Target guns made for clay games are on the other extreme of the range. Trap and sporting clays pistols typically have barrels ranging from 28 – 34 inches, and larger barrels will be less of a strain because skeet sports involve little walking.
Balanced Handling and Feel
Choosing a shotgun with superb stability is a bit difficult. The shotgun-barrel combination that is the best weapon in your search quest against 108mm objects appears to be a bit of wizardry. The myth around shotgun management, on the other hand, is based on the shooter’s impression rather than actual observable gun characteristics.
Because swing is all about feeling, anyone who comments on it will most likely respond with nonsense. Larger, heavy barrels move more smoothly, whereas light barrels are more maneuverable but lack the same stroke, or velocity, as a larger barrel.
Swing is governed by the gun’s center of mass and is more of a feeling than a logical entity. The barrel size, barrel shape, choke type, barrel composition, wrist thickness, and other factors all influence swing.
However, there are certain quantifiable facts in terms of balance and control. With a larger barrel, the comparable gun will get more mass at the tip. As a result, the equilibrium point shifts forward, moving it closer to the action. The swing is smoothed out by the mass bias.
Long-barreled rifles perform much better for some, but some of them may be due to your arm length and arm position.
Shot Velocity
In general, though, shot size does not affect the pattern’s length. Choke is used to control this. It might have a minor impact on actual design size but is not sufficient to change the approach.
There is a link between the number of shots fired and recoil. In general, a 1-ounce bullet will travel lighter than an 11-ounce shell. Begin with a 1-ounce shell if you’re susceptible to recoil, then graduate up to a 28-gauge shotgun. The pattern is governed only by the constriction and the load employed; the barrel size has no bearing on the pattern.
The sight range, mass, and balance of a shotgun are all affected by the barrel size, and these characteristics will affect how well you fire. You’ll be able to shoot more precisely with a longer sight radius. A greater sight circle might assist you in choosing a bird now and again, but it won’t create a terrible shooter excellent shooter terrific, therefore it shouldn’t be one of the key elements to consider when choosing a barrel length. Weight and total length are both important considerations.
Long guns are inconvenient, but how much barrel length and mass affect your bird hunting effectiveness relies on the circumstances. If you’re among the few independent waterfowlers who travel long miles to hunt in remote areas of public property, gun mass and barrel size may play a major role in your successes or failures. The average velocity of 26” barrel is 1100 fps and for 28” is 1101 fps.
If someone is a small-statured gunner with a small distance of pull, a 26” barrel will probably help your rifle balance well. A 28” barrel will perform well if you have large hands and a similarly longer length of the draw. It’s the most preferred barrel size for semi-auto bird guns since it works perfectly for a wide variety of users and manufacturing stocks.
