got out to the range today to do a little testing I have wondered about for a while

already knowing the effect on target made no measurable difference mainly pheasants shot in the last few years


I got a Competition electronics Pro Chronograph DXL I have been looking at them for a long time and finally got around to it.

a nice feature is the Digital link so that my phone with app gets the data as I shoot I can start new shot strings without having to go down range to change anything and all the data is stored on my phone , it works traditionally also with a small screen

in the interest of not burning a ton of my hunting ammo I mostly shot 4 round strings to establish an average fps

the 3 loads tested were
Winchester Super X #4 shot high brass game loads 1 1/4 oz advertised velocity 1220fps

Winchester Super X #6 shot game loads 1 1/8oz advertize velocity 1255fps

buck shot 9 pellet the clear shells with a star head stamp said 1325fps I don't recall what it was they were loose rounds in my shot shell box

the gun was a Mossberg 500 with 2 different barrels I used the 28 for years , then bought he 20 about 2 years ago I love it for pushing through the thickets and woods chasing birds , it makes for a fast light combo

28 inch vent rib barrel with full choke and a 20 inch vent rib barrel with full choke

#4 20 inch
1193
1254
1242
1210

1224 average 61fps spread


#4 28inch barrel
1246
1294
1288
1299

1281 avg 53fps spread

57 fps difference in averages but shot to shot the 20" barrel can have a shot faster than the 28" , not a hill of beans difference if that happens. a 7fps per inch average increase in velocity in the longer barrel

#6 20 inch barrel
1195
1215
1229
1199

1209 avg 34 spread

#6 28 inch
1192
1267
1279
1261

1249 avg 87 spread

40fps difference in the average , just 5fps per inch of barrel

neither average makes advertised velocity although if I had shot more rounds it probably would have been very close on the 28 inch , it does seem like the first round of a string on a cold barrel is slower more data will see

buck 20 inch barrel
1321
1364
1343

avg 1342

Buck 28 inch barrel
1397
1399
1397

avg 1397fps


55fps difference in averages just 6.8 fps per inch


these are all small sample sized but a good look at the fairly minimal difference in velocity.

good trade off in my opinion for the maneuverability advantage.

Shotguns are different critters, in many aspects. The results you posed are interesting. Thank you.

I bet their advertising velocity was out of an improved cylinder or even a slug barrel Zero drag

Nice testing. Make sure there is no plastic shot protector material build up in the barrel between each batch. Most people don't realize that it fouls the inside more than considered. And sometimes is a little difficult to remove.

That’s a good test you did there. I wonder if BB 3 or 3.5” mags would be about the same average difference?

Thanks for taking time to do that I took screenshot of info for future use

Interesting.Thanks.

Thanks,

I had a super goose with a 36 inch barrel that really outshot my 28 inch guns, so I'm guessing you didn't reach the max point.

It amazes people when they find out most of the powder in a shotgun barrel is burned within the first. 5” and barrel length only comes into play when it comes to the type of shooting you do.

Sporting clays I use a 30” barrel. I need to slow down my swing with a nose heavy gun and I have a longer plain to look down, which keeps my head planted on my stock.

My Browning over and under has 26” barrels and is used for woodcock and rabbits. It is horrible on the sporting clays range because the muzzle is light and it swings too fast. You will actually shoot in front of the clays.

My duck and goose guns both have 28” barrels, one is a 3” chamber, the other 3.5”.

And what does all of this mean? They all shoot about the same velocity with the same shells.

I do have a couple of damascus side by sides I hunt with and the barrel length does play a major factor as I’m running black powder loads in them.

Great post, hopes it opens the eyes of shooters who didn’t know this information.

Good info with the advances in propellants it boils down to the type of shooting you do as stated whizs me off that they build a light short barreled turkey gun but a club for upland shooting

I've shot 24 inch barrels for many years. I do have some 28 inch barrels but I never use them.

before buying hte 20 inch barrel for that 500 I found some videos of people doing tests like this

some even with subu shorty AOW 9 inches , 14 inch , 18.5 19 then 26 or 28

the change in velocity above 19 inches was really minimal in the fps per inch

yes the 36 in what I found depended on the round but was 100-150 fps but your also toting around double the barrel when you figure the shell takes up the first 2 1/2 inches of barrel over an 18

I recall reading some where that the penetration distances or effective range distances for 6,5,4 shot were something like
62 yards for #6
77 yards for #5
84 yards for #4

that is off thee top of my head so I may be remembering that incorrectly or numbers may be a little off

but a little change in velocity only changes this a little so a 45 yard shot if you still have the pattern with 5 is still plenty effective and pattern is more likely to be an issue then pellet penetration.

exactly my peve

they recognize short guns for turkey , but you walk in and sit mostly for turkey

the way we hunt pheasant I am in the woods going through under brush and thorns wearing my Dan's brush busters has really saved my legs , I would come him just covered in little bitty scabs from all the thorns.

spend the $ on a gun that really fits you that you can do multiple types of hunting with. 20 fits that well for me.

there are a few 20 inch "turkey" guns on the market but very little for anything else short with chokes

Think the bigger bores on shotguns don't get as much ignition lag like pistols/rifles get.

When you think about the shotgun powders they are all fast burning

Clays , tight wad , lilgun, universal

all run fast like pistol powder

I have used clays and tightwad as pistol powder , fast like bullseye a little goes

so like pistols they are burned up fairly quick , a 45acp in a 16 inch barrel is sometimes slower than a 45 acp in a 12 inch barrel because by 12 inches most all the powder is burned up and it is already starting to slow down.

where rifles move way down the burn rate chart