I’d like to see the look on the Game Warden’s face.
What would be the shortest you dove hunters would go barrel length on a shot gun. I was thinking 20” barrel would work or should I keep it no shorter than 24”
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Fit is more important than barrel length..
I was always taught that before you buy a shotgun you need to shoulder it with your eyes closed. Imagine your eye looking down the barrel, then open your eyes. If your eye is lined up perfectly it is a good fit. If the sight is too low you need to adjust the comb of the butt stock, and if it is too high it doesn't fit you.
The rest is up to you.
20" is pretty short for a hunting gun. 24" or 26" is much more popular.
Don't get me wrong, they all work in the right hands.
Vaquero covered it pretty well.
The shotgun has to fit you well and swing smoothly. That trumps barrel length.
Totally agree! Choke is everything. And for doves, I would recommend Modified. I've never hunted with Improved Cyl or no choke, only used Modified or Full and have killed a bunch of birds with both, mostly Modified though, which is my old Wingmaster. I basically learned on that gun and have never been tempted to let it go. Those Mossberg 500's are really good shotguns for the money too. I've had a few new to the sport dove hunters who I recommended that gun to and they shoot well and the action is plenty quick. I'd own one.Yep, choke is the important part. I've dove hunted a few times with 18 inch barreled mossberg 500 basic entry level shotguns.. First time was with no choke, i.e. cylinder bore, didnt hit a thing. Good thing that I loved to shoot or it would have been a miserable day. Second time, the very next day, I borrowed an 18 inch full choke barrel from my dad and limited out in an hour.
The following has many variables that would alter the numbers ÷/- but is a good baseline idea of the difference in chokes.
With a cylinder bore, no choke whatsoever, your pattern is about 45 inches at 25 yards and probably not lethal due to energy bleed off by expanding pattern and the number of pellets in any one spot.
A full choke essentially doubles the pellet density at 25 yards and has half the pattern spread of cylinder bore. At about 40 yards the full choke equals the cylinder bore specs at 20 yards.