I am new to the shotgun sports and was wondering if there is a barrel length that would be a good compromise for all the sports and migratory bird hunting. I am not trying to be great at any one sport but to be good at all the sports plus hunting. This is just so my son and I can have fun, spend time together and get better at shooting shotguns cause we both suck right now but we enjoy it. I know gun fit is the most important aspect but I am not sure if a 26 in., 28 in. or a 30 in. barrel would be a good all around length. We hunt over decoys so shooting at birds is less than 40 yards.

It's all about personal preference in my experience. When wing shooting I have always found longer barrels to be better because it helps you swing the shotgun and stay on target. If you are turkey hunting shorter barrels help when you are sitting in the brush and trying to blend in as much as possible. A lot of turkey guns only have 21" barrels. So I went with a 26" and use it for waterfowl and turkey. The accuracy between them won't be any different so just get whatever feels comfortable for you.

Some good info here: http://www.shotgunworld.com/bbs/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=220783

28 in is probable most common

Thanks for the replies. Newt that was a very helpful article. I tried to join shotgunworld.com but I am having trouble with the site. So it just depends on what feels right to the user. Got it and thanks again.

I like the 26 inch barrel, but I'm an instinct shooter. The 28 is probably the best for all around shooting.

No problem. Let us know what you get

How tall are you? 28" is most useful if your of average height and 30" if your taller than 6'2. Subtract two inches if it's an automatic. Short barrels put a premium on technique and are harder to shoot consistently. Long barrels are less lively in the hands and respond slower. Upland bird hunting wasn't mentioned so I would lean towards longer barrels. In the end it's stock fit that's most important.

I prefer a shorter barrel. 26 is as long as I care to go. My Benelli has a 24 and my O/U has 26.

Thanks for all the help. I am 5' 10" tall so I will try and rent a couple of different length shoguns this weekend and find the length I like the best while shooting. I am left handed so I know the berettas won't fit real well but I should be able to see how they point and swing. I am hoping to try a browning citori and a beretta silver pigeon.

My son is a lefty and has gotten into trap shooting on the schools team. We tinkered with different shotguns and he has settled on an O/U. His performance at the shoots has picked up dramatically since we bought the O/U. Good luck.

The ideal way to address this is with different guns. I prefer a 26" for upland game, 28" for migratory birds and a 30-32" for clay shooting.

Shorter barrels are quicker/lighter but also easier to move around or stop and don't swing as fluently, which can be a negative in clay shooting. Longer barrels swing and "track" well and also tend to add more weight to the gun and reduce felt recoil and barrel movement leading into the second shot.

Most experienced clay shooters will be 30+ (O/U) or 28+ for semi.
Keep in mind that measured barrel length is different from a O/U to a semi because of the length of the receiver. i.e. a semi with a 28" barrel will be a longer gun overall than a O/U with a 28" barrel.

It will all boil down to personal preference, but if you are looking for a "one gun fits all" type of situation, look at a 28" barrel set and add extended chokes to it.