doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Opinions on 27” barrels

I can't believe that so many of you think that 1" of barrel legnth will make a big differance in the handling of a shotgun.
Most of you probably wouldn't notice.

I can use any barrel length as long as it's 28". Seriously 30" feels too long but I can get by with 26".

It depends on if the gun is balanced and the lop is right for me. Being a big guy a don't mind long barrels either

I bought a Remington 3200 "Live Bird Gun" from the early 80's that has 27 5/8" barrels. It would not be a length I'd choose but I found that I enjoy the way it handles and hit long yardage targets pretty well with it. I am going to try it for ZZ birds next week as it has plenty of choke.

I just found that out. Now it’s really funny that I asked that question. I’ve been looking at a 12 with27” barrels I just bought a WC Scott sidelock 16. I handled it a couple of times in the gun shop. The tag said 28’s. It was laying next to another of my 16’s. Da Mn it was shorter. Got out the tape measure. 27”. I doubt I would have ever noticed

I have two Webley & Scott boxlocks, one 27” and the other 28”. I shoot the 27” better.

ksauers1, aside from a pocket knife, there are three things I always have in my pocket, and would feel naked without. One is a little 6 ft. Stanley tape measure that is about the size of two stacked silver dollars. Then there is a little folding pocket magnifier that helps with small details, proof marks, etc. And on my key ring I have one of those tapered bore and choke guages.

I've learned that there are lot of old doubles that have had their barrels trimmed either to remove muzzle damage, or to have more open chokes. Some guns can have an inch or more cut off, and the barrels still touch without any gap between. The first double I ever bought was a OO grade L.C. Smith. I owned it for about 10 years before I realized it had 27" barrels, exactly the way you described.

I know the tapered bore and choke gauge is not as accurate as a bore micrometer. But it is something I always have on me, and is a whole lot better than just guessing.

I experienced the negative bias on a 27" barreled H. Atkin BLE 12 ga. that I sold via auction this past spring. Barrel length and gauge were the negatives. It was lettered from the current records holder as being made and sold for a particular individual in 1938 with 27" barrels, one of a matched pair. It had simple border engraving and straight grained wood. Nothering fancy but with bright original case coloring remaining. It was in excellent original shape. Someone got lucky on it as it sold below $1K. Things more than evened out for me with other guns in the auction, however, but they were all subgauges. Gil

I don't pay any attention to barrel lengths when I shoot a gun. A barrel is a barrel to me.😊 To clarify: I used to have a Parker 12 gauge that someone cut the barrels back to 18" for a cowboy shooter. My buddy had a Stoeger with 18" barrels and we'd break skeet targets as easily with them as we did our other guns- mine a Citori with 28" barrels. Or, I'd take my Beretta 686, O/U trap gun, pull a Tom Knapp by sliding the buttstock up in my arm, aligning the beads and break targets with the 30" barrels. I don't brag about being good, but you learn to adapt. Never shot grouse, so I heard that's like being in another world as difficulty goes. Good luck.

I bought a really sweet Lindner made Charles Daly 12ga "Featherweight" with 26" barrels for a cheap price that KSauers1 passed on earlier in the week because of the barrel length.

Thing is, he never even told me he had seen and held the gun before I bought it