For awhile now, I have been trying to find out how much difference that barrel length affects shotshell performance. One authority says that shotshells reach their power peak in the first 18 inches of barrel and that any barrel much longer than that is simply useful for swinging the gun. Another says that a barrel needs to be 24 inches long to get the best pattern and power out of a given shotshell. Another says that the old "saw" about longer barrelled guns shooting "harder" is still true...at least, up to the first 28 inches.
Does barrel length really matter that much in tightening patterns and hitting harder?
Does barrel length really matter that much in tightening patterns and hitting harder?