I have been looking for a OU to use for all the clays. I hate to say but I have been using a Beretta 1301 Semi (3 Gun) with a 21" barrel. LOL. I have found I love shooting clays and want to jump deep into a nice OU. I have been looking at the CG's and they feel great.

So I have been looking at the 12g Summit sporting 30" and the sryen tempie 30".
I also like the feel of the 725 sporting 30".

Do you all use the 28" or 30" barrel length? I'm 5'4 and scrappy. lol

Thank you for your help. : )
Julie

A 26" will break as many clays as a 34". It's not the actual length that's as important as the fit and feel. A 30 or 32 will hold its value at resale at this time because they are more popular. Get an experienced shooter or instructor to help you with your mount and swing and pick the one that fits best. No matter the length. Welcome to the forum and the sport of clays!

I'd say a 30 is most popular for sporting. Then 32. A 28 is not so popular in competition anymore.

So why do I see so many 28" for women out there? It's deceiving.

My wife who is 5'7" sasy that the longer guns felt heavier. The weight is further away from the body which takes more strength to hold up or control. She shoots a 30" sp1 and does well. Buy what you like and fits.

Swing (and shoot) as many as you can before you buy. Purchase that which feels the best to you.

KC

I have a lesson lined up for the morning. Excited.

+1. I would not concentrate on barrel length, since some 28" barrels are much heavier than some other 32" ones. I would rather look at balance, weight and swing momentum. Get the one that feels right and natural, and which you can point to where you want without fighting it. If needed, you can further fine-tune it by either adding weight into stock, or by installing titanium chokes to lighten the end of your barrels to make them easier to swing, or both. As for CG... my friend's wife shoots https://syrenusa.com/syren-magnus-sporting/ and loves it. Good gun if it fits you. Good luck!

What mortum said,a shooting buddy's wife is a small petite lady and shoots a 32 " P gun and very well I might add.

Julie: My wife is 5/4 , too . Jerry knows her and she shoots a 32 in O/U.Just keep the bbls weight to 1.5 kgs or less.

I'm 65 years old and 5'6" (I used to be 5'7"). I had a 30 inch Ascent that I loved, but it was too heavy for me, by the last station on 100 rounds I'd have the shakes. I got a 28 inch Syren Tempio last year and the weight is just fine. MAJ

That is good to know on the weight. I have been swinging them but I see getting to the end of 100 rounds and the shotgun will be real heavy. I didn't think of that.

As Sera said, just keep the weight down. I started with 30" and now shoot 32".
i'm also 5"4. Try as many as you can. that's the only way to really know for sure.
The stock fit makes a whole lot more difference than the length of your barrels....

just sayin'

K80

Grace really nailed it. My wife finally got a custom stock (from Wenigs) and it made all the difference in the world.

several considerations: shorter stock w/ offset Monte Carlo to fit a woman's physique, good recoil pad and a more slender pistol grip to fit smaller hands. My wife went from C class to A and is half way to AA class.

I am 5'6 and have a 32" OU. The 32 was a little heavier than the 30, but the extra weight also helps absorb recoil. I figured I would eventually get used to carrying the extra weight (and I have) so this would be a temporary issue. But the recoil absorption would be forever. I'm very happy with the 32".

Longer is better IF (big "if") the gun doesn't seem barrel heavy to you and if you have the strength and conditioning to mount it repeatedly during a day's shooting without becoming too tired to swing it accurately.

The additional barrel length offers a longer sighting plane and more importantly, greater weight forward to aid in smoothing swings to targets and the avoidance of jerky swing starts.

The ideal barrel length will be affected by the length of your arms, which affects where on the forearm you support the gun. The closer to the receiver of your forward hand, the more weight that arm will have to support.

As was mentioned, how well the dimensions of the stock match your individual size and shape and the shooting form, especially your gun mount and your body posture that you use when shooting have a role in gun balance and the apparent forward weight of the gun.

If you can, shoot any gun that you intend to buy before you buy it to accurately evaluate its weight in use and judge if any fatigue factor is apparent.

Are you aware that any gun, which was designed for a man is VERY unlikely to fit you well enough to warrant your owning it? "Very unlikely" meaning, "will not."

The stock will be too long, the pitch on the stock will be awful for women shooters and the comb will be too low - too far below the level of the rib.

To shoot up to your potential, your gun's stock dimensions will need to be corrected.

Nobody who knows how to shoot pays attention to any sighting plane. Please stop repeating incorrect information.

Not in competitive sporting clays. 32" rules the roost.

You do know that this is a thread for women shooters don't you? While a lot of guys shoot 32" barrels, not many women do. For women, most shoot 30" barrels; me, I shoot 28", but I'm old. MAJ