[JimJones]

For instance if you use 00B in an 18" barrel and a 26" barrel would you get a better pattern at a longer distance from the longer barrel?

 

[trap&field]

Your muzzle will be 8 inches closer to the target, so it will make 8 inches of difference. The advantage of a longer barrel, is that it swings smoother for wing and clay shooting. The barrel would have to be illegally short to make a noticeable difference.

 

[Dr. Master Blaster]

Your question has been answered. +1 on what trap&field says.

 

[reluctant]

I suppose the one caveat is that 18" barrels tend to have little to no choke and that 26" tend to have some choke or choke tubes. In that case, the no choke barrel would have more open patterns than the choked barrel. Whether or not that is "better" is entirely dependent upon the shooting conditions.

 

[JimJones]

By better I mean a tighter pattern at a longer distance. I am kind of disappointed by the patterns I get with my 18" barrel at 25yards and was thinking that a longer barrel would give me some better patterns.

 

[Clayduster46]

jmho. Its not the length of the barrel that determins the pattern, its the choke of the barrel. tighter choke =tighter pattern.

 

[yesno]

.

 

[Dr. Master Blaster]

By better I mean a tighter pattern at a longer distance. I am kind of disappointed by the patterns I get with my 18" barrel at 25yards and was thinking that a longer barrel would give me some better patterns.

Nope. Should not make any noticeable difference. What trap&field says, however, is correct. A longer barrel will likely help smooth out your swing when shooting targets etc. It is an old myth that "long barrel = tighter pattern." Part of this was promoted by the fact that goose hunters used to prefer guns with extra long barrels, e.g., 36" or more. (Heck, maybe some still do). But it was not because they had any tighter patterns, but rather because the longer barrel gave them a longer sighting plane and, more importantly, a smoother swing when pass shooting geese.

 

[BobK]

Barrels are individuals concerning how they pattern loads. Where buckshot is concerned this is especially true. Barrel length makes no difference as far as I have been able to determine, and I have done a LOT of patterning with different guns and barrel lengths. A barrel either handles buckshot well, or it does not, even if they are the same make and model, and consecutive serial numbers.

BobK

 

[evbutler]

I discovered this chart a few months ago: