Shotgunning coyotes. Barrel length mean much anymore?

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gunsbam45

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Just wanna pick the brains of the guys that have experience shotgunning yotes. I've killed a few with Beretta O/U shotguns but just chance deals. A friend asked me to put a couple Beretta 1301 tacticals on order for him awhile back, and I did some research on the guns after talking to him. I like what I see with the new enhanced 7+1 model here with standard stock https://www.beretta.com/en-us/beretta-1301-tactical/ and am considering one for myself, but wonder about the shorter barrel length. I remember almost 20 years ago seeing a friend with an 18.5" turkey gun knock a dove down way out there at his pond, but I've never used a shorty myself. I already carry a coyote rifle on the Gator or Mule but have a lot of times I pop a hill and a quick handling shotgun would work better on multiples. I've also mostly avoided tight cover if I go call, but now I've come to know sometimes tight cover is your friend, and a shotgun would be handy to have along and be a game changer. I've had the thought that if a Carlson coyote choke would make this shorter barrel gun a killer at the same range as other guns I'm game to try one, but I've heard some guys say they don't use the tighter chokes for close range stuff, so I'd like to let the guys in the know tell it how it is on shotguns for coyotes. Barrel length vs chokes what they like and don't etc and why. I'm all ears.
 
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I don't want any pump or semi-auto shotgun with a barrel shorter than 26" long. Longer shotgun barrels swing smoother than shorter barrels do. Being smooth with a shotgun is way more important than being quick is.

There are many Trap, Skeet and Sporting Clays shooters that shoot their longer barreled shotguns very quickly. They shoot longer barreled shotguns so they will have smooth swings. Being smooth is way more important than being a few thousands of a second quicker.

The way I use shotguns for calling coyotes I also prefer the 26" or longer barrels for safety reasons. The longer barrels are very easy to keep pointing out past my feet when I am laying down.

IMG_5251 by [/url], on Flickr

In the above picture you can see how a 26" or longer barrel on a pump or semi-auto shotgun is pointing out past my foot.

[url=https://www.flickr.com/gp/156463377@N08/9308A6 t=_blank]PICT0011 by https://www.flickr.com/photos/156463377@N08/, on Flickr

In the above picture you can see how the longer barrel is out past my son's foot.

The shotgun barrel length won't make much difference in the pattern or the speed of the load.

Rifle sights on a shotgun promote aiming. Good shotgun shooters point their shotguns they don't aim them. On running shots on coyotes sights on a shotgun will only get in the way.
 
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Thanks Bob. I hadn't considered the smoother swing, but definitely have wondered what a sighted shotgun would be like for fast acquisition. I haven't ever had one in my hand yet. Part of the reason I've been thinking about the shorter shotgun is being able to use it quick from the seat of a side by side with a roof and a half windshield. Also thought it'd be much handier to carry when walking possibly in a back pack in a scabbard. I never thought about the safety factor at all on the barrel length, but I see from your pics what you mean.
 
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Originally Posted By: gunsbam45Thanks Bob. I hadn't considered the smoother swing, but definitely have wondered what a sighted shotgun would be like for fast acquisition. I haven't ever had one in my hand yet. Part of the reason I've been thinking about the shorter shotgun is being able to use it quick from the seat of a side by side with a roof and a half windshield. Also thought it'd be much handier to carry when walking possibly in a back pack in a scabbard. I never thought about the safety factor at all on the barrel length, but I see from your pics what you mean.

I have a Benelli in a similar configuration to the 1301. I love it with the shorter barrels. I find it super handy and maneuverable with the shorter barrels. I don't have near the experience of Bob though, and I look to him for a lot of advice. If you want an HD type shotgun, the 1301 will do double duty, which is what I did with my Benelli for a long time. If you want just a coyote gun, get the Comp model with the longer barrel.
 
I shot competition skeet for many years with a 26 inch O/U and did well, 26 inch was the go-to for skeet back in the day. Wait a few years and the trend of long barrels might go the other way.

I hunted ducks out on the coast with a 21 inch barreled 870 and is my go-to coyote shotgun where I can't use my drilling or combo gun. That said my go-to duck gun has 29 1/2 inch barrels, not for the barrels but because it is a neat old hammer sxs.

My old International trap shotgun has 30 in barrels because it fit me well.

The sxs shotgun I use for wild pheasants has 25 inch barrels and is lightning fast on the flush, it works for grouse and woodcock too.

Barrel length is alot like girl friends, what ever your comfortable with. Fit on a shotgun is the very most important for wing or fast moving targets.

With a coyote shotgun with sights, most of the time it is shot more like a rifle. All my coyote calling shotguns wear scopes.
 
Been discussed a bunch over the years. I did a search and found one of my replies to the question and don't see any reason to change my mind. Short answer is I very much prefer 24"-26" barrels. The mid length barrels handle better and do what a shotgun does best, flow with the target and lay a pattern of pellets on a fast mover.

"Cut-n-paste from a recent thread with my experiences and thoughts...

Generally speaking the longer barrels might tend to pattern somewhat better and will give slight increases in velocity. The velocity thing is very slight, like maybe 5 - 10 fps per inch of shotgun barrel depending upon the load. With field loads there is less of a difference than with a heavy magnum type load. This makes the velocity factor pretty much a non-issue when considering common hunting lengths like the difference between a 23" turkey specific barrel and a 26" wingshooting/general use barrel. For predator or turkey specific I really like 24" barrels with a close second being a 26" length.

Patterning is much the same kind of deal. The differences in individual barrels and chokes and how they react to a certain load can negate any advantage length may play in giving a better pattern. As an example, I have 18 1/2", 24", and 26" barrels for my two Benelli M1S90 semi-auto 12's and they all take the exact same chokes. The 24" and 26" are pretty much even in pattern densities with no clear advantage to either one. Most of the time both of those two will out pattern the shorter 18 1/2" barrel. Sometimes by a great degree, sometimes by not so much. However, in at least one instance the shortest barrel will out shoot the other two with a certain load and choke. Which reminds me that there are no set hard and fast rules and I always try to speak in general terms."
 
I've got a 22" versa-max tactical with an aimpoint on it that I love dearly. Agreed that if your going to run irons the longer barrel is the way to go.
 
Originally Posted By: LARUEminatiI've got a 22" versa-max tactical with an aimpoint on it that I love dearly. Agreed that if your going to run irons the longer barrel is the way to go.

Does yours have the full length mag tube? If so how many rounds of 2 3/4 does it hold?
 
I hunt with a 22" barrel, more function for me as I track through the woods quite a bit and it does not hang up on limbs/branches as much. Bob is the foremost on ballistics with a shotgun and helped me tremendously early on, that said, I patterned with my barrel and made sure it did what I needed it to do. NH is 5 rounds max, which in all honesty is a lot of shooting for me on one set.
 
Originally Posted By: ZcustomI hunt with a 22" barrel, more function for me as I track through the woods quite a bit and it does not hang up on limbs/branches as much. Bob is the foremost on ballistics with a shotgun and helped me tremendously early on, that said, I patterned with my barrel and made sure it did what I needed it to do. NH is 5 rounds max, which in all honesty is a lot of shooting for me on one set.

What gun, load and choke works for you?
 
In a sticky on the top of the firearms page there are 149 pages of shotgunning predator info.

In a moment of excitement it is easy to short stroke a pump. I shoot a pump that I've had for 30 plus years but wouldn't think twice about a semi auto. I've had two over the years for bird hunting a Win 1400 and a Charles Daly 20ga, both worked fine in the field and the range but weren't my cup of tea. I found I could miss just às well with three fast shots as well as with one.
 
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Originally Posted By: AWSIn a sticky on the top of the firearms page there are 149 pages of shotgunning predator info.

In a moment of excitement it is easy to short stroke a pump. I shoot a pump that I've had for 30 plus years but wouldn't think twice about a semi auto. I've had two over the years for bird hunting a Win 1400 and a Charles Daly 20ga, both worked fine in the field and the range but weren't my cup of tea. I found I could miss just às well with three fast shots as well as with one.

Yes, I came across the post from GC from way back but since the pattern pics are long gone with no explanation to go with them I moved on too bad about the pics. I hear you on missing. Autoloaders don't make anybody a better shot. I've always been a Beretta O/U fan, and if I could afford them would use a Guerrinni round body w broom handle stock, but they're for quail and chicken hunting. The whole reason I asked about all this is to see if guys were successfully using shorter barrels with modern ammo on coyotes. Have never fired an autoloader, but considering the weight and length of the 1301, especially the 18.5" or maybe the 21" I wouldn't mind carrying it in a pack. The way I hunt most of the time won't work hauling a full size shot gun and rifle both as well as a revolver, pack and my 3 legged full height shooting sticks. Rifle on one side shooting sticks in the other hand I'm out of hands. On a short haul a full size shotgun would be fine but not out for a long walk which is what I enjoy most.
 
Originally Posted By: gunsbam45

Yes, I came across the post from GC from way back but since the pattern pics are long gone with no explanation to go with them I moved on too bad about the pics. I hear you on missing. Autoloaders don't make anybody a better shot. I've always been a Beretta O/U fan, and if I could afford them would use a Guerrinni round body w broom handle stock, but they're for quail and chicken hunting. The whole reason I asked about all this is to see if guys were successfully using shorter barrels with modern ammo on coyotes. Have never fired an autoloader, but considering the weight and length of the 1301, especially the 18.5" or maybe the 21" I wouldn't mind carrying it in a pack. The way I hunt most of the time won't work hauling a full size shot gun and rifle both as well as a revolver, pack and my 3 legged full height shooting sticks. Rifle on one side shooting sticks in the other hand I'm out of hands. On a short haul a full size shotgun would be fine but not out for a long walk which is what I enjoy most.

The pics are rather meaningless anyway. Each shotgun is a unique adventure. The whole point of that thread is to show people that you have to get out and pattern your gun with your ammo and every choke you own.
 
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