how many still shoot 26" bbls or less?

[bobski]

only gun i have that is longer than 26" is my 3200 in 28". all my skeet guns are 26" or less. old school gets it done!

[LoFlyer]

Bob, this is an interesting subject for myself.
Weighing only 125 pounds, it takes more muscle to swing around those long, heavy O/U barrels satisfactorily. I can do it, but am left wondering if these long barrels are necessary to achieve the accuracy required at the ranges encountered with sport clays, skeet/trap.
This is not a surgical instrument with precise targeting.
I discussed the issue with several knowledgeable shooters and friends on the range today.
The unanimous consensus of four good shooters was that a 26 inch barrel will do the job as satisfactory as the longer barrels at the distances we are shooting with skeet/trap/sporting clays.
For myself, less weight in the barrels provides better balance, easier maneuverability and more fracken' hits.
Something to think about for light-weight shooters.
KenC

[bobski]

agree. nothing wrong with 26". fads come and go. its the nut behind the bolt that gets it done.
btw...whats the range you shoot at in ga?

[HAWKEN]

I have a few. A Weatherby Athena, a Charles Daily Delux, and an older Spanish made SBS, all 20ga. They are quick on target, and work equally well on clay or live birds...........Robin

[Roseman]

No, nothing over 26".

[SumToy]

You see a lot of the 26 inch stuff now. I think it is good for skeet because skeet is short and fast. Now I tend to like longer barrels for 5 stand and Sporting Clay.

[LoFlyer]

Bob, I shoot at the Charlie Elliot wildlife management area (WMA) range operated by the GA department of natural resources. (DNR) Its located about 40 miles east of Atlanta off of I-20.
I fell into this place by accident. The NRA kicked in a 150 grand grant to develop the skeet/trap ranges several years back and I got into the clays.
The CE ranges consists of two static ranges at 100 and 50 yards, two new skeet/trap ranges along with the five-stand.
This was where I got involved. I managed to piss off every one of the RSO's and management over some major safety hazards on the static ranges. DNR fixed the hazards, I still have a regional DNR director pissed at me. The DNR staff have come around to my point of view for safety and they know I can out-shoot the rest on the static ranges. I am allowed some latitude on the skeet/traps over the average shooter.
What is really cool about this range is that everyone involved, the RSO's and the shooters has moved forward in their skills and abilities since the recent improvements.
Cost is 23 bucks a year for a DNR permit, and 25 dollars for a 100 clays. Most of the CE shooters decline to shoot skeet/traps. That's fine with me, this filters out most of the poor shooters.
Charlie Elliot is the GA DNR's premier shooting range. It's not big or well known, it is cost-effective for the wallet. The NRA and GA DNR are in the process of funding and designing another skeet/trap range in GA. No one is discussing the exact location, my guess is it will be located in south GA, near Savannah. I'll keep the blog informed on the development.

[bobski]

got a link to the c.e.dnr website?

[LoFlyer]

Here is a a link to the Charlie Elliot website.
Charlie Elliott Wildlife Center | Georgia DNR - Wildlife Resources Division
As you can see there is a lot more to this place than just the shooting ranges. With something like 16 fishing ponds/lakes, a campground, convention center/hotel, numerous dove fields, 8 square miles of public hunting land, and miles of trails. Charlie Elliot offers a lot for the outdoors enthusiast.
I forgot to mention archery. CE offers archery batts, a 3-D archery course which is kinda cool. Its kinda like sporting clays, you walk around a mile long course with 30 3-D style targets, the targets are various animal shapes and just to show that the staff has a sense of humor, includes some dinosaur targets. I picked up a crossbow and found out this stuff is easier than you think. No broad-heads allowed on the 3-D course.
I have grown to like the CE staffers, most are conscientious workers who enjoy the sport. As long as you abide by the range rules they will go out of there way the to help the shooter. The one range rule I despise is the one-second between shots rule on the static ranges. This rule came about when CE started getting a lot of thug/gangster types out for some cheap practice between armed robberies. They couldn't shoot worth a damn and learned how to shoot watching Hollywood movies and video games. They were dangerous, and the staff was dismayed at providing practice time for the criminal element. GA DNR eventually solved the thug problem accidentally when they instituted a yearly permit/fee system designed to increase revenue and develop improvements. Apparently thug types do not like paying the fee or providing photo ID and a name when they register, so that problem got solved if only by accident.
DNR continues to make improvements in the facilities with the fees collected and the latest of the facilities are solid, well-buillt structures designed to be tornado resistant.
Which brings up the next issue. Where do you go on the skeet/trap ranges if a tornado approaches? The center trap houses on the ranges. They are built of reinforced concrete and mostly underground. Disable the trap-thrower and pile in. (tornadoes are nothing to mess with in Georgia)

[bobski]

nice! our trap bunker is the safe house too!