18.5 vs 24 inch barrel?

[drakekilla12]

I was looking at getting a stoger 3.5 pistol grip pump and I have an option between 18.5 and 24 in barrel. Which will pattern better? 

Thanka

[njdevilsb]

Generally speaking, I'd say the 24" for sure.  It may be harder to find a choke to throw as good of a pattern with that short of a barrel.  Usually shorter barrels need a tighter choke to achieve the same results of a longer barrel.

[Mr16Gauge]

Welcome to the short barrel thurkey hunting world.

Your question will have as many answers as there are hunters answering it!!!

Conventional wisdom says a longer barrel will pattern better.

However, each barrel, choke and load act differently.

The 24" would be a "safer" choice, however, many many birds are harvested wtih short barrel guns.

Barrel legnth can also be important if you are shooting from a blind/downfall/hide hole.  Shorter barrels can be pointed quicker in thicker conditions.

Good Luck and be safe

[allaboutshooting]

I was looking at getting a stoger 3.5 pistol grip pump and I have an option between 18.5 and 24 in barrel. Which will pattern better? 

Thanka

The 24" barrel should do a much better job of patterning. Very many inquiries that I receive are from folks who have short-barreled shotguns. It's not that you can't kill a turkey with the shorter barrels, it's just that our expectations have been raised a lot in the last few years and most shooters are not satisfied with what they see from those guns.

The Hevi-13 turkey chokes work very well in those Stoeger guns.

Thanks,
Clark

[drakekilla12]

Thanks for the input