12 Gauge Shotgun Spread | Short Barrel vs Long Barrel

Published on May 13, 2019
Duration: 8:54

This video demonstrates the difference in shotgun pellet spread between an 18.5-inch barrel and a 28-inch barrel at various distances using 12-gauge buckshot. The instructor, with apparent experience in firearms, notes that while the 28-inch barrel produced a slightly tighter group at 10 yards, the difference became negligible at longer distances (20, 30, and 40 yards), with both barrels showing significant spread and pellet loss off-target at 40 yards. The experiment highlights that barrel length has a less pronounced effect on spread than often assumed beyond close range.

Quick Summary

Shotgun barrel length has a limited impact on pellet spread beyond close range. While a 28-inch barrel may offer a slightly tighter group at 10 yards compared to an 18.5-inch barrel, the difference becomes negligible at 20-40 yards, with both exhibiting significant spread and potential pellet loss.

Chapters

  1. 00:00Introduction and Setup
  2. 01:02Target Preparation
  3. 01:2210 Yards: 18.5" Barrel Test
  4. 02:0310 Yards: 28" Barrel Test
  5. 02:3020 Yards: 18.5" Barrel Test
  6. 03:2320 Yards: 28" Barrel Test
  7. 03:5030 Yards: 18.5" Barrel Test
  8. 04:2230 Yards: 28" Barrel Test
  9. 05:1040 Yards: 18.5" Barrel Test
  10. 06:1340 Yards: 28" Barrel Test
  11. 07:23Additional Shooting
  12. 08:02Conclusion and Analysis

Frequently Asked Questions

Does shotgun barrel length significantly affect pellet spread?

While a longer barrel (28 inches) can produce a slightly tighter spread than a shorter barrel (18.5 inches) at very close distances like 10 yards, the difference becomes negligible at longer ranges (20-40 yards). At 40 yards, both barrel lengths show substantial spread and pellet loss.

What is the typical spread of 12-gauge buckshot from an 18.5-inch shotgun barrel?

At 40 yards, an 18.5-inch 12-gauge shotgun using 9-pellet buckshot can produce a spread of approximately 27 inches between the furthest pellets on target, with a high likelihood of pellets missing the target entirely.

How does a 28-inch shotgun barrel compare to an 18.5-inch barrel for spread?

At 10 yards, the 28-inch barrel showed a tighter spread (4.5 inches) compared to the 18.5-inch barrel (6 inches). However, at 20 and 30 yards, the spreads were comparable, and at 40 yards, the 28-inch barrel had a slightly tighter spread (25 inches) than the 18.5-inch barrel (27 inches).

What is the effect of a cylinder choke on shotgun spread?

A cylinder choke offers no constriction, resulting in the widest possible shot pattern. When testing an 18.5-inch barrel with no choke and a 28-inch barrel with a cylinder choke, the spread differences at longer ranges were minimal, suggesting other factors become more dominant.

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