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I recognize the SBS is intended for mostly indoors usage and shotgun powders tend to be fast burning. Still, just how much does the 14 inch-ish barrel affect velocity? Particularly with reduced recoil loads (which I prefer). Might this drop a shotgun that throws otherwise excellent patterns from a 50 yard tool to a shorter range due to inadequate penetration? I haven't found any reliable tests that might shed some light on this.
Barrel length has nothing to do with pattern quality/size/density. My 14 inch 870 has a modified choke and with Hornady TAP 00 makes hand size patterns at 15 yards,
Dropping from an 18 inch barrel to a 14 inch barrel drops velocity by less than 100 fps. Here are some muzzle velocities from a test session a few years ago, 00 Buck:
14" 1125 fps
18" 1215 fps
20" 1185 fps
No BG would be able to tell the difference.
From my own experience with regards to barrel length and pattern....my 14" cylinder bore 870 throws Federal H13200 into about a 6" pattern at 15 yards. At 15-20 with that load I normally can keep all pellets just inside an IDPA target -0 zone ....with Federal LE13300 it is about a 3-4" vertical string pattern. On the other hand I have seen 18" guns in classes shoot 12" patterns (and bigger) at 15 yards with standard velocity buckshot. The load and the choke have more to do with it than the length....
Every chronograph data set I have seen shows meaningless velocity loss. The bore diameter vs. powder charge is the likely reason if I had to guess.
Those long duck and goose and trap guns are long to aid in swing follow through and balance. Not ballistics or pattern, although I'm sure some were designed with that erroneously in mind.
A lot of long barrel velocity and patterning folklore comes from the blackpowder days.
Yup, I totally get that length has nothing to do with patterns. My question was concerned with penetration at greater ranges. Thanks Mr. Givens for the real world data. As you said, no one could tell...
I saw some data on a Saiga 12 as short as 7" as I remember it was not a big drop in velocity.
The lack of velocity drop doesn't surprise me, nice to know for sure.
Next: What's the muzzle flash like from a 14 inch barrel at night?