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HOW TO DETERMINE WHAT BARREL LENGTH NEEDED?

3K views 18 replies 14 participants last post by  RogerNRA 
#1 ·
I'm looking into purchasing a Browning BT-99 Grade-3, and I was thinking of getting the 32 inch length. They offer another length of 34 inches. My question is: Its only 2 inches longer? Does it put a better edge on the game?
Being new to the sport of trapshooting has got me frustrated on which barrel length is preferable? The dealer has no input on this subject. Can anyone please give me some thoughts on this matter, it would be most appreciated.
Thank you.
 
#5 ·
The main advantage, in fact the only one, is that they look taller in the gun rack. You see, if a 34 swung better, then a 36 would swing even better, or maybe its a 35 or a 34.75 or a 33.66 or a 32.7 or a 40 or, well you get the idea.
 
#6 ·
Alegedly, the 34" has the same sight picture re. vertical lead at the 27 as it does at the 16. The BT series of Browning guns are very whippy and light IMO, so get the 34" all else being equal. You may even need to add some weight, e.g., 2oz. to the end of the barrel to calm downt that very fast pointing gun.
 
#7 ·
People that have a 34" barrel on their gun now, will find that a new gun with 34" barrel will feel most at home. The same with 30" and 32" barrels. If a new gun is different than what you're used to it will feel enough different to require some "get-used-to" time. The 34" will hold it's value better, it will stick up higher on the rack, it will scrape the ground once in a while, if tossed onto your shoulder it will whack door jams and friend's shoulders occasionally, and it might require a longer gun case. As far as shootability, I'll opine that you can get used to any of them....breakemall....Bob Dodd
 
#10 ·
Get the 34. I owned a BT100 with a 34 inch barrel for awhile and I thought it was borderline to light, sold the gun.

My current gun is a combo with 34/32 barrels. It weighs 10&1/4 lbs, perfect for trap. There is a reason why most successful trap shooters use long barrels and have guns that weigh between 9lbs and 13lbs. Those reasons are control and recoil reduction.

You will always find someone to disagree with what I have said, but it is the truth.

Tom
 
#14 ·
Your best bet as you may well see from the above post is to GO BY THE DEALERS INPUT ( which I know that you said was none ) because it is better that the input that you are fetting here, which is very common on TS.com Really Shawn's advice above is the best, try both and see what works for you, opinions here are like rectal Holes everyone has one.
 
#16 ·
A 34 inch barrel will put more weight toward the end of the gun. Many like the additional weight.

As far as shooting higher, or lower, the length of the barrel will have no affect. You could, at least in theory, lock a gun with a 30 inch barrel in a vice and measure the center of the pattern, then screw an additional 30 inches onto the barrel, and the pattern center would not change with the 60 inch barrel.

To change the POI, one needs to change the angle of the barrel to the straight line between the eye (rear sight) and the front sight. It is true that elevating the front sight on a 30 inch barrel 1/32 inch will have slightly less affect on the POI than making the same change on a 34 inch barrel. If I could find my Trig book I could calculate the difference, but I can't so I won't.

Pat Ireland
 
#17 ·
i have owned both guns in 32 inch and 34 inch. if you decide to trade in a 32inch bt 99, you will hear, boy, these 32inch bt99's are hard to sell. you will probably get less for them. if you plan to keep the gun, and the 32 inch barrel feels better, buy 32incher. if you think you will someday resell the gun down the line, a 34inch bt will fly off the shelve compared to a 32incher. remember, anything you trade in, rather it be guns, cars, no matter what you have, it's usualy worth nothing until it gets on the gun store gun rake or the car dealers lot. usualy, the longer the barrel the smother the swing. there are exceptions to everything i guess.
steve balistreri
 
#18 ·
If you try to sell a 32 inch BT 99 to a dealer, he will say that he wishes it was a 34 inch. But, if you have a 34 inch barrel, the dealer will say that if the gun had a 32 inch barrel, he could sell it faster.

After many years, I have come to the conclusion that gun dealers try to make money buying and selling guns.

Pat Ireland
 
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