How a gun feels is very personal. I’d suggest, at the least, handling the two guns before a final decision is made. There are a number of variables involved concerning your question such as your height, arm length, physical strength, stock dimensions, etc. Many shooters think that balance is foremost in any selection. Determine if the gun you’re interested in has a weight balancing system. I have a current 68 series sporter with 32 inch barrels that balances at the trunnions. My 32 inch gun is wonderful for me, but it’s not for everyone. Handling one at a dealer maybe your only option, but it’s better than nothing. Hope this helps.

 

Felix, Thank you for your reply I will see if one of the local dealers have both lengths or two different dealers that have one of each and check them both out and see which I like best.

 

Get the 32 inch barrel and forgetaboutit!!! There is only a 2 oz difference in weight. You'll never notice the difference unless your muscles and upper body strength is very weak. Old age comes to mind. You will also take a nice hit if you try to sell a 30 inch barrel sporting/trap shotgun. There is very little interest in the shorter barrels today. Only Skeeters want a 30 inch barrel. Trap and Sporting all want 32 or 34 inch barrels. So go for it, you'll get used to the difference in no time. As long as your not a frail elderly gentleman, or a young man (Teenager). break em all Jeff

 

I have the same gun in 32" and love it.. but then again I am 6'5"..

 

I am 61 5'10" 187lbs a couple of ounces is not that much difference I still would like to check out the 32 inches I can shoot a 30inch at my local gun club thanks guys.

 

buy the 32" You'll never know the difference from the 30 & youll be fashionable.
I have a sp1 in 30, I regulate it sporting clays.
As for the SP1 in general avoid the sporting wood if you plan to use it for trap.

 

Sporting wood?

Non parallel comb. Sp1's typically come with field style stocks High at the comb & low at the heel. My SP1 was my first gun venturing into trap shooting as a total newb with no guidance. It tended to constantly bruise my cheek. Fortunately my second Beretta was a JE SP3 that its previous owner invested almost 3K in custom made wood with a rollover comb, I can shoot that gun all day long. It also had its original monte carlo JE upgraded stock & forearm as part of the deal. I put monte carlo wood on my SP1, had the comb cut & a adjustable buttplate done & its a different gun now. Even the forearm wood is radically different. SP1's typically have a schnable type wood & the trap style is beaver type & much beefier.
Look at the Joel Etchen website & buy your SP1 configured for trap if that will be its intended use. Here's a picture of what my original SP1 stock looked like. This picture also shows a beefier beaver type forearm wood as opposed to the schnable type. You can see why shooting 300 targets in an ATA with this stock would bruise your face.
Your local gun store is most likely to have the SP1 sporting on their rack, I'd avoid the sporting gun unless that your intended use. The lower picture has the type of stock youll want to shoot trap with. I clipped it off the Etchen website.

 

I am trying to decide on a 30 or 32 inch silver pigeon 3 20/28 Joel etched combo set. I shoot a lot of sporting clays (fairly new to itbut want to get into registered shoots) but also wanted to be able to use it to hunt and the occasional skeet. I have always liked the sporting palm swell feel and shotgun on the heavier side. Any suggestions on the 30 or 32 inch that could be used for clays and quail and upland hunting? As of now I am leaning towards the 30.

 

I've always preferred 32" for both trap and sporting clays

 

I shot a 682 o/u with 30 inch barrels for many years. A few years ago when Beretta stop making the 682, I bought Joel Etchen's Beretta 687 with 32 inch barrels. Since that is what was and still is the "in thing". I had problems with hard right hand targets on post 5.Found out, I had to change my stance more to the right for post 5.

Shoot both and buy what feels best to you.

Jason

 

I’ve been shooting a 12 ga 32 in SP1 Sporting for about the past 2 years primarily as a sporting & skeet gun - decent field gun too. The barrel is light (not whippy), and easy to swing - I’m 5 11, 170. It works okay for trap but again is generally a lighter gun (391 works best for me for trap). I sent my gun to Coles for trigger work, added a spacer for LOP, added a 20 ga barrel to it & had a friend refinish the wood. All in all it’s a nice versatile gun. Only wish the receiver were black or blued but I guess then it wouldn’t be a silver pigeon. The gun’s nearly exactly as long as a 391 w/28 bbl, so really not that long.

 

I had one of the SP1 Sporting guns from "years ago" and I have a new SP1 Sporting now. There is a lot of difference in the weight and swing characteristics between the 2 guns. The old MC 30" barrels with the wide rib were heavy and front weighted so they felt even heavier. The new Optima HP barrels are a good bit lighter and a lot of the weight has come from the front of the barrels. The 32" barrels on the new guns will be lighter and will feel livelier than the 30" MC barrels by quite a bit. So I say get the 32".

I actually have the new SP1 Sporting with 30" barrels and like it. But......that is because I am very old and have lost a lot of strength in the upper body. I shoot mostly 7/8 and 1 oz loads in it.

 

I am 5'6", 55 years old, and 148 pounds, and never darken the door of a gym. I can handle 32" Beretta Optima barrels with no issue at all. I prefer the 32" barrels to the old Mobile choke 30's. I would certainly get the 32" barrel sets. I have been toying with an Etchen 20/28 set myself.

 

32” dominates in sporting clays.

 

This thread is from two years ago and the OP was banned, likely for trying to subvert the 50 post rule.