Barrel length ? for Gulfcoast

[Dixie Boy]

Does barrel length really matter when it comes to tight patterns, with todays screw-in-chokes. I can swing a 24" barrel better than a 26", 28", or 30". Tell me what you think, cause I am going to buy another Xtrema with a 24" barrel...I think!

[GulfCoast]

Hey DB: I think the short answer is "Nope". All the powder burns in the first 16" or so. It only makes a difference of about 10 f.p.s. from a 24 to 28" barrel. Pattern now is governed pretty much exclusively by the shell, velocity of the ejecta and the choke. Some folks (me) just shoot better with longer, light barrels. There are really good shots (Delta Duck) like short barrels on their guns. It all depends, mostly on your natural hand speed, and the "style" of shooting you do, IMHO. Maintained lead shooters like LONG barrels, swing through shooters tend to like shorter barrels. Just whatever works for you.

The Xtrema has a LONG reciever, so that will make a 24" Xtrema about a 26" Browning or Benelli. They are also pretty heavy guns. A 30" Xtrema, if they made one, would be a real heavyweight. I hope the trigger on your Xtrema is better than the one on mine!

[Dutch Dog]

A 24" Benelli is the same length overall as a 26" Remington. The Benelli has a longer receiver than most guns. Are you saying that the Xtrema has a 2" longer receiver than the Benelli? I know this because I have compared them side by side. Remington to Benelli that is. I shoot a short barrel gun because it's handier. When duck hunting you are already bogged down enough with cumbersome waders, hunting coats, mud etc etc, so I want to be able to shoot as freely as I possibly can without having to lug around a 8# shotgun, then throw it up and shoot. Don't get me wrong I shot a 26" 870 express for years before I got the Benelli, and I did just fine with it. I probably killed more ducks in 1 season with that 870 that I did in my first 3 with the Benelli...(duck cooperation had a lot to do with it also) ONE DRAWBACK TO A SHORT BARREL IS IT WILL MAKE YOUR EARS RING MORE AND GO DEAF IN THE OPPOSITE EAR THAN THE SIDE YOU SHOOT FROM. (rh shooters-left ear hearing loss)

[SoftCall]

my browning gold 3" has a 24" and it busts them as hard as my old 870 with a 28". I agree with GC regarding the shells, etc..

[GulfCoast]

I have not pulled it out to put a tape on it, but the Xtrema has the longest reciever that I have ever seen. The beefiest, too. Everything on the gun is massively overbuilt.

[Wildfowler]

I bought an Xtrema with a 24" barrel is because is actually 1/2 inch longer overall than my 686 with 28" barrels. My thought was that I would be swinging the same length gun that I was already used to. I'm sure Hambone can attest that I made the right decision. The Xtrema with the 28 inch barrel looks like one of those old Marlin goose guns. You ought to be wearing earplugs anyway. It is significantly louder than a 28" barrel.

[Redhead]

I shot short barrels for a long time and as GC said it is great for pass thru shooters. I do have severe hearing loss in my left ear (I'm a right handed shooter).
I used to duck hunt with a Remington 870 Special Field Upland gun The first one had a 21" barrell the next a 24' with rem choke. Yes they are fast as lightning to get them from the bottom of the blind to the being the first to shoot that unexpected duck in the decoys but DO NOT sacrafice your hearing for a couple of seconds of quickness...... I now shoot an EXTREMA (26" I think) at ducks and Geese and would not trade it for ANTHING. Yes it has a long forearm but it is one mean machine! I shoot a 686 Sporting Clay OU when I play and it has a long barrell so this probably helped me shoot the EXTREMA a little better. Yes we all should wear ear and eye protection while Shooting AND this includes Hunting.

Hey GC what is the problem with the trigger you keep complaining about?

[Hambone]

I will confirm what Wildfowler said. That Extrema is an eyesore, but he can shoot the heck out of it, particularly when he fills it up with hevi-shot!

[GulfCoast]

They have about 1/4" of creep, and mine was set to break at about 11 pounds. Guys would pull the trigger on mine and it would not go off because they had not pulled it "back" enough. The two most reputable trigger men in the U.S. (Allen Timney and Rich Cole) refuse to work on the Xtrema trigger, they say it is so overbuilt they can't make it any better. The only person I have found to do a trigger job on one is Keith Anderson, and even he says he cannot get all the creep out of it, but he can set it to break at a reasonable weight. He has mine right now.

Then gun is getting a bad rap over the triggers, because that is a problem that most hardcore shooters won't put up with. Other than that, mine has been a very good gun, but it "ain't no browning" when it comes to me shooting good scores with it.

Have you noticed your Xtrema will hold 4 shells even with the plug in it?

[Wildfowler]

They have about 1/4" of creep, and mine was set to break at about 11 pounds. Guys would pull the trigger on mine and it would not go off because they had not pulled it "back" enough. The two most reputable trigger men in the U.S. (Allen Timney and Rich Cole) refuse to work on the Xtrema trigger, they say it is so overbuilt they can't make it any better. The only person I have found to do a trigger job on one is Keith Anderson, and even he says he cannot get all the creep out of it, but he can set it to break at a reasonable weight. He has mine right now.

Just consider it a combat style trigger.

Have you noticed your Xtrema will hold 4 shells even with the plug in it?

Magazine?? Mine won't.

[GulfCoast]

Hmmmm......It has been reported to me that the Xtrema will "floorboard" a 4th shell, much in the manner of the old Benellis. How is that for an evasive non-answer.

[Redhead]

You gonna have to teach me that one GC!!

I do know it will hold 6- 2 3/4 with the plug out! Mighty fun on that "DuckFlush" At the Willows.

[Dixie Boy]

I heard that too GC I guess over at the Refuge, but I don't know if I want to try it untill someone else has. How about you, why don't you try it this weekend and let me know if you can "floorboard" it. As for my shooting style I call myself an Instinctive shooter. I grew up shooting quail with a cut down Ambercrombie & Fitch 28 gauge over & under, and with that being said you know as well as I do that you have to let your instincts take over. The guys at the Skeet range look at me funny when I don't mount my gun before I say PULL. I think I am going to sell my 26" black Xtrema and get a 24", so if anyone is interested in taking it off my hands, then let me know. Thanks GC

[GulfCoast]

Mine will absolutely floorboard a 4th shell. All the others that I have seen will do it, too. I would not do it hunting, since I don't wanna loose a truck, boat, shotgun and a chunk of non-disposable income over an extra shot at a duck.

I shoot "low gun" skeet all the time. After you start running straights, and then make fun of 'em a few times, the mounted gun roboclones will just shut up and leave you alone. (And start cussing sporting clays under their breath).