I am just getting into 3-gun. I shoot (at) about 300 clays per week and hunt ruffed grouse every weekend in the fall with my Benelli Super Black Eagle II (LH) Rob Roberts Waterfowl Edition. It has the 28" barrel and I use Muller extended choke tubes. Anyway, it's long and not ideal for tactical situations. Is it worth getting a shortened shotgun for 3-gun or are the shotgun stages open enough that a long barrel will not be a problem?

If I do get a shortened shotgun, I will get a Benelli M4 or Benelli SBE II (LH) cut and modified by Rob Roberts. They will both cost about the same amount all said and done. I have never shot a Benelli M4, but I've heard they are nice. However, my SBE II is slickest shotgun I can imagine.

Might get more reply's if you post in the shotgun section.

Definitely don't get an M4, and don't get an SBE2 and cut it up. If you're going to get a shotgun, get an M2 and build on it. It's the SBE2's cuter little sister.



Otherwise, 28" is fine on a shotgun, and you'll see mag tubes past that anyway. Stick a tube on your 28" and shoot it, it'll work great, the stages are typically not confined to the degree that it'd make a difference. Shoot that until you're convinced you're going to stick with 3 gun and you want to sink the money into a dedicated gun.

This

use what you have.  Don't get a shorter barrel just for 3 gun as the magazine extension will be the longest part anyway.  Mine sticks out at least 4 inches past my 26" barrel.  A 10 round tube is about 25" and most people go for 12 round tubes at around 30" long.  

Now for SG, lighter is better all the way.  No advantage to a heavier SG at all except maybe for long range slug shots.  However 2 inches or even 4 inches of barrel will make little difference there.  If your that good, you will probably have more than one SG to pick from depending on the course of fire for the day.

A 24" barrel and 8 or 10 round tube is a popular combination though.  Don't change your gun, but if you get hooked, get a 12 round tube for your current gun.  Then later you can buy a 24" gun with an 8 round tube and pick what fits the day better.  If in open you can load up 12 + 1 + 1 ghost load = 14 rounds with the 28".  In all other classes you are only starting with 9 in the gun anyway.

USE WHAT YA GOT FIRST.  Youll have lots of fun.  The mag tube can fit other guns with a different adapter.