Come on now Tut. Get away from the gun books and off the sofa, and out in coverts with some longer barrel guns. Also get out and do some shooting where you learn to swing and acquire the target instead of poking at it.. Then write back and tell us what you found out. Chance of banging into a tree with the last 4 inches of a 30 inch barreled double gun, is only a small per cent greater than with a 26 inch. And that my fellow is with a double gun. Many hunt and do well with 26 inch pumps and autoloaders, and with the length of the receiver that's abouut the same as a 30 inch or even longer double gun.