The way the gun feels, the way it handles for you, is far more important than the length of the barrels. I am 6'2", with the long arms to go with the height, and like longer barrels. I can shoot 28" guns well, usually, after my muscle memory kicks in (I shoot a 9 lb. 3 oz., 32" gun most of the time), but my percentage usually goes up as the barrel length does (to a point). The only exception is quail. I'm fine with 26"-28" there, as most shots are going away and do not require much barrel movement to get on the bird. I have a 16 ga. Fox, with #4 weight 30" barrels that is as quick as I need any gun to be, proving once again that it is not the barrel length that is so important, but the overall handling of that gun for the individual.
That being said, IMO, 12 ga. guns with 26" barrels look short and stumpy, like James said. Small bore guns don't look so bad with shorter barrels. But ............ as a dear departed friend used to say "Pretty is as pretty does".
SRH
