I began shooting sporting clays with a 26" barreled BSS, and did well. However, there were no highly technical targets thrown in sporting in those days. You seldom saw a target over 25 yards, 30 tops. No problem for a well balanced 26" gun for close stuff like that.
I see few courses set that way today. My home range, Bay Gall Sporting, has two courses, Red and Blue. Even the Blue course is exceedingly tougher and longer than the old days.
Point is, a 26" gun will be hard pressed to do well ( scoring in the 90s) on a course with lots of long stuff. But, a well balanced 32" gun can excel at both soft, close stuff and long, technical stuff.
Ever seen a 26" barreled double (S X S or O/U) doing well on a Make-A-Break, or at FITASC? I haven't.
