Everyone had different experiences, mine are generally hunting in the woods with a few years hunting open fields in Germany. My all-time favorite barrels are A 60cm long, open bored set I had Heym make for my O/U mod 44N to shoot Alabama woods Bobwhite with. After shooting the whole ribcage from a hare and shooting a pheasant from between its wings, with the half and full choke "field" barrels of the same gun, I switched to the 60 cm barrels (with 1 1/4 oz #2, in Germany and 1 1/8 oz #8 or 7 1/2 in the US) for everything I hunted with a shotgun. I never looked back. I expect arguments.
Mike