My favorite barrel length has for many years now been 28". I have shot with barrels from 26" to 32". On none of these did I have any problems which I could relate to barrel length. My general goal is to "Shoot" the birds not Swat them out of the air nor do I do much pole vaulting while hunting.
While barrel length "FADS" don't change as quickly as Skirt lengths they do change. I would highly suspect that a persons build has a lot to do with this. I am only about 5' 8˝" so the shorter barrels suit me fine, if you measure 6' 6" maybe they won't suit so well.
For most field shooting I prefer nothing longer than 28", for a duck gun then 30" is fine, although nearly all the ducks I have killed has been with a 26" barreled 12 gauge @ 7˝lbs. The 32" ones I shot were both 10 gauges weighing in at 10lb or +.
That 7˝lb 12 gauge is choked ,012" R & .024 L. By varying the load it has killed woodcock, quail, rabbit, dove , duck, a few squirrels (I mostly use .22 LR SV for these) & a few turkey. The short barrels were never a handicap.
Like the old Owl I didn't really care what the trap & skeet shooters liked, I was always a hunter, never liked the taste of Clay. That 25"er out to be a dandy in Grouse & Woodcock country.
