I'm no expert, but wouldn't the purpose of a shorter barreled double be for hunting in the bush? My 16 GA Fox has 26" barrels and its lovely to bring up on a flushing grouse and handles the tight quarters quite nicely. I thought that a longer barrel helps more tracking a target such as a pheasant crossing a field, so if you're hunting in an open area, a longer barrel would be more appropriate. Are there other reasons for barrel configuration?

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