First, the point was: there’s not enough difference to matter in 2” of barrel on a 3.5” hunting repeater,
You’re not getting a 50” gun in a 48” case, easily.
2” wont make much difference on maneuverability, but 4-6” could.
A shorter barrel is far easier to deal with in timber, buck brush, and other places. Shooting vs carrying....but I grew up quail and rabbit hunting in briar patches and grow up cut overs, while duck hunting in everything and everywhere. In layouts, nice box blinds, or boats, you don’t have anything to contend with.
If you’re noticing a huge difference in wing shooting with a 3.5” repeater in a 26 vs 28” barrel (in the same gun), then there are a ton of more prescient excuses for misses, such as fit/POA VS POI, head, LOP, overall balance, etc,.,,,that’ll be having far more influence than 2” of thin metal at the farthest end of the equation. Shooting professional clays is a different conversation.....and I’ve never shot a clays tournament with a 3.5” goose gun, either.
