I had a 26" whelan for years and man it would cook with the right powders..I cut it off to 20"s and never quite liked it after that??????? Guess it depends on what you like, not what everyone else likes...I still like a long tube for off hand shooting and quick shooting..4 to 6 inches of barrel is about what my pocket knife weighs and I don't see it as a detriment on any rifle...but carbines are nice to have also.
