A lot of it is going to be model dependent. I have a 687 EELL Gold Pigeon Sporting II with 30" barrels that wear extended Briley chokes. It's perfect for dove & pigeon stands, as well as walking up over dogs.

I have a 626 EL 20 ga. SxS with 26" pipes that was my woodcock and grouse gun in tight bramble. But I wish it had two more inches on it.

Even my turkey gun has a 26" barrel.

I have never, ever, ever said to myself "Gee...I wish this gun had a shorter barrel."

Handle them all. Borrow a few. Go shoot some starlings. Then make up your mind. As a bird hunter turned target shooter / instructor turned bird hunter again, I personally like more barrel than less. Your personal shooting style may dictate otherwise.

Handled the New Benelli with the 24" barrel.

Very nice but if I was laying down money I think I would go with the 26".

It is a very light gun.

The longer barrel might give you a smoother swing.

But then again the 24" would be handy.

But I'm not 100% sure.

Just ordered a Teknys 20 and I ordered the 30" barrel and I am worried I went too long.

I agree. I wish you could handle a bunch before deciding.

Teknys almost needs the 30" AND a significant mag tube weight cap because the receiver is so heavy. All the weight is in tight to your strong side hand...I can't shoot them as well as I can my Urika Gold II Sporting because to me the weight distribution is all fucked up out of the box.

longer barrels swing better and don't stop, esp on a light lively gun like a well made 28ga.

and yeah, chasing hulls sucks.

i find 28ga AA's around $9 a box. (B&P's are about the same)

$1 more than 12ga AA

but you rarely find cheapie promo 28ga shells

but it doesn't matter, cuz once you go 28ga, you aren't going back.

On your Montefeltro (as with any Semi-auto) the barrel starts a few inches farther out from your trigger hand vs. an O/U so a 24” barrel might end up being a similar in overall length as a 26-28” O/U. This changes the feel and balance of the gun (along with it being a completely different action type of course).

Most 28ga guns are going to be light and quick to swing... which also means they are quick to stop and can lead to stopping your swing and not following through, both thing that can cause us to miss shots on moving targets. My 28ga /410 combo gun is a Beretta 687 (on the smallest “baby” frame). Even with its 30” barrels it is a very light gun that makes me think about swinging and not stopping the gun.

Sustained lead works great in skeet for all targets except Low 6 which should be shot using pass through. In Sporting or FITASC, if you try to just shoot one type of target engagement style like sustained lead, you will have your ass handed to you. Target presentation dictates the method of target engagement.

With short little whippy guns you're going to start bead poking targets and paying less attention to mount and follow through. You're going to unconsciously start aiming at targets. I see it all the time.

That explains why I dont know what I do when I hunt. I dont think about it, I just shoot. What do you mean by "bead poking"?

I understand. I have been shooting more skeet lately hopefully it will transfer to the field. I can consistantly break 20-23on the skeet range ,25 when i pay attention.thank you for the insite.

I shot my first 50 straight with a 28ga....but that was back in the day when I had enough good sense to shoot the same gun all year instead of trying something different every other time out

I shot 28" or shorter for many years.

My 682 tubed skeet gun is 30" and I now wish it was 32".

My thinking is changing and I like longer barrels.

Longer sighting plane, smoother swing and I like the added weight.

I shot a 32" "K" gun with the high rib a few weeks ago and I liked the added length and weight.

But I'm 6' 2" and a robust 220 right now so I can move the extra steel.

I also shoot sustained lead at clays but find myself spot shooting live birds.

With clays you are trying to hit the bird with one shot.

While hunting I just keep shooting until I kill the bird.

I think you are making the right choice.

Let us know how you like the gun.

I know. Years ago when I bought my Montefeltro I had ordered a Silver, but after 6 months I quit waiting and went with the regular one. I have all ways regretted not getting the gun I wanted. So when they came out with the 28, it was the perfect opportunity to get the gun I wanted years ago, just in a different caliber. I will end up with a 28 double gun before long.

Got one. Actually got the 687 with sideplates in the Sporting Clay configuration. I stole it from Great Lakes Sporting Arms...I walked in with 35 $100 bills and walked out with the gun. Mine is not JEG Special marked and the wood is great but not orgasmic.

I believe the only other way to get a baby frame now is to order a Jubileo at 3x the price.

I have shot the .410 barrels once. I gave up on it. The hulls don't last, it's a pain in the ass to load on a progressive press, and every now and then you send a .410 whistler 'slug" over the heads of the guys on the next skeet field.

A bit of advice...I would not wait "a few years" to pick one up. If I were a betting man, they simply won't be there when you want them. Beretta has a tendency to devolve from the classics. You can make more money. Hell you can even borrow it. You cannot make more time and you certainly can't borrow it. Same can be said for good health.

Get the gun now, and then as your retirement present take it to Argentina and rack up a completely ludicrous body count. Mine has over 12,000 kills to its' credit.