As far as shot spread goes, would I notice any significant difference between an 18 1/2" barrel compared to a 20" barrel (straight cylinder)?
We have a variety of shotguns, primarily 870’s with those lengths, IMO not so you’d notice. Some barrels pattern better than others with the same choke profile. This is primarily with light shot and 00B.
I’m with 26 Inf. A longer barrel swings better but that’s about the only advantage.
That’s kind of what I figured, but I wanted to check with folks who had seen them in action.
For my shtf 870 I used a 22" vent rib barrel. A reasonable compromise for a do anything type gun.