Looking to purchase a good quality over/under and was curious to see what others preferred. Is there a huge difference between the 26 and 28 inch barrel?
Depends on what you're going to be using it for. Most hunting O/U or field grade have 26" in barrels for a faster swing and light gun. Most sporting O/U tend have 30" + barrels. Personally I shoot a Beretta Silver Pigeon with 28" barrel. I've shot everything from 26" - 34" barrels and I really don't think there's that much of a difference other than weight and swing. Your best bet is to shoot a couple different ones and see what you like.
I appreciate the help everyone. I will be mostly using it for pheasant and dove. I am considering buying a franchii instinct sl with a 28 inch barrel. I've had a good experience with it in the past. Although it has a steep price tag, through my research, it is made with quality parts. For duck the action of choice is a semi-auto?
I like the 26" for quail for the reasons Lincoln stated. I've often thought of buying an O/U but I bought a lightweight Ithaca 20 semi auto from Lincoln a year or two ago that I really like for quail.
There was a Beretta in the PNJ classifieds this morning.
My Dad has. Browning Citori in .20 gauge that I LOVE, but I have to spread blankets and pillows around me when I shoot it in case I trip and fall or I drop it (exaggeration, but not by a lot). It's a thing of beauty but too pretty to hunt with.
I found a Miroku copy of a Citori (labeled Charles Daly, but produced in the 70's when CD imported high end stuff from overseas, not this crap you see in Walmart now). It's not a beauty queen, it's been used and I like it a lot. My only gripe is it has extractors and not ejectors (have to pull hulls by hand). Shoots good though. Does good on dove hunts. If you haven't killed the bird in two shots you're just wasting the third anyway.
Go pick up a Beretta Silver Pigeon! Best shooting O/U I have shot. We have a 26" that we use for quail hunting. I prefer an automatic when shooting doves.
Ceased Guerini makes a GREAT shooting O/U. Shot one of their models while I was competing in college. Talk about SMOOTH. If you have the penny to spend they are the way to go!