I'd have to say it really doesn't matter. I've killed many of dove, quail,ducks, and geese with my win. model 12 pumpin a 24" and using 2 3/4" shells to boot, with amodified choke on mine. Loved it. Awesome gun. The one thing i like about that gun is all i had to do to turn it into a defense gun was pull the plug out and I could put in 8 rounds into it.

but it's all on personel preference i'd say.