If you have to choose one of the two, go with the 26 inch. You can kill both ducks and turkeys with it. I now use an 870 SPS-T thumbhole with a 23'' barrel for turkeys, but I used to use the same gun for ducks and turkeys with a 26" barrel and killed many turkeys with it. I now use an 870 supermag with a 26" barrelsolely for ducks.