It's hard to beat an 870 Express Magnum. I shoot a 28" barrel with modified choke using 3" #3 Nitrosteel loads in 1-1/4oz. My maximum shots are typically around 40 yards when hunting open water but in the swamp they're much closer. This is my standard setup and it hasn't changed in many years.
My brother shoots an 870 EM with a 26" barrel with lesser success, but then again, he's still working to figure out WHY you have to LEAD the birds... pretty typical for an electrical engineer
