A longer barrel will not shoot a tighter pattern than a shorter one with the same choke. You will lose pellet velocity with a shorter barrel. A shorter barrel will be handier in thick brush and a tad lighter to carry. A longer barrel will gave you a longer, more accurate sighting plane if you are aiming with beads. If you use a scope that won't matter. I with shoot a 28" barrel and don't have too much trouble getting through the brush.