Whats the weight of the Fabarm shotguns? I hear they are an aluminum reciever patterned after the 870. 14" barrel would get you down to 32" or less with a short stock. For hands free, a 2 point adjustable sling keeps the shotgun right infront of you, with your hands free for your work. Quicker to draw than a handgun (ATC carry requires a holster with strap) It also distributes the weight of the gun better making longer periods easier on your body. A padded VCAS sounds like a good investment. I need to run more rounds through my HP-9 (DA grizzly) to tell if it is reliable now that Ive fixed the issues it had from the factory but I do like the short 32.5" OAL. For serious no compromise performance, the 14" Supernova would be my choice. Collapses to 31" and it lighter than an 870. Far and above way better action than the 870 and even Mossberg. Just my 2 cents.