I wanted a short shotgun, what's my next move?

There's plenty of DIY options too. The XS big dot epoxies over the factory bead and lowers POI with slugs at short range. A cheaper option that I used was to drill a hole in the bottom of the brass front sight out of my guide gun and epoxy it over the bead. You can quickly find the height you need with simple methods like a piece of shrink tube over the bead, trim until POI/POA meet up. Fiber optic sights can be added this way too.

Brutus said:
Another common factor I've seen time and time again, many relatively short barreled shotgun sling those slugs higher than your intended point of aim. So a standard bead does not suffice for this task. Two ways to address this, rifle type sights which take away from the shotguns quick shooting at flying bird characteristics IMO, or number two, maybe an elevated bead on a ramp or pedastel. In the 1990s Remington used to make these available straight from the factory. I don't know why they are not more commonly seen in the game fields.
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So from the sounds of all the posts, the best middle ground is the 18". It seems to be the best balance for everything you'd want a shotgun to do and while not supershort it's much lower than the 30", and there's still the option of pistol grip.
Of the times I've been out there haven't been many when I've seen grouse although I know they're around here somewhere, same with rabbits.

A good question would be how many people have had their guns around while hiking or camping? The chance shot for birds or rabbit makes sense to keep them on hand but I've never come across someone walking with a long gun yet.
 
Old 870 wingmaster, Magpul SGA stock and chinese 12.5" barrel with an XS Big Dot night sight. Seems to work ok for all my bush/camp gun needs. It puts big slug holes in everything I've aimed it at.


 
The difference in weight between 18" 14" and 12.5 is very little, a few ounces. And as you can see it all boils down to personal preference as they will all do the job. I have 8.5" (which for me is purely a fun gun) 3- 14" wingmasters and 3- 18" wingmasters. I find the 12.5 to be so close to the 14" as to be irrelevant (with 1 less shell), but I would say the 14 is probably my favorite. The nice thing about 870's is you can have both barrels without breaking the bank and that solve your problem
 
Here are a few ideas. The common element, Norinco or Remington 4+1, Norinco or DLASK 12.5" (to align with mag. tube) or 14" barrel (a +1 is needed for mag. tube alignment). After market front and rear sights on #2 and #3 are ideal. My personal favorite is the classic looking number 3 in the list although I would have wanted a longer sight radius. It is a Remington 870P action. Number 5 in the list could use a shorter barrel but I put it here because I like the polished receiver.

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"...and go pistol grip..." A shotgun with no stock is the absolute most useless thing on the planet. You have zero control with just a pistol grip.
"...want to say 26"..." It's 26" with any silly folding stock, etc., folded. However, 18" is the minimum you can cut a barrel to.
 
i got a fabarm sdass Nickel 20in..... loves lots of rounds !!!! amazing smooth action..... best action I have used in a pump... I use from 300 round skeet tournaments to 00-000 buck shot indoors for targets.... still did not clean it....lol
 
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