I shoot a Benelli Legacy Sport for sporting clays, skeet and trap, but for my dove gun, it's my Ithaca SKB model 680 O/U with 26" barrels. With the English Stock and short barrels, you can get on target before you even realize you're on target. It's fast. I'm finally at an age where I'm getting where I know what I like and what's superior for my purposes. I ditched the 12ga 28" guns a few years ago, except for tournaments.
I used to be of the mindset that the 12ga had more lead and more lead in the air means more dead birds. Eventually I realized that you're either on target or you're not and the extra lead means nothing.
My point is that you should pick a gauge, which you have, and then stick to that and go try a bunch of guns in store for fit. My Benellis are "long" to me. They fit different than beretta, Remington, Ithaca, which all fit different than each other. Your arms and body are different from anyone else here.
As long as you stick to a brand you know, you'll be good.