When did the increased desirability of longer barrels begin & why is that so?

[Stan Hillis]

Originally Posted by Bruce Hering

Sporting clays as well as FITASC has gone on to the competitive level. Thus the more complicated targets to sort of shake out the shooters into classes...

JMHO

What doesn't kill us only makes us stronger. I know, without any doubt, that my years competing in registered sporting clay competition, in the NSCA, made a better wing shot out of me in the field and marsh/swamp.

I shoot better with longer barrels, almost without exception. My dedicated A H Fox quail and woodcock gun has 28" barrels. That's very short for me. The best shooting I ever did on quail was with a 30" barreled 28 gauge. As an aside I will contribute this bit of ephemera. In 25+ years of competition I've never been outshot by anyone using 26 or 28 inch barrels. You may value that information accordingly, based on what it cost you.