The way we solved the short shotgun issue was cheap and simple:
Remington 870 Compact Jr 20 gauge. It has an 18" RemChoke barrel (unlike most SBS) and is EXTREMELY compact:

http://www.remington.com/products/f...el-870/model-870-express-compact-jr.aspx

It's not sexy, but I've always viewed shotguns as basic tools that didn't need to be tactical. However I do have a Benelli M1 Super 90 because I think it's the best semi-auto available.

The link says they now come with 20" barrels. We bought one several years ago with 18".

I'm using my phone ... link has general info about "compact" models. I googled tr shotgun we have and they still come with 18".

It's a great gun for my small framed wife. Frankly, it is infinitely more useful inside the house for me as well. It's light, small, handy and plenty powerful. We keep ours loaded with a mix of shells (rural farm life defense is more likely to involve protecting chickens from coyotes and skunks than people from people...and we carry sidearms).

That's why I like my Weatherby's. Yes I know they are only 20ga, but they are also only 39 inches long. Oh and Yes you can get them in 12, but TRYING to be realistic, I went with the 20.

They are my 35 yard guns. Anything over that I have .22, .223 and .308

Anything closer I have 1311, BWM, 911.... Well you get the idea. Oh and a couple "OFF Broadway" swords and Parangs. And my .308.

Mine is a 20ga 870 with 18" barrel. It's not a compact, but that's a $20 fix I have planned.

I really like the Weaterby Pa and Sa 459 shotguns. They are light weight, have changeable chokes and I have always liked a pistol grip on a shotgun. AND the shorter length of pull (13 1/2 inches) makes shouldering them a breeze. And the best thing is they weren't really more expensive than other shotguns. And I don't care what anyone says, I still think they are bassed on a Benelli.

When I was shopping for a semi-auto hunting shotgun the Weatherby was a contender, but I went with the Stoeger M3500 because it takes 2 3/4" - 3 1/2" shells and it has Benelli's Inertia Driven System. They recently came out with the M3020, which is the 20ga version.

I love my .308's.

I've owned Benelli M1s since around 1995, and they're the only semi-auto I've found to be utterly reliable. My hunting semi-autos were a pair of Remington 1187 Premiers, but as they aged they became less reliable. My hunting gun is now a Benelli M2 Field with a 26" barrel. To be honest, I've not even shot it. Its brand new, sitting in my safe. TIME is always an issue with me.

Leave the 12ga for us young bucks

Outside of when I was just starting to hunt (when I was handed whatever was available) I've always hunted with a 12gauge. I like the wider spread ammo availability, BUT, having owned a couple of 20's now...I see there really isn't much PRACTICAL difference and the smaller / lighter frame of the 20g makes it nice to hump around all day.