You know PC.. I had a nice A5 once..boy did I put a load of shells through that thing..before I woke up..But you are right..It had a 26" Skeet bbl and a 30 inch full..boy the shorter bbl made it really swing well. I also have a few(20 or so)1100/11-87s and the shorter bbls work so much better.. I just sold an old but NIB 30 inch Imp Mod A5 bbl I had in all my stuff..Guy really wanted it for some odd reason. That little Standard weight 870 20 ga I got the other day really shoots well with the plain field bbl too..Shot a bunch of blackbirds with it yesterday.. They were attacking me..Looked like an Alfred Hitchcock movie....Luck to you on the grouse hunt..A friend and i are going tomorrow..we have ruffed and blue grouse up on the mountain.. Grizz too

Skeet;
The guy might have wanted it for a turkey or waterfowl hunting.....there seems to be a trend now to take "Grandpa's" old gun out and use it, and I applaud the idea. I've actually found that my Remington model 11 shoots a tighter pattern with an improved modified choke (on a poly choke) than it does with a full or Xtra full setting.