My 12 gague is also an 870, I use the factory 26" vent rib barrel for everything.

Throw in an extra full choke ready for turkey, improved cylinder and your ready for deer.

Although my 870 did have a couple Failures to Fire, it was the first time I took her out, I was shooting clay pigeons, the first shot went off without a hitch click boom, the next shot click.... silence... hmm pump it, click.... At this point I'm just kinda like then , so I remove the barrel, the fore end, and trigger group... nothing looks wrong put it back together and take it back to the firing line, click boom haven't had a problem since