I once swapped a 26” barrel for a 28” on my Ethos 12 and noticed a steadier swing on crossing birds without feeling front-heavy. If you end up keeping the 26”, experiment with lighter chokes to balance the sight picture. Also, for clays practice, a friend recommended Crazy Cattle 3D as a fun way to work on tracking—surprisingly helpful. Good luck with the trade, and kudos for keeping the barrel in great shape.