I was thinking 24" for better swing and balance.
.410 patterns are what they are.
Skeet choke is actually pretty nice, just nobody offers these except in Skeet set ups.
Full, and Skeet is what I most often suggest, especially most folks just snag a .410 single shot anyway.
This is why I spent some time with .410 in Full choke, in regard to patterns.
Chilled shot (soft) will open up the pattern, so if the shots are closer, use a shell of a different color, reloaded with chilled/soft soft.
Further out, use the hard shot loads, in a different colored hull.
Pellet deformity is easier to see, for most folks with a .410.
A 12 ga and .410 , both with target loads for skeet, will throw the same size pattern from the same distance.
Difference is, the density of pellets.
Skeet shooters will take a clay, and run that over the pattern shot, and see holes in the pattern.
Keep in mind, not all pellets arrive at the same time.
.410 has what is called a "long shot string"
28 ga has a really short shot string, meaning more pellets arrive at the same time.
21 yards is the distance from a Skeet station to the center stake.
So most skeet folks, pattern a .410 at 21, 23, and 25 yds.
40 yard pattern board testing is not needed, one can for fun, but the truth is, the effectiveness of a .410 is 25 yards or less.
2 1/2 " shells with 1/2 oz of pellets versus 3" with 11/16 oz of pellets.
Each barrel is a entity unto itself.
I and mine shot skeet, so 2 1/2" with 1/2 loads is what I messed with first, and the most.
These folks are set up to reload this hull.
Deal is, with more pellets in a 3" load, more deformity of pellets can and does occur.
Across the room distance, it won't matter.
Squirrel hunting now, it will and does.
I have shot the pattern board with a 2 1/2" and 3" load of hard shot #7.5 pellets, and #6 and the shorter shell, with 1/2 oz shot, has a denser pattern.
Less pellets, still denser.
Use a golf ball to replicate a squirrels head, to see holes checking the pattern board.
Tennis ball works for the whole critter to see holes.
Less is more.
Everyone wants the biggest , baddest payload, and the truth is, the fellow with a 7/8 load in a 12 gauge will beat their butts at skeet, trap, sporting clays, dove, and quail hunting.
An accomplished Skeet shooter, or shotgunner, with a .410 , will beat their butts at skeet, and dove, quail and small game hunting too - and have a lot more fun , and not get beat up by a gun, or tire out toting that Ultimate Shotgun with big, bad loads.
The longer barrel, allows for smoother mounting gun to face, swing, and follow through, IMO.
Just thoughts, you cannot mess up either way you go, not really.
As I know you will pattern the gun, mess with recipes and become one with the gun.
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