A good point you make. I took my Hawkeye African with the 23" barrel and would have been quite happy with a 20". I carried it in the cab of the toyota landcruiser for quick access, with the muzzle in the floorboard so it would be pointing AWAY from the trackers in the back. The buttpad rubbed the backrest causing the screw at the toe to pull through. It didnt affect the use of the rifle but was a nuisence. A shorter overall length would be nice. I cant wait to get hold of the .416 ruger. The main drawback is availability of ammo in the event your bags and rifle case becoming seperated. I was lucky and mine arrived together. Hopefully someday the airlines will improve too.