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But why should I limit myself to 3"?
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No reason to, imo. Like you said, you can shoot 3 1/2" shells if you want to and everything else if you don't. I've got pumps with 2 3/4", 3" and 3 1/2" chambers and I've never noticed a difference in the length of the stroke to make a bit of difference in actual use. I agree that 3 1/2" shells have a limited use for most hunting and self-defense applications but I fail to see the liability in having a half an inch longer shell capability for those times when a heavier payload might be more appropriate.
There is one caveat that I think is pertinent when deciding on which 3 1/2" shotgun to buy, especially if you intend to shoot it with any regularity: due to the admittedly punishing recoil, I'd steer away from anything weighing much less than seven pounds, and more weight is better. My Nova weighs 7.2 pounds and I find my much heavier Browning BPS to be lots more pleasant to shoot when I'm using 3 1/2" shells over goose decoys. But, if, as you say, you don't plan on shooting 3 1/2" ammunition routinely, the Nova should work fine for your needs.
I agree with dawico in that because Benelli after-market parts (including barrels) are so expensive, a second shotgun might make better sense than a second barrel in terms of value.