The great debate : 3" vs 3 1/2"

Shotgun Shell size

  • 3"

    Votes: 140 69.3%

  • 3 1/2"

    Votes: 62 30.7%
  • Total voters
    202
For a 12 gauge duck and geese hunting 3 inch is perfect.

For a little extra when duck and geese hunting get the ten gauge.
 
I've never seen where a 3.5" shell will stretch effective range realistically past where a 3" shell can reach, if I need to reach further I choke down and run tungsten.
 
Cinch said:
I've never seen where a 3.5" shell will stretch effective range realistically past where a 3" shell can reach, if I need to reach further I choke down and run tungsten.
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For me, using the 3.5 inch shells for waterfowl is not about extending my range, it's about pattern density. The 3.5 inch shell simply carries more pellets than the 3 inch shell. BOTH are effective if the game is within range. Most of the geese I harvested last year were 20 to 30 meters away with me shooting from my layout blind.

I used to use 3 inch shells with #4's for ducks, #2's for geese... The 3.5 allows me to use #2's for everything with no worry about what's in the gun as 'unexpected' birds present themselves... IE if I was duck hunting, we would occassionally get geese in the mix & I'd be standing there with #4's in my gun...

No more... 3.5 inch shells with 1&3/8's ounce of #2's going 1550 fps is my standard waterfowl load.

Cheers
Jay
 
From a goose hunter who has shot 3.5" 12ga. almost exclusively for the past 10 years, I would admit a 3.5" is not necessary. If you find a 3.5" load that shoots/patterns well for you then that is great and they will serve you very well. But, same goes for the 3". I think the actual difference on game is trivial if the gun is properly choked and pointed in the right place. I started shooting a 20ga. last year for geese and was very impressed with how it performs, which has been a major factor in my view toward the 3.5" 12ga being not necessary.

My vote would be to find a gun you like that is priced right and not worry if it is a 3" or 3.5". If you are torn between two or more choices and one is a 3.5", then there is no harm in having that extra versatility.

The 3.5" 12ga. does push almost the same payload as a 10ga, but the dynamics are just plain different and I think the 10ga. does have an edge for serious long range shooting on geese. I think the difference is mostly to do with the length of the shot string and the fact that more 10ga. pellets arrive at the same time on a moving target as compared to the longer shot string of the 12ga. You can't see this difference on a static patterning board, but I have always wanted to rig up a patterning board with a long sheet of paper and have it moving at 30mph when patterning - the results would no doubt be very interesting.
 
The old a 12 ga 3 1/2 will do everything a 10ga will do will never change.
Problem is it is usually the same guy who never owned a 10ga is saying it and usually the same guy with the little pecker who says there is no need for a big one .
Hunt geese once with a guy that shoots a 10ga well and knows how to use it and you will be buying one. Especially snow geese hunters
If there is no difference why when I hunt with 3 other 12ga guys in a blind do I always have to wait and shoot last to clean up their cripples.
Been like that for years with almost all groups I hunt with. I would like some 25 yard shots also the odd time
 
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The Baron said:
From a goose hunter who has shot 3.5" 12ga. almost exclusively for the past 10 years, I would admit a 3.5" is not necessary. If you find a 3.5" load that shoots/patterns well for you then that is great and they will serve you very well. But, same goes for the 3". I think the actual difference on game is trivial if the gun is properly choked and pointed in the right place. I started shooting a 20ga. last year for geese and was very impressed with how it performs, which has been a major factor in my view toward the 3.5" 12ga being not necessary.

My vote would be to find a gun you like that is priced right and not worry if it is a 3" or 3.5". If you are torn between two or more choices and one is a 3.5", then there is no harm in having that extra versatility.

The 3.5" 12ga. does push almost the same payload as a 10ga, but the dynamics are just plain different and I think the 10ga. does have an edge for serious long range shooting on geese. I think the difference is mostly to do with the length of the shot string and the fact that more 10ga. pellets arrive at the same time on a moving target as compared to the longer shot string of the 12ga. You can't see this difference on a static patterning board, but I have always wanted to rig up a patterning board with a long sheet of paper and have it moving at 30mph when patterning - the results would no doubt be very interesting.
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Bingo.
 
3macs1 said:
The old a 12 ga 3 1/2 will do everything a 10ga will do will never change.
Problem is it is usually the same guy who never owned a 10ga is saying it and usually the same guy with the little pecker who says there is no need for a big one .
Hunt geese once with a guy that shoots a 10ga well and knows how to use it and you will be buying one. Especially snow geese hunters
If there is no difference why when I hunt with 3 other 12ga guys in a blind do I always have to wait and shoot last to clean up their cripples.
Been like that for years with almost all groups I hunt with. I would like some 25 yard shots also the odd time
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And we've got another bingo!!!
 
I don't even shoot 3" any more except on rare occasions. Almost everything I need to shoot is shot with 2-3/4" shells, and I shoot a lot of geese and ducks each year. But then I don't normally pass shoot waterfowl, I decoy them in close. The idea that a long receiver, heavy 3.5" gun is more "versatile" is a fallacy. The super magnums sluggish handling severely handicaps the gun for the majority of uses that a shotgun is actually put to - upland birds, target shooting, decoying ducks, etc. etc. But, that's just my opinion, and why they make a variety of guns and loads to suit everyone.
 
I once read a stupid article all about how the 3 1/2" should be discontinued. Most of the article went off about how the 3 1/2" was unnecessary and that a 3" would do it all just fine. Then in the article they start talking about how steel shot is too weak and that 30% of ducks and geese shot, fly away and die somewhere else. They claim it’s because a 1300fps 3" shells steel shot is less than 700fps by 50 yards and that it lacks the ability to penetrate because of the low velocity. Well, that stupid writer just went off about how they should discontinue the 3 1/2" and yet ended his article about why the 3 1/2" is necessary. I use Kent Precision Steel 3 1/2" #2 @ 1625fps and I've never seen a goose fly away after getting shot. People claim it doesn't pattern as well as the 3". I guess you could say it doesn't pattern as well outside the kill zone. Other than that, inside the kill zone a 3" couldn't hold a candle stick to a 3 1/2". Finally people complain about weight of the gun and the length of the receiver. My 887 is 7 pounds 2 ounces and the length of the receiver is 10". Go ahead and compare that to your 3" chamber shotguns. The overall length of my M887 is shorter than a Mossberg 500 with a 3" chamber.
 
NoBark said:
I once read a stupid article all about how the 3 1/2" should be discontinued. Most of the article went off about how the 3 1/2" was unnecessary and that a 3" would do it all just fine. Then in the article they start talking about how steel shot is too weak and that 30% of ducks and geese shot, fly away and die somewhere else. They claim it’s because a 1300fps 3" shells steel shot is less than 700fps by 50 yards and that it lacks the ability to penetrate because of the low velocity. Well, that stupid writer just went off about how they should discontinue the 3 1/2" and yet ended his article about why the 3 1/2" is necessary. I use Kent Precision Steel 3 1/2" #2 @ 1625fps and I've never seen a goose fly away after getting shot. People claim it doesn't pattern as well as the 3". I guess you could say it doesn't pattern as well outside the kill zone. Other than that, inside the kill zone a 3" couldn't hold a candle stick to a 3 1/2". Finally people complain about weight of the gun and the length of the receiver. My 887 is 7 pounds 2 ounces and the length of the receiver is 10". Go ahead and compare that to your 3" chamber shotguns. The overall length of my M887 is shorter than a Mossberg 500 with a 3" chamber.
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yeah but it's a M887:(
 
I am not getting into a 12ga vs 10ga / my pecker is bigger than yours argument here, if 10ga is your thing for hardcore waterfowling, Hey, good for you. Don't you think this gets stupid though once people start wading in with the "I like 20ga for geese" point of view? The original post was about 3.5 vs 3 in 12ga. MY Opinion is that I like the versatility of having a 3.5 inch chamber and would recommend it to someone who may occasionally want a similar payload as a 10ga in a gun they can also carry for upland birds. The shotstring debate is endless.
These dang posts are like saying "I want to buy a truck, should I get a big one or small one?". Then someone chimes in with "you should buy a corvette because I have one".
 
digitalblue said:
Get a 3-1/2" shotgun, it doesn't cost or weigh significantly more than a 3" chambered gun of the same variety. Even if you may never shoot 3-1/2" shells, you'd at least have the option of doing so. Not to mention, resale value is a bit better with a 3-1/2" gun.
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Great advice. My shotgun is chambered for 3 1/2 " shells and although I've never used 3 1/2"s it's good to know I can if I choose to.
 
dilly said:
I am not getting into a 12ga vs 10ga / my pecker is bigger than yours argument here, if 10ga is your thing for hardcore waterfowling, Hey, good for you. Don't you think this gets stupid though once people start wading in with the "I like 20ga for geese" point of view? The original post was about 3.5 vs 3 in 12ga. MY Opinion is that I like the versatility of having a 3.5 inch chamber and would recommend it to someone who may occasionally want a similar payload as a 10ga in a gun they can also carry for upland birds. The shotstring debate is endless.
These dang posts are like saying "I want to buy a truck, should I get a big one or small one?". Then someone chimes in with "you should buy a corvette because I have one".
Click to expand...

No it got stupid right after this post which is the best advice given

Originally Posted by digitalblue
Get a 3-1/2" shotgun, it doesn't cost or weigh significantly more than a 3" chambered gun of the same variety. Even if you may never shoot 3-1/2" shells, you'd at least have the option of doing so. Not to mention, resale value is a bit better with a 3-1/2" gun.
 
18 pellet OO buck is fun, other than that I bought mine for s**ts and giggles. It wears dual pistol grips and a +6 extension most of the time.

New870Supermagnum.jpg


and with an Itaca 37 18"
9414FE3B-orig.jpg
 
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