12ga 3.5" shell??

Empir3

Empir3

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Orangeville, Ontario
When would one need to use a 3.5" shell? from what I understand, 2 3/4" is typical for a target load, or for shooting clays all day, and thats about all I knows :p what kinda of shell should one use for say, small game birds like grouse? what kind of shell would be best to use for wild turkey? is a 3.5 for birds overkill?

Any insight would be greatly appreciated

Cheers,

Derek
 
3.5" is good for geese with steel shot. It's also good for turkeys where the key is head shots. Id never use 3.5" for grouse, 2 3/4" is fine for that 3" at the most.
 
In theory 31/2 shells are unneccesary as most people are not good enough shots to take advantage of the few extra yards these shells extend your range. However for turkeys the are quite useful, and some would say they are the only shell to use when buckshot is needed.
 
3 1/2" 12 gauge shells are nothing but waterfowler cripplers!! The patterns on them are strung out much too long and most shooters have a hard enough time centering a bird in the pattern as it is. For upland game you will need nothing heavier than a 2 3/4" 1 1/8oz. load. It is plenty. For waterfowl over decoys 1 1/8oz. steel loads are plenty as well. The 3 1/2 as mentioned is a wonderful cartridge for big birds that are standing still but I have seen too many flying geese wounded by them. You do not need to go larger than 3" with a 1 1/4 to 1 3/8 oz. load of #1's or bb"s for geese. If you still want to take the pounding of that enormous cannon fodder 3 1/2" then stick to 1 3/8oz. loads. Much more effective as it patterns much more "square" than the heavier payloads.If you want ato shoot heavier payloads buy a 10 ga.,felt recoil is much less due to the extra 3 pounds of gun and the patterning differences are night and day over the 3 1/2 12.:yingyang:
 
I have a 3.5" gun but have only run a few 3.5" shells through her.
For me, if I felt a need to have a few more pellets I would use them.
Personally I use Kent 3" fasteel #6 for ducks and Tungsten Matrix for Geese (until I am out of TM then I will post on CGN as to what I should use in Steel as TM is now $4/shell)

For grouse I use a 20G 7/8-1oz # 7.5, for bunnies, same thing in #6, 5 or 4 (#6 for both grouse and bunnies)

Anything bigger than a goose, I use a rifle but I do want to try the coyotes with 4 buck!
 
T shot is larger than BBB, and designed for geese.

I do most of my hunting with 2 3/4 in 12 gauge stuff. I do play with 3" on occasion if I get a deal on shells. I did own a 3.5 once as well. I found the gun to be less reliable (870) and would occasionaly stick. The way I look at a 3.5 is you get either more velocity than a 3" or more payload, but not both. I think the 3.5 has a place, but not with me. A goose hunter may get an extra mental boost using them, but I think you will be as well served with a standard 3" gun, using either 2 3/4 or 3 inch loads.
 
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