3.5" vs 3" shells

I only use 3,5" shotshells for turkey, I chase geese with 3" shotshells... well actually I chase wounded geese with an empty shotgun...
 
I have never used 3.5" shells on waterfowl... I have uaed them for turkey, the extra payload would help on a tom that hangs up... but in all honesty, the only time that the extra half inch may have helped was putting down a wounded gobbler that was running away through the brush at 60 yards... I was happy to have the 3.5" loaded that day.

I wouldn't bother with them for geese.
 
I had never really used 3.5" shells on geese until last fall when I decided I'd give them a go because we had a lot laying around that I didn't feel like transporting back East. I don't know if it was 2 years off waterfowling but I had a lot more success than usual with those shells. I also shot some 3" shells and I don't think my success was as high. Of course, I did even better with 2.74" Tungsten Matrix in the Old Man's Model 21. Figures...the more expensive the shells (and gun) the better I shoot.
 
I also use 3.5 for turkeys, and spend a season with 3.5" and now prefer 3" on ducks and geese due to faster follow up shots from less recoil.
 
I use 3.5 inch shells for the payload... That & I used to carry 4's for duck & 2's for geese... Which got to be a pain, so #2's in a 3.5 was an easy evolution.

Cheers
Jay
 
I've shot a few 3.5's and been around many thousand of them over the years and I am yet to really see much difference. Sure they will reach out a few more yards but more often than not it's not necessary for waterfowling. I can't personally comment on the turkey aspect but I would likely be very willing to add the extra bit for them. My 2 cents and only that - skip em.
 
I don't hunt waterfowl, so take this with a grain of salt. Most waterfowl hunters I know shoot 3" exclusively. One of my co-workers lives to hunt geese tells me he used exactly 1 box of 3.5", he tells the performance difference didn't justify the near double in recoil, to him anyway.
 
Let the pattern board tell you. I've patterned a ton of 3 inch and just a few types of 3.5. The guns favorite few 3 inch brands beat out the 3.5. They don't really have more reach. The speeds are usually the same. They have a few more bb in the 3.5 and shockingly few more than a 3 inch ounce and a quarter. No I will never buy steel 3.5 inch again. I have no experience with the turkey loads.
 
I shoot a lot of geese and ducks each season. I don't use anything but 2-3/4" any more. I don't like the extra recoil or cost of big magnum shells, and I don't feel a need to kill every bird that flies by, goose numbers in our area are at historical highs. There are lots of geese to choose from. I choose to shoot those birds that are in range and that I know I can hit. A good quality 2-3/4" 12 ga. shell shooting 1-1/16 to 1-1/8 oz. of steel shot at 1500 fps or more is a very effective load within 50 yards.

There a big difference between the capability of the average goose hunter to consistently hit at long range vs the capability of his/her gun & shell to kill at long range if the shot happens to be placed perfectly. The gun & ammo marketers have done good job of making hunters feel that they "need" the longest range rig that can manufacture.

In truth few can hit a long, long crossing shot. And I get more satisfaction from being good hunter and making sure I call, decoy or stalk the birds so that the shot is in range vs "hope" shots that require less effort and result in more wounded birds.

If I was to pass shoot greater Canadas or cranes very often, I'd probably use 3" shells and somewhat larger shot sizes than my usual, but I can't think of any situation where I felt a need for a 3.5" shell.

Some others might be best served with a 3" shell carrying 1/8oz more shot in combination with a slightly more open choke. That combination is more forgiving than my preferred 2-3/4" shell and a tight pattern. So there is a good reason for the popularity of 3" shells. But 3.5" - ?? To me it's selling the same hype as long range big game "hunting". Technically feasible but practically questionable.
 
prairie lover said:
Let the pattern board tell you.
Click to expand...

3 or 3 1/2: quite a conundrum. The first factor to the decision is what is your usual hunting situation. This includes the quarry, the range they are shot, and your pellet size preference. Once you have nailed that down, pattern the ammo at that range with 3 in shells, if the pattern density is good for consistent kills, 3 inch ammunition will work for you. If the pattern is too sparse, you will need more pellets. Pattern the 3.5 inch ammo at the same range, if this doesn't solve the pattern density issue, you may have to go to a smaller pellet or get closer to the game.

The second factor is your tolerance to recoil. 3.5 shells have more recoil than 3 inch. Semi-auto shotguns help to mitigate the recoil.

Then it comes down to the actual hunting, are you successful with the ammo you are using now, you are golden. I have a favorite ammo, 3 inch, that I use for geese, it works like magic, geese drop like crazy. So this year my son and I were testing his shotgun with different chokes with his ammo. The results were not as expected, poor splotchy patterns. So, I got out my shotgun, and my high priced ammo, to show my son what a real gun patterns like. The patterns were garbage, over-sized and horrible distribution. But they work like magic on game, now I don't know what to think.

We live in a goose rich area, and most of my son's friends own 3.5 shotguns. And most of them buy 3 inch ammo, it's cheaper and doesn't kick as hard.

IMO the biggest mistake is to choose too large a pellet. And my experience is that #2 steel is as big as you need, smaller may even work better, but larger is not the direction to go, from my experience.

For the last several seasons I've used Kent SilverSteel, my son uses Blackcloud, and another shell that I've heard good reports on is the Score stuff. And then a friend of mine just buys what is cheapest, isn't too concerned about pellet size, mostly price, and he is a very successful harvester.

Also see above post.
 
stubblejumper said:
I never use 3.5" loads, and I don't have any problems killing ducks or geese.
Click to expand...

This and I rarely even use 3". From what I have seen in my years as a waterfowler 90% of the hunters out there can't place a bird in the centre of the pattern so adding more payload and especially in the case of 3.5" ammo which is known for longer shot strings is of no help whatsoever. A 3.5" 12ga. is a crippler based on the results I have seen over the years. If you feel you need to shoot 3.5" ammo go to a 10ga. The patterns are extremely better. The 3.5" 10ga. is a killer!
 
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I use 3.5" shells only for geese (but mostly ducks) lately...
The ground is frozen here in the lower mainland and the ducks would not behave as asual (would not land by the decoys when called) so I have to resort to some longer shots...
I use just regular steel shot but maybe I should try some more expensive stuff...
 
Call me backwards but this year was the first year I used 3.5" and I'm hooked plus you can find ammo for a good price if you look hard enough. Cabelas has challenger 3.5" shells for $16 a box, 3" were $14 so for the $2 I made the switch.

I can get about 15 extra yds out of the 3.5" shells than i can with the 3". Granted most shots for geese are 25 yds are less where i'm at so... Not really worth it but if you have a second group fly over after you took the first one, thats where they come in handy. I shot quite a few birds this year thanks to that.

I find the kick is the same too.

I shoot almost exclusively geese.

oh and for practice I use 2.75" target, as long as the FPS is close then your aiming should be relatively the same, 3.5" just means more pellets in the air is all.
 
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