surplusshooter
Regular
- Location
- Princeton BC
I recently bought a 3.5 870 just because I never wanted to accidently use the wrong shell size.
3" or 3 1/2" chamber?
- Thread starter Shawn56555
- Start date
I shot my 870 Wingmaster Super Magnum quite a bit this fall and I shot mostly Challenger 3.5" loads consisting of 1 3/8oz #1 shot at 1550fps...and I didn't loose my arm or get a black eye! LOL!
I find it ammusing how most people say the 3.5" is a "kicker"! I guess there aren't too many people who remember the 3" 1 7/8oz magnum lead loads before the mnaditory use of steel...and that was before the days of bubblegum recoil pads too! If you're getting beat up from a few shots in the field or on the water from a single hunt you have one of 2 problems:
1) Your gun doesn't fit you properly
2) You should practice more during the off season so you don't need to shoot a full box of ammo to get your 8 duck or 10 goose limit...or need to shoot 2 boxes for a limit of each!
I find it ammusing how most people say the 3.5" is a "kicker"! I guess there aren't too many people who remember the 3" 1 7/8oz magnum lead loads before the mnaditory use of steel...and that was before the days of bubblegum recoil pads too! If you're getting beat up from a few shots in the field or on the water from a single hunt you have one of 2 problems:
1) Your gun doesn't fit you properly
2) You should practice more during the off season so you don't need to shoot a full box of ammo to get your 8 duck or 10 goose limit...or need to shoot 2 boxes for a limit of each!
So do you dare to even own a centerfire rifle with so many different cartridges available for you to load the wrong one by accident?
- Location
- Ft. Mac. Alberta
Many people cannot shoot heavy loads even if the gun fits well.
I never did shoot the heavy loads back before steel was mandatory, never did see the need.
I don't shoot a lot of ammo at my birds either, in fact most of my guns are either black powder hammer doubles running 1 1/8 oz of Nice Shot or a 20 gauge with with either 7/8 or 1oz loads of steel.
I have never felt the need to shoot a semi to cut down recoil or to shoot a super heavy load for that matter and i still limit out if the birds are in the air.
I also practise with the same guns I hunt with .
Cat
Most of the guys that fly up to hunt with us shoot 3 1/2. Over decoys they have no advantage. In an o/u or pump a poorly shouldered gun will leave a mark. A well placed load from a 2 3/4 at 40yds will drop geese all day. If I was to buy a new gun it would have a 3 1/2 chamber if offered in the gun that fit me. Resale is much higher of faster.
surplusshooter
Regular
- Location
- Princeton BC
So do you dare to even own a centerfire rifle with so many different cartridges available for you to load the wrong one by accident?
Ya have a mosin an svt a 30'06, sks an couple 22. However when it cost just a Lil more to ensure peace of mind, why not? I just never want to be with a bud shooting 3.5 an borrow one without realizing. Especially when I got 3.5 for cheaper than 3" anywhere else by buying at Reliable on sale. I wanted a shotgun that could do it all
cdn1canhunt
CGN frequent flyer
- Location
- southwestern ontario
I could see 2 instances where the 3.5" gun may give some advantage over 2 3/4" or 3". One: Turkey hunts , more pellets in the kill zone and two: coyote hunting, same deal higher pellet count delivered to the target. Although the recoil is so severe that it could negate the advantages of the larger payload? I shoot 3" as I don't enjoy the 3.5" recoil.
- Location
- Nova Scotia
a well patterned 3inch load is all you will need IMO I have no issue with owning a 3.5 gun as I own a sliver in 3.5 a browning pump 10 ga and a gold 10. we shot mostly 2 3/4 inch this season and patterned loads and chokes to get what we desired.. I think 3.5 is good for big shot BUT if you do some research of steel sometimes larger shot doesn't hit as hard do to surface area to penetrate....another thing is speed and physics the fast a ball is accelerated the fast it will slow down. you can take that for what it is and I know its off topic but point I want to make is what I tell most buddies when I use my patterned sx3 20 ga. " I'll take my 20 ga hit over your 12 ga 3.5 in miss any day"
