Is 3.5" worth spending more money on?

westkraut said:
Just one opinion but I bought then quickly sold a nice new shotgun that handled 2.75 to 3.5 inch shells and besides the brutality of the recoil with the heaviest loads I wondered why I am shooting shells that cost so much. Unless you have a great income and love to sky bust far away big geese the 2.75 and 3" will handle anything you hunt. I use almost totally 2.75" (much cheaper and a wide variety of loads available) now and have some heavier 3" along just for the above mentioned geese. I don't understand the value of the longer shells unless you absolutely need to throw more steel into the air to hit something.
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I am at a loss to understand your line of thinking? I purchase a 250 round case of 3.5 inch steel ammo for $145 plus tax. The other non toxic options like Bismuth, Tungsten etc, cost WAY MORE! And, tossing MORE steel into the air DOES increase lethality because you hit them with more pellets!

brybenn said:
I'm just wondering how one gets more reach with a 3.5" over a 3" gun? More shot doesn't give you more reach. It gives you a longer shot string and more recoil and more muzzle raise. A steel pellet traveling at 1400fps has the same energy no matter what length shell fired it. Chokes were created to control pattern density at distances. I'm not kicking at the big chambers. They have there uses. But I believe they are over stated
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I don't shoot 3.5 inch shells to extend my reach. Most of my migratory shooting is done within 30 meters on decoying birds. And, I shoot shells with a 1550 fps rating. I also use a Improved Cylinder choke to get a Modified pattern...

Cheers
Jay
 
AWOL said:
My wife thinks so... :cool:
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Pictures of wife? Just Kidding? :D You asked for it!



Also, thanks for the advice everyone. I purchased my first shotgun today, a Winchester SXP 3.5" 28" BBL, so now I don't have to use my Grandfathers Cooey 84 for hunting anymore!

I must say that the gun is really great, It is very fast at shooting and the recoil is very good! I am loving it, I like it more then my friends 1100, 870 and SuperNova.

Thanks again guys!
 
Have a look at Tom Roster Steelshot lethality table
http://www.wildlifedepartment.com/hunting/TomRoster's2012NontoxicShotLethalityTable.pdf

If you only need 85 to 90 hits in a 30" circle for big ducks and less for geese to guarantee a clean kill. why shoot 170 to 200 pellets in a 3.5"?
Most of the time I shoot 2 3/4 1oz of 2s or 3s, and I pattern my shells and have no probs getting required # of hits in a 30" circle at the ranges I shoot.

25 yards #3s smaller duck load
1187spsrsi683-25yards.jpg


40 yards #2s big duck. geese if they happen to come
1187spssts1oz2-40yards.jpg
 
To me it is simple. If you are a good shot you can knock them with 2 3/4" no problem over decoys as long as it is high speed. However many many groups I have guided over the years might have shot a box of shells in the last 5 years if I am lucky and cannot hit the side of a barn.
I remember one group I put over 25 geese 15 yards in front of them with the old feet dangling. Take em boys. 15 shots later not one bird dropped.Not even feathers
Those guys I need every pellet I can get so if they want to use 3 1/2" cool with me.
Do I really my self notice a big difference between 3" and 3 1/2" 12 ga NOPE other than a bit more range but again extra pellets going out there is not a bad thing normally and will add an additional bird or two . All my 12ga steel are 3 and 3 1/2 usually for the last shot
3 1/2 10 ga is a different story those I am trying to lighten up since she guts them in the air many times..
 
eastcoastsoxfan said:
25 geese, 15 yards, none, lol. true you do have to be a good shot
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Yep but most times the very best of gear and some of the nicest guns I have ever seen. The guy I helped out when he would get over booked did a lot of US clients, pro football, baseball players etc. Met some great people over the years. Some would allow you to shoot with them and just be another hunter in the blind great guys. Then there would be a group that made it clear the guide was to call and call only no shooting. Those I knew it was going to be a long 3 days. take care
 
Unless the manufacturers are going to stop making 2-3/4'' shells, the benefits of 3-1/2'' rounds can be argued minutely.
There are thousands upon thousands of the smaller sold and shot yearly with game taken as well.
Does one need a bigger round or does one want a bigger round ?
That is only the question ones self can only answer.
A 10 gauge might be an option to consider/ponder while in the market of a ubber shotgun.
Just my .02's to add this fine morning,
Rob
 
i dont see the point of the 3 1/2" shells in 12ga or 10ga long shot columns tend to not shoot well

i only use 2 3/4" 12ga never had the need for longer if and when i get a 10ga it will be the old school 2 7/8"
 
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There are 3 deer hanging in my friends drive shed right now that are proof positive that 18 pellets equals no tracking necessary. I spent a lot of time tracking wounded deer today hit with a couple pellets from 2 3/4" shells.

I like having the extra payload. It works nice for me in deer, coyotes (54 pellets in 4 buck), turkey, and goose. It's always the guys who don't have one that crap all over the 3.5".

Buy what suits you and live with your decision. The Internet is full of opinions including my own.
 
If shooting buckshot, 3-1/2' shells or better yet a 10 ga, makes a lot of sense. But I hunt waterfowl quite a lot every fall, and have quit using even 3" shells in preference to 2-3/4". I had a 3-1/2" gun for a brief period. It was long, heavy and handled like a crowbar. I can't imagine hunting grouse with such an ungainly pig, let alone geese. I shoot anywhere from 50-200 ducks and geese each season with good 12 ga 2-3/4" steel shells. I set my decoys where they want to be and shoot them when they are in range.
For anything but buckshot, and maybe turkeys ( which I have no experience hunting) a 3" 12 ga will cover all eventualities. And if you are like me, the better fit, balance and handling of a 2-3/4" gun is far superior all around in actual use, compared to paper ballistics of any 3-1/2" super ultra long range thumper magnum.
 
Longwalker said:
If shooting buckshot, 3-1/2' shells or better yet a 10 ga, makes a lot of sense. But I hunt waterfowl quite a lot every fall, and have quit using even 3" shells in preference to 2-3/4". I had a 3-1/2" gun for a brief period. It was long, heavy and handled like a crowbar. I can't imagine hunting grouse with such an ungainly pig, let alone geese. I shoot anywhere from 50-200 ducks and geese each season with good 12 ga 2-3/4" steel shells. I set my decoys where they want to be and shoot them when they are in range.
For anything but buckshot, and maybe turkeys ( which I have no experience hunting) a 3" 12 ga will cover all eventualities. And if you are like me, the better fit, balance and handling of a 2-3/4" gun is far superior all around in actual use, compared to paper ballistics of any 3-1/2" super ultra long range thumper magnum.
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3 1/2" not required for all that is for sure but not really a fair comparision from my 1/2 a dozen or so times hunting birds in your neck of the woods. I think if I wanted to could probally limit out with just the stock of the gun.
Have never seen so many birds in my life and so many opportunites for the perfect shot 2 3/4 is probally too heavy. No come down this way and try bobbing up and down in the ocean chasing sea ducks believe me you want every pellet you can put out there and 2 3/4" are useless for the most part. Remember also a trip to quebec where they required us to bring guns that would shoot 3 1/2" and when the ducks would not decoy made everyone switch to 3 1/2 for pass shooting. Strange but having guided myself for years know just how piss poor of a shot many guys are so I think their logic was get as many pellets out there as possible to see if we can limit these guys out.Just my opinion from hunting the various locations and think carrying a 3 1/2" gun is nice to have just in case.
 
antiqueguy said:
i dont see the point of the 3 1/2" shells in 12ga or 10ga long shot columns tend to not shoot well

i only use 2 3/4" 12ga never had the need for longer if and when i get a 10ga it will be the old school 2 7/8"
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All it takes my friend is to get into a duck or goose blind some day with a guy that has a 10g and knows how to shoot it and you will quickly see why you will want one especially for pass shooting geese.
When we hunt the 12g guys shoot first and the dude with the 10g after they are done to clean up what is flying away.
10ga with high speed duplex reloads properly patterned are as good as the old BB lead and can smoke them out of range of any 12ga out there.
Hunting coyotes with them is another story. DEADLY but don't try to sell the pelt LOL
 
I like the 3.5" loads in my Baikal MP153 for large steel shot sizes ( BBB T) for geese and big late season mallards. But most times it is loaded with 3" #2's. The 3.5" cartridge has it's place.

Darryl
 
Longwalker said:
If shooting buckshot, 3-1/2' shells or better yet a 10 ga, makes a lot of sense. But I hunt waterfowl quite a lot every fall, and have quit using even 3" shells in preference to 2-3/4". I had a 3-1/2" gun for a brief period. It was long, heavy and handled like a crowbar. I can't imagine hunting grouse with such an ungainly pig, let alone geese. I shoot anywhere from 50-200 ducks and geese each season with good 12 ga 2-3/4" steel shells. I set my decoys where they want to be and shoot them when they are in range.
For anything but buckshot, and maybe turkeys ( which I have no experience hunting) a 3" 12 ga will cover all eventualities. And if you are like me, the better fit, balance and handling of a 2-3/4" gun is far superior all around in actual use, compared to paper ballistics of any 3-1/2" super ultra long range thumper magnum.
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Hey, what gun did you shoot that handled that bad? The 3.5" guns I've shot are no different than the 2.75"/3" guns.
 
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