Looking for 3.5 semi auto

vpsalin

vpsalin

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Hi im looking for 3.5 semi auto for high flying geese with following characteristics:


  • Reliable with 3 - 3.5 shells
  • Doesn't need to be reliable with 2 3/4 necessarily I won't be shooting those much
  • Track record of shooting point of aim
  • Fits patternmaster goose choke
  • The loading handle doesn't just pull out if you tug on it lolll
  • Available in cerakote a big plus


I really don't have a brand preference .

I've been researching somewhat, and many guns (even expensive ones) seem to have a tendency of shooting crooked and off target. Some also have the bolt handle come off too easily. These are major turn offs.

I'm not seeing many complaints about the SX4 besides it being very nose heavy and has more internal plastic parts then I might want to be seeing.

Too bad the affordable impala plus shotgun line doesn't come in 3.5 chamber. Are those in the works?
 
My choices would be either a Browning Silver or Maxus.

I also love my Mossberg 935 as well. I've been shooting it for waterfowl and turkeys for the last 14 years. This year was when I decided to go back to shooting my Brownings for waterfowl and use the Mossberg just for turkey hunting.

Shotgun fit is everything though. You'll want to go to a store and handle/shoulder a bunch of different brands to see what fits best. For me, Brownings fit a lot better than Benellis's and Beretta's. So much so, I have sold all my Benellis's and Beretta's long ago and now own a pile of Brownings
 
1963beretta said:
My choices would be either a Browning Silver or Maxus.

I also love my Mossberg 935 as well. I've been shooting it for waterfowl and turkeys for the last 14 years. This year was when I decided to go back to shooting my Brownings for waterfowl and use the Mossberg just for turkey hunting.

Shotgun fit is everything though. You'll want to go to a store and handle/shoulder a bunch of different brands to see what fits best. For me, Brownings fit a lot better than Benellis's and Beretta's. So much so, I have sold all my Benellis's and Beretta's long ago and now own a pile of Brownings
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And the biggest issue with fit, is that most hunters don't even know that shotgun fit consists of more than LOP. They don't understand drop at comb or cast.
 
Browning Maxus would be a good selection. I have been shooting #9 light loads, 2 3/4 " for a month now on the skeet range to practice for the season have have not had any problems. Using steel #6, 2 3/4" to finish cripples won't cause you any problems and they are cheaper than the 3" and 3 1/2" steel shells. Of course, if you practiced shooting at clay targets, you won't have to chase any cripples! LOL!
 
stubblejumper said:
And the biggest issue with fit, is that most hunters don't even know that shotgun fit consists of more than LOP. They don't understand drop at comb or cast.
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Yup! And you can shim a semi as much as you like, but those shims are far from perfect. Fixing one measurement facks with something else. For me, the Browning Silver and Winchester SX3 are a good example. Same gun internally, but the Silver fits me just right out of the box. The SX3 not quite, just never felt the same. And I could have shimmed my old Beretta’s and Benelli’s as much as I wanted, they would never fit right. Adding the drop that I required really messed with the pitch and it just didn’t sit well on my cheek and shoulder. No chance I could get them to work. SxS’s and O/U’s are an even bigger issue for me.
 
the spank said:
My choice would be stay away from 3.5" unless you purchase a case of Tylenol for the concussion headaches you'll get from the excessive recoil...
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I handle it just fine right now with my 870 super mag. Just looking for a semi auto replacement
 
the spank said:
My choice would be stay away from 3.5" unless you purchase a case of Tylenol for the concussion headaches you'll get from the excessive recoil...
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Now thats a great marketing idea. Display bottles of extra strength Tylenol with the boxes of 3.5” shells. Maybe run a BOGO promotion.

Me personally, while I don't shoot many 3.5” shells, I don’t mind the recoil in the odd time I do shoot them. I will say that there is definitely a noticeable difference between the 12g and 10g shells. And many assume I mean the recoil on the 10g is more when in fact its the opposite. The recoil on the 3.5” 12g is substantially more due to the lighter weight of the gun. A 10g feels more like a shove then a sharp recoil. Its actually much nicer shooting a 10g semi than a 12g semi with 3.5” shells
 
the spank said:
My choice would be stay away from 3.5" unless you purchase a case of Tylenol for the concussion headaches you'll get from the excessive recoil...
Click to expand...

The 3.5" adds recoil and expense, with no significant difference in the amount of birds killed, so even though my Maxus and SX-3 will both function with 3.5", I don't bother with them. If you are really serious about killing more birds, shoot skeet or sporting clays all summer, and your improved shooting skills, will kill far more birds. My Patternmaster Code Black Goose choke does add a bit of effective range , but the tradeoff is a smaller pattern, at closer ranges.
 
I have at least a case of 3.5 that has been around for 5? years and I sometimes shoot a box or 2 when I pass shoot geese .Agree with SJ the 3.5 are imho overrated but the shop down the road sells out every year so someone buys them.I (here it comes) bought a Savage Renegauge a few years back to try them. Have had Browning Gold, Beretta A 400 and Benelli SBE 2 all of which were ok and functioned pretty well my son bought the SBE2 off me and loves it. The Savage gives me something that the others did not ability to change stock height and lop which as a bigger guy with our longer seasons clothing changes quite a bit from Oct.-Jan. It is soft shooting but barrel heavy imho again better than some not as good as others and only comes in 3".So if you're heart is set on 3.5" not for you. Oh you might ask what do you shoot you're seldom used 3.5" through have a Browning Cynergy Wicked wing that is my goose gun and never failed me even after 12 hours submerged in salt water.
 
I have a Franchi Affinity Elite 3.5 waterfowl with a pattern master goose choke I have been beating on the last 2 years hunting in Alberta. It shoots better than the Browning Maxus wicked wing with a patternmaster choke that I also have. Its faster, softer, more reliable, shoots anything I give it and easier to clean.
 
bluegrizz77 said:
I have a Franchi Affinity Elite 3.5 waterfowl with a pattern master goose choke I have been beating on the last 2 years hunting in Alberta. It shoots better than the Browning Maxus wicked wing with a patternmaster choke that I also have. Its faster, softer, more reliable, shoots anything I give it and easier to clean.
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If you find the inertia driven Franchi to shoot softer than the gas operated Maxus, then the Franchi must fit you much better than the Maxus. I personally find the Maxus to feel significantly softer than any interia driven shotgun that I have tried, including Benelli and Franchi. Reliability wise, both my Maxus and SX-3 have been pretty much flawless, so very hard to improve on, if maintained properly. The only advantage that I see with an inertia driven shotgun, is that they require less cleaning.
 
The a400 extreme plus camo was 1869$ on sale. Some stores sell it at MSRP 2750$. I also have a patternmaster goose choke on order. You're a blessing brybenn, thanks again!!
 
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