Waterfowl hunting with 3 inch shell

reddog said:
Thats funny ,did that back in the 70's with 2.75 and 3" only guy that had a 3" gun and told the other guys that they would "blow" their guns up so wouldn't give them any .But in the end they figured it out that they could single shot them in their pump guns :)
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So how does firing a 3" shotshell single shot in a 2-3/4" chamber, reduce the pressure, to make it safe?
 
It Doesn't but you have to pry the empty out of the exit port as it will not clear therefore you cannot pump in the next round , you think that those boys cared about pressure . If it went off and didn't blow up in you're face then it was all good ,not my idea .
 
reddog said:
It Doesn't but you have to pry the empty out of the exit port as it will not clear therefore you cannot pump in the next round , you think that those boys cared about pressure . If it went off and didn't blow up in you're face then it was all good ,not my idea .
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If they do it often enough, something will likely let go eventually.
 
A quick googling reveals...
1 3/8oz of steel BB contains 99 pellets.
1 5/8oz of steel BB contains 117 pellets.

So 18% more. Is it significant? Pattern your gun at various distances and see for sure. Long, narrow shot columns tend to produce less effective patterns that are more subject to stringing. The classic example of this is the 410 and how notoriously difficult they can be to master wingshooting with. Similarly, though to a lesser degree, the 3.5" 12 ga will naturally have a longer shot column than the 3" and that could lead to less uniform patterns. All you can do is shoot all the different shells you're considering, through all your available choke tubes, and see what patterns best at various distances. It will be a long process, but ultimately in an afternoon of shooting and pellet-hole counting, you should come up with a combination that works for your hunting area and style.

Taking advice from me, who only pass-shoots geese in Saskatchewan is completely irrelevant if you plan on calling in ducks over decoys around a slough or in a wooded swamp.

For me a 3" or 3.5" BB is exactly what I want in my Browning Gold 3.5", but there are times when I'm chucking a 2.75" of #2 Bismuth or Tungsten-Matrix out of an older double.
 
BigUglyMan said:
A quick googling reveals...
1 3/8oz of steel BB contains 99 pellets.
1 5/8oz of steel BB contains 117 pellets.

So 18% more. Is it significant? Pattern your gun at various distances and see for sure. Long, narrow shot columns tend to produce less effective patterns that are more subject to stringing. The classic example of this is the 410 and how notoriously difficult they can be to master wingshooting with. Similarly, though to a lesser degree, the 3.5" 12 ga will naturally have a longer shot column than the 3" and that could lead to less uniform patterns. All you can do is shoot all the different shells you're considering, through all your available choke tubes, and see what patterns best at various distances. It will be a long process, but ultimately in an afternoon of shooting and pellet-hole counting, you should come up with a combination that works for your hunting area and style.

Taking advice from me, who only pass-shoots geese in Saskatchewan is completely irrelevant if you plan on calling in ducks over decoys around a slough or in a wooded swamp.

For me a 3" or 3.5" BB is exactly what I want in my Browning Gold 3.5", but there are times when I'm chucking a 2.75" of #2 Bismuth or Tungsten-Matrix out of an older double.
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This. More pellets in a shell does not mean more pellets on target. I was getting blown out patterns with 3.5" out of my sbe2. I was getting more pellets in my pattern with 3" over 3.5".
Pattern pattern pattern.
 
If the recoil doesn't bother a person I see no reason not to use 3 or 3.5 inch shells for waterfowl.
How many rounds do you go through on an average waterfowl day?
 
3 inch just allows for larger payloads over the shorter shell but is required to keep the max pressures at the same levels as 2 3/4 as per Handloaders guide 1980 for lead.
 
squidxm said:
This. More pellets in a shell does not mean more pellets on target. I was getting blown out patterns with 3.5" out of my sbe2. I was getting more pellets in my pattern with 3" over 3.5".
Pattern pattern pattern.
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Ya I have shot 100s of patterns and yet to see a 3.5 inch beat the patterns of a well patterning 3 inch. I've primarily patterned in bb size but have also tried 4,3, 2, 1, bbb and t shot. There is very little that patternes worth a dam bigger than bb in 12 ga but there are some. Small shot is definatly more forgiving. Bought lots of score and challenger 2.75 shells last few years. 1 1/16 ounce at 1550. And 1450. This in a #2 will pattern right beside alot of 3.5 number 2s. More shot in the shell does not mean more on target. It means more recoil for sure. Under 35 yards none of this matters.

I
 
Was out yesterday before the snow hit new they would be hungry ,set up at 2;30 finished at 3;45 and regretfully shot a few of the thousands of widgeon that circled me. Will post some pics when Imagur gets going again.Oh could have used my 28g on this one they were right in my face, closes sunday might get one more taste
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last round up mallards ,pin and widgeon full pull
 
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reddog said:
Was out yesterday before the snow hit new they would be hungry ,set up at 2;30 finished at 3;45 and regretfully shot a few of the thousands of widgeon that circled me. Will post some pics when Imagur gets going again.Oh could have used my 28g on this one they were right in my face, closes sunday might get one more taste
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Actually reddog, Duck season closes Friday night. With the snow and cold it may be over now for me.
 
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