Which auto loader?

If Geese can be killed with a 2-3/4 inch load how does a 3-1/2'' increase ones chances ?

A well fitted shotgun with heft/balance and swung with ease will take more birds than a (insert brand of gun and load here) any day.
Now, if the shooter wants to be able to find those attributes in a 3-1/2'' shotgun then so be it.

Me, I would rather be shooting something that costs less to feed and it less punishing in felt recoil and muzzle blast and able to spend a few more minutes or an hour on the Marsh than have to spend the next day recovering from a bruised shoulder and not have to listen to the wife repeat herself a couple of times because my head is still ringing from all the shooting of those magnum loads.

The Ice Cream guys Auto 5 is certainly a fine shotgun , but it isnt a 3-1/2'' gun ;)
Atuo 5's Remington 1100's and any of the other 'B'guns are readily available , just head down to your local gun shop and try one on for size.

They certainly will over whelm one with good features and some gimmicks along the way too.

Besides if a 3-1/2'' round gives one a super advantage over the guy shooting the 2-3/4'' how much fun can it be if one limits out before the other on a sunny Saturday or in this case January 1 of a New Year that much quicker than his buddy in the blind ??

Best Regards in 2017 Guys and Gals,
Rob
 
Everyone is entitled to there own opinion.... if that's the case why do people hunt moose with anything more that a .270?.... it's a never ended argument. Bottom line is shoot what u like, and me personally, I like to increase my chances as much as possible. For the record I don't try to "overkill" either as I hunt moose with a 30-06. What if u drop all of your shells and cannot retrieve them but all ur buddy is shoiting is 3.5"?... oops... time to pack up and go home. It's a more versatile firearm as well once a 3.5" chamber comes into play. Do what u like and buy what u like. I like 3.5" shotguns with no limitations personally.


Happy New Year
 
Hoss83 said:
Everyone is entitled to there own opinion.... if that's the case why do people hunt moose with anything more that a .270?.... it's a never ended argument. Bottom line is shoot what u like, and me personally, I like to increase my chances as much as possible. For the record I don't try to "overkill" either as I hunt moose with a 30-06. What if u drop all of your shells and cannot retrieve them but all ur buddy is shoiting is 3.5"?... oops... time to pack up and go home. It's a more versatile firearm as well once a 3.5" chamber comes into play. Do what u like and buy what u like. I like 3.5" shotguns with no limitations personally.


Happy New Year
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If you want to increase your odds of a clean kill as much as possible with each shot, shoot skeet or sporting clays all year. Yes it will take time and money, but it will increase your odds by more than shooting 3-1/2" loads will.
 
I can agree with that... time and money would be a factor of course. 3.5" is just all around more versatile even if u somehow forget your shells. You can use any 12ga load out there.
 
Yep, also the benefit to being able to shoot 3.5's is that there will always be something on sale. I ended up with a 75 pack of #2's because they were the only shells on sale at Cabela's that weekend, and my stockpile was running low.
 
For shotguns? Try before you buy, always. Some just won't fit you.
A few options:
Mossberg 935. Occasionally $600 used. Doesn't shoot light load 2 3/4's.
Franchi Affinity. $1000. Doesn't shoot 3.5's. My boss likes his so it's cool? SEB2 action (I think?) without the bells and whistles.
Beretta A300. $1300. Doesn't shoot 3.5's. Costs a couple hundred bucks more for the name.
Winchester SX3. $1500. Top model performance without the extra $500 for a name. Low recoil, reliable, good balance, light weight. I own one, and it is fantastic! Spent all fall hunting waterfowl with it. Highly recommend trying one out.
Browning A5, Benelli SEB2, Beretta A400. $2000+ If you have this much money walk into a store. Shoulder a bunch of them. Make your choice. Buy it. Walk out.
 
You've never hunted. We'll tell you the same thing - ignore the 3.5" chambering for now. You don't have the skill or experience to need it or use it. Expensive shells, punishing recoil, heavier gun. Almost all of my bird hunting is done with 2-3/4" shells. I used a handful of 3 inchers for geese this year to great success, but even 2-3/4" shells work on them over decoys.

Have you done much wingshooting? As others have said, fit is more important than anything else. If at all possible, go to a local trap/skeet club and try a number of guns. And if you haven't done any wingshooting, take lessons as well. It will be money very well spent.

Don't get yourself all horny for any one gun on paper. You actually need to handle the gun before you make a decision. Even better, shoot it.
 
I was on the market for an autoloading shotgun not long ago... went with the Remington versa max. Very simple gas system to clean, cycles everything I've stuffed in it, 3.5's don't seem to add a whole lot of recoil, reasonably priced, and fits pretty good (for me). I've used it in everything from below -10 in snow storms, to rain storms, and with salt water spray soaking it. Not a problem so far
 
Basically every reliable resource I've read in text indicate that 3.5 inch shells add very little in ballistic advantage or "stopping power." Field and stream did a pretty good write up recently:

http://www.fieldandstream.com/articles/hunting/2013/08/truth-about-shogun-ammo?src=SOC&dom=fb#page-8


What 3.5 does add is a whole lot more recoil, fire arm weight, and cost. Unless you're looking to run more shells through a 3 gun rig, 3 inch would be my choice for ducks and geese. Chokes and shot selection make a much bigger difference in my experience.
Just my two pennies.

I'd also recommend the m2/affinity as I like the inertia system. Both of mine seem to run considerably cleaner than my gas guns.

Cam
 
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If it fits well, a Remington V3 is a good choice. I got one at the start of the season. It took down many a bird and dusted quite a few clays for me in the 5 months that I've had it. I just gave it a good cleaning and everything still looks great which really isn't a surprise.

I've put 2 3/4" #9 down the tube as well as 3" BB and it cycles both flawlessly. It's a fairly light semi, weighing in at about 7.25lbs or something. Even for such a light shotgun, the felt recoil is minimal. It has a great recoil pad on it with the Remington Supercell too.
 
Grouse Man said:
You've never hunted. We'll tell you the same thing - ignore the 3.5" chambering for now. You don't have the skill or experience to need it or use it. Expensive shells, punishing recoil, heavier gun. Almost all of my bird hunting is done with 2-3/4" shells. I used a handful of 3 inchers for geese this year to great success, but even 2-3/4" shells work on them over decoys.

Have you done much wingshooting? As others have said, fit is more important than anything else. If at all possible, go to a local trap/skeet club and try a number of guns. And if you haven't done any wingshooting, take lessons as well. It will be money very well spent.

Don't get yourself all horny for any one gun on paper. You actually need to handle the gun before you make a decision. Even better, shoot it.
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Yeah I've pretty much given up on the 3.5 inch chamber already. I've been looking at the A300 because it seems to shoulder nicely for me. I'm hoping to get a chance to try some different models at the range on the next decent day. Thanks for the advice.

Jeff
 
stubblejumper said:
Shotgun and pistol have very little in common so your pistol shooting means very little., as to the 500 rounds, it depends on the type of shooting you did. If you were shooting flying targets, then it is applicable. but it you were shooting at stationary targets, then you are a newbie when it comes to wing shooting.
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I am definitely a newbie at wingshooting... All of my shotgunning up to now has been combat/tactical type training (just for fun, not a pro). So basically if i need to transition from shotgun to pistol on a goose in an obstacle course I'm good to go but other than that I'm clueless...

Jeff
 
Once you have your new gun, the real work begins. You have trained your brain and muscles to move the gun quickly and then STOP abruptly on target, and then fire at the stationary target once you have the sights locked onto the target. If you let that carry over to wing shooting, you will miss. Every. Single. Time.

Best thing you can do is take shooting lessons at a skeet club to build a new foundation. Then shoot lots.
 
Buy the one that fits you the best. I had a Beretta Urika Gold and a Beretta Urika 2 in the past and they were both great guns. I currently have a Browning Silver Hunter and Browning Maxus and they are both great guns. It just came down to the Browning fitting me better than the Beretta. I have never felt the need for 3 1/2" shells and only use 2 3/4" and 3". Good luck with your search.
 
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