irishlad
Contributing Member
The grandson's SBE 3 shoots them comfortably and he only weighs 120.
Benelli Super Black Eagle 3
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The grandson's SBE 3 shoots them comfortably and he only weighs 120.
SwampWolf
Member
Me too (SBE II), and I only weigh 260.
cdb1
Member
The shotgun cycles 3.5” shells reliably or your grandson isn’t bothered by the recoil shooting 3.5” shells in his SBE 3?
cdb1
Member
I currently own four SX-3’s. Felt recoil for me is noticeable less with them than with the Vinci I used to own.
irishlad
Contributing Member
cdb1
Member
That’s great but the fact of the matter is between equally fitting shotguns gas will have less perceived recoil than inertia. Nothing wrong with inertia but some people including myself are bothered by really heavy recoil. Which you are going to get with 3.5” 12 gauge shells. Height and weight have nothing to do with the ability to handle recoil. And in fact many small light people handle recoil very well.
irishlad
Contributing Member
He says the 3.5" shells have less recoil than the 3" shells in his 11-87 (gas). Don't know if it's the fit or the comfort stock on the SBE 3 or both
.
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cdb1
Member
Pretty much has to be the fit. I believe the Comfortech stock does lessen felt recoil better than any other Inertia shotgun stock I’ve used though.
SwampWolf
Member
There's no getting past the very heavy recoil generated from a 3.5" shell in a 7 1/2 pound shotgun. Gas, recoil pads, stock design and greater weight can help mitigate the push but you're still firing a round that kicks more than many magnum "elephant" rifles.
I've hunted waterfowl all of my life with different 12 gauge shotguns, both pumps and autos, and I'm not particularly "recoil sensitive". But shooting from a blind on a good day means firing a box or more of shells (even I miss on occasion), and recoil has a deleterious accumulative effect on the shoulder no matter who you are in terms of age, weight, strength and stature.
Imo, 3 1/2" shells are useful in very limited circumstances (long, passing shots at Canadians or maybe big tom turkeys at a distance). Even 3" shells don't kill any better most of the time than 2 3/4" "baby magnums" do in my experience.
My Benelli has a 3 1/2" chamber but, just like you don't have to use Magnum loads in a .357 Magnum revolver unless you really need to, you don't need to pound yourself silly using shells the size of a cucumber unless you have to. Most of the time, I don't have to, even when hunting waterfowl where ballistically inferior steel shot (when bigger but less pellets are a disadvantage in terms of pattern sizes) is mandatory.
I've hunted waterfowl all of my life with different 12 gauge shotguns, both pumps and autos, and I'm not particularly "recoil sensitive". But shooting from a blind on a good day means firing a box or more of shells (even I miss on occasion
), and recoil has a deleterious accumulative effect on the shoulder no matter who you are in terms of age, weight, strength and stature.Imo, 3 1/2" shells are useful in very limited circumstances (long, passing shots at Canadians or maybe big tom turkeys at a distance). Even 3" shells don't kill any better most of the time than 2 3/4" "baby magnums" do in my experience.
My Benelli has a 3 1/2" chamber but, just like you don't have to use Magnum loads in a .357 Magnum revolver unless you really need to, you don't need to pound yourself silly using shells the size of a cucumber unless you have to. Most of the time, I don't have to, even when hunting waterfowl where ballistically inferior steel shot (when bigger but less pellets are a disadvantage in terms of pattern sizes) is mandatory.
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Mohican1
Member
There's no getting past the very heavy recoil generated from a 3.5" shell in a 7 1/2 pound shotgun. Gas, recoil pads, stock design and greater weight can help mitigate the push but you're still firing a round that kicks more than many magnum "elephant" rifles.
I've hunted waterfowl all of my life with different 12 gauge shotguns, both pumps and autos, and I'm not particularly "recoil sensitive". But shooting from a blind on a good day means firing a box of shells or more (even I miss on occasion
Imo, 3 1/2" shells are useful in very limited circumstances (long, passing shots at Canadians or maybe big tom turkeys at a distance). Even 3" shells don't kill any better most of the time than 2 3/4" "baby magnums" do in my experience.
My Benelli has a 3 1/2" chamber but, just like you don't have to use Magnum loads in a .357 Magnum revolver unless you really need to, you don't need to pound yourself silly using shells the size of a cucumber unless you have to. Most of the time, I don't have to, even when hunting waterfowl where ballistically inferior steel shot (when bigger but less pellets are a disadvantage in terms of pattern sizes) is mandatory.
In my Benellis I use 3.5in for deer hunting where buckshot is required or hunting deer with hounds. In specialially machined extended choke tubes I can get 18 00buck pellets inside a 13-14in 40yd pattern which is lights out on deer to maybe 60yds. The 3in shells in my gunsmiths tubes are not as efficient and carry 3 fewer pellets. On a really good day I may only shoot 3-4 shells. Usually 1-2. Recoil is not a big deal unlike my waterfowl brethren shooting a box.
SwampWolf
Member
I think a classic example of a "short-recoil" action is the Browning "Double Auto"; in my opinion the finest auto shotgun ever made for upland game (especially grouse and woodcock in heavy cover). I still hunt with the one I bought new in 1961.
cdb1
Member
One or so of the hardest kicking shotguns I ever shot were Auto-5’s. On the other hand the softest kicking shotguns I’ve shot include some Auto-5’s. The difference was if the friction rings were set up correctly.
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