3'' or 3.5''?

[This45Colt]

So here is the dilemma... I am looking for a shotgun that can be multiple purpose... this being goose/duck and turkey... maybe close range predators as well....

I am looking at a few different Stoeger Semi-Auto's as well as some Benelli Nova pumps.... and my question is this... is the price difference between the 3'' guns and the 3.5'' guns really worth it for the added shot in the shell? does the extra really make a big difference?
(besides a price increase in the guns and their ammo )

Any suggestions/data on improved performance (or not) will be appreciated.
Thanks

 

[ColtPythonElite]

For big birds, I'd prefer having the option of using the 3.5". I'd spend the money now instead of possibly regretting it down the road.

 

[rule303]

A 3" will bring down any turkey or goose with good shot placement. If you look at ammo, the current trend seems to be higher velocity rather than heavier payload. Most 3.5" shells currently on the market have lighter shot charges than the 3" shells of a decade ago. That being said, I shoot a 10ga BPS for waterfowl, just because I like the gun and shoot it well. When I carry one of my 12's I don't feel undergunned with a 3" chamber. 3.5" 12 gauge fixed breach guns also kick like heck!

 

[This45Colt]

So between CPE saying that I may be better off spending the money now rather than regretting it, and you saying fixed breach kick hard... should I just spend more and get a 3.5'' auto now and have it when I need it?

 

[USAF_Vet]

Do you have a purpose for the 3.5" shells? By this, are you going to be doing a lot of watefowl or Turkey hunting?

If the answer is yes, then the additional expense for gun and ammo will be worth it in the long run.

For someone like me, who rarely hunts waterfowl and miss most turkey seasons, the standard 2 3/4" and 3" shells suit my needs perfectly. The one turkey I might get a year still drops dead from #4 magnum (3") loads from my 12 gauge. Personally, I like options, but if they aren't options I'm likely to use, then I will pass.

Only you can answer the question of your needs, wants and desires.

 

[jmr40]

In my experience most of the semi's that shoot 3.5" shells do not work well with smaller shells. You will shoot a lot more 2.75" shells than 3.5". The guns that shoot 2.75" and 3" shells are quite reliable and the 3" shells will do 99% of what you can do with the 3.5" shells.

It makes no sense to me to buy a gun that will not be as reliable with the ammo you will use 90% of the time to gain a very slight advantage with ammo you will rarely use.

The 3.5" ammo offers no advantage for turkey. It is about pattern density. Most guns with 2.75" shells or 3" shells have proven to offer tighter patterns than the bigger shells which tend to blow the patterns.

The only advantage the 3.5" shells offer is when using steel shot, and shooting geese at long range. If you plan on shooting ammo by the case at geese then it is probably a good move. If you can get the geese in to moderate range the smaller shells will work just as well. Although they cost more the other non-toxic shot such as Hevi-shot and the Bismuth ammo in 3" will outperform steel 3.5" ammo. For occasional use they are a better choice. But like I said, if you plan on shooting cases of ammo each year at geese the cheaper 3.5" steel may pay off.

If I had to have 3.5" chambers and wanted a reliable gun that would also shoot all smaller shells reliably, Id go with the Benelli Nova pump before going with an inexpensive auto. The Benelli SBE has proven to be somewhat reliable with most ammo. Even it is less than perfect with many lighter loads

 

[DAP90]

the 3" shells will do 99% of what you can do with the 3.5" shells.

I completely agree.

Even on geese I’m not convinced a 3.5” is necessary. That said, I do have a Super-Nova that can handle 3.5” (never used it – don’t intend to – doesn’t bother me to have).

 

[FIVETWOSEVEN]

The Remington 887 can chamber all three shells lengths.

 

[Jeff F]

I don't think 3.5 inch 12 guage loads pattern as well as the 3 inch loads do. I have been a duck and goose hunter for 40 year and 75% of the shells I shoot are 2 3/4 inch the other 25% being 3 in goose loads with larger steel shot. Back in the days of lead shot we hardly ever used 3 inch shells.

 

[Leaky Waders]

"Do you need a 3.5"?"

Well, it depends.

What do your friends shoot? Do you hunt waterfowl? I mean not just like 2-3 bluebird days a year...are you addicted? Have you worn muddy waders back to work after lunch and changed back in your workspace? Have people paged you for work while your chest high in a swamp setting out decoys before sun-up? Do you carry an axe when you hunt so you can chop the ice from the boat ramp just to launch the boat, and also to use it to chop holes in the river so you have a place for birds to land? Do you have duck commander or haydel's cassettes in you truck for easy listening? Do you practice hail calls and clucks throughout the year? Does your wife know your decoys by name - blue bills, canvas backs, pintails, green-heads? Do you have frozen duck wings in your freezer for puppy training? Does your kids have their own set of waders at age 5, 8, 9 12, 14, 18? Do you dream of whistling wings? Does your dog get excited when you move your decoys? Or shotgun? Or cases of shells? Do you often sit in public parks and call the ducks over - just for practice? Can you tell the difference between a merganser and a mallard out of the corner of your eye? Have you used your shotgun as an oar, because you've dropped the oars as you jumped some wood ducks? Does your friends call you early in the morning if they hear shotgun reports and ask you if you've already limited? Do the neighbors ask you for feathers for craft projects...because they know you will always have some?

If you answer yes to everything above, then you need a 3.5" gun.

If not, then get the same chamber as your friends shoot - the one's that you hunt with. Why? Because, when it's 0430 and you drop your hulls over the side of some public boat ramp in 12 foot of water that you just spent 30 minutes hacking the ice away with an axe to put the boat in...you can borrow a box from them once the sun comes up and you realize yours is lost.

I don't know how many boxes of steel and heavi shot I've loaned to others when we're in the boat/blind. And me too. We forget boxes and bandoliers in the truck, or some late pruchase is on backorder on opening day. It's nice to use some friends hulls and pay them back and vice verse.

L.W.

 

[Clipper]

Once upon a time they were all handled by 2 3/4" shells thank you very much. I never bothered getting a 3", but I have shot the Bennelli auto with the 'recoil control' stock in 3 1/2" buckshot loads...Highly unpleasant. I was told by the owner that his CZ in .458 Lott didn't kick as hard as the Bennelli.

 

[tactikel]

I faced the same question. I wanted a 3.5" to shoot steel shot at geese. I found a great deal on a Mossberg 835 pump, camo with waterfowl and turkey barrels. The gun patterns steel BBs really well, and for turkey it will put 160 pellets of hevi-shot mag blends in a 10" circle (a killing pattern for turkeys) at 50 yards. The gun is heavy and kicks, but for these 2 purposes it is good. For all other upland hunting I use a 20 ga OU.
For an all around gun a 3" would be my first choice.

 

[sourdough44]

3" gets my vote. Just buy high quality Rem 'HD' or the Hevi-Shot ammo when needed. I also see more problems with the 3.5" semi-autos with cycling the lighter shells.

 

[MCgunner]

3" 12 simply does not hold enough steel T shot to be effective when the geese won't come down below 40 yards which happens on a clear day and there's nothing you can do about it. Snows, unlike those yankee canadas, are pretty smart, especially late season. I'm a goose hunter as well as duck hunter, would go with the 3.5" if buying ONE gun; however, I have a dedicated 10 gauge for geese. It's my opinion that if you shoot geese enough, the 10 will serve you better as a specialist goose gun. It's not that it holds much more T shot than the 12 3.5", but mine patterns over 90 percent at 40 yards 30" circle, It's the best patterning gun I own. Mine's just a single shot H&R, but it's all I need for goose hunting. I'd like to get a Browning 10, but the H&R works rather well and is fun.

Anyway, I hunt ducks with a 12, of course, shoot 2 3/4" fasteel 3 shot. It's killer even on large ducks up to 40 yards. Ducks decoy better, usually, than wiley snow geese. If you want one gun and are going to hunt ducks and geese with it, get a 3.5" 12 that will feed all 12 gauge ammo. The Mossberg 835 is a good'ne. Brownings are awesome. I'm not much on Remingtons, poor ergos for a lefty shooter, but if that doesn't bother you, the 870 in 3.5".

Note, too, that hevi shot is outrageous in price. 10 gauge steel T is a bargain by comparison. I used to shoot 3" BB Federal Tungsten/Iron and it worked well on geese, but I got the 10 when the price of tungsten shot to the moon. If you're Bill Gates, that won't matter, but if you make less than 350K a year, you might consider the cost of ammo vs hevi shot and stick to steel Ts in 3.5". I shoot geese often enough that it matters to me. I also now have a 10 gauge MEC reloader.

 

[6x6pinz]

Better to have and not need than to not have and need. Get the 3.5 and run 3 or even 2 3/4 if that is what is called for at that time. I usually shoot less than 2 boxes a year of 3.5 inch shells at geese but am sure glad to have them when I do use them. Most of my waterfowling is done with 3" but we do have a few holes that I just use 2 3/4 in. Variety is the spice of life.

 

[stan rose]

I would not try to talk any one into or out of something, but I can say that I bought a Bennelli SuperNova a couple of years ago simply because it can handle 3.5" shells. I found no noticable difference in performance, but a large difference in felt recoil. I am back to using my Ithacas in 2.75", and sometimes 3". That being said the Nova and SuperNova are extremly easy to strip and clean, and not bad to shoot either.

 

[SwampWolf]

Quote:
the 3" shells will do 99% of what you can do with the 3.5" shells.

I completely agree.

And 2 3/4" shells will do 99% of what you can do with 3" shells. As others have opined, if you plan on using steel for waterfowl, a 3.5" chambered gun has its advantages. And you don't have to use the longer shells.

 

[MCgunner]

BUT, the 2 3/4 and 3" just do NOT hold enough T shot for high flying geese. If you do any snow goose hunting and you don't wanna spend a fortune on hevi shot, you'll NEED that 3.5" chamber. Not opinion, just FACT. For ducks, all I use is 2 3'4" fasteel, but geese need big steel shot or BB hevi shot. If you don't mind paying $2.50 a round for hevi shot, buy it in 3" for geese, BB size. But, if you're going to buy a gun for waterfowl anyway, do youself a favor and get the 3.5" chamber. Gives you more options.

I've been shooting waterfowl for over 45 years. I've hunted nearly EVERY season during that time and usually heavily, except when I was in college. I ain't basing this on net opinion. It is experience talking. Snows ain't as stupid as canadas. On clear days, you're going to need that T shot.