How really useful are the 3" and 3 1/2" shells??

[saturno_v]

Obviously some specific loads come only in a given formal (for example the 3" Brenneke Black Magic shells) but in "normal" shotgun hunting situations there are really any significant, noticeable, practical advantages of the longer shells??
Many experienced shotgunners told me that they do not care about the Magnums (3") and SUper Magnums(3 1/2") they still use the 2 3/4" for pretty much everything, successfully, including where the use of non lead shots, commonly steel, is mandatory.
What is your take on this??

 

[dispatch55126]

I use 3" Brenneke slugs from my slug gun but otherwise I don't have any use for them. I read somewhere either on this site or another where they were discussing 3" shells and up. In short, there was a trade off on going to longer shells. If I recall right, the increased distance when shooting steel from a 3" or 3.5" forced a trade-off of less shot per shell.

 

[natman]

For wing shooting with lead shot 2 3/4 is fine. For turkeys the extra shot in a 3" is handy, although you can certainly take a turkey cleanly with a 2 3/4" shell.

Steel shot is another matter. There you can use the extra volume to put more shot in the pattern. I'd only put up with the weight and expense of a 3 1/2" gun if I were a hard core waterfowler.

 

[MCgunner]

Before the advent of the fasteel loads, the 1550 fps stuff, I used 3" steel 2s mostly for my duck hunting. 2 3/4" just didn't seem quite up to it out at 40 yards or so, pattern thinned a bit much. Well, with the fast steel, put one number 2 or 3 on the bird and he folds at 40 yards. I don't buy the 3" stuff anymore for ducks. Really didn't NEED to anyway over decoys, but now, there's absolutely no reason to.

Geese require 3" heavy shot BB or BBB in 12 gauge or 3.5" T shot if you're shooting past 35 or 40 yards. We get days down here that they hold up at 40-50 yards and just won't come on down. That's where the T shot and the necessary larger round to contain enough of it to pattern well shine. I fire my T shot out of a 10 gauge, though. My favorite duck gun is a Mossberg 500 camo and it is deadly with 2 3/4" number 3 or 2 fasteel. 3s are my fave, but I often have to settle for 2s when I can't find 3s and Wallyworld has the high speed Expert for about $8.50 a box, but only in 2 right now so that's what I've been shooting. I do a lot of waterfowling and steel shot is just reality. I quite buying 3" hevi shot when a box of 10 hevi shot went up to near 40 bucks a box.

 

[juk]

I use the 3" and 3.5" shells for waterfowl. I get more shot in the pattern and still keep velocity up. Sure, I might could get a 2.75" shell to do the close up shots, but those a few and far between on my lake. By the second week of season, all the duckies are flying high, fast, and far. For anything else (dove), I don't see a need to go to the larger shells.

 

[rcmodel]

Steel shot and certain Brenneke slugs unavailable in 2 3/4" are the only two good uses I can think of.

We were killing geese as far as a sensible person would shoot at them with 2 3/4" Magnums & #2 lead shot before steel became the law of the land.

You need the 3" & 3 1/2" length to get enough larger steel shot in a shell to even come close to equaling lead shot in pattern & penetration at long range.

rc

 

[BP44]

I have never hunted any large game with a scattergun, but I live to shoot ducks and i shoot alot of 3'' and quite a few 3 1/2'' shells every year. As Rc pointed out you really need the longer shells for steel shot.

 

[slabuda]

Not needed, but for waterfowl I think the 3" is a big plus, not as much on the 3 1/2 though but I dont hunt geese.

I think with steel shot and hunting 2 shot sizes bigger (#6 lead = #4 steel etc) the extra capacity keeps pellet count up while still maintain velocity. With steel it helps to hit them at 1500 fps vs 1200 with lead as steel bleeds energy faster once you hit 35+ yds. Yes Ive killed ducks with 2 3/4 and will glady use them over decoys at a max of 35 yds, But once they start to become decoy shy and flare easily the 3" gives an advantage on dropping them quicker with less cripples.

Having said that there is a trade off in felt recoil. My Beretta Extrema does a pretty good job soaking it up so its not that much more recoil than 2 3/4. But in a pump it could be more noticeable. The 3 1/2 heavy goose and Turkey loads do kick hard. So if you dont mind the recoil or extra money you can use bigger/heavier loads to your advantage.
"
FWIW I shoot only 2 3/4 for upland. And get 2 3/4" or 3" depending upon whats on sale at the time, or stocked on the shelf. I tried some 3 1/2" turkey loads but the 3" patterned better.

 

[blacklab]

i use the well performing (and well overpriced)black cloud bbb 3.5 on geese.the recoil is a bit stout ,but on the longer shot its nice.

 

[Gordon]

3" faststeel #3 for ducks in a 12ga. works really well to at least 40 yards. I shoot 2-3 flats of Kent a year. I use an 1100 Remington magnum 12 ga. with a 30" barrel reamed from full choke to a long forcing coned loose modified which delivers a nice dense cloud of #3 steel.
I also use , when heavily fogged in and the ducks are down , a 20ga 3" Browning A-5 Magnum with #4 Faststeel 3" Kent shells . Once again the 28" barrel once was full before I had it modified specifically for steel loads, which means a loose modified and a long forcing cone.
All in all the Fast steel 3" shells work pretty well on waterfowl. The 3" 20ga. works well on Pheasant with appropriate loads. Actually I been using the Faststeel #4s on roosters too the last couple years and they work well.

 

[MCgunner]

My Mossy 500 tosses a very tight pattern with 2 3/4" Xpert hispeed 3s or 2s. They seem to work about as well as 3", enough that I don't mess with 3" anymore for ducks. The 2 3/4" loads are a few bucks cheaper. I do quite a bit of waterfowling and money is a factor with me. At 8.50 a box, the 2 3/4" Xpert hispeeds are nearly as cheap as Winchester AA 7.5 dove/skeet loads. Of course, I'm shooting bulk pack dove loads for doves, LOL!

But, what everyone is saying and I concour is that if you have to use steel shot, yeah, the longer rounds have merit. 3.5s and T shot are the only way to go on geese if you hunt 'em much unless you're a billionaire, but 3.5" has little use otherwise. I do hunt this WMA in the spring for hogs and it's buckshot only. A 3.5" round holds 18 00s. Well, in 10 gauge it does, so I assume it also does in 12 gauge.

 

[mljdeckard]

For turkeys, you are trying to get all the range you can. Personally, I'm going to try it first with 3"s and if they prove to not have the legs, then maybe I'll look at a gun that shoots 3-1/2"s.

For defensive stuff I have never considered using anything other than 2-3/4"s.

 

[Nicodemus38]

heres a question on efficiency, the british were able to use lead shot in 10 and 8 guage shotguns and larger to take geese at ranges of 100 yards. so how can the wonderfully more superior steel ammo only do the job out to 50 yards?

 

[Floppy_D]

so how can the wonderfully more superior steel ammo only do the job out to 50 yards?

it ain't better, it's required to be environmentally friendly. it's less dense, and carries energy to less distance.

 

[Steve C]

The 3" shells are a way to get more shot in the round. Typically they where for long range waterfowl shooting or buckshot at deer size game.

With the requirement that waterfowl shooters use a non lead shot the shells and chamberings that where longer than 3' was born. Steel shot is lighter than lead, sheds its velocity faster and needs to be driven at higher velocity with larger shot to have similar terminal effect at the same range when compare to traditional lead ammunition.

 

[chas08]

the british were able to use lead shot in 10 and 8 guage shotguns and larger to take geese at ranges of 100 yards

Steel T-Shot will pass all the way through a Snow Goose at 100 yds. I'm not saying you should purposely try to take 'em that far out. But it has happened to me several times over the years, that a goose 30- 35 yds beyond and behind the one I was shooting at, would fall from the sky stone dead and be sporting an exit wound.

 

[natman]

heres a question on efficiency, the british were able to use lead shot in 10 and 8 guage shotguns and larger to take geese at ranges of 100 yards. so how can the wonderfully more superior steel ammo only do the job out to 50 yards?

I don't know where you got the idea that steel shot is "wonderfully more superior" to lead because it isn't. People only shoot steel because it is mandated by US federal law. Can't hunt with 8 gauges anymore either.

Because steel is lighter than lead, you have to use larger pellets to get the same weight per pellet. Because the pellets are larger you have to use a larger shell to fit the same number of pellets. That's why 3.5" shells were developed.

 

[natman]

For turkeys, you are trying to get all the range you can. Personally, I'm going to try it first with 3"s and if they prove to not have the legs, then maybe I'll look at a gun that shoots 3-1/2"s.

For defensive stuff I have never considered using anything other than 2-3/4"s.

3.5s will potentially shoot farther than 3s. However, in the woods where I hunt turkeys, there's no way that I could see far enough to ever take a shot where 3.5s would make a difference.

I missed the first shot I ever took at a turkey, (which is why my turkey gun now has sights), so he took two shots. Every single one of the dozens of turkeys I've taken since has fallen to one shot of 3" 2oz #4s.

They might have a few more pellets in their heads if I'd used a 3.5" gun, but they wouldn't be more dead.

 

[Grunt]

I think you have to first define what "normal shotgun hunting situations" encompasses. If you are talking about grouse or dove hunting, then I'd say no, the longer 3" and 3 1/2" shells really aren't required. However, if you are hunting snowies in a North Dakota flyway with steel shot, then yes, the longer magnums are going to be the standard here. Again, it all depends on where you're at and what you're hunting that is going to define what shell is going to be the norm.