NoYesIdunnoMaybe
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Anybody know about a side by side in 12 gauge 3 1/2 inch?
Waterfowling side by sides
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JohnBT
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American Arms used to make 10 and 12 ga. SxS guns with 3.5" chambers. They turn up used frequently. That's all I know about the subject.
John
John
rcmodel
Member in memoriam
I know I wouldn't want to shoot it!!
That's all I need to know about a 3 1/2" Side by Side.
rc
That's all I need to know about a 3 1/2" Side by Side.
rc
JohnBT
Member
I've been told they're no good for steel shot due to the steel used or the barrel welds, etc.
Still, I always liked the looks of a 10 ga. with 32" barrels and a factory sling. I don't want to shoot it.
Still, I always liked the looks of a 10 ga. with 32" barrels and a factory sling. I don't want to shoot it.
Virginian
Member
I had two SxS 10s. Heavy bastards, but the worked pretty well on geese and swans with copper plated "T"s. An AYA Matador and a Richlands 711 I think. The Richlands was my favorite.
NoYesIdunnoMaybe
Member
Well I know side by sides were the classic waterfowl gun, but I don't see many around now. The ones I do see are very expensive. I would like to see a rugged 12ga side by side chambered for the new 3.5" load, with screw in chokes, and a 28" barrel. I've seen over unders with the 3.5" chamber, like the Browning Cynergy, but I have never seen a side by side. The reason I find this odd, is that side by sides don't have to open as far as over unders, which makes reloading faster and easier in tight spaces. Where's the suggestion box for Stoeger?!?
Beretta 626 'Onyx' was made in both 3" and 3.5" versions. I have only handled one 3.5" gun and that was about 20 years ago.
NoYesIdunnoMaybe
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Oooo I like the sound of that! Always wanted a Beretta too
Fastcast
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The Beretta 686 is an O/U
I have taken geese cleanly, out of a vintage 12ga. SxS shooting 2.5" 1oz. of #4 Bismuth shot at 35 pushing 40 yards. If you really want to waterfowl with a SxS, you may have to reconsider your game plan....3.5" is not at all necessary to be successful, is all I'm saying.
I have taken geese cleanly, out of a vintage 12ga. SxS shooting 2.5" 1oz. of #4 Bismuth shot at 35 pushing 40 yards. If you really want to waterfowl with a SxS, you may have to reconsider your game plan....3.5" is not at all necessary to be successful, is all I'm saying.
MCgunner
Member
I picked up a goose guide's SxS 10 once, probably an AYA, not sure, weighed about twice my old Mossberg. I couldn't see swinging that thing on teal, but be okay for geese, I reckon. Me, i'll stick to my 12 for ducks and my 10 (also heavy) for geese. I think the hunting (I do a lot of it) is significantly enough different from ducks to geese to warrant different shotguns for the chores. Besides, it was an excuse to own a 10, as if I really needed an excuse. 
If I wanted ONE gun to do it all, I'd just stick to a 3.5" 12 and probably try to find a gas gun like the Mossberg 935. I'm starting to get old enough to be a little bit recoil intolerant, but I ain't a total wuss, yet. I've fired my single shot 10 guage 21 rounds in a morning, before and lived to type about it.
If I wanted ONE gun to do it all, I'd just stick to a 3.5" 12 and probably try to find a gas gun like the Mossberg 935. I'm starting to get old enough to be a little bit recoil intolerant, but I ain't a total wuss, yet. I've fired my single shot 10 guage 21 rounds in a morning, before and lived to type about it.
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Finprof
Member
Although there aren't a lot of 3 1/2 inch side-by-sides there are several 3 inch versions available. The Winchester 23 and Browning BSS, both discontinued, can still be found used. The Smith and Wesson and LC Smith (new boxlock) are also available in 3 inch.
The guys with whom I go goose hunting use 3 inch shells in their 3 1/2 inch guns anyway so I don't think the 3 inch is much of a handicap.
The guys with whom I go goose hunting use 3 inch shells in their 3 1/2 inch guns anyway so I don't think the 3 inch is much of a handicap.
MCgunner
Member
Anything made before about 1980 is not going to be steel shot compatible. If ammo cost is no object (it is with me), you can run bismuth. Hope you have plenty of money to feed that thing if you're going to use fancy shot, though. Tungsten matrix and bismuth are very expensive, but can be fired in old SxSs without damage. And, you won't need a 3.5" if you're running bismuth or tungsten matrix. The shot is denser than steal, if not quite up to lead. When I look at ammo prices, though, 10 gauge steel T shot looks like a Christmas sale bargain by comparison. And, T steel from a 10 works just as well on high flying geese.
And, T steel from a 10 works just as well on high flying geese.
chas08
Member
I know a fellow who shot an awful lot of steel through a Stevens 311 starting back when the steel and the shotcups were trash compared to todays loadings. I think it was choked I/C & Mod. If it hurt the gun, you couldn't tell it from where we were standing. I'm not advocating doing it, I just know someone who did for a lot of years. It only had 3" chambers though. But as others have stated the 3.5 is way overated unless you are going to be shooting a lot of very large steel such as BBB or T.
MCgunner
Member
The 311 had schedule 80 for barrel thickness. My old Sarasqueta I bought at Cooks Discount for 100 bucks on a going out of business sale in Byran, Texas has paper thin barrels, quite light, and I wouldn't shoot steel through it. I have fired a few rounds, but that's it. I got a pump when I had to switch to steel. I would NOT subject a nice old Parker or LC Smith or something to steel shot, put it that way.
My old Sarasqueta I bought at Cooks Discount for 100 bucks on a going out of business sale in Byran, Texas has paper thin barrels, quite light, and I wouldn't shoot steel through it. I have fired a few rounds, but that's it. I got a pump when I had to switch to steel. I would NOT subject a nice old Parker or LC Smith or something to steel shot, put it that way.
chas08
Member
Lol...They were built like corner posts. A lot of good guns were ruined by steel in the early days. I wouldn't take a chance on the nicer ones either.
JohnBT
Member
The early steel loads didn't have plastic shot cups that were thick enough to protect the barrels either. The bore would get scored even if the steel pellets didn't bridge going through the choke and screw things up.
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