Turkey hunting forum for turkey hunting tips

Turkey Guns & Shooting => Turkey Guns => Topic started by: yella yelper on February 03, 2015, 08:14:39 PM

Title: 3" shells out of a 3.5" gun
Post by: yella yelper on February 03, 2015, 08:14:39 PM
Is there any hard evidence that a 3" load will pattern better out of a 3.5" gun than its 3" counterpart? Example let's just take a Longbeard #5 out of a SBE vs an M1 both using the same choke. Surely somebody somewhere has tested this?  I know each gun is different, just looking for generalities.  My initial thought would it'd be the same but not for sure. Thoughts?
Title: Re: 3" shells out of a 3.5" gun
Post by: dirt road ninja on February 03, 2015, 08:32:34 PM
My opinion is that it would not make any difference at all.
Title: Re: 3" shells out of a 3.5" gun
Post by: Izzyjoe on February 03, 2015, 08:46:08 PM
Somebody probably has tried it, but I really don't think it make a real big difference if any.  I now a fellow that shoots 2 3/4 loads in a 11-87 sm with good results. He don't want the kick of 3" or 3.5's!
Title: Re: 3" shells out of a 3.5" gun
Post by: outdoors on February 03, 2015, 09:38:59 PM
I JUST BOUGHT A VERSA MAX AND I GOT SOME FEDERALS TURKEY THUGS 3" @ 3 1/2"
And a * BIG * PEICE OF CARDBOARD AND AT 30yrds. ON TOP I SHOT THE 3 1/2" AND
THE BOTTOM 3" AND TO MY SURPRISE  THE 3" SHOT ALOT BETTER PATTERN AND MORE
EVEN   And this was with a stock choke that came with it ...
Title: Re: 3" shells out of a 3.5" gun
Post by: Ihuntoldschool on February 04, 2015, 09:03:52 AM
It can go either way just depends on the individual gun, choke, and load.
Title: Re: 3" shells out of a 3.5" gun
Post by: Bowguy on February 04, 2015, 04:57:31 PM
Guys it's too much shot being crammed into too small of an area. As soon as it hits the forcing cone it gets busted up n this leads to irregular patterns. On a gun such as the 835 w open cones and oversize barrel you will see a def increase in pattern density at least in the ones I own n tested. These are older guns though, on the newer ones nothing seems to have changed. You can prob get a better pattern in your 3-1/2 but it may mean more testing loads.
Title: Re: 3" shells out of a 3.5" gun
Post by: allaboutshooting on February 04, 2015, 07:37:02 PM
Quote from: yella yelper on February 03, 2015, 08:14:39 PM
Is there any hard evidence that a 3" load will pattern better out of a 3.5" gun than its 3" counterpart? Example let's just take a Longbeard #5 out of a SBE vs an M1 both using the same choke. Surely somebody somewhere has tested this?  I know each gun is different, just looking for generalities.  My initial thought would it'd be the same but not for sure. Thoughts?

I've never seen evidence either way. I have some 3.5" chambered guns that pattern 3" shells exceptionally well and some 3" chambered guns that do the same. It just seems that some guns/barrels pattern better than others.

Thanks,
Clark