Not trying to :deadhorse: but i must admit I have been shooting 3 1/2 for years now just because my gun will allow it I guess and maybe thought it was just that much better. But here recently I shot a 3" the other day out of my set up and was amazed at how even and consistant it was. The 3 1/2 throw more lead but seem more splotchy now compared to the 3". Has anyone else realized this or is this just a fluke?
Many guns shoot 3" better than 3.5". Not a fluke. I never shoot 3.5" as I have not found it to be necessary.
IMO with the 3" shells available today, there's no need to shoot 3 1/2". Just my :z-twocents:
Agree, just a good 3 inch shell is all i use...
Same here....if you find the right choke/shell combo 3in. is plenty addiquit. All I ever use anymore...
Noticed similar results a while back. Still threw the 3-1/2" just because of the payload. Didn't make sense though because the 3" patterned better but only slightly. Now all I shoot are 3" but it's also TSS and I'd switch to a 2-3/4" if I found the right load. 2 oz of TSS isn't needed.
I've had similar results with the 3" shooting better. Now that's all I shoot
Same as everyone else that posted here. All my turkey guns wil handle 3.5" but I only shoot 3" Hevi and have no issues with patterns or performance on birds or paper.
Yep
I shoot an M2, so 3" it is. My son's Nova will shoot either, but patterns better with the 3". Happy with that, since 3.5" in a pump is down right rude on the shoulder! :gobble:
The 835 is one imo that seems to shoot them better, least in the guns I've seen/patterned.
To be honest though they're older guns n haven't been checked w the modern loads. That gun though throws great patterns. Part of it is the overbored barrel n open forcing comes. The shot isn't beat up as badly upon being fired I'm sure. Either way w reg lead shot it/they throw a better pattern than the 3" least in my experience
Quote from: RebelW on February 11, 2017, 10:48:05 PM
Not trying to :deadhorse: but i must admit I have been shooting 3 1/2 for years now just because my gun will allow it I guess and maybe thought it was just that much better. But here recently I shot a 3" the other day out of my set up and was amazed at how even and consistant it was. The 3 1/2 throw more lead but seem more splotchy now compared to the 3". Has anyone else realized this or is this just a fluke?
Last year I made the switch from 3.5 to 3" LB. After comparing patterns of each on paper I was finding that I only got 10-15 more pellets in 10" at 40yd with the 3.5 and the pattern was less even than the 3"
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I'm shooting Winchester Double X High-Velocity Turkey Loads 12-gauge 3-inch magnum shell with 1-3/4 ounces of shot at 1300 fps. Have never tried 3 1/2" for turkey
Never seen the need, for me killing birds at the 15-17 yard range with the shotgun.
MK M GOBL
My old 835 showed much favoritism to 3.5" shells. Win HV #6's were about a 40-45 pellet difference and the Hevi13 #7's were around 60 pellets difference in the 10" at 40yds. I don't know if it was the overbore on the 835's as they seem to do better with 3.5's or just my particular gun.
Once I realized I didn't need the recoil of a 3.5" to kill turkeys I traded it off because I already had 12's that could handle 3" shells. I later went to a 20 gauge with 3" HW #7's.
Only 3.5" guns I've owned is an 835 and a 935. 3.5" shells is what I've always fed them for turkeys. In my guns 3.5" always patterns better giving higher #'s. Ive never felt the recoil of a 3.5" shell when squeezing the trigger on a gobbler. Looking back, I've never even killed a gobbler with a 3" 12ga shell. The real question is why even shoot a 12 ga with the way a 20 ga will shoot with Hevi and HW #7's?
Quote from: jordanz7935 on February 12, 2017, 11:18:43 AM
Only 3.5" guns I've owned is an 835 and a 935. 3.5" shells is what I've always fed them for turkeys. In my guns 3.5" always patterns better giving higher #'s. Ive never felt the recoil of a 3.5" shell when squeezing the trigger on a gobbler. Looking back, I've never even killed a gobbler with a 3" 12ga shell. The real question is why even shoot a 12 ga with the way a 20 ga will shoot with Hevi and HW #7's?
That's becoming my opinion also...if I was just starting out it would be 870 youth 20g. after patterning my son's. Even though I have well over a half dozen 12g turkey guns I still might trick out a 20g. for myself...
Quote from: jordanz7935 on February 12, 2017, 11:18:43 AM
Ive never felt the recoil of a 3.5" shell when squeezing the trigger on a gobbler.
I hadn't either and I had killed several with 3.5" shells. One day after a dead morning I was sitting at the base of a large oak talking to another guy on our lease when a hen crested a ridge with strutter in tow. I eased up my 835 stoked with H13 #7's and got twisted around, birds moving right to left, and I mean way twisted around, squared up the sights and fired. The recoil ripped the gun out of my left hand throwing the shot wide right and laid my 230lbs on my right side at the feet of the lease member. The butt stock wasn't firmly on my shoulder, it was actually in the crease of my bicep, and it bruised me all the way to my elbow.
That's when I came to realize I didn't need that recoil, as I watched a nice tom fly off unscathed. I did pepper a nice sized oak tree though.
Last year I had to take a similar shot, minus the lease member, on a bird that tried to sneak in the back door. I was using the youth 870 20 gauge and the shot was a piece of cake.
With factory loads I always shot 3.5" in my 3.5" guns with great results. My handloads I shoot 2 3/4 and 3" loads.
I have tried both and the 3.5" was better in my 835. However if the 3" was a better performer the I would switch with no reservation. It is not necessary but I like them and have confidence in them. I will say this if you can't shoot them accurately then they are worthless.
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Another vote for the 3" shell!!!
3" to me is brutal on my little shoulders I don't have much meat on, I am a boney fellor. That being said I wouldn't even fill a 4" Magnum load if there was such when a big gobbler is at the end of the sight. After what a 3" does to my shoulder when trying to pattern my guns I just can't seem to try the 3.5" I guess I'm still a kid! That's why I personally shoot 3".
A 3" shell is all you need with the way 20ga Ammo has come the 12ga seems unnecessary
I shoot whatever consistently patterns best in my gun. And that happens to be 3.5" hevi 6's out of my benelli. If I found a load that shot better I would use it. Recoil means nothing to me :funnyturkey:
Quote from: RebelW on February 11, 2017, 10:48:05 PM
Not trying to :deadhorse: but i must admit I have been shooting 3 1/2 for years now just because my gun will allow it I guess and maybe thought it was just that much better. But here recently I shot a 3" the other day out of my set up and was amazed at how even and consistant it was. The 3 1/2 throw more lead but seem more splotchy now compared to the 3". Has anyone else realized this or is this just a fluke?
sounds like me realizing that 80 grains of powder shot the bullets in my muzzleloader much better than 100grains. :toothy9:
My brother-in-law shot 3.5 #5 Win Supreme for years. He killed a lot of turkeys no doubt but his shoulder paid for it. He had never tried a 3 in before so I got him to shoot some 3in #5 HEVI-13. The pattern was noticeably different and now that is all that he shoots.
I always smile looking through the pattern pictures as I see proud people post pictures of there lbxr 3.5" #6s , knowing that im putting just as many and usually more pellets on paper with the same load in 3". I really dont know why either.
3 inch
Quote from: MK M GOBL on February 12, 2017, 08:00:24 AM
I'm shooting Winchester Double X High-Velocity Turkey Loads 12-gauge 3-inch magnum shell with 1-3/4 ounces of shot at 1300 fps. Have never tried 3 1/2" for turkey
Never seen the need, for me killing birds at the 15-17 yard range with the shotgun.
MK M GOBL
Turkey hunter there.. Only have one gun that I shoot Hevi 13 3.5 7's.
330's in a 10 @ 40. Overkill and usually just hunt 3" which patterns the best out of the majority of my guns.
Its amazing how we ever made it through life prior to 3.5" shells....kinda like cell phones :TooFunny:
Quote from: tha bugman on February 24, 2017, 09:55:30 AM
Its amazing how we ever made it through life prior to 3.5" shells....kinda like cell phones :TooFunny:
I dunno. I am pretty sure that the turkey I shot at 13 yards with the old remington hevi shot 3.5" mags would have charged if I had used less gun. :)
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