3" vs 3 1/2"

[RebelW]

Not trying to 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?

[Gumby]

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.

[turkey_picker]

IMO with the 3" shells available today, there's no need to shoot 3 1/2". Just my 

[Greg Massey]

Agree, just a good 3 inch shell is all i use...

[1iagobblergetter]

Same here....if you find the right choke/shell combo 3in. is plenty addiquit. All I ever use anymore...

[wvmntnhick]

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.

[Jroddc]

I've had similar results with the 3" shooting better. Now that's all I shoot

[lunghit]

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.

[SteelerFan]

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! 

[Bowguy]

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

[WNCTracker]

Not trying to 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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[MK M GOBL]

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

[Tom Foolery]

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.

[jordanz7935]

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?

[1iagobblergetter]

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...