12 gauge questions

[Lockjaw]

What is the primary advantage of a 3.5 in mag over a 3 inch besides the obvious extra .5 inch?

I am looking at either a Benelli or Winchester semi-auto that can shoot steel, for ducks and turkey. Kind of leaning towards the Benelli. Just wondering is it worth 400 more bucks to be able to shoot 3.5?

What about the diff between the shells pricewise?

[jettdog68]

I think it is, i shoot a Benelli SBE, Get a Kicks Gobblin thunder turkey tube for it and you will have a killin machine. They also make a awesome waterfowl tube that I use also. Shells are quite a bit more about 5-6 bucks. The Benelli is the only 3.5" gun that shoots all size shells without failure in my opinion. The others I have seen to many misfires with the shell not chambering correctly with lighter loads. I have had my Benelli for goin on 12 or so years with out a problem.

[abe1]

step up to a 10 gauge and don't look back. A 10 gauge is heavier and there for kicks less. A 3.5 in 12 gauge is a 10 gauge dressed up as a 12 gauge and will kick your ass. I had a Rem 870 12 in 3.5 inch for one week end and it turned the middle finger of trigger hand black and blue shooting 3.5 steel while duck hunting. I have never had any trouble out of my Browning pump 10 gauge. Its a great gun for water fowl and turkeys. IMO

[Jason Hale]

I am shooting a Browing Gold 3 1/2 and love it. It will shoot anything you put into it and doesn't beat you to death. Just my .02

[POP R]

I have a browning gold 3 1/2 I use it on everything from doves, deer ,turkeyand ducks> Its never failed me.

[moto]

your gaining shot capacity and with little extra velocity/energy with 3 1/2's. couple of extra shot with a couple of extra yards can present more shot opportunities if you do your part. $400 more, ducks and turkey's die every year to 20's, so no a 3 1/2" isn't needed. if you're bored and want a new toy to play with, and you got the cash, go for it.

[sgt93]

I have a Beretta Xtrema2 and the 3.5's rock. You really can reach out and touch something Go with the 3.5

[kybaitcaster211]

I have the Benelli SBEII and love it. The 2 3/4, 3 or 3 1/2 option is great, I can barely feel a difference when shooting 3 or 3 1/2 inch shells and you do get a little extra reach with the 3 1/2 inchers. As far as the recoil in an 870 from remington, yeah you will feel it but the inertia system and recoil reduction features in the Benelli negate that. I have both guns and haven't shot the Remington in 3 years since I got the Benelli. GO FOR IT!

[Santeerangerman]

Call me old fashioned, but I rank the 3.5's right up there with the Robo-duck as two of the worst things that ever happened to duck hunting.

I'm speaking STRICTLY about duck hunting. Not goose, or turkey hunting.
The reason I dislike them so much is, I see more and more sky-busting while duck hunting since they have come out on the market.
Folks go out and buy a 3.5" Super Blaster magnum shotgun with a $100.00 choke tube, and all of a sudden they think they can kill every duck that comes with-in 80 yrds of them.
When they DO hit a duck, they typically wound them, and end up with a bird that's sails 100 yrds or more in the woods, or across a ricefield, and it never gets picked up.
The AVERAGE hunter doesn't have the skill to CONSISTENTLY hit ducks at that range.
All a 3.5" gun does is provide a denser pattern. It doesn't have more "killing Power".
A #4 pellet from a 10 ga traveling at 1400 fps, has the same EXACT POWER as a
#4 pellet fired from a .410 bore if it's traveling at the same speed.
That doesn't mean I don't think there's a place for the 3.5" guns, there is.
I can see a BIG advantage for a turkey hunter using a 3.5" gun as it can provide more hits on a very small target like a turkeys head and neck. I can see the reason why a goose hunter would use a 3.5" gun to get a denser pattern with the larger size pellets commonly used for geese.

If you want to be a BETTER duck hunter, and put more birds in your bag with less shots fired, learn how and when to blow a duck call, how to set decoys. Learn to read the birds, and how they react to your spread.

By the way, my "Go-To" duck gun is a Benelli 20ga. I'll GUARANTEE you this, it'll kill ducks just as dead, feet up in the water, as any 3.5" gun made.

OK, let the flaming begin....

[abe1]

20 GA=LADIES GUN

[Santeerangerman]

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by abe1 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">20 GA=LADIES GUN</TD></TR></TABLE>

Actually,

20 ga=



and...



and...


and...



Two 20 ga Benelli's, and one 20 ga Beretta AL 390

[kdkiehn]

3.5" shells are great for Goose hunting. For duck hunting, I'll have a 3.5 as my last shell, usually behind a couple of 2 3/4" or 3" shells - depending on the situation. I shoot an 870 express super mag, so my last shot is usually a bit longer than what a guy with a semi-auto will take - I never have a jamming problem, but I pay in speed of cycling shells. A 3.5" shell definitely gives you more range, but accuracy is key at long distance, and that has to come from the shooter, not the shell. If you've got the money, go for the 3.5" - I'd rather have the option of being able to use them than just wishing I could. Oh, and yeah, 3.5" shells do cost a bit more.

[abe1]

just pimping you. Great pics

[Santeerangerman]

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by abe1 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">just pimping you. Great pics</TD></TR></TABLE>

Oh bud, I know that!!

I wuz just pickin back at ya!

Now, if you said something like a Toon being a better boat than a Ranger, well them's fightin words....

[dukhntr]

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by abe1 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">step up to a 10 gauge and don't look back. A 10 gauge is heavier and there for kicks less. A 3.5 in 12 gauge is a 10 gauge dressed up as a 12 gauge and will kick your ass. I had a Rem 870 12 in 3.5 inch for one week end and it turned the middle finger of trigger hand black and blue shooting 3.5 steel while duck hunting. I have never had any trouble out of my Browning pump 10 gauge. Its a great gun for water fowl and turkeys. IMO</TD></TR></TABLE>

That's gotta be the worst advice I've ever read on BBC! lol
You don't have to hve a 3.5" gun. I don't think you will kill stuff any more with a 3.5" than a 3". Just my opinion. With that said, I have a Benelli SBE and a Beretta Extrema 2 that both shoot 3.5". I shoot 3.5 at Geese and that's it. Not sure it makes a huge difference though. 10 gauges are big, weigh a ton and the ammo is hard to find and very pricey. Also, if you can't bring it down with a 3" shell then you shouldn't be shooting at it period. Probably just gonna cripple it only to let it fly off and die with a 3.5".

[moto]

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by santeerangerman &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Call me old fashioned, but I rank the 3.5's right up there with the Robo-duck as two of the worst things that ever happened to duck hunting.

I'm speaking STRICTLY about duck hunting. Not goose, or turkey hunting.
The reason I dislike them so much is, I see more and more sky-busting while duck hunting since they have come out on the market.
Folks go out and buy a 3.5" Super Blaster magnum shotgun with a $100.00 choke tube, and all of a sudden they think they can kill every duck that comes with-in 80 yrds of them.
When they DO hit a duck, they typically wound them, and end up with a bird that's sails 100 yrds or more in the woods, or across a ricefield, and it never gets picked up.
The AVERAGE hunter doesn't have the skill to CONSISTENTLY hit ducks at that range.
All a 3.5" gun does is provide a denser pattern. It doesn't have more "killing Power".
A #4 pellet from a 10 ga traveling at 1400 fps, has the same EXACT POWER as a
#4 pellet fired from a .410 bore if it's traveling at the same speed.
That doesn't mean I don't think there's a place for the 3.5" guns, there is.
I can see a BIG advantage for a turkey hunter using a 3.5" gun as it can provide more hits on a very small target like a turkeys head and neck. I can see the reason why a goose hunter would use a 3.5" gun to get a denser pattern with the larger size pellets commonly used for geese.

If you want to be a BETTER duck hunter, and put more birds in your bag with less shots fired, learn how and when to blow a duck call, how to set decoys. Learn to read the birds, and how they react to your spread.

By the way, my "Go-To" duck gun is a Benelli 20ga. I'll GUARANTEE you this, it'll kill ducks just as dead, feet up in the water, as any 3.5" gun made.

OK, let the flaming begin....
</TD></TR></TABLE>


good post right there

[188ELITE]

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by kybaitcaster211 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">I have the Benelli SBEII and love it. The 2 3/4, 3 or 3 1/2 option is great, I can barely feel a difference when shooting 3 or 3 1/2 inch shells and you do get a little extra reach with the 3 1/2 inchers. As far as the recoil in an 870 from remington, yeah you will feel it but the inertia system and recoil reduction features in the Benelli negate that. I have both guns and haven't shot the Remington in 3 years since I got the Benelli. GO FOR IT! </TD></TR></TABLE>
+1

[BucksnBass525]

I don't know about ducks but for turkeys you need all the umph you can get, they are one tough bird. I shoot a 3.5" Mag and Xtra full choke. Years past I had birds run away from a 3" mag at 40 yards. The 3 1/2" No. 4 " folds em' up well beyond that.

[Lockjaw]

Well I am trying to sell some older shotguns, and see how much money I can come up with.

Still looking at the Benelli, but might look at a couple others. I need to find someone with an FFL that will accept a shipment for me. I think I can find a good deal online.

My big thing with the Benelli is its a proven gun.

Oh and I got a youth model 870 Express Mag 20, saving it for my little man, and also got a 410 Mossberg that I just can't bring myself to sell. I love that little sucker, even though its hard as heck to kill stuff with it very far away.

Keep the replies coming guys, I am reading and learning.

[abe1]

well just who made you an expert!!!!!!!!!!!!