do i need a 3.5 chamber?

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droptrd

New member
my lgs has some good shotguns sales right now. Including a mossberg 535 combo for 330. I have a couple 500s at home and love them. Ive never owned a 3.5 chambered gun. Am i missing out? Should I jump on this deal?

I hunt duck but not too often. Mostly deer hunting.

They also have 500s in 20ga on sale too.
 
I've never found anything a 3-in couldn't handle, but then I haven't hunted duck in this century. It seems the only real advantage conferred on it is if you're shooting ducks waaaaaay up there (something tungston shot would work for too). But since it's a pump you're not really losing any reliability in shooting your normal 2 3/4 inch or 3 inch so there's no real downside which a 3.5 inch automatic shotgun may have in cycling lighter loads.

I wouldn't run out and buy a new one just to have a 3.5 inch magnum unless you're the most dedicated of duck/goose hunter but if you're getting a new shotgun anyways, why not get the added capability?
 
For ducks, not needed. The only people who can benefit from 3.5" chambers are guys who shoot geese, and do it a lot. Geese are big birds and are often shot at long range. It is hard to get enough of the large steel pellets into a 3" shell, so the 3.5's help here.

For the guy who rarely hunts geese, like me. I just have to either pass on the longer shots, or use some of the more expensive non-toxic shot. The other alternatives such a hevi-shot and some of the bismuth loads are much better than steel, even from 2 3/4" or 3" shells. But are too expensive if you are the type of guy who can go through a case of shells during waterfowl season.

The 3.5" steel shells have some kick, but are tolerable. 3.5" lead turkey or deer loads take recoil to a different level. Considering they are shot in 7.5 lb shotguns they are much worse than many elephant rifles. I've never seen a turkey wanted to kill that badly.
 
I agree. I never needed to kill something so badly I needed a 10 ga mag. either. I shot a few and said "that's about enough of that". It is amazing how far those things will reach. I reckon I will just get closer.
 
Not to mention empty wallet -- 3 1/2 shells cost a lot of money:(.

Save your money and get yourself a nice Browning, Beretta O/U:D.
 
I almost went for it today. Instead I layed away ANOTHER 500 Combo for 270 out the door. I somehow convinced myself I needed a 3rd 500. Pretty good price for a combo though.

Please dont tell my wife;)
 
my recomendation? Get closer and save the shoulder! lol 3" mag will do anything a 3.5 will do unless your shooting geese as mentioned above, or turkeys.
 
You don't need a 3.5" cannon for turkeys.... they are not armored with anything more than feathers, and have none of those on their head and neck where you are supposed to shoot them.

My daughter has killed 'em with 7/8 oz. trap loads out of her 20 guage. Shoot them in the head with a tight choked load of even moderate velocity, and they WILL die.
 
You don't need a 3.5" cannon for turkeys
Click to expand...

Exactly right.

2 3/4" or 3" work just fine.

Again, unless you're hunting geese or just a 'recoil junky', just no need for the 3 1/2".

Too, you may want to research the health issue's that can come from a steady diet of heavy recoil. Sometimes we don't think of these things till it's to late.
 
not any more

The 3.5 guns came about to launch heavy loads of steel shoot at waterfowl. When lead shot became illegal for waterfowl, steel became the common alternative. Since steel is not as dense as lead, it takes big steel pellets to get a useful pellet weight. Thus the high payload 3.5's came into being.

There are now some good alternatives for steel and waterfowl, but its expensive. Steel is an affordable option, so if one is a waterfowler (geese) a 3.5 MIGHT make sense.

But, you absolutely do not need a 3.5 gun for turkeys and general shotgunning. Aheavy 3.5 load in an alloy framed gun like the Mossbergs will get your undivided attenton.
 
only reason I said 3.5 for turkey is because my father had a mossberg 835 utility mag chambered in 3.5 mag and the guy we got it from said it was decked out for turkey hunting.(was told 3.5 mag was a common turkey load) I dont hunt turkeys so I wouldnt really know anything about them. Didnt intend to start a war fellas.
 
You don't need it man unless you are hunting from a long distance. If you do decide to go for a 3.5 you would be better off looking into getting a rifle.
 
If it can't be done with a 3" shell, maybe you shouldn't be doing it, courtesy Randy Wakeman.

I kill a lot of ducks and geese with 3" gun and even a 20ga.

Sent from my HTC Rezound using Tapatalk 2
 
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