3.5" Chamber - Is it worth it?

[Prairiewolf]

Looking to buy my first semi-auto shotgun. I want it to do alot, I don't want to buy multiple shotguns. It'll pull duty on migratory, upland, and perhaps predator defense. Is a 3.5" chamber really worth it? Seems shotguns were around as 3" for a long time. Thoughts and practical applications appreciated. Thanks.

[dth_]

My opinion-- If you hunt geese a lot, yes 3.5" is worth it. While I normally shoot 3" shells the majority of the time it is nice to have the option to switch it up.

I find myself loading 3.5" shells later in the season with the bigger, heavier, fatter geese showing up and being much more reluctant to commit to the decoys.

[Foxton Gundogs]

Originally Posted by dth_

My opinion-- If you hunt geese a lot, yes 3.5" is worth it. While I normally shoot 3" shells the majority of the time it is nice to have the option to switch it up.

I find myself loading 3.5" shells later in the season with the bigger, heavier, fatter geese showing up and being much more reluctant to commit to the decoys.

Rather than to just go for more pellets with 3.5" we switch to Remington Hyper Steel for late season birds. 1700 fps vs 1550, when feathers and down get thick "Speed Kills"

[elkhunter11]

Originally Posted by Foxton Gundogs

Rather than to just go for more pellets with 3.5" we switch to Remington Hyper Steel for late season birds. 1700 fps vs 1550, when feathers and down get thick "Speed Kills"

I definitely found that there were less cripples when using the 1560fps loads, compared to the 1300-1400 fps loads, but the Hypersonic loads grouped very poorly in the guns/chokes we tried them in. Patternmaster for one, rates their chokes for 1550fps and less, and higher velocities resulted in horrible patterns.

[Foxton Gundogs]

We shoot them out of Berettas and SX2,3 and 4s. with either modifies or IM chokes with great results. We also load and chrono speeds up to 1800fps. I do know that some of the "aftermarket" chokes will not hold pattern over 1600fps. Anyway we kill a LOT of birds and go through a lot of ammo in a season and the speed demons work well for us on winter birds.

[Off in the Bushes]

I found shooting 3.5 out a pump gun to be shoulder crushing. Along with spinal adjusting. lol If you are twisted to get a bird that if fleeing and you shoot that 3.5 you will now it all through your spine. It just wasn't pleasant, unless you have recoil reducing gun like the A400 then its not worth the beating you receive. You are out there to enjoy yourself not take a beating. My 5 cents

[elkhunter11]

I have a shotgun with a 3-1/2" chamber, but I never use 3-1/2" loads, because they just aren't required.. 3" waterfowl loads are plenty for geese, we have killed many geese over the past few years with 3" loads, from early season, to late season. If you place the pattern properly, the geese fall. I only purchased the gun with a 3-1/2" chamber, because it was on sale for less than the same gun with a 3" chamber , because it had an older camouflage pattern.

[Dick284]

I’ve got a 3-1/2” chambered semi for waterfowling.
I load a 3-1/2”er, as my last shot most times(heat of the inrush, it’s what ever in whatsoever order), I’m also lucky if I get that third shot off 50% of the times I open up on geese. So I seem to do pretty good with 3”, 1-1/8, 2’s, and blast the odd goose with a 3-1/2”, 1-3/8, BB sometimes.

I dunno, but the 3-1/2” shells were bought on sale, so I’ll shot maybe a box to a box and a half each season(~10 days hunting) it’ll take me about 5-6 seasons to deplete my current stock, so why not......

[hal53]

Originally Posted by Dick284

I’ve got a 3-1/2” chambered semi for waterfowling.
I load a 3-1/2”er, as my last shot most times(heat of the inrush, it’s what ever in whatsoever order), I’m also lucky if I get that third shot off 50% of the times I open up on geese. So I seem to do pretty good with 3”, 1-1/8, 2’s, and blast the odd goose with a 3-1/2”, 1-3/8, BB sometimes.

I dunno, but the 3-1/2” shells were bought on sale, so I’ll shot maybe a box to a box and a half each season(~10 days hunting) it’ll take me about 5-6 seasons to deplete my current stock, so why not......

I bought a Browning Silver at a heckuva deal that is 3 1/2", I then lucked (?) into 10 boxes of 3 1/2" shells at a good price, once they were gone I went back to 3" and saw no appreciable difference, except on my shoulder...center the pattern where it belongs and the geese die.

[catnthehat]

Originally Posted by hal53

once they were gone I went back to 3" and saw no appreciable difference, except on my shoulder...center the pattern where it belongs and the geese die.

Smoke 'em if ya got 'em!
Seriously though, my partner shoots a 2 3/4" gun , my son shoots a 3.5" gun, and I shoot mostly BP cartridge loads and muzzle loaders- sometimes I shoot smokeless whatever I have in the Pedersoli if I run out of black powder cartridges.
however most of my waterfowling is done over decoys with a 20 gauge!

If they are decoying well all is good, and where we hunt they are either decoying right on the deck or they are not in the air at all!
The geese in this This tailgate photo were all past shooting targets.
I may not kills as many birds as some guys do but my shot to birds killed is pretty good because we know the fields we hunt and how to set a spread on them, and I practise a lot .
Cat

[BlackHeart]

Get a semi-auto that handles everything from 2 3/4 to 3.5.
Beretta A400. Buy once, cry once.

On geese it’s nice to have the option and that third shot. Load 2 of the 3 and for the final shot a 3.5. Gets you the distance shot you’d normally miss due to range.

Flame suit on.

[silver lab]

Originally Posted by Dick284

I’ve got a 3-1/2” chambered semi for waterfowling.
I load a 3-1/2”er, as my last shot most times(heat of the inrush, it’s what ever in whatsoever order), I’m also lucky if I get that third shot off 50% of the times I open up on geese. So I seem to do pretty good with 3”, 1-1/8, 2’s, and blast the odd goose with a 3-1/2”, 1-3/8, BB sometimes.

I dunno, but the 3-1/2” shells were bought on sale, so I’ll shot maybe a box to a box and a half each season(~10 days hunting) it’ll take me about 5-6 seasons to deplete my current stock, so why not......

I don’t know if it helps at all but I do the same thing. Makes me feel better to have the last round a 3.5. If you get three off the last one is usually a little longer of a shot.

[Foxton Gundogs]

Originally Posted by Prairiewolf

Looking to buy my first semi-auto shotgun. I want it to do alot, I don't want to buy multiple shotguns. It'll pull duty on migratory, upland, and perhaps predator defense. Is a 3.5" chamber really worth it? Seems shotguns were around as 3" for a long time. Thoughts and practical applications appreciated. Thanks.

Pretty simple you can't shoot 3.5" if you don't have a 3.5 chamber. May not use it much but it's there if you want it. In reality #3 shot going 1550 fps is no different coming from 2.75, 3 or 3.5 " longer shells only give you more shot not more killing power. I have a Beretta 391 3.5" I shoot 2.75 for ducks, 3" for geese 95% of the time and maybe 3.5" 5%.