3" vs 3 1/2" Pros and Cons

[shaman]

I've never been a fan of 3.5" 12 GA.  I'm big.  I can take recoil, but anytime I start smelling my own blood, I know what I'm shooting is overkill.   I also hunted for years with 2.75" 12 GA and even 16 GA-- 3" was an improvement, but not all that much. 

Last year, I bagged a gobbler at 40 yards.  That is probably the longest range I've ever taken a bird.   I'm not against taking longer shots.  It's just that, between the birds and the terrain, it's hard to get many long shots in my woods.   This just happened to be a set-up that covered a narrow open pasture.  I had expected the bird to come out on my side of the pasture, and he came out on the other.  Bottom line: Most of the shots presented to me over my lifetime have been in close, well within 20 yards. 

[tracebusta32]

The longer you hunt them the less you need....

When I first started I had a flock of decoys, every call you could think of, 3 1/2 in nitro shells guaranteed to knock um down at 70 paces, turkey vest, and although I hate to admit it I did something I never thought I would do and tried a red dot scope....on a shotgun lol.

The scope lasted until the man who taught me to hunt turkeys looked at me like I was nuts, the decoys have been long gone, shedded the vest a few years back along with the 3 1/2 in shell. The past few years we have gotten close enough to grab on a couple of occasions but I will probably keep the 3 in shell anyway just because it patterns well in my gun.

But the answer to your question is, if you killing birds within 40 yards you don't have to have a 3 1/2 in shell to do that with.

[tracebusta32]

sry posted twice

[onpoint]

Started missing birds because I flinched wit 3 1/2. Now shoot winchester 3 extended range

[onpoint]

An addendum to my prior comment: The Winchester load I changed to is the 3" mag "Supreme Elite". Great load, ya'll ought to try it. The reason the flinch was so important is that I hunt Kansas every year the misses were on gobblers coming in tall grass with just their head and part of the neck visibile. I shooting over their head because of flinching in anticipation of the dreaded recoil from the 3 1/2.

[Hognutz]

Somebody asked me why I use a 3.5'' turkey load? My reply was, because they don't make a 4''. More pellets is a good thing. I suppose someone, somewhere hunts them with a .410. And I know they shoot them with arrows every season, but I will take all the pellets I can get. If I don't need them all great, but if I do.....Each to his own. This can be argued 'till the cows come home. Good luck..Mike

[roughrider123]

I'm anticipating sighting in my new Xtrema with 3 and 3.5 loads. I hunt alot of geese and have run 3 boxes of 3.5's in a morning snow goose hunt. granted I feel that after 3 boxes but you only use one round for a gobbler. I also have a limbsaver butt pad installed. Which ever patterns best goes afield. I agree with more pellets better chances.
 
Roughrider out [:D]

[flatrock9]

Two seasons ago I went out and bought a dedicated turkey gun.  Benelli Super Nova with pistol grip.  I had for years used an 870 with 3" shells.  For some reason I felt like I needed to start buying 3.5" shells. 

Since buying the gun I haven't tried but a few 3" shells.  I have, however, tried several choke/shell combinations.

My daughter's gun is a Mossberg 500 20 gauge that shoots beautiful patterns with the 3" Hevi shot.

I really don't know why I went to the 3.5".  Just felt like the thing to do.  My suggestion would be to study a little and shoot what does best for you.  My brother has called and talked to many of the choke tube and shell manufacturers and has found what gun/shell/choke combos work the best.

[wymuley]

I love the heavy shot in my 3 1/2". Been using the same box of ten for three years and still have a few shells left.

[Hognutz]

It is a great factory/over the counter shell. The new #7's have taken the turkey world by storm...Mike