3-1/2” + bad shoulder

[KB88]

I am ready to buy my first semi auto 3.5” shotgun, after 12 years of hunting pumps. My question to all of you, does the 3.5 demo auto rock your shoulder pretty bad? I have a Winn Sxp in 3.5 and after a long day of 3.5s I can feel it. To top it off in the last 2 months  I am developing a shoulder pain while doing everyday activities (work related).

Let me know how you fair with it?

[Stein]

Yes, it is noticeably stouter recoil.  You also don't need 3.5" to kill anything you can legally shoot with it in this state.  Tons of big geese are brought down with 3".

If I had a bad shoulder or was recoil sensitive I wouldn't hesitate to use 3" on geese and 2 3/4" on ducks.

That said, you could always buy a 3.5" gun and have the capability to shoot anything.

[Birdgetter]

Yeah no need for 3.5 shells. I shoot 2 3/4 for ducks and upland. Occasionally I'll shoot 3 inch shells for jump shooting or geese. I do have a 3.5 inch sx3 but I have never ran any through it.

[Russ McDonald]

My question would be why are you shooting 3 1/2's.  Go to 3's.  I have an SXP and it kicks like a mule with 3's.  I am not a waterfowler just a turkey guy but I can tell you the my Stoeger P350 and Winchester 1300 shooting the same exact turkey loads in 3" doesn't even come close to how much the SXP kicks.   The semi  some of that recoil will get taken up in the gas operatopm of the action I believe.  On the SXP were you using the factory choke.  You can buy these extended chokes and most of them are also ported which should take some punch out of the recoil to.  Both my P350 and Win 1300 have turkey chokes the 1300 is the only one that is ported.  I just got one on my SXP but have not shot it with the choke yet.

[Pnwrider]

I use 3.5s for geese, as others said, 3” shells will get it done on ducks as long as you’re not sky busting. Sometimes I’ll load a 3.5 as the 3rd shot when I’m duck hunting depending on our decoy setup if I think I’ll have some longer range follow up shots or cripples to swat.

[Call em in]

Like others have already said you don’t “need” 3.5”. However, I do own several shotguns that will accept them. They shoot the smaller stuff well and you always have the option for the larger shell if you want it, etc.

[ctwiggs1]

I love my 3.5 but I only buy 3.5 for turkey or big honker-focused hunts.  Anything else is 3".  Here lately I've even dropped to 2 3/4 for upland game, or just left the 12 at home and brought out the 20.

That being said, I still haven't bought a semi auto.  I don't really see the value.  Pumping my shotgun has never slowed me down enough to not get a second shot in, even for teal.  You're generally pumping while recovering from the recoil of the first shot anyways.  Third shot is generally reserved for cripples with either action.

Seems like my friends who shoot semis have more maintenance, spend more up front, and don't really get a lot more value out of it.

Not trying to talk you out of it, just trying to offer another perspective.  They're sexy, but they're expensive.

[Pegasus]

I use one of these chokes when shooting 3.5 or any other size: http://www.wadwizard.com/index.htm
It definitely softens the punch to your shoulder especially those turkey loads and makes the shot more effective at longer ranges. I grew tired of the mule kicking my shoulder with every shot. When you age and degenerative joint disease of the shoulder sets in that recoil definitely becomes a problem. These chokes solved the problem.

[vandeman17]

As others have said, 3.5" isn't really needed. I stopped shooting them years ago and never looked back. You can still kill plenty of honkers with 3", just be smart with your shots and shoot them in the face 

[h2ofowlr]

I don't shoot 3-1/2" to much, as I can work them in close and kill them fine with 3".  If your looking for a 3-1/2" gun, you gas auto loaders will have the lightest felt recoil.  Your inertia guns will kick a bit more.  I prefer inertia though, as they are super simple to clean and maintain.  They swing fast.  I shoot the Benelli M2, 3" only & SBEII which shoots 2-3/4" to 3-1/2".  My boys shoot the Winchester SX3 & SX4 shotgun.  Cost was the factor for my boys as the Winchesters are about half the price of the Benelli.

[gaddy]

From someone who has had shoulder issues and a couple of surgery's I can tell you that
3 1/2s aren't any fun to shoot any more. Especially a turkey load. It's worse every year. I went to 3" but as I age even those will wear on you. I used to hunt waterfowl with a couple guys that only used 20 gauge. Ducks and geese. They could really rock those birds. Thinking about going that route myself.

[wadu1]

I don't shoot 3-1/2" to much, as I can work them in close and kill them fine with 3".  If your looking for a 3-1/2" gun, you gas auto loaders will have the lightest felt recoil.  Your inertia guns will kick a bit more.  I prefer inertia though, as they are super simple to clean and maintain.  They swing fast.  I shoot the Benelli M2, 3" only & SBEII which shoots 2-3/4" to 3-1/2".  My boys shoot the Winchester SX3 & SX4 shotgun.  Cost was the factor for my boys as the Winchesters are about half the price of the Benelli.

I agree with h2o, no need for the 3.5", 3" and 2.75" will do the job. Inertia guns do kick more, I've had three and sold them all because of the recoil. I'm using a Beretta 391 or a Baikal (don't laugh it works) in the field. I also have a shoulder issue it cant hold up the big shells. Sporting Clays is my game and I get in 4-5K rounds a year. Now even my 12 GA O/U is giving my pain, I switched to my 20 GA O/U last year. If I'm shooting a course with long targets I'll grab my back-up a Win SX3 sporting.

 

[300rum]

I remember when Mossberg came out with the 12ga 3.5" in a pump in the 90's.  We bought one and I took it to an "end of the year" high school class party.  We were shooting clays and I handed a kid the shotgun.  The first round was a low base 8 shot and the second was a 3.5" T shot.

The kid missed the first shot, pumped it and then let go the 3.5.  It was one of the funniest things I have seen, he thought the shotgun blew up on him, he grabbed his shoulder and thought he busted his collar bone.  He was done shooting for awhile.

[mtn muley madness]

I remember when Mossberg came out with the 12ga 3.5" in a pump in the 90's.  We bought one and I took it to an "end of the year" high school class party.  We were shooting clays and I handed a kid the shotgun.  The first round was a low base 8 shot and the second was a 3.5" T shot.

The kid missed the first shot, pumped it and then let go the 3.5.  It was one of the funniest things I have seen, he thought the shotgun blew up on him, he grabbed his shoulder and thought he busted his collar bone.  He was done shooting for awhile.

 

[konradcountry]

I shoot both semi and pump in 3 and 3.5.

The problem I have with the 3.5 semis is that they get expensive quick and also tend to be a half pound heavier. With a less expensive shotgun I feel better about taking it out in the marsh or near saltwater. Pumps are also better if you need to break it down in the field.

As for 3.5 I like having it for public if it is busy and I don't get many good shots. But if I was on private shooting over decoys I would be fine with 2.75 or a 20 gauge.

So I think it depends on where and what you shoot. If you do a lot of trap I would definitely go with the semi.