3-1/2” + bad shoulder

[KB88]

I own 4 pump guns, not in love with the sxp so I’m headed to the dark side. I know some autos that shoot 3.5 struggle to shoot 2.75 light loads. I agree 3’s are enough but if I’m paying auto loader price I’m going to buy a gun that’s going to take whatever I feed it.

I’ll have to shoot some inertia vs gas autos I suppose.

No trap ever, just waterfowl and upland. Thanks for input fellas

[Pnwrider]

I have a gas operated browning semi auto and an inertia Benelli sbe2. Without a doubt the inertia kicks harder. It’s also the gun I prefer and use the most.

[EWUeagles]

3.5 inch shells are for guys who can't decoy birds or can't shoot. I have never shot one and most people I hunt with don't use them either. My brother in law hunted big honks for 3 years with 2 3/4 shells because he got a deal on the shells. If I had bad shoulder problems I would look at a gas gun and maybe even look at a 20 gauge. I have never tried them but Boss Shot shell claim that their 2 3/4 shell hit like a ton of bricks and it's supposed to help reduce felt recoil. If I had a bad shoulder I would look at everything even if it costs a little more to stay out there hunting. Good luck and I hope you can find the right combo for your shoulder.

[AWS]

+1 EWU

I do my waterfowling with 2 1/2" shells with either 7/8 oz of iTX 6's or 1 oz of Bismuth 5's and all my hunting is on public lands both fresh and saltwater.







Shoot the ones you KNOW you can kill, pass on the ones you THINK you can kill.

[EWUeagles]

AWS beautiful gun

[bulldogs40]

I wouldn’t buy a gun for waterfowl that doesn’t have the ablilty to chamber 3 1/2 however I never use them. I just don’t like the idea of limiting myself but I also learned my first year of waterfowling that there is no need to beat yourself up when 3 inch is plenty... heck even if you are sky busting lol.

[Parasite]

I would not recommend the Remington 11-87 Super Magnum Express. Mine does not always cycle 3.5" turkey loads.

I like my Winchester SX3, but I am unsure of it handling all loads. You're welcome to test shoot both if you want.

Like others have said, you don't need to shoot 3.5" shells. You can shoot 3" shells, switch to hevi-shot, have the barrel ported, buy a ported choke, learn to shoot better, get a better recoil pad, etc. No sense beating yourself up.

The only reason I shoot 3.5" shells is for turkey, and that's only a few shots per year.

[konradcountry]

3.5 inch shells are for guys who can't decoy birds or can't shoot. I have never shot one

Lol well you should try shooting one. They're a lot of fun.

There are public areas of Western Wa where it's pretty much pass only and you can have constantly changing winds and rain as well.

No one is shooting 100% in those conditions. Why not add more pellets to the air?

[EWUeagles]

3.5 inch shells are for guys who can't decoy birds or can't shoot. I have never shot one

Lol well you should try shooting one. They're a lot of fun.

There are public areas of Western Wa where it's pretty much pass only and you can have constantly changing winds and rain as well.

No one is shooting 100% in those conditions. Why not add more pellets to the air?

I guess I should say I have shot 3 1/2 but don't see a reason for it. My current gun is only a 3 inch gun. I have shot 3.5 for ducks and turkeys when I was young and dumb but see no reason for it anymore.

Reading what you say about Western Wa all I hear is we sky blast because no body can work birds so why not have more pellets in the air? I enjoy the art of decoying birds and want them at 20-30 yards and pass a lot of shot I see other guys take. If they don't get in that range I let them go and they won that battle but to each their own.

[AWS]

There are also any number of public areas with lots of birds where you will rarely see another hunter and the ducks decoy readily.  It is a lot more fun to hunt those areas than to have to deal with places that have had the birds blasted so much.  But then you actually have to put some effort into finding them when it is easier to BUY a bigger gun than the others and try and scratch down a few high flyers.

[konradcountry]

3.5 inch shells are for guys who can't decoy birds or can't shoot. I have never shot one

Lol well you should try shooting one. They're a lot of fun.

There are public areas of Western Wa where it's pretty much pass only and you can have constantly changing winds and rain as well.

No one is shooting 100% in those conditions. Why not add more pellets to the air?

I guess I should say I have shot 3 1/2 but don't see a reason for it. My current gun is only a 3 inch gun. I have shot 3.5 for ducks and turkeys when I was young and dumb but see no reason for it anymore.

Reading what you say about Western Wa all I hear is we sky blast because no body can work birds so why not have more pellets in the air? I enjoy the art of decoying birds and want them at 20-30 yards and pass a lot of shot I see other guys take. If they don't get in that range I let them go and they won that battle but to each their own.

Has nothing to do with being able to work them. There are areas where it is basically like a corridor and they are spooked by someone else when they enter. They aren't stopping for anything at that point. So you can either take your spot on the exit or drive 2 1/2 hours home.

[konradcountry]

There are also any number of public areas with lots of birds where you will rarely see another hunter and the ducks decoy readily.  It is a lot more fun to hunt those areas than to have to deal with places that have had the birds blasted so much.  But then you actually have to put some effort into finding them when it is easier to BUY a bigger gun than the others and try and scratch down a few high flyers.

In Western Wa that isn't a realistic solution. You would be telling some people to not hunt a spot 15 minutes away and instead drive 3-4 hours. For a 9-5r with a family that is just is not realistic. Or maybe you are assuming everyone has a boat?

It's very easy to buy a 3.5. You can get a used one for less than $300. It's not like 3.5 decreases your odds so I don't get why some people are so bothered by them. They are overkill for decoying ducks in a tranquil setting but in a coastal walk-in with 45 mph winds yea you want one.

[EWUeagles]

3.5 inch shells are for guys who can't decoy birds or can't shoot. I have never shot one

Lol well you should try shooting one. They're a lot of fun.

There are public areas of Western Wa where it's pretty much pass only and you can have constantly changing winds and rain as well.

No one is shooting 100% in those conditions. Why not add more pellets to the air?

I guess I should say I have shot 3 1/2 but don't see a reason for it. My current gun is only a 3 inch gun. I have shot 3.5 for ducks and turkeys when I was young and dumb but see no reason for it anymore.

Reading what you say about Western Wa all I hear is we sky blast because no body can work birds so why not have more pellets in the air? I enjoy the art of decoying birds and want them at 20-30 yards and pass a lot of shot I see other guys take. If they don't get in that range I let them go and they won that battle but to each their own.

Has nothing to do with being able to work them. There are areas where it is basically like a corridor and they are spooked by someone else when they enter. They aren't stopping for anything at that point. So you can either take your spot on the exit or drive 2 1/2 hours home.

I shouldn't cast stones but I would honestly scout more and find a spot where that wasn't the case. You'll never catch me at a spot like that. We all deal with turds who skyblast on public land but I can still get what I want out of the hunt which is finishing birds. Most people shoot those passing areas because they don't want to put in the work behind the windshield or hiking in farther. Might not be your case because I have no clue where you hunt or who you are.

[EWUeagles]

There are also any number of public areas with lots of birds where you will rarely see another hunter and the ducks decoy readily.  It is a lot more fun to hunt those areas than to have to deal with places that have had the birds blasted so much.  But then you actually have to put some effort into finding them when it is easier to BUY a bigger gun than the others and try and scratch down a few high flyers.

In Western Wa that isn't a realistic solution. You would be telling people to not hunt a spot 15 minutes away and instead drive 3-4 hours. For a 9-5r with a family that is just is not realistic. Or maybe you are assuming everyone has a boat?

It's very easy to buy a 3.5. You can get a used one for less than $300. It's not like 3.5 decreases your odds so I don't get why some people are so bothered by them. They are overkill for decoying ducks in a tranquil setting but in a coastal walk-in with 45 mph winds yea you want one.

I work 9-5, have a family and drive 3-4 hours to hunt, what's your point?

A couple reason why I'm against 3.5 inch shells. First, the post about a dude with a bad shoulder haha. All these guys jumping in here say get a 3.5 inch gun for a dude with a bad shoulder is crazy. My original post is helpful for someone who may have shoulder problems. Second, when a gun throws in 3.5 inch shells they go well now I can shoot farther out. I saw an article I believe at Field and Stream that talks about your success rate and yardage. Like everyone would assume the farther the bird is out the less of a chance you are at killing it which in turns leave more wounded birds. I hunt with a buddy who likes to shoot 3.5 inch at big geese and I'm fine with it and would never mock him for it. He doesn't kill any more geese than he would with 3 inch and really probably the same amount if he used 2 3/4 but it gives him confidence. I hunt high winds all the time and still shoot 3's or 2 3/4. It's all about shot selection.

[konradcountry]

I shouldn't cast stones but I would honestly I would scout more and find a spot where that wasn't the case. You'll never catch me at a spot like that. We all deal with *censored*s who skyblast on public land but I can still get what I want out of the hunt which is finishing birds. Most people shoot those passing areas because they don't want to put in the work behind the windshield or hiking in farther. Might not be your case because I have no clue where you hunt or who you are.

The coastal spots are not hundreds of acres where pass shooters are just being lazy or not looking at maps. A lot of these areas are heavily developed so you are driving through burbs to get to them. Some are not only tiny but also abandoned by the state. There is also no way of knowing if someone is already there so you can't just drive from spot to spot until you find one that is empty. On a Saturday you could drive to every spot and not find an empty one. It can be pretty rough and you want every pellet you can put in the air. Some of us go out there for other activities and then duck hunt on the side. So it's not like we are all starting with a completely open weekend and a boat in the garage.