Stoeger M3500

[LeftCoastLoren]

Hey guys, I'm seriously considering saving myself $900 bucks and going with the Stoeger M3500 for my Duck and Goose gun. I'm wondering if anybody has any actual in person experiences with this model, good or bad? The reason for the upgrade is simple; I want to be able to chamber a 3 1/2in shell. Last weekend I cracked a Drake mallard 3 times, twice with 3in 1 1/4 oz #2 and once with a 3in BB backer at about 45 yards. Feathers flying every time. I swear the darn thing gave me the finger as it flew off. My gun now is a Winchester M1300 with a Mod Choke Shooting Xpert HV 3in. Anybody want to throw in their  ?

[crow killer]

They are a great gun! My dad bought one and it was 700 in that price range.. It shot fantastically and you would enjoy it

[quackattack90]

I have 2 hunting partners that purchased the older M2000 and they have both sent them back to stoeger for repair.  One of their guns actually crapped out on them beginning of the season, lots of jamming issues.  Not sure if their newer model would be better.  If you want a semi auto look into mossberg's 935.  I have had mine for the 7 years and is still doing great.  Really solid, durable, and decently priced. ($550-$700 range).   

[USAFpj]

Shooting Xpert HV 3in.

I can tell you this.  After the last week's worth of research, I have concluded that this is one main change that I will be making to my set-up.  Research the Xpert HV shells by Winchester, and you'll see what I mean.  The most expensive = mandatory?  No, but the common denominator has been these 'value' shells, and I will be going from number (3) shot to Kent Faststeel in either 2 or 4 shot before I head out next time

[ellensburgpo]

I've heard good things about the Franchi Affinity as well. I have a couple buddies that use Stoeger's and two have gotten rid of them and one has issues every year.

[h2ofowlr]

Hey guys, I'm seriously considering saving myself $900 bucks and going with the Stoeger M3500 for my Duck and Goose gun. I'm wondering if anybody has any actual in person experiences with this model, good or bad? The reason for the upgrade is simple; I want to be able to chamber a 3 1/2in shell. Last weekend I cracked a Drake mallard 3 times, twice with 3in 1 1/4 oz #2 and once with a 3in BB backer at about 45 yards. Feathers flying every time. I swear the darn thing gave me the finger as it flew off. My gun now is a Winchester M1300 with a Mod Choke Shooting Xpert HV 3in. Anybody want to throw in their  ?

Could be the shells your shooting or just shooting slightly behind the bird and knocking out all it's tail feathers.  Or the distance is farther than you think and your not getting a good pattern at that distance.
I have had a few buddies with the 3500 and they seemed to work for them.  Just keep the choke greased up good or it will rust up hard in those guns.  My friend tried to remove the choke with a heavier duty tool and he ended up twisting the barrel.  If you go to resale it, you also loose less on a less expensive gun vs. a $1,500 gun.

[NW-GSP]

try a tighter choke tube 

[JLS]

Hey guys, I'm seriously considering saving myself $900 bucks and going with the Stoeger M3500 for my Duck and Goose gun. I'm wondering if anybody has any actual in person experiences with this model, good or bad? The reason for the upgrade is simple; I want to be able to chamber a 3 1/2in shell. Last weekend I cracked a Drake mallard 3 times, twice with 3in 1 1/4 oz #2 and once with a 3in BB backer at about 45 yards. Feathers flying every time. I swear the darn thing gave me the finger as it flew off. My gun now is a Winchester M1300 with a Mod Choke Shooting Xpert HV 3in. Anybody want to throw in their  ?

Could be the shells your shooting or just shooting slightly behind the bird and knocking out all it's tail feathers.  Or the distance is farther than you think and your not getting a good pattern at that distance.
I have had a few buddies with the 3500 and they seemed to work for them.  Just keep the choke greased up good or it will rust up hard in those guns.  My friend tried to remove the choke with a heavier duty tool and he ended up twisting the barrel.  If you go to resale it, you also loose less on a less expensive gun vs. a $1,500 gun.

If you can't kill a bird by hitting him twice with #2 and once with BB, my guess is you're shooting too far.  Lots of ducks have died to 3" loads, heck the other day I found out at the end of the shoot that I was shooting 2 3/4 " loads.  I grabbed the wrong box in the dark.  Good shots still killed the birds.

Pattern your gun, go to a tighter choke and/or a different load.  I've killed a lot of birds with Winchester HV steel, waterfowl and upland.

[carpsniperg2]

I have the m2000 turkey and it's my coyote scatter gun. Very solid gun for the money.

A lot of the time with many shotguns you really have to shop and try a lot of different chokes to get the one that fits the gun best. It took me 4 after market chokes to find the right coyote choke for mine.

[LeftCoastLoren]

bite the bullet. get a benelli

Thats a big bullet to bite, but it's not out of the question.

[LeftCoastLoren]

I have the m2000 turkey and it's my coyote scatter gun. Very solid gun for the money.

What size shell do you use for coyotes?

[carpsniperg2]

2- #4 buck and 1 oobuck is what I run most of the time. I have run bbb as well as t shot at times.

[LeftCoastLoren]

If you can't kill a bird by hitting him twice with #2 and once with BB, my guess is you're shooting too far.  Lots of ducks have died to 3" loads, heck the other day I found out at the end of the shoot that I was shooting 2 3/4 " loads.  I grabbed the wrong box in the dark.  Good shots still killed the birds.

Pattern your gun, go to a tighter choke and/or a different load.  I've killed a lot of birds with Winchester HV steel, waterfowl and upland.

Don't get me wrong, I've knocked down plenty of ducks with this setup. And you have a valid point about the distance of the shot, this Drake was past the decoys which ended about 35-40 yards. But i would like to have the option of having 2 3in with a 3.5in backer. I would also like to chamber a 3.5 for any goose possibility, and my Winchester won't. Am I crazy for wanting to have this option? Ultimately my post was about a stoeger m3500 and if anybody happened to have tried it.

[LeftCoastLoren]

Carp what length are the shells? and is yours inertia or gas driven?

[carpsniperg2]

inertia and sorry they are 3" in that gun. 2 3/4 or 3" is your choice.