whats the ups and downs

3.5s kick more, shells cost more

3s will kill a turkey as far as ya got any business shooting one

did I say 3.5s kick more???

troy

Troy you forgot to mention that 3.5's kick a whole lot more !

The 3.5's are typically loaded with more shot, not more powder.

So really all they do is kick harder and cost more.

They won't go faster, reach farther, or kill deader, than a 3" load.

3.5 guns are heavy

After an interesting discussion on this exact subject - "why shoot something that kicks the crap out of you?" and "you got to be a man to shoot a turkey, don't be a puss", etc, I enjoyed watching one of my shooters get, literally, knocked on his back from shooting one. We had gotten caught on our knees and the 15-20 yd shot did not require a 3.5". We both had a good laugh considering the conversation before we struck the bird he killed.

Seems like I read somewhere "they kick more". I sold a 3.5" pump and bought a 3" gas operated semi-auto because a 3.5" shell kicks more.

Of course I made that decision AFTER I shot a turkey with a 3.5" turkey load when I was wollering around on the ground wondering if the turkey was hurt worse than me!

benelli SBE isn't that heavy.

Maybe you ment to put heavy hitters.

i shoot a 3.5" because it patterned better out of my gun. believe me i tried the 3" first

My 835 isn't heavy,thats one reason it kicks like a mule !

A 3" is fine to shoot but You need to shoot the 3.5 and see for yourself,I always shoot the 3.5 because it does pattern better than a 3" out of my gun and I can't tell much difference in the recoil.If you don't shoot anykind of heavy shot you can buy a box of 10 in federal or winchesters for less than $20 a box so they are not that expensive.The extra shot in the 3.5 can make the difference sometimes in a longer shot.

Perch, I had a 835, sold it after three shots......on the way home from shooting it. I wanted to make sure I didn't forget that recoil in ten years and try it again.

troy

I'll go out on a limb and say that anyone shooting 3.5"s for turkey also has a 300 Win Mag in the closet somewhere.

Both are totally not needed in Alabama.

Boy & Girls, this is what your Dad was talking about when he said, "mind over matter".
Anything is possible, if you believe strong enough.

i have an 835 and a rem sp10...i typically take the 835 because it weighs about 10lbs less and is more mobile but has nothing to do with the amount of recoil.

are folks really using 3" shells bc they kick less? i don't ever remember the kick on any turkey. maybe bc i'm about to explode with adrenaline...dunno.

i've taken both out to pattern them and after about 5 shots, the recoil thing may have some teeth but NOT for one shot at a longbeard.

if 4" shells were available, they would soon be the most popular...just saying.

3 inch is made for sissys. 3 1/2 is for men.
More bb's = better chance for kill shot.

lol...great analogy...HOWEVER, in the 'MAG' age, i still get chastised from my hunting buddies for shooting a lowly 7600 .270 i've had for 20yrs...the optics have changed 3 times but not the rifle

Outback are you saying that a 3" will pattern as good as a 3.5" out of my gun at 40 yards?You have no idea of knowing how my gun shoots and what shells shoot the best out of it.As far as the mind over matter bullshit I have a winchester 1300 that kicks as bad as the 3.5" gun that i have and won't come close to shooting with it,I've killed plenty of turkeys with a 3" shell but i have found 3.5's pattern a little better out of my gun so that's what I shoot,does it bother you that much that someone would rather shoot a 3.5" shell over a 3" shell?I gave him info on my experience and told him to try both and decide for himself.

It doesn't bother me at all.
If you believe it strong enough, anything is possible.

One of the first turkeys I killed was with a single barrel 12 ga. Stevens with a plastic stock that my dad bought during WW11.
Now, talking about kicking, that baby kicked, 2 3/4 inch shells too.
I was a teen ager and had been calling with a home made diaphram yelper, got the natural early morning undeniable urge and was letting nature take its course when the turkey strutted into view about 30 yds out. I eased up the ole shot gun and pulled the trigger, guess where I wound up. Never shoot a shotgun from the squatting position.