3.5 inch 10s just flat outkill 3.5 inch 12s. Always have. The 3.5 12 is like a 3 inch 410 IMHO. Works ok, but there is better out there.
Thats not been my experience and not even close.
Then your mileage and mine are not close. When we have to pass shoot birds, the 10 just flat hammers birds. I"m not sure if its all related to the shot column, but to ignore shot column size vs the patterns is to ignore ballistics. I will say though, that I"ve shot probably only less than 20 cases of 10s, and about 12 cases of 12 /3.5 inch... but its pretty clear the 10, in my hands, has a higher kill percentage than the 12.
Mostly a 3 inch 12 does anything I need it to, but I've found that if I have need for a larger shell, the 10 is it.
I found it the same way when hunting turkeys. I've been able to make better kills furhter out there with the 10 than with the 12.
I even looked at shell prices this morngin.... there was a meaningful 50-60 bucks difference per flat of 10s vs 12s... not enough to sweat at all.
But the bottom line here, we can agree to disagree. And trust me, I'd rather have one good 12 that I shot all the time, but thats just not the way it goes for me.
