Home Forums Birds & Dogs Shotguns 3.5 inch how much more range does it buy you?

I can pick up a Benelli Vinci for about $200 or so cheaper than a Benelli Super Vinci and the Vinci can be had with a 24 inch barrel while the SV comes in shortest 26 inch barrel. For turkey, fox, coyote, rabbit, duck, dove how much more range could I get with a 3.5 inch gun?

Range is more a factor of shot size than case length..

I've never seen the need for anything over a 2 3/4" chamber yet..

+1

3�" guns/shells are just another ploy to get hunters to ante up more money.

(3�" on rabbits, ducks, and doves?? )

I bought the first 3 1/2" shotgun I saw. A Browning BPS. In a pump, because of the extra length of the receiver and the mag arms that extend from the fore end and work the bolt, you've got to reach a couple more inches to pump that sucker. I found it very uncomfortable and sold the gun a couple months after I got it. The season I used it, I went through 2 boxes of 3 1/2" shells and didn't notice any difference at all in killing power. I based my opinion on 3 1/2" shells on that. My friends have a lease on a couple goose fields and probably 9 out of 10 of them use 3 1/2" guns and they buy ammo by the case. They tell me that it is definitely an advantage... for goose hunting. The shells have gotten a lot better. I would guess this would be an advantage for turkey hunting too, but for turkeys, you can use lead! I'd think that there would make it unnecessary. I wouldn't own one for the added weight. 90% of my shotgunning has been with a 2 3/4" Remington 1100 and a 3" Remington 11-87, and the only reason I bought the 11-87 was that I was hunting waterfowl and when steel first came out it stunk. If you're not going to hunt waterfowl, a Remington 1100 is all you would ever need. I've seen racks full of them used from $300 up. As with Remington 870 Wingmaster shotguns, they made millions of them and there's a lot of used ones to be had in varying levels of wear and tear. Remington 11-87s are showing up on the used racks too. My Premier is about $1,000 new and I've seen lots for around $500 used. You won't find a better shotgun than an 11-87 Premier. There have been a lot of studies where they have found over and over again that the 11-87 and the Beretta 391 have been the most shootable shotguns out there, in terms of recoil and breakdowns. I've seen articles that they are the preferred guns for the wing shooting lodges down in Argentina and such where they shoot hundreds and hundreds or rounds dove hunting day after day.

Rob, thanks for the reply, some had commented that the 3.5 inch shell was an effective replacement for a 10 gauge. My hope was that it might throw a pattern deadly at longer distance.

I hunt ducks, upland birds and predators with a shotgun. The only reason I use 3" 12ga shells is so I can tell instantly that it is steel shot. The gamies don't givr you a second chance if you got a trap load mixed in with your duck loads.

3" 12ga Steel or Tungsten based

2 3/4" 12ga Lead shot

2 1/2" 12ga roll crimp ITX or Nice Shot
2 1/2" 12ga fold crimp lead shot

The last few weeks I've been hunting ducks with an old 12ga hammer double and low pressure loads of 7/8oz ITX #4 has been dropping them as well as any 3" steel I used earlier in the season.

A 3 1/2" shell will not withstand any more chamber pressure than a 2 3/4" shell but the weight of the extra 3/4" of shot will cost you muzzle velocity. Redneck is half right. Range is determined by shot size ...and muzzle velocity.

The 3 1/2" shell will have better shot density for as far as it will shoot, but it won't shoot as far as a 2 3/4" shell loaded with the same size shot.

Not much in the way of shotgunning I agree with you on but you nailed it right on the money here!

2 3/4" loads of 1 1/8oz. #2 Nice Shot @1250fps have been killing geese for me as well as any factory 3" non-tox load I abused myself with previously. Since when have ducks and geese sprouted Kevlar feathers?

I was under the impression that the 3.5 inch shells/guns operated at higher pressure and thus equal velocity to the shorter shells?

Actually, you might be surprised how much we DO agree on... Just haven't found the opportunity yet.. We just disagree on 'loose-shooting Brownings'..

The longer shells do shoot more shot at the same velocity, read the books or check the website.

I primarily use shotguns for turkey only. The 3.5 loads have a better pattern at longer ranges. They also seem to hit with more authority at 35+ yards. I would say they usually give an extra 10 maybe 15 yards when comparing EQUAL set-ups. It is not difficult to get a 3" gun to have a legit 40 yard turkey pattern.

For predators, there is a lack of 3.5 loads currently. Most loads are 3".

The 3.5 is worth it on turkey but probably less of an advantage for other game.

3.5 is marketing BS and those that fall for it and buy into really don't shoot that much shotgun.

Pattern the 3.5" see how many flyers you have versus a 2-3/4".

Most turkey hunters shoot way to big of shot size. Another disadvantage.

If you can't call a turkey in closer then 40 yards you don't need more shot, you need to learn how to call and hunt turkey.

I kill em stonecold dead with 2-3/4" #7-1/2 shot thru a Extra Full choke.

But then again I much rather hunt em like this

if you go to the shotgun/duck hunting websites a lot of people are using the 3.5 inch shells

So because a lot of people use 3.5 make it needed or the right product?

A lot of people use heroin, personally I'll pass!

I agree IMHO there is no need for a 3.5" shell.
I have killed hundreds of waterfowl and not once have I or anyone I have hunted with ever said sure wish I had some 3.5 inchers today.
If a person spends the time putting different shell and choke combinations on paper at 30-40-50 yards you will find that awesome set up for your shotgun.

I like 3.5's.

Call shy birds sometimes are hard to get close.

There are also more fliers around that pattern that is way denser at longer range, so what.

The recoil is brutal; some people cannot handle that. I do not mind a little more recoil for a performance gain. They kick hard, and if there was not a performance gain then I would not shoot one.

that's a pretty foolish comment and a poor argument. A lot of people posting on shotgun web sites use the 3.5 inch shells, a lot of duck and goose hunters. To compare a hunter to a heroin addict sounds like a democratic argument to me.

I am thinking Maxus more than Benelli now, maybe a gas operated gun will recoil a bit less than an inertia gun.