3.5" shotgun

[E MAN]

I'm wanting to buy a 3.5" shotgun to use duck and goose hunting.
What guns should I avoid? Who has had problems with a particular gun?

I have a friend with the 870 that can handle the 3.5", but he had trouble one day shooting a bird when the second shell wouldn't cycle. Somehow the spring got caught up in the plug. He said it only happens with 3.5" shells.

[ARBowHntr]

I have been shooting 3" all along, I kill more with 3" than my buddies kill with their 3.5". I have an 870, never had any probs with it. It is the SP with 21" bbl, has two beads, shoots great! You cant go wrong if you go with Benelli or Beretta (if you can afford). I have heard of a lot of peeps having probs with Mossberg, one was a friend. With the 3.5" shells you have to make sure that yo dont short shuck if using a pump, it can get messed up. My $.00002

Why am I sittin here on this stupid PC when I could be huntin'

[Deleted User]

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[VAhuntr]

I have a Browning BPS 3.5" and have never had a problem with it. Awesome on turkey!!!!

[Ruddyduck]

Do yourself a favor and if you must buy a shotgun chambered for 3 1/2 by all means do so, but shot 2 3/4 or if you feel you must 3 out of it.
With the money you save do the following:
1. Practice shooting claybirds ,if need be seek out a instructor to help
2. buy good decoys and learn how to use them

When it comes to ducks and geese, I was just like you Ruddyduck until this year. I chipped in the extra money and bought the 3" faststeel. And I dropped more birds than ever this year. Broke down and shot hevishot, and it did even better. But still can't justify the price. Just got tired of wounding birds with steel and having to shoot 2 or 3 times.

Buddies with the 3.5" do kill farther than me it seems. But as one guy I hunt with says, if you going to got that far, its better to move to the 10ga. But he goes duck hunting here on the bay at least 3 days every week and takes it way more serious than I do.

[Ruddyduck]

Bigcountry I still shoot 2 3/4 shells. A long shot for me is 40 yds. I bring them in to my spread and the average shot being in the 20-30yd range. This past season I used Kent matrix in 20ga 2 3/4 in 5 & 6's. I 'm extremely serious when it comes to my wingshooting and average about 300 clay targets a week year round shooting skeet and sporting low gun. I just don't get many cripples at all. I'm not saying I hit every bird all time with the first shot because they sneak up on the best of us on occassion,but I'll only have 1 or 2 cripples for an entire season of waterfowling. 90% of the birds I shoot are hit in the head and neck only.
Next year I'll be going back to the 12 and steel I found it hard to find the 2 3/4 matrix after the end of Sept from the guy I deal with and none of the local shops carried it. Steel was awful when it was first introduce ,but I've found it more than adequate after 81 or so.

I am too Ruddy and have good luck using the 3" faststeel. I have a job, and a house so don't shoot 300 clays, but it would be nice if I could spend that much time doing it. You lucky you can play so much. Congrads on your 2 3/4" success.

[1950KID]

I like the way Mossberg barrels patttern.