Something that I found to help with my Beretta A390 was to make sure I had a shell in the magazine to cycle into the chamber. Only took one patterning session to figure this out, and that was with 3" loads. It was brutal after 8 shots of various loads. Without that magazine feed, it is like shooting a pump or single shot. You get the full effects when the cylinder blows open. Also, if you are trying to set your sights to shoot center of the pattern, use light loads. This will tell you where your barrel is pointing, and they are a lot cheaper than turkey loads. Once you get the sights set and pattern pretty much centered where you want, then switch to turkey loads to finish the process. Otherwise, suck it up. You bought the 3.5" for the extra punch. I' d invest in a gel shoulder pad if it is a real problem for you.