I have had guns that pattern best with 2 3/4" shells and that's what I used very effectively out to 30 yards for years. But then I wanted to have a little extra umph so I bought a Mossberg 12 gauge 835 and started shooting 3 1/2" shells. That gun was a brute to shoot. After I took it out to pattern it, it would give me a headache like I had been in a boxing bar room brawl. I thought, well, I'm not going to feel it shooting at a turkey, but 5 turkeys later resulted in 5 more headaches. Figuring I didn't want to end up like Mike Tyson , I got rid of it and bought a 10 gauge Browning Gold that shoots 3 1/2" shells. Now I know what you're thinking, that the Mossberg really did knock me bonkers, but that Browning with the 3 1/2" shells doesn't kick anywhere near as much as the Mossberg. And it patterns very well. Talk about throwing everything you've got at 'em, this gun will do it!!