Can I put a 2.75" shell in a 3"-3.5" shotgun?
 

My dad recently bought a Mossberg 935 shotgun for duck hunting and he realized when he brought it home it would only take 3" and 3.5" shells. This was okay because he usually uses 3" shells when duck hunting. But then he realized he wouldn't be able to shot 2.75" for skeet and trap, which made him a little mad. What would happen if you put a 2.75" shell in the gun and shot? Thanks.

I'm sure the 935 will safely fire ONE 2 3/4 " shell, but the shorter, lower powered shells won't cycle the action. There will be insufficient power to cyle the action to eject and then load the next round.

If it were a pump it would say that it could handle all three sizes, because the expelled gases don't do the work, the shooter does.

BUT, b/c it's a auto loader you'll have to stick to what it's designed for.

what he said.............

Generally most 3.5" guns will handle all 3 std sizes. Even autoloaders. But generally need 3 dram loads to work for 2.75" shells. Soft recoiling, skeet loads like estate, etc, might not cycle well. But most trap shooting I do is single shot anyway.

That said, I was pleasantly surprised to see my browning gold 3.5" goose gun cycles 2.75" 2 dram loads perfectly. Its not supposed too.

Of course you can !

My Beretta Extrema (3.5" chambering) cycles the lightest loads (2 3/4" #8 shot) everytime !

No problems, if properly broke in with heavy loads to start (see manual for break in procedure).

Thank you. I've been waiting for someone to step up and say their 3 1/2" gun handles 2 3/4" OK. It could happen... You need to try it. Soooo... try it!!!!

I've ran into two 1100's (3"-3 1/2" guns) that wouldn't cycle 2 3/4"s, I had to drill out an extra gas vent hole in the barrel...now they work great!

Well then... I stand corrected!

Jcarver81, go ahead and load the tube and see what happens. Apparently there could be some 2 3/4's that will function. The only possible problem will be picking out spent or unfired rounds from the breech if they don't fully seat or eject. I guess there is no substitute for trying it, in this case.

I broke my autoloader in by patterning my Extrema with some (+/-6 shells) 3.5" turkeys loads (one or two of the first shots the hull didn't fully eject).

I then shot 4 rounds of skeet; the first two rounds (2 boxes) I shot with #7 1/2 high brass, the following 2 rounds I used Wal-Mart Federal 1oz #8's - never a problem.

Read your manual (break in procedure)..................you'll see !

When it's new or when it's dirty, you may have problems. After it's broke in and when it's clean, you will be fine. That's just my opinion.

I know the Magnum 1100's that say 3" and 3 1/2" won't reliably cycle a 2 3/4", doesn't matter how clean the gun is...sometimes a Nitro Sporting Clay 2 3/4" would cycle but that's it...

The OP's best option is to try it. All it will do is not cycle...

If it's a gas gun..............clean matters.

Inertia......not so much.


As jeepkid says - Try it !


Follow your break in procedure...............all you can do.