Screamin Steel

My gun handles both...I prefer the bigger shell, if only for some added piece of mind... an additonal 1/4 oz of shot...not to mention the terrific patterns. My only beef with the 3 1/2'' load is so many guys I hear claiming they are comfortable shooting sixty yards and beyond. I've seen and shot alot of turkey guns and I have to tell you that I have YET to see a gun that would make me comfortable shooting at turkeys routinely at any distance past 50 yds. The introduction of the hevi shot family of loads has only fueled that crowd. For the record, I shoot copper plated #5...3 1/2" Win High Velocities. Kill them just as dead as anything else out there....no need to spend $50 for ten rounds. The name of the game is get 'em close. If you aren't good enough to close the deal, than accept that and work to get better. Don't rely on a super cannon to reach out there and cripple turkeys farther than you should be shooting them. I know several old timers that use to use .410's ......They also shot them at less than 20 yds, with nothing more than a "high brass" load of sixes or 7 1/2 shot....wearing denim coveralls with no facemask. You figure it out. Does your super camo and mini cannon, real taxidermed decoys, and hevi shot compensate for good ol' woodsmanship, knowing your gun intimately, and calling ability?

RIStrutStopper

This is a little unusual, but I agree completely with Mr. Longbeard. Whatever patterns best is what I shoot. When I bought my 835, I went into it fully thinking I'd never shoot 3.5s and 3" would be just fine. After patterning various loads in both 3" and 3.5", the load that patterns best in my gun, so far, is 3.5" 2.25 oz #6 Hevi 13s, so thats what I shoot.

mouthcaller

I disagree. If it only took one pellet in the head/neck to kill the turkey then your statement is more accurate. However, I would point out that lethality is associated both with the kinetic energy and penetrating ability of each pellet, and the total number of such pellets striking the turkeys head and neck.

In your example, the pattern of the 1 oz load will start to loose density earlier than the pattern of the 1.5 oz load due simply to fewer pellets in the pattern.

Hypothetically, wouldn't you agree that 7 pellets hitting the head/neck of a turkey at 45 yards has a better chance of cleanly killing that bird compared, say, to two?

This is the reason heavishot #7 is gaining popularity. It will penetrate 1/4 inch plywood at forty yards and there is a ton of it in a 3.5 ", 2.25oz load. I've cleanly killed turkeys with it at ranges most people wouldn't believe.

So, respectively, I strongly believe that more shot is more leathal, all other variables being equal of course.

vabyrd

Right, but 7 pellets regardless of the initial payload of the shotshell, traveling at 1250 fps will have the same velocity at X yards.

A 3.5" shell with a payload at 1250, will not "shoot further" than a 2.75" shell moving at the same speed. Correct? Wouldn't the only way to increase the lethal range is an increase in velocity?

mouthcaller

I believe you are thinking of the lethal potential of pellets shot from a shotgun and a single bullet shot from a rifle in the same manner, and this is I think you are mistaken. The lethal range of a shotgun is, in my experience, a function of both kinetic energy and pellet density.

If you also think of shotgun lethality as the total amount of kinetic energy delivered by all the pellets striking a target, then the more pellets striking that target the greater amount of total energy delivered. Remember that the pellets are spreading apart as they move downrange, so the denser patterns will always impact more damage to the target (especially at extended ranges) because more pellets are hitting the target. In general the more pellets you have to start with the denser the pattern further downrange compared to a less dense pattern with fewer pellets.

So, in my opinion, a shot charge that delivers the greater number of pellets inside a 10 inch circle at 40 yards will outperform one with fewer, all other variables staying the same (shot size, velocity, pattern uniformity). That charge will put more pellets on that turkeys head at extended ranges than the one with fewer pellets everytime.

Mouithcaller

vabyrd

Well that makes sense. Guess it would be more like getting stung by one bee versus 1,000 bees.

A11en

Because the pattern will be more dense with 50% more shot.

A11en

I would also suggest that the number of folks justifying the use of 3" vs 3.5" really tells you how hard the 3.5's kick. Bottom line is more shot provides greater knock down power. Every year I tell myself I'm going to go back to 3" to avoid the recoil of a 3.5 (OUCH). But every year I find myself entering the turkey woods with the 3.5 inch shells. I like the added confidence out to 50 yards.

I've often wondered what rifle caliber equates to the 3.5" shotgun recoil

Hurricanespg

I know it has already been answered, but thought it would be rude to not respond.
As stated above it could give you more range if your gun patterns them better. Generally speaking more pellets to begin with will give you more pellets in that magical 10" circle.

Gamblinman

300 Weatherby Mag is close

Gman