Been shooting a 3 1/2 inch since the first 835 came out. I pattern my gun standing up using a stepladder for a steady rest and that helps tame the kick of those heavy turkey loads.

I have shot the 3 1/2 shell for years and killed alot of birds. I started reloading Hevi-shot last year and now I shoot 3" 1.70oz #6's. These shells are awesome. They are deadlier on turkeys than the 3 1/2's. I have shot 6 turkeys since I started using HS last year. I shot a Tom 2 weeks ago at 40 yards and just plain hammered the bird. He dropped in his tracks and did'nt even flop once. I can tell you the recoil is pretty damn nice. Went out yesterday and watched a buddy pattern his 870 with 3 1/2 Supremes #6's, He shot 3 times and the gun just plain hammered him, he was steadly rubbing his shoulder. I set up another target for him, when he reached for another 3 1/2, I told him to put it up and handed him one of my HS reloaded MTL (I call them my magnum turkey loads). He laughed and said what the heck I will try it. He loaded the shell up and fired it. I could tell the recoil was lighter when he fired, you should have seen the look on his face when he saw the target. He could'nt believe it! patterned much better than the big shell. I handed him a couple more and guess what he will be shooting this weekend!

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I just hunt them with my Browning light 12(modified choke), 2 & 3/4 sixes with a follow up shell loaded with 4 x 6 or something like that... although I've never shot the second shell. I guess if you're prone to taking long shots you should use more. I don't usually shoot over 25 or 30 yards, but then.... I usually don't do the shooting. I let someone else worry about that. I'm just a backup gunner incase the shooter gets treed which happens more than it should.

I videoed a ten year old shooting a twenty three pound tom this morning shooting a 20 gauge. He was shooting one ounce of #5 shot in a 2 3/4 inch shell. Twenty yard shot, the bird went down like a ton of bricks.

3 1/2 Nitro hevi shot through my benelli SBE

i shoot 3 inch......my dad shoots 3 1/2

I use #5 3in Winchester Surpeme like the knock down power they deliver

3" Remington Nitro MaG. it patterns great out of my 1300. It worked for me today, and it has worked for me in the past. It sure hammered the turkey that I got earlier! Dead is dead. I really don't think you need the bigger shells or guns. JMHO though. BB

I have tried 4's 5's and 6's and the 4's seem to pattern a lot better. I nearly beheaded the one I got today. A lot of my buddies use the 3 1/2 inchers, but look who came home with a turkey BB