jakelogsdon

SX3!! Best auto on the market!! IMO!

hawryli

try going to shotgunworld on the internet. it's a site basically for questions and reviews on different shotguns. would probably be helpful in your case

duckhunter49

Just remember you get what you pay for Had a Charles Daly used it for yrs for rabbit and squirrel went duck hunting once with it and it fell apart in the blind basically so went all out and got a Beretta extrema 2 shoots all shells 2 3/4 to 3 1/2 steel or leads just as fast as you can feed them into it $1200.00 can use it the rest of my life and pass it on to great grand kids one day and I'm only 49 now

SecondChance

I have 2 SX2's. a Browning Gold and a BPS all in 3-1/2". Would not own a waterfowl weapon NOT in 3-1/2". I would rather have it and not need it then want it and not have it. I shoot the SBE II at work and they are great guns, but as others have said, only 3". If I have to pick one over tha other for what I have and use, I give them all a good break in over the season just so none feel left out!!!!!!

The most important thing is, handle all that you can get your hands on and find the one that fits the best and you can afford and not just because someone said it can kill geese over at 1000yds.

marlin30/30_drabe

3 1/2in shells are a waste of money and steel. the recoil is horrible and a 3in has more velocity but with very managble recoil

crimedog

First and foremost fit, most shotguns today do come with shims, but they do not make the gun fit universal, try the guns in the gun shop and see what guns fit. The barrel should not be what you are looking at, it should just be the bead.

Last time I checked the Winchester 3.5's are 25fps faster and have a higher payload. My 2 cents, Winchester SX2 and SX3 are good choices, Beretta Extrema II is a good choice and my waterfowl gun of choice. Browning another good choice. Benelli not so much though I have a SBE II as a loaner gun that I bought because it was the rage at the time. On the low end of cost the Mossberg 935. Manditory on any shotgun in my opinion is overbored barrel and lengthened forcing cone, Benelli has not followed this path and many gunsmith make a great living performing this task.

SecondChance

Judging by the weapons you have listed as what you use and base this opinoin on, I can see how and why you would say that.

The recoil out of a premium semi-auto is more manageble than you would expect. If you have only shot 3-1/2" fodder out of these weapons and not a top end semi-auto, you would be quite surprised out of them. I have shot over 20 cases of 3-1/2" in 28 states, Canada, Argentia and Mexico at waterfowl. I feel that I would have to slightly disagree with your observation as I am sure others here will as well.
Try taking a crippled goose at over 70 yds with just a 3" round for a client that chipped him with 3 rounds and now you have to try to cleanly harvest that goose before it reaches the refuge where you CAN'T retrieve it!! Thats where 3-1/2" REALLY shines, in both 12ga and 10ga.
I agree with you that 3" is very manageable especially in top end semi-autos. And like CrimeDog said, all of my waterfowl weapons have overbored barrels and aftermarket, extended, ported chokes. If one of your friends has one, try it sometime while waterfowl hunting and not at the trap range where you will be focusing on the recoil and not the actual weapons performance. My .02 cents.

marlin30/30_drabe

i have never shot an auto shotgun only use pumps and i would never need a a 3 1/2in gun and i would never take a 70yd shot, to me that is irresponsible hunting but hey if you want to be kicked in the shoulder by what feels a mule and pay the $ for them, then go ahead

blakefrautschi

your saying you wouldn't kill a crippled bird with a second shot? THATS what I call irresponsible hunting.... and if you use a semi auto shotgun a 3.5inch shell does NOT kick very much, sure it will be more than a 2.75 or 3, but it is COMPLETELY manageable.

as for guns i recommend SBE II, M2 or Remington 1100, honestly pretty much all high end semi auto's will do the job and you'll be happy with them!

I prefer the SBE II over the M2 just because it can shoot 3.5's, but they are both wonderful guns.

Colorado Luckydog

Reading this thread was worth the time for the humor. It is so easy to tell who knows their shotguns and who is blowing smoke. I find it strange that no one talked about gas or inertia.