the duck man

hello, i am planning on buying a new shotgun this summer. I would like to get a 3.5" but and not sure if i need it. I will be hunting ducks and geese. I would like some recomendations of guns under $600 and if i really need a 3.5". thanks

rbduck

Welcome to the "family"! I`ve been using an 870(12ga) for 35 yrs and have never had a problem with it . Use it for shooting over dekes in water or on land, pass shooting, jump shooting, upland. Reasonably priced too. Works great on Canadas and Sandhills too. I have not seen the need to go up to the 3.5". This is my own personal opinion, many to follow I would imagine. Good luck.

Ron

BLKLAB

If it was me and you like the benelli models but wanted to keep cost down I would go with the stoeger Model 2000. it only shoot 3 inch shells but that is plenty for ducks and geese. the gun uses the Benellie operations and carries the same warranty as the other benelli,franchie and beretta guns. the gun looks like the SBE and Montrofeltro but at a fraction of the cost. I also have a 870 super mag and a benelli nova. Both wich I hardly shoot anymore after getting the stoeger. Check it out they are sweet. I was also hooked on getting a 3.5 but killed as many if not more gees last year by only shooting 3 out of my gun.
Oh yeay the stoeger sells for 350-450 and come in wood and camo.

Ruddyduck

Personally I believe you do not need a 3 1/2" gun. The money you would save on shells over the years could be invested in quality decoys and times shooting clays.
Nothing beats good decoys , the knowledge to use them and year round shooting. The results are shots 40 yards and under using 2 3/4" shells.

psandhu

i would suggest the baikal mp-153. semi auto, 3.5", synthetic matte black, comes with 4 extended choke tubes, $400. a friend of mine has one and it works great.

the duck man

Thanks for the help so far. I am thinking about the Benelli Nova, Winchester 1300, or a Browning bps. I will look at what you guys said. I already have a 870, it doesn't fit me that well but it is a good gun. I am also leanign towards a pump gun instead of a auto. Still could use some help.

FishNFowl

Hey duck man, I kill plenty of ducks and geese every year with 3 inch shells. But consider when you are hunting. In our early seasons I kill all of the geese I want with 3 inch, but later in the year Ive been using a Remington sp10 3 1/2 inch 10 guage and I knock down many more birds than my hunting partners. But that gun costs more. I shoot a Rem. 1187 most of the time and it is three inch. I also had very good sucsess with a mosberg 835 pump before I bought the 10guage. The 835 is a 3 1/2 inch chamber but has a 10 guage bore barrel. It is a great gun for turkey too! You can find them for under $400. I shot lots of clays too! Moseberg also has a 935 out now, it is a 3 1/2 inch auto and I have heard good things. It only runs about $400 I believe! Good luck!
P.S. If you try shooting Remington Hevi-shot you will be amazed! Its better than lead ever was. Last year I was killing geese out of my SP_10 at 80 and 90 yards. Unbelievable!!! But you will be able to kill all the geese you want with only 3 inch. The cost is high but if you try it once you will love it garanteed. Knock em dead!

RustyOlRanger4x4

3.5" is kinda overkill for most things unless the geese are at extreme ranges i only use 3.5" shells for turkey hunting and even then its still over kill but it makes me feel more confident with it but if you can shoot a box of 3.5" shells my hats off to you because your oviously a very big bad man because 3" shells kill my shoulder after a box

Carpmaster

I love my nova it is within your pricerange and it shoots up to 3.5 inchers if you want, ido most of the time i dont think you need them but i still shoot them it is nice to have the denser pattern

BLKLAB

I have Nova and last yeqar I bought a Stoeger out of the Benelli family. I used the crap out of it last year, It shoots as good if not better than the Benellie, It uses the Benellie system and cost about 1/2 the price of a SBE or MOntrofeltro. They also come in camo,

Model 2000 you can't go wrong.