3" mags or 3-1/2"

I sell all of the above and what you feel comfortable shooting is the most important thing in hunting ducks, geese or anything else. If the gun is going to kick your butt everytime you shoot it, you are not gonna shoot so good. I can have about what I want from my store, but I still prefer the 2 3/4" Browning A-5 in Improved Cylinder whether shooting ducks or geese. I shot Bismuth and I have no problem at all. I feel confident in my gun and that makes all the difference in the world. The bigger shells are for to increase sales mainly. A fellow told me at the SHOT show several years ago that the average hunter back East needed a 4 power scope and out West a 6 power. He said a 40 MM was sufficient and I agree with him. You can usually use the binos or spotting scopes for the glassing and use the scope for shooting. But the scopes were made in higher powers and diameters to satisfy the public and I think to a certain degree the 3 1/2" guns were developed to satisfy the need for more power, which I really don't think you have if you will look at the 2 3/4" FPS and the 3" and the 3 1/2" FPS. If the shot is done correctly and placed where it should be then the kill will be effected, but I really think the larger or longer lengths contribute to many birds being crippled and lost due to hunters thinking they can take longer shots. My two cents worrth but you should remember...................take a kid hunting or fishing.......................

For me...The 3" shell is all that I need. I recently purchased a Franchi 612 3" semi-automatic shotgun. It will cycle the light 1oz loads thru the 3" magnum 2oz Turkey loads all day long without a single hiccup. The 3" magnum shell has come a long ways...all the way to a 2oz load of lead. With the advent of Hevi-shot, Bismuth loads, to copper plated lead, the 3" magnum shell offers all that I need for hunting. It is all about what suits you. For Deer hunting some think the 30-06 is enough and some feel you need a Weatherby Magnum Caliber rifle. We all need a hobby in life...something other than work...Hunting, Shooting and reloading are all great hobbies. It is great to have something to look forward too, like a Dove hunt in the near future. It is a great pleasure to day dream about an uncoming Hunt, shoot or even just a reloading session. It is nothing wrong with being a little selfish in life once in a while, with the demands of work, Family and children...we all need a little time for ourselves.

The thing that seems to be overlooked here is the original reason for the 3-1/2.... steel shot. Steel is lighter (less dense, actually) than lead, so a larger hull would allow you to get the same WEIGHT of shot that you had with lead in a 3 incher.

Once you start putting lead or Tungsten or bismuth shot in a 3-1/2, the shot charge gets so heavy that the muzzle velocity starts to drop - remember, you're limited by max pressure, and the heavier the shot charge, the slower it's going to be. Some of this limitation has been overcome with powders designed for a LONG burn, holding max pressure longer, so the velocity doesn't drop as much. There is a nasty side effect, however; like Scotty used to say on Star Trek, "I canno' disobey the laws of physics, Cap'n" - Recoil.

I used to shoot 3 inch steel for ducks; now I shoot 2-3/4 with 1-1/2 oz of #4, and I only use the 3 inchers (with #2 HS) for geese. The bottom line? I don't really see the advantage to the 3-1/2 inchers - the recievers on the 3-1/2 inch guns are so long that the guns don't seem to balance correctly, the guns are more expensive than the same gun in 3 inch, and, despite what some people seem to think, I don't believe the effective range is any greater than what you get with a 3 inch load.

Now all you 3-1/2 inch lovers can jump to the defense of your beloved cannons - but I notice that most of you have one funny shoulder.