3" or 3.5" chamber?

Hi everybody,
Im going to buy a new wingmaster, but before I do I wanted to get some of your opinions. Im not sure if I should save some money and settle for the 3" chamber or go for the 3.5" chamber. I've never used 3.5 inch shells and was wondering if those who do can tell me what they think. Does it make a huge difference? What do you suggest?
Brennen

Buy the 3.5"...you can still shoot 3" shells in it and you have the option of the 3.5 if you need. Buying a 3" gun is like buying an outdated computer.

Unless you get a good used one at wholesale for $250 as a guy bought the three and traded it in for a 3.5'' after one season (wonder why i ended up with a 3''?). From what i've been told by hardcore waterfowlers, go with the 3.5''. I'm hoping they come out with a 4'' so i can get a 3.5'' used :lol

without a doubt go with the 3.5 it increases killing power up close and lengthens your effective kill range at leats 20 yds, i personally have killed big honkers at 80-100 yds

Yeah I figured so, but have never really heard of people using them. I probably would of ended up buying the 3.5" anyways but its nice to know theyre that much better.

3.5 is the only way to go. I shoot 3.5's in the goose field and 2 3/4's when duck hunting sloughs. The 3.5 ws designed to bring 10 gauge power to the 12 gauge shotgun.

The difference between the 3 and 3 1/2 isn't necessarily about added reach. You may be able to get increased distance because of increased powder charge in the shell but the advantage really comes from maintained pattern density. A 1 3/8 oz payload out of a 3 1/2 shell is the real advantage.

As for a 80-100 yd kill on a Canada..... I can't even begin to guess what kind of lead (not the heavy metal kind ) a shooter would need to do that. The pattern density that far away is going to leave alot of holes for birds to fly through. One magic pellet might have downed that bird but if you expect to do that consistently, you'd be a much better shot than the hunters I know.

From what i've been told by hardcore waterfowlers, go with the 3.5''.
:lol
I wont tell my hardcore hunting buddy that he's no longer a worthy waterfowler since he only runs 2-3/4" shells.

I have been running a mix of home loaded 2-3/4" steel, and 3" steel for about 5 years now, and as long as the given load will pattern for you, you don't loose much to what you had in lead.
But like Sheep Hunter said get the 3.5" that way if the need hits you you can still run the 3.5" shells, if you really need them. Which I certainly have'nt, but then again I'm only a bit of a "wing nut" (called that by other hardcore waterfowlers)

i shoot at least 3 cases of shells bird hunting every season and manage to get my fair share of birds down, while working spotting i see guys kill birds at 75-100 yds almost everyday if not everyother day depending on what kinda shot the hunters are

I shoot primarily 3" shells as well but if you are buying a new gun why limit yourself. Chose the one that let's you shoot 2 3/4-3 1/2".

Go with the 3.5 simply so you can. I persoanlly shoot 2 3/4 or 3 and my buddy shoots the 3" cigars noether of us will out shoot eachother with range as a factor but the 3.5 offers more of a payload so there is a greater chance of a clean kill.

Killing geese at 100yrds?? come on ill beleive it when I see it.

Killing geese at 100yrds?? come on ill beleive it when I see it.

I did it many years back, I used a load of buckshot to drop a goose clean as it sat in the decoys, we were out chasing a runner when this goose decided the decoys looked mighty good.

As for that the furthest I've ever seen on a flying goose that was maybe 80yards, more likely 75yards, and that was back in the days of lead, and the 1-3/4oz load of copper plated #2's just broke a wing and the bird tumbled in.

I have seen a bunch of irds killed at 80 yards but this was with the heavy shot or Bisthmus stuff that costs an arm and a leg to buy

i personally have killed big honkers at 80-100 yds

:eek

I don't doubt you have, but it's a shot I'd personally never take. I wonder, for every 20 shots like that a hunter of average ability might take, how many would simply result in wounded birds continuing to fly a little farther.

I agree Oko......I've seen lots of birds dumped at extreme ranges too but I've seen a lot fly away that you knew were hit. Certainly some of the new non-tox shots increase your range over steel but..................

"I wont tell my hardcore hunting buddy that he's no longer a worthy waterfowler since he only runs 2-3/4" shells."

You know thats not exactly what i mean. I shot mostly 2 3/4 shells in the past and i feel i got my fair share of ducks last season. I have a group of friends who hunt watefowl a lot. I believe he said he made 35 outings last year and a few more evening hunts. They shot many limits of geese and mallards and also got a few really cool hybrids and sea ducks that aren't supposed to show up here. If they're that into it and that succesful and reccomend a 3.5'' load i feel its a worthy tip.
Furthest shot i've seen ducks shot at was around 60 yards, not my shot. The spread was too much and two Gadwalls came down. One hit the water (dead) and we spent a full hour looking for the other but it managed to fly once again (eventually flushed it in cattails and it slowly lifted off). To be fair, they seemed closer until we paced it off, i had already chose not too shoot but it was an impresive shot (until the other turned out to be alive of course). Size 2 high-velocity steel shot if anyones interested.

but nothing if you can do it you can do it, if not you dont.

The ratio of shotgun shells sold in the Alberta market place between 3 inch and 3 1/2 inch is like 75 to 1, saying that for every 75 boxes of 3 inch steel someone buys 1 box of 3 1/2 inch, and thats a conservative estimate.
There have been a number of issues with the super mag Remington Express which is a 3 1/2 inch chambered gun, none of which are good. Now if you have your sights set on a Benelli Nova then you have no choice because all of their new guns come chambered in 3 1/2 inch.
Mossberg make an excellent gun for the money, especially in a 3 inch gun.
Browning BPS pumps are also a great gun.
Another thing to consider if you intend to shoot 3 1/2 inch ammo out of a pump gun is that it kicks the sh*t out of you.You may also want to avoid the Stoeger pumps that look alot like a Benelli. FS

Faststeel,
I was thinking about a remington 870 wingmaster in the 3.5". What are some of the issues for the Express in a 3.5" chamber?

I have 2 buddies that both shoot remington 870 express shotguns in 3.5". They have no problems at all, well I shouldn't say that, the only problems they have is sometimes the Kent fasteel won't eject, so they don't shoot those shells anymore. They do kick like a fricken mule though with the 3.5 shells.

Mike I have had those problems with those kent shells in my 2 3/4 rem 1100. I have talked to all the guys I hunt with about them and they have had the same results. I think its the shells not the guns.

My buddies have problems, but I have no problems at all shoot kent out of my winchester SX2.

Good to hear. We all shoot Rems with one guys shooting a Beretta. We noticed he still has jams but not as much as we did.

i heard of some people having patterning problems out of thier 3.5 pumps. got me a 3.5 and a 3, only need the one but the other was pretty and a "in the moment" purchase, lol. bases covered

Me and my crew kill 500+ ducks, Canadas, specks and snows a year and not one of us use anything bigger than 3". I personally don't see a big difference in 1-1/8th loads of #2 in 2.75" or 3", but my shooting technique is consistent with 1500 fps so I shoot 1-1/8th oz 3" loads.

Trust me, a 1-1/8 oz 2.75" load of #2 at 1300 fps will kill just as nice. Killing birds has way more to do with putting a good pattern in the right spot, that it does length of shell.

I would personally steer you far away from the 3.5" gun. Too much recoil... shells are too expensive and I don't see any advantage to flinging that much steel at a bird. When you start to grow scar tissue on your right cheek and flinch at every shot you'll understand. The 870 wingmaster in 3.5" is just a brutal gun to shoot.

My first shotgun was a wingmaster and I killed the crap out of ducks and geese with 2.75" loads of 1s, 2, and 4s. Used to use 2.75" #6 heavy shot for turkeys and it would flat smoke 'em out to 50 yards. Never once did I feel undergunned.

Just for curiosity's sake, the lead required to nail a Canada at 80-100yds, depending on how fast it's flying, is between 20 and 30 feet. Wind drift also becomes an issue at that distance. No shotgun/barrel/choke combination know to man will hold any sort of patten at that distance. A single pellet might hit the bird in the right spot to kill it, but the odds are slim to none, but not impossible. The 12 guage shotgun is a powerfull weapon, but not designed for this purpose.

Nobody in their right mind shoots birds at that distance... The practice is generally known as "skybusting" and does nobody any good. It's much more fun to kill birds, on the deck at 15 yards...

Hope you change your mind...

If you can afford it go for the Benelli Nova. Dustin used to shoot wingmaster, I bought him the Nova and he won't go back. I think it's good to have the option to use the 3.5 for honkers, but for any ducks the 3" will kill em just as dead without the recoil. I shoot a 20ga, #3 3" and haven't been outshot yet. Dustin mainly shoots 3" but when geese fly in changes to the 3.5 bb(handy little option that the nova has). Another buddy we hunt with goes big or goes home and shoots exclusively 3.5's and by then end of a full hunt day is rubbing his shoulder and not taking shots bc he's sore. Take a look at the Nova and Mossbergs too. See what shoulder's nicely and go for the gusto!

you hit it right on the head CBR...you have the option to use 3.5 shells. You don't have to use them but the option is there. Why limit yourself by buying a 3" gun.

I shoot a browning BPS and the wife shoots a Rem 870 both are 3.5 , both guns jam with Kent shells but mine is worse and it's not only the 3.5 but 2 3/4 as well, there was a topic here a few years ago about these shells and quite a few people had this problem. The Recoil doesn't bother either of us . My o/u with 2 3/4 kicks harder.

Sheep the problems with the newer Rem shotguns is mainly with the 3 1/2 inch Super Magnum Express models, so if you are going to buy a Rem you will be better off with a 3 inch model, and no one that shoots waterfowl in Alberta is "limited" with a 3 inch chambered gun.FS

and no one that shoots waterfowl in Alberta is "limited" with a 3 inch chambered gun

You might be if your the one taking those 100 yrd shots :b \

I think what sheep was saying was that you may only need to shoot the 3" but its nice to go to the 3 1/2 if needed even if its only once in a while.

As for the Benelli Nova that is a great reccomendation. I think its the super Nova with the new recoil reducing technology which is a big plus when in the blind.