# 3 1/2 Inch vs 3 inch for Geese



## jungle (May 10, 2008)

I ve heard the 3 1/2 inch load is one of the those inefficient, unnecessary loads for goose hunting. 

It just does not provide that much more performance for the thumping you take and the dollar cost for the ammo than the 3 inch. 

What do you guys and gals think?


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## Jeff Bringhurst (May 20, 2009)

I think it depends on how close you are able to get the geese. I shoot 3.5 inch shells when I am after birds larger then ducks. Just my opinion.


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## deadduck (Jul 21, 2009)

I like to use 3.5, they are a little bit more expensive, can give you a sore shoulder if you shoot a lot, but they do give you a little more distance/bb's.


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## dkhntrdstn (Sep 7, 2007)

I shoot 3 1/2 at geese and swan. I don't think you take that much more thumping from them. If you are shooting geese feet down at 30 yards or less then 3inch will work fine. But anything further then that I would say 3 1/2 would be better.I shot geese last year at 10 yards with 3 1/2 number 2's and they where dead and not tore up ether.


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## nickpan (May 6, 2008)

3" is plenty. Size and type of shot is more important to consider. 3" hevi shot or Wingmaster HD will bring em down hard up to 50 yards. But if they're further than that you shouldn't be shootin at em.

Steel in 1's and 2's work well too. Shot placement and typ of choke is more important tho


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## Donttreadonme (Sep 11, 2007)

The size of shell makes no difference in range UNLESS it increases the velocity of the pellets. If you are shooting geese feet down < 30 yds 2 3/4" #4's will kill them dead.

A #1 steel pellet @ 1550 feet per second has the exact same kill range no matter if it is shot out of a 2 3/4" or 3.5" shell. The 3.5" will give you more pellets which in theory equates to more pellets on target but it does not give you more range. 

Out of my Benelli Nova and an IC choke a 1 1/8oz. 3" load of #1 steel has almost the exact same number of pellets in a 30" circle at 40 yds as a 1 3/8oz. 3.5" #1 load.

Based off my patterning results I would be taking unnecessary abuse and waisting $ by shooting the 3.5" shells. IMO the 3.5" shells are highly over rated.


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## gunrunner (Feb 1, 2008)

All a 3 1/2" does over a 3" is increase the length of the "shot string"


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## toasty (May 15, 2008)

All stated before with pellet size being equal 3 1/2" doesn't improve distance over a 3" or a 2 3/4" shell. It does allow you to use bigger shot and still maintain a certain pellets count, however on geese you don't need as many pellets due to the size of the birds. I always get a kick out of guys that think they can kill more birds at longer ranges with 3 1/2" shells. You can hunt and kill geese just fine with 3" steel, but if you want a better shell, move to high density stuff in its various forms. I would take a 2 3/4" 1 1/4oz #4 hevi shot goose or rem hd shell over the hottest 3 1/2" steel shell any day of the week. If you're like most hunters that hunt in this state, a single box of 10 shells will be all you will go through for geese in a season anyway.


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## quackcommander (Aug 20, 2009)

For geese in Utah I have always shot 3 1/2''. I did drop my first goose ever with 3'' 2shot. In canada I only used 3'', because the geese are in your face and all week of shooting 3 1/2'' would kill my shoulder!


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## Rodz&Riflez (Feb 16, 2009)

I like the 3 1/2"-ers because they make me feel all warm and fuzzy inside, and because they realign my back every time I shoot. Saves a ton of money with the chiropractor.


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## 28 Gauge (Aug 19, 2009)

3 1/2 inches in way overkill for any waterfowl spend the extra money on going to the trap range and work on leading the birds instead of relying on d**mn 3 1/2 inchers.


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## wyogoob (Sep 7, 2007)

Rodz&Riflez said:


> I like the 3 1/2"-ers because they make me feel all warm and fuzzy inside............................................


+1 Yeah!

Lets get them to make 4 1/2"!!!


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## Rodz&Riflez (Feb 16, 2009)

That's what I am hoping for


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## addicted-hunter (Nov 12, 2008)

honkerfool said:


> 3" is plenty. Size and type of shot is more important to consider. 3" hevi shot or Wingmaster HD will bring em down hard up to 50 yards. But if they're further than that you shouldn't be shootin at em.
> 
> Steel in 1's and 2's work well too. Shot placement and typ of choke is more important tho


Well put shoot them in the head they fall like bricks!! Also shooting a full choke or maybe somthing with a smaller pattern will work fine 3 1/2 is a little bit to much for me!


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## nickpan (May 6, 2008)

addicted-hunter said:


> honkerfool said:
> 
> 
> > 3" is plenty. Size and type of shot is more important to consider. 3" hevi shot or Wingmaster HD will bring em down hard up to 50 yards. But if they're further than that you shouldn't be shootin at em.
> ...


so many people think you need to just throw as many pellets as you can at the birds because they are "invinsible".

If you wanna kill geese get ya a modified or full choke and learn how to hit birds with the tight choke with #1 or #2 shot and you'll down them with ease if you break a wing or better yet take out the thinker. it only takes one pellet. Oh and quit wasting shells shootin at high or far birds :mrgreen:


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## woollybugger (Oct 13, 2007)

Regardless of what shell you choose for geese, make sure it is adequate for the range that you will be shooting. Even 3 1/2" loads of tungsten shot have their limit. The answer is any (within reason) shell is good for geese, if you are within its capability. I would not shoot 3 1/2" BBB through a tight choke at birds that decoy <25 yards. For that I would shoot a good 2 3/4" 1 1/16 oz load of #1's or #2's. For pass shooting at 45-50 yards, get that 3 1/2"er fed with the meanest loads you can find. Anything in between, you make the call.


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## Crow (Sep 15, 2007)

Joel Draxler said:


> The size of shell makes no difference in range UNLESS it increases the velocity of the pellets. If you are shooting geese feet down < 30 yds 2 3/4" #4's will kill them dead.
> 
> A #1 steel pellet @ 1550 feet per second has the exact same kill range no matter if it is shot out of a 2 3/4" or 3.5" shell. The 3.5" will give you more pellets which in theory equates to more pellets on target but it does not give you more range.
> 
> ...





toasty said:


> All stated before with pellet size being equal 3 1/2" doesn't improve distance over a 3" or a 2 3/4" shell. It does allow you to use bigger shot and still maintain a certain pellets count, however on geese you don't need as many pellets due to the size of the birds. I always get a kick out of guys that think they can kill more birds at longer ranges with 3 1/2" shells. You can hunt and kill geese just fine with 3" steel, but if you want a better shell, move to high density stuff in its various forms. I would take a 2 3/4" 1 1/4oz #4 hevi shot goose or rem hd shell over the hottest 3 1/2" steel shell any day of the week. If you're like most hunters that hunt in this state, a single box of 10 shells will be all you will go through for geese in a season anyway.


Well said, also for those that think 3.5 equals more distance it equals more cripples.


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## huntinkid (Aug 19, 2009)

it all comes down to how fast your shell is......force=mass X acceleration so the faster loads you get the more hard hitting they will be....kent makes a very fast 3.5 that shoots a whopping 1625 with 1 1/4 oz BBB


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## toasty (May 15, 2008)

There's more to hard hitting loads than just velocity. Your penetration is a function of your velocity, density, and your cross sectional area. But in general faster is better.

I make a home made shell that runs a whopping 1795 fps. It is not my shell of choice. You're trading pellet count for speed and then there is patterning. It takes some work to get those fast loads to pattern decently. I do 90% of my hunting with a 1 1/16oz load doing 1735 fps because I can pattern it a lot better, but it still has good pellet count and good knock down power. 

I would suggest to anyone shooting the Kent 1635 fps shell, you better pattern your gun with several chokes to find out which one is going to give you decent patterns. When I started rolling my own, I was surprised at the gaping holes you can get with high speed steel.


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## JERRY (Sep 30, 2007)

10 gauge 3 1/2 if you really want to reach out and touch'em. Just saying. 8) The kick is part of the hunt. Lets you know you actually did something. :wink:


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## deadicated1 (Mar 17, 2008)

huntinkid you your physics is right, but i was taught by someone on here that mass X accelaration is only if its a whole slug, but its not. each bb isnt hitting the ft/lbs of 1625 X 1 1/4 oz, which is the mass times acc.

i like your logic though. heavier shot, going real dang fast, sure cant hurt anything!!!!!

thats why i like black cloud, and i am going to shoot that new HEAVI METAL this year, which also has the 1 1/2 oz, at 1550 fps in the 3 1/2


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## toasty (May 15, 2008)

10ga is in the same situation at the 12ga 3 1/2". Shooting a 10ga doesn't give you any more range than shooting a 12ga 2 3/4". All it gives you is more pellets.

Also what does mass x acceleration have to do with the range of a shotshell or a slug for that matter? Once that pellet (slug) is out of the barrel the acceleration is negative. The force is also negative, I think you're thinking of energy which is a function of mass and velocity. 

Black cloud doesn't have anymore range than any other shell because it is just steel. They do have a wad that is supposed to keep your pattern together longer, but the killing range of the pellets is the same. Your hevi metal will also not have anymore range than normal steel because they reduce the size of non steel pellet and increase the density of that pellet. Heavy metal was designed to increase pellet count by about 20% over shooting regular steel. It will not give you more range.

I killed a couple geese at 30 yards with #6 steel last year. If you shoot geese that are in range, almost any steel shell will work. If you're trying to shoot geese 80 yards out, almost no steel shell will work. Just because a company comes out with a gimic and new marketing campaign or a fancy name doesn't make your shell any better or different. The only difference is you have paid more money for the same thing.


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## deadicated1 (Mar 17, 2008)

i know that there are lots of good marketing techniques for shells, but you gotta admit that 1 1/2 oz load at 1550 fps is MORE bb's going real FAST.
why does everyone hate on this fact? more bb's in the air increases the chance of a kill zone shot, meaning pellets to a vital area.
granted, the point about not shooting too far is valid, but pellet count and shot string and more bb's hittin the bird is enough reason for me to like the heavier loads, as fast as possible.

plus, how can a bunch of ******** like ya'll hate on a name like HEAVY METAL??? :mrgreen: 
what do you listen to on the way to the marsh at 4 in the morning????


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## El Casador (Aug 27, 2009)

I swing 3 inch loads when i'm Duck hunting. found out they where deadly at 40 yrds when a couple of Geese decided to drop in on some decoys.


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## 10Tenner (Oct 7, 2007)

> 10ga doesn't give you any more range than shooting a 12ga 2 3/4".


 :? :roll: :lol: 10Tenner


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## woollybugger (Oct 13, 2007)

I don't think any of us here are physics majors...or professors. :roll: But, lets consider something...

Pellets of sufficient energy and quantity are what kill birds, regardless of what shell they come out of initially. More pellets at higher energy give you an advantage in any case. A sparse pattern of even BBB steel will perform poorly even at high velocity. A dense pattern that lacks penetration (engergy) will also perform poorly. A 7/8 oz load of high velocity #1 steel will hammer geese if choked correctly and used at proper ranges. Putting high energy pellets on the bird is what counts. A 3 1/2" shell does give you a pellet count advantage, but this is only one factor in the bird killing equation. You must also consider velocity, choke, pellet size, and range at which the pattern and bird collide.


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## WasatchOutdoors (Sep 26, 2007)

I figured I'd throw one more opinion in for good measure. In my opinion (and I think there is an article in either outdoor life or field and stream right now to back this up) the larger shell and bigger payload is totally uneccessary. To get a heavier load of the same size shot to an equal amount of downrange energy and velocity, takes a much bigger pounding on your shoulder. A good 3" shell with a good choke can get a higher velocity payload with more foot pounds of downrange energy on a bird than most conventional 3 1/2 inch payloads. 

What that means is that you take less of a pounding, the pellets that do find their mark will have more energy to get through the thick mat of feathers and fat of large, late season ducks and geese, and do a more efficient job of killing birds quickly than pellets that hit at a lower velocity and don't penetrate fully. I know that some of the magnum guys will argue that they load their own or buy high velocity shells that get the shot out at the same speed as the lower weight payloads, but you get that additional speed at a price- accuracy. If you doubt me, take a box of 3 1/2 heavy payload shells out target shooting. shoot the first half of the box to train your body what kind of beating each shot means, and then hand your buddy the gun between shots. Have him randomly load a shell or not into your gun without telling you what to expect, and then launch a target. Just watch how bad your shoulder will throw into the shot when the gun doesn't go off, and then imagine what that kind of jerking around does for your ability to shoot well.


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## WasatchOutdoors (Sep 26, 2007)

deadicated1 said:


> plus, how can a bunch of ******** like ya'll hate on a name like HEAVY METAL??? :mrgreen:
> what do you listen to on the way to the marsh at 4 in the morning????


I listen to Yanni or Kenny G. nothing gets me worked up and in the mood to kill something more than listening to those annoying s.o.b's


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