You do not need 3.5" shells

[Cyrano]

You guys make me envious; I sure wish I could hit something with a shotgun.

 

[sipowicz]

Okay...here she comes...if this don't impress that lil bitch, I'm giving up on women and going back to chasing cars...

 

[walnutred]

3.5" shell would be what, around 88mm? Kind of small by todays standards but the Germans were very effective with their 88mm shell, from what I've heard. Seems a bit much for ducks though.

 

[bwickens]

So what 20 ga load did she use?

 

[dmar]

I stick with the 3s, IMO those 3.5s are not necessary.

BTW, great pictures! Your kids look like they really enjoyed the day. Your daughter is a very pretty girl, nice to see her so accomplished in the outdoors. My daughter is just 2, but I'm hoping she grows up with an interest in the outdoors/shooting, as well... Great looking Lab you've got there, too, he had a big day!

 

[NKJ nut]

If I hunt Tundra Swan or Canadas, I'll use the 3.5's but I've killed more ducks with a 20 ga than a 12. I used to use a Browning 3" A-5 20 ga with lead when it was legal. Went to 12 gauge 2 3/4 steel and then went back to 20 gauge steel #3's in my Ruger O/U. Right now I'm shooting my SBEII with 3" just because I have a bunch of 12 ga.
To tell the truth, based on the number of them that I see on the shelves right before Duck season vs the lack of any on the shelves halfway through the duck season it would appear that the most popular duck load around here is the 12 gauge 3" double X turkey loads by Winchester in #6 or #4 shot. Always wondered why they stocked so much turkey loads in the fall down in the marsh when Turkey season isn't until the spring-and I ain't never seen no turkey in the marsh no

For decoying ducks all you need is a 20.

Back when lead shot was legal I used 2 3/4" no. 5 heavy loads for ducks just like I did for everything else. It worked fine.

Later after i got in the business of selling I noticed a big demand for lead shot turkey loads around duck season. More so actually than during turkey season. I assume if a guy pulls up with a boat load of duck decoys and wearing camo and wanting to buy lead shot turkey loads; he's probably going coyote hunting.

 

[novalty]

Great pics.
Nice truck.
Happy eating!

 

[John Eilertson]

Nicely done. My SG is chambered 3 1/2", but I feel my best with 3" 4s. The extra 1/2" might matter in long range pass shooting, goose hunting or in finishing cripples, but is not really needed over decoys. I could show loads of dead examples of that. Three and one half inch shells are mostly a costly way to do not really any more than a 2 3/4 or 3" shell can do. More recoil certainly doesn't mean more efficiency.

 

[Class III]

3.5" shells do have there place. But, that place is not in a shotgun mounted to MY shoulder. Most of these were taken with 2.75" #4 steel in Canada a few years ago. They were taken in a cut barley field with the barley piled in windrows shooting over about 500 socks and 200 field shells.

Class III

 

[Tunachaser]

Okay...here she comes...if this don't impress that lil bitch, I'm giving up on women and going back to chasing cars...

Best one yet, that was funny.

 

[Tunachaser]

So what 20 ga load did she use?

mostly 3" Blackclouds, some Win. Blindside. I would say roughly 80% one shot kills unless she missed which to the best of our knowledge was only once, keep in mind these were deacoying ducks 20 - 50 yards at most. She now shoots better than I do...........