3 1/2" 12G Cartridges

[cortezarbo]

Hello. After buying my 3 1/2" capable gun I have only ever used 3 1/2" steel cartridges on a couple of occasions. Recently after buying a shoulder pad (after the mrs getting suspicious about the number of cartridges i use at the clay shoot every week, by the bruises) I have noticed a significant reduction in recoil. Given this new lease of life my poor shoulder has received I have decided to try hammering my soon to be evening meals with some extra shot, in a larger size. Anyone recommend any 3 1/2" cartridges, with a heavy load in lead? Thanks

[poontang]

3 1/2" lead loads?

 

What are you thinking of shooting?

 

Foxes I could understand.......but I doubt you'd want to eat one!!

 

Apart from that it seems an expensive way of shooting game.

[cortezarbo]

rabbit, pigeon, pheasant. I want to get into reloading eventually and making your own 3 1/2"s if quite cheap. Plus the fact that if I break another tooth on No. 6 shot I might throw my guns away. No, for me lots of big lead, at greater distances, passing clean through my dinner, seems to be the way forward

[garyb]

You don't need magnum shells to shoot game!

 

Stick to something sensible like a 30-32g of #6 and be done with it.

[al4x]

having shot a few pigeons with alfamax bb's I can confirm the shot does go through at about 60 yards however its not normal to use that kind of sized shot on game / vermin so perhaps it may be better to stick to clays and you will look a plonker using 3.5 inch cartridges on them

[garyb]

I guess it's ok if you have deep pockets and like your dinner pre minced before it even hits the floor

Edited November 12, 2010 by garyb

[mudpatten]

Don`t want to disillusion you so soon but homeloading is an expensive business to get into where one should be looking at improving the effectiveness of the end product.It certainly won`t be cheaper.

 

3.5" lead loads are the equivalent in quantity to 8 bore loads and the recoil with them is severe.

 

Your poor shoulder will be suffering again soon.

 

It would be cheaper, if you`re just looking for discomfort, to go into the shed and hit your thumb with a hammer.

[anser2]

Over the years many , many very experianced shots have found a game load 28 gr to 32 gr in no 6 or 5 pellet is by far the most efective load to kill pheasants pigeons and rabbits. So there is no poiint in using big 3.5 inch shells. birds coser than 35 yards are likelty to be smashed with big 2 oz loads and unless you are an exceptional shot the 50 + yard birds that you seem to be aiming to kill are beyond the skills of most shooters to kill regulary.

 

 

The 3.5 inch steel shell is ment to be used at long range geese and perhaps duck where non toxic has to be used by law , but it gives you less range than the old magnum lead loads.

Edited November 12, 2010 by anser2

[Guest cookoff013]

3.5" is only steel.

buy some of your normal 3.5" steel loads and pattern them.

[Thumpersniper]

I bought a 3.5" webley wildfowler so i could take a couple of heavys in my pocket rather than take the 10b out for shy foxes (before getting a rifle), I had a great chance at two foxes together. I put three 3.5" carts in the gun,put the lamp back on, shot one fox and the gun jammed!! grrr. I think the huge cart blows the receiver back too far or something and the next cart comes up wrong... good reliable old SbS 10 bore it was after that!

[rangey]

mammoth 63gm BB 3.5 cartridges,but wont do your shoulder much good.FOX dont like em much either

[utectok]

If you don't mind me saying 3 1/2 inch carts are designed for steel loads it is quite simply mad shooting 3 1/2 loads of lead in big sizes at game. Pointless and painful a 3" 50gm cart in 1 or 3 is the most you'll need for high geese and foxes