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Chamber for Wildfowling


jeffjjack
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Right, this is something that seems to split the crowd...

 

I'm left handed and currently shoot o/u for game and pigeons and have 20g pump (with both normal and hushpower barrels) for vermin/pigeon work.

 

I possibly have the opportunity this year for some foreshore and Scotland goose shooting. Talking to the lads that shoot this they use 3.5 inch home loads and they swear by them (and recommend i get one)

 

So.... I am looking for an all round 12g for pigeon/hide/rough work....and for foreshore and Scottish geese.

 

Dont mind shooting right handed pump (as I have one) and get on quite well with it....

 

So not sure what to go for...and don't want to spend a fortune on a gun (say up to £500)

 

The first question for me would be... is 3.5inch essential for goose shooting? As this will dictate what I need....

 

But is a 3.5 inch chambered gun ok for shooting 30g 6 or 5's for 95% of its life.. (i've heard about damaging forcing cones by shooting 2 3/4 carts in 3.5 inch chamber)

 

What are the collective thoughts...

 

Looked at

 

 

Auto (in left hand flavour)

Franchi Afinity (but dont do 3.5)

Benelli BE2 (expensive)

Beretta (expensive)

Hatstands (cheap and falls to bits?)

 

Pumps (right hand as they are more common)

Benelli Super Nova

Winchester SXP

Mossberg

 

:hmm::hmm::hmm::hmm::hmm::hmm:

 

 

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This is where I am heading I think... If in the future I believe that 3.5 inch will offer me any more advantage and if I am shooting geese on a regular basis I can get a dedicated gun for this.

My wildfowling gun for the last 5 seasons has been a 3" chambered Remington, I am only getting a 3 1/2 gun this year as I fancy a new gun

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I went to buy a new semi auto recently and wanted something that would take 3.5" as I intend to do a bit of wildfowling this year.

I was looking at a Benelli SBE or similar but came across the same issues in that I've heard of problems cycling normal pigeon type loads which is what the gun would be used on most of the time. Being expensive guns I decided on another plan and left with a lovely used Benelli Raffaello Black which handles 3" and will probably do 95% of what I need, and also a used Mossberg 835 Ulti-Mag pump in camo which takes 3.5" and the barrel is bored out to near 10 gauge size. Being a camo pump I won't mind it getting bashed about and muddy so all options covered.

The Mossberg looks like it's hardly had any use and I picked it up for just under £200 as I was buying the other gun.

Definitely one to look at.

So two guns for a lot less than I was going to spend.

From my research and talking to friends they seem to be of the opinion that now steel cartridges have advanced a lot there is no real need for 3.5" ones and 3" will do just about everything.

I still went and got one just to have a play with the big stuff lol

Edited by ChrisPCarter
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A Browning BPS 10-bore pump would work for either left or right handed, as bottom feed/eject.

 

See what's around 2nd hand of similar build/design

 

Not used for fowling (by myself that is) but my H&R 176 in 10-bore would be another suitable design/type, very capable for the role.

Again, not too expensive to find these 2nd hand.

 

Just a couple of other possibilities that may be worth a browse.

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In short you dont need a 3.5 inch chamber gun a 3 inch would do the job both my guns are 3.5 inch chamberd and i put 70 76 and 89mm rounds through them with no issues or damage to the gun. The biggest advantage i have found with the 3.5 inch shells is the few extra pieces of shot and more fuller patterns they dont give you any extra distance but the advantage is with larger shot sizes i.e bbs 1s with the extra pellet count. But you dont need to buy berreta ect if its just a trial thing then try out with a hatsan i own a extreme max and had it since they came out and its never missed a beat or why not a over under i also use a revo k200 duckblind which again shoots lovely a bit on the light side but it works ambi stock so suitable for left and right hand shooters. As for using shorter carts damaging the cones i would argue that as its a load of bull pal

Regards hatsan

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In short you dont need a 3.5 inch chamber gun a 3 inch would do the job both my guns are 3.5 inch chamberd and i put 70 76 and 89mm rounds through them with no issues or damage to the gun. The biggest advantage i have found with the 3.5 inch shells is the few extra pieces of shot and more fuller patterns they dont give you any extra distance but the advantage is with larger shot sizes i.e bbs 1s with the extra pellet count. But you dont need to buy berreta ect if its just a trial thing then try out with a hatsan i own a extreme max and had it since they came out and its never missed a beat or why not a over under i also use a revo k200 duckblind which again shoots lovely a bit on the light side but it works ambi stock so suitable for left and right hand shooters. As for using shorter carts damaging the cones i would argue that as its a load of bull pal

Regards hatsan

Cheers hatsan, some good advice. The reason I didn't want a o/u was from using it in the hide... I seem to find autos/pumps easier to load /use etc without snagging the hide especially if I can't make it big enough. Hadn't discounted A hatsan but mates had them fall to bit and hear more "don't buy" than "buy". Hmm what to do!!

A Browning BPS 10-bore pump would work for either left or right handed, as bottom feed/eject.

See what's around 2nd hand of similar build/design

Not used for fowling (by myself that is) but my H&R 176 in 10-bore would be another suitable design/type, very capable for the role.

Again, not too expensive to find these 2nd hand.

Just a couple of other possibilities that may be worth a browse.

Wanted 12g as don't want to buy two guns... need it for general pigeon/Vermin use. Like to look if the BPS though... but the 12 only has 3 inch chamber Edited by jeffjjack
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No probs mate. As i said had mine 5 years now and have put 2000+ rounds through my hatsan with no issues and its never fell apart on me or anything i have found that the ones who have issues with them either dont maintain them properly or have the attitude of its only cheap if anything goes wrong i will scrap it and get another but there is also the baikals or a second hand super nova ect

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No probs mate. As i said had mine 5 years now and have put 2000+ rounds through my hatsan with no issues and its never fell apart on me or anything i have found that the ones who have issues with them either dont maintain them properly or have the attitude of its only cheap if anything goes wrong i will scrap it and get another but there is also the baikals or a second hand super nova ect

Mine was well maintained but when you've seen nothing for the last 3 hours & just when you need it, it jams. Must have been a Friday afternoon one. I had it happen so won't go there again.

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As said, 3.5” is not vital for wildfowling and 3” carts will do pretty much everything you need. (Especially if you use some of the loads that are denser than steel)

 

Very few 3.5” semi-autos will reliably cycle the lightest of loads (28grs with some oomph and the gun is run, fine, but things like 24gr and 21gr clay loads can be an issue)

 

If you are getting a gun particularly for wildfowling though, 3.5” does allow you to use the largest steel shot loads for goose (I personally feel you need the shot numbers for pattern density)

 

Got a supernova myself and it very happily eats anything I feed it.

 

Scrummy

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