ken3591 Posted September 1 Report Share Posted September 1 Hi all, looking for a bit of advice. I'd like to buy a cheap semi auto specifically for foreshore goose fowling and am wondering how much value there is in getting a 3.5" chamber gun over a 3"? Also by extension, what shells everyone uses for foreshore geese. Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CumbrianWildfowler Posted September 1 Report Share Posted September 1 Just my opinion. Most of the newer semi-auto's seem to be 3.5 in chambered but you don't have to use a 3.5 load through them. Unless you like beating your shoulder up. I'm not sure the 3.5 gives you too much of an advantage over a 3 inch load? New Hunters Guide on YouTube did quite an interesting review between them. 3 inch loads are fine in my opinion. The 3.5 loads can make you flinch. The Winchester SX4 is a great value gun,3.5 chamber, HP proofed and you will have a choice on what you feed it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ferretlurcher1970 Posted September 1 Report Share Posted September 1 I mostly use a early Browning maxus 3.5", cartridges 3" mamath steel no3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cawdor118 Posted September 1 Report Share Posted September 1 I have the ability to use 3.5", but in truth prefer the 3" cartridges. A Benelli M2 would be ideal in honest truth. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sam triple Posted September 1 Report Share Posted September 1 Shot loads of geese with 3” Franchi affinity Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pushandpull Posted September 1 Report Share Posted September 1 A thousand years ago, when the world only knew lead, I like many used to shoot 3" loads of 1 7/8 oz (53+g) in Super XX or if available 2 oz Federals. Recoil ? No bother with a 7 1/2 lb San Marco hammer sbs to soak it up. Cartridge choice is partly about efficiency but even more about what you have faith in. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Docleo Posted September 1 Report Share Posted September 1 In my opinion, 3 inch chamber/steel carts (I like RC atomic steel 36g 1s or 3s), are more than enough. There might be occasions where a 42g (3,5 inch) might be a better option but personally those are the occasions when is better not to pull the trigger. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ferretlurcher1970 Posted September 1 Report Share Posted September 1 Shot 3 Canada's this morning with my combo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marsh man Posted September 1 Report Share Posted September 1 I would imagine there is more variety with the choice of bore sizes and again with cartridge sizes for geese than any other bird on the shooting list , we hear geese shot as clean as a whistle with a 20 bore and at the other end of the scale with 12 bore loads that were bigger than an ole 10 bore underlever hammer gun I used to have , I have had one or two 3 inch magnums and at the time I very rarely used 3 inch shells , if we had a few bob in our pockets we would splash out on a box of Alpamax 2 3/4 , 1s or 3s , these were as good as you would get for geese , then for a combination of duck and geese we would use the Hymax 2 3/4 in 3s or 5s , next when the funds were the normal low we would use the Eley Maximum as a all rounder , until recently when I more or less stopped shooting geese I would use 36 gm for geese and 32gm for duck , nothing to fancy and more than good enough if you ( kept them within range ) , those last four words will have a limit on any gun and any cartridge used . MM Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
enfieldspares Posted September 1 Report Share Posted September 1 (edited) Supposedly with steel shot (so this will apply unless you are under the exemptions allowed in the law in Scotland) the experts say match the cartridge length to the chamber length is using steel. Indeed Gamebore Silver Steel was 1 1/8 ounce steel shot but in a 3" cartridge. So my advice would be see what is available readily in 3" and 3.5" and decide on your gun subject to cartridge availability if you have to use steel where you are. In doesn't take a lot to kill a goose if the range is right and I've shot Canada geese over my own pond (going for shots to the head and outstretched neck) as they flew over low with 1 ounce #7 in a 20 bore side by side back before the lead ban decades ago. Edited September 1 by enfieldspares Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TOPGUN749 Posted September 2 Report Share Posted September 2 In my opinion 3.5 inch chambers and cartridges are just the latest gimmick and probably from America where they like everything large! How long till we get 4 inch chambers and 60 gram cartridges for them?? For decades 3 inch magnum with 42 grams has been the wildfowlers load,and adequate. Even 42 grams is going to recoil a lot and needs a heavy gun to absorb it.Ideally the gun should weigh 100 times the shot load,though a semi auto handles it better. My choice as a wildfowl gun today would be a 3 inch HP steel proof weighing 8.5 lbs or more. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
6.5x55SE Posted September 2 Report Share Posted September 2 (edited) 20 hours ago, marsh man said: we hear geese shot as clean as a whistle with a 20 bore . MM Evening John. If geese could talk they would certainly be moaning/warning their family and friends about the bloke with a 20 Bore using 15/16oz Steel Cartridges to very good effect Sunday morning 🤭👍 Edited September 2 by 6.5x55SE Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CumbrianWildfowler Posted September 2 Report Share Posted September 2 If I was determined to shoot big heavy loads I'd get a 10 bore Browning Gold. Soak up the recoil and pattern better in my opinion. But TSS changed all that! Shame about the plastic wads though. Hopefully a bio version will come along eventually. I still fancy another 10 though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ken3591 Posted September 2 Author Report Share Posted September 2 Sounds like a general consensus that 3" is sufficient, thanks for the advice. Main reason I was asking is I'm just looking for a cheap second hand gun and 3" chambered models are much easier to come by than 3.5" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marsh man Posted September 2 Report Share Posted September 2 3 hours ago, 6.5x55SE said: Evening John. If geese could talk they would certainly be moaning/warning their family and friends about the bloke with a 20 Bore using 15/16oz Steel Cartridges to very good effect Sunday morning 🤭👍 Hi Brad .. Good to know the keenness is still there and your first geese are already in the bag , I know it can be done as I saw one of the guns on one of our Partridge days dropped a pair of Canada geese that made the mistake of going over one of the best shots you are ever likely to see , then again he was an excellent and I don't think everyone with a 20 bore could have done the same , these top Partridge boys could easily treat the head of the goose as one of there Partridges and some of them now use a 4.10 to the same effect , so the guns can do it , but not everyone who is pulling the trigger can do the same , no doubt this is why they need all this extra shot . MM All the best for what is in store over the coming months , Are you still in the G Y W A ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
6.5x55SE Posted September 2 Report Share Posted September 2 18 minutes ago, marsh man said: Hi Brad .. Good to know the keenness is still there and your first geese are already in the bag , I know it can be done as I saw one of the guns on one of our Partridge days dropped a pair of Canada geese that made the mistake of going over one of the best shots you are ever likely to see , then again he was an excellent and I don't think everyone with a 20 bore could have done the same , these top Partridge boys could easily treat the head of the goose as one of there Partridges and some of them now use a 4.10 to the same effect , so the guns can do it , but not everyone who is pulling the trigger can do the same , no doubt this is why they need all this extra shot . MM All the best for what is in store over the coming months , Are you still in the G Y W A ? Yes John keen as ever. I've successfully used a 20 Bore for Geese on numerous English and Scottish foreshore. Yes still a Member of GYWA. and will be heading in that direction within the next two weeks to start the Wild Goose chase 👍 Ken ( op ) a 3" chamber will do you just fine . Gamebore RC and Fiocchi have all worked well for me personally i go for pattern and penertration using 3 or 1 shot. Having said that i reload most of my cartridges. Good luck what ever you choose to use 👍 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave at kelton Posted September 2 Report Share Posted September 2 If you have the chance go for 3.5” and match it with Gamebore Mammoth no 1 steel shot. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marsh man Posted September 4 Report Share Posted September 4 On 02/09/2024 at 21:33, 6.5x55SE said: Yes John keen as ever. I've successfully used a 20 Bore for Geese on numerous English and Scottish foreshore. Yes still a Member of GYWA. and will be heading in that direction within the next two weeks to start the Wild Goose chase 👍 Ken ( op ) a 3" chamber will do you just fine . Gamebore RC and Fiocchi have all worked well for me personally i go for pattern and penertration using 3 or 1 shot. Having said that i reload most of my cartridges. Good luck what ever you choose to use 👍 I think every gun whatever the bore have it limitations Brad , not ever used a 20 bore I cannot comment on the limitations that would have when it come to shooting inland and foreshore geese , like me I dare say you have been in several situations where the geese flying above are just out of the limit for both me and the gun / cartridges I was using at the time , one night I had 100s if not the low 1000s of geese coming over me at 10 / 20 yards out of my comfort zone and I would rate that flight within the top ten I have ever had and as you know I have had a lot , having said that it would had been in my top ten flights I ended the evening with not firing a shot , maybe if I had my 3 inch and some heavy shells I might had got my limit and watched the rest of the flight a very contented man . we often hear about these long shots they often manage with shooting at geese but they very rarely tell you about the ones they have hit and carry on with no ill affects , or drop out where the fowler have got no chance , or very little chance of picking it up , and again like me you have seen that happen a great many times , I know I have . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nic Posted September 7 Report Share Posted September 7 (edited) my go to cartridge is 3 inch 36 gr 3's I have a couple of 31/2 inch browning waterfowl's, but have not bothered with 31/2 cart's for a good few years Edited September 7 by nic Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CumbrianWildfowler Posted September 7 Report Share Posted September 7 Another thing to consider with the 3.5 inch cartridges is the jolt they give you that slows your reaction to get back on the birds for 2nd and maybe 3rd shots. It does affect the flow of your shooting, well my shooting. As others have said, I think it is more of a sales gimmick rather than an advantage over a 3 inch shell. Just like the sales pitch of 1500 fps steel loads when 1100 fps is far better ballistically, but that is a whole other discussion! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Upland gun Posted September 8 Report Share Posted September 8 Worth pointing out that unless you roll your own ammunition we’re back to the position of the largest shot size available in factory ammo being 4mm. Gamebore’s 3.5” Mammoth was available in 4.3mm but now it’s only available in 1’s there’s far less advantage in opting for the 3.5” shell over the 3”. A 4mm pellet at a similar velocity carries a similar amount of clout regardless of chamber or bore size. Just because you start with more pellets does not mean you achieve a more dense pattern. The reverse is very often true. With the factory choices available today there’s no advantage in a 3.5” chamber. If you feel you want more step up a 10. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Upland gun Posted September 8 Report Share Posted September 8 Ps…. Have you considered a Fabarm? Industry leading superior proof and can use full choke with all sizes of steel. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joejoe Posted September 9 Report Share Posted September 9 I prefer fiocchi 2 3/4” (70mm) 35g for geese as they are the cheapest and do the job as much as some others I tried. I cannot see 1g of shot making that much difference. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
London Best Posted September 10 Report Share Posted September 10 9 hours ago, joejoe said: I prefer fiocchi 2 3/4” (70mm) 35g for geese as they are the cheapest and do the job as much as some others I tried. I cannot see 1g of shot making that much difference. Far too much common sense here! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marsh man Posted September 10 Report Share Posted September 10 I used the 36gm Hull Solway steel for a number of years in either 1s or 3s and knew they would do the job if I have had done mine , it didn't really matter with the size of shot but many times I would use 3s in my right barrel and 1s in the left a;though very often they would get mixed and I had them the other way way round , I never gave the size a thought when I was slowly pulling the trigger a good three or four feet in front of a unsuspecting Pink that was flying directly overhead , just looked them up and are now over £550 a 1000 , mind you , if I had bought a 1000 I very much doubt if I had used a quarter of them on geese and I wouldn't live long enough , or fit enough to have used the rest Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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