I have allways had a 2 3/4 do I need a 3 inch or 3.5 inch for hunting turkeys ??

2 3/4 works fine. 3 gives you a little more shot and distance. 3.5 inch? not worth it. I have never talked with anyone who consitently uses a 3.5 for anything. Usually somebody buys a box of 3.5 " shells, shoots 4 or 5, says ouch and puts them away.

3.5" shells CAN give you a bit more shot for the pattern. But, as hikerbum states, most folks won't shoot them much due to recoil.

I've got a Beretta Xtrema2 w/ kickoff that sure makes me change my mind on that one.

As to NEEDING a 3.5" shell? I've been hunting turkeys with a Model 97 Win, 30" full w/ 2 3/4" Remington Duplex 4x6's for the last 15 or more years. I've never, repeat NEVER had to shoot a bird twice.
Dead is dead. Just HOW dead do you want them?

No, the 2 3/4" premium shotshells will do fine in most full choke guns. I hunted and killed turkeys for several years with buffered copper plated #6s in 1 1/2 oz loads. What you need is pattern density at point of aim for head shooting spring gobblers. Keep the range within the limitations of your shotgun and the best patterning load you can purchase.

The last few years I've been shooting 3" and 3.5" loads of #6s or #4s as a 2nd choice and have a higher pattern density from my dedicated turkey gun. That being said I would not feel handicapped with 2 3/4 loads at all.

I would take a 2 3/4 with a good Hevi-shot load over a 3.5" every single time, and twice during hunting season.

The only reason the 3.5" shell exists is to fit enough steel in it to make it work like a light 10 ga.

The 2 3/4" shell with 1.5 oz of heavy shot is sooooo good, it's scary. HTH, Dutch.

First a disclaimer. I'm not a turkey hunter. I call them feathered rats. I've never eaten wild turkey that was worth the cooking so going to the trouble of actually hunting one seems kinda dumb to me, but, hey, that's why they make different flavors of ice cream. We've got a bunch of Easterns on my place now that I'm managing a significant part of it strictly for game. Cattle and turkeys are not symbiotic.

Second, you can put me firmly in the column of someone who often chooses a 3 inch (it would be a 3 1/2 and is if I'm hunting with one of my pumps instead of my standard O/U) for waterfowl or late season pheasant hunting. OTOH, one of the best shells I EVER shot at waterfowl was a Federal Premium 2 3/4 1 1/2 ounces of copper plated BBs.

Finally, I think hevi-shot 2 3/4s will do everything that MOSt 3s or 3 1/2s will do. That said, I've got a friend who is a nut about turkeys that chooses lead 3 1/2s over hevi-shot, claims they pattern better in his gun. I find that hard to believe, but he does and has patterned them.

For the best of both world's I just bt 4 (all they had) packs of 3 and 3 1/2s hevishot 6s at Walmarts for $7 and $9 per pack of 10.

IMO you can kill any turkey that every walked with a good 2 3/4 inch load, but bigger shot loads, all things being equal, will increase your killing range by approximately the increase in shot charge wt. I guess it depends on a) how good a caller you are b) how serious about a turkey you are and finally, c) how much you want to spend on a feathered rat.

If you are going to spend the moeny for another gun for Turkeys, go ahead and get the 10 ga. If you want/need more power than a 3" shell will give you, you shoulder will much appreciate the 10. I bought the Berretta SBE in 3.5, tried to pattern 3.5" heavy lead load, you can have the 7 shells I did not shoot. Traded it this spring for a set of Leica 10X40 Trinovids and 300 Win. Mag. Encore barrel, best deal I ever made.

As a personal preference I would not recommend a 10ga. as a turkey gun because it weighs to much for ridge running.

Most mistakes with the 3.5" start with buying shells loaded to the max with powder and shot. Reduced powder and shot load will improve pattern performance generally and is much easier on the shoulder and this could be said for 2.75 and 3 inch also. I shoot #6 and like the muzzel velocity to be in the range of 1150 to 1225 fps. If I'm shooting #4 or larger I like a speed of 1300 fps+, depending on shot size and intended game.

3.5 inch shells are the solution to very few shooting problems. I almost bought a 3.5 inch gun but then realized that it is rare for me to buy even 3 inch shells. With the advent of Hevishot, I don't think there is a real need for 3.5 inch.

Another vote for 2-3/4" Hevi-Shot. The best use for 3-1/2" loads is teaching the proper way to flinch.

Beretta made the SBE? Last time I looked Benelli made the SBE. Though I'd have to agree with you about the recoil. The SBE is a VERY durable gun. But my xtrema2 is SO sweet!
I have even been shooting sporting clays with it w/ 1 oz trap loads and it cycles flawlessly.

quote:

As a personal preference I would not recommend a 10ga. as a turkey gun because it weighs to much for ridge running.

Worried Man
A 12 GA 3.5 inch gun can do 99% as much as a 10 GA 3.5 inch. Why carry the extra 5 pounds of gun, espicially turkey hunting. I have a Benelli SBE, and used to shoot 3.5 inch shells for everything (deer, turkey, duck). But, Like Old Elk Hunter said, now you can do almost every thing with 3 inch Heavy Shot.

The 3.5 inch loads for waterfowl are not that bad. They will rock you a little but for steel shot at high speed it's the only way to go. The Benilli SBE either number one or number two is a wonderfull weapon. Not the only way to go,but I don't miss carring my 12 pound ten guage.