Is 3.5" chamber size bad for 3gun?

[sdm74]

I notice most guns used in the sport are chambered in 3" or smaller. i was looking at a good deal on a gun that was chambered in 3.5'. Will this be less reliable with the light loads used in 3gun?

[Jesse Tischauser]

yes it means beefier parts and more weight which means either more inertia or more gas required to run teh gun. With that said I know a couple of guys that run Super Black Eagle Benellis and have no issues. You just might not be able to run the cheap walmart bulk pack ammo.

[bigbrowndog]

if it means you won't shoot 3 gun, till you get another gun then no its not a bad thing.

Its just that 3" is more common, when loading,... the great big opening on a 3.5" is a definite advantage, is it worth getting over the normal 3",...NO.

Shoot what you have, and then decide what you need after you've had a few matches under your belt.

Trapr

[sdm74]

Yea, this would be my first semi auto shotgun.

[Dan Sierpina]

Yea, this would be my first semi auto shotgun.

What are you thinking about getting?

[sdm74]

A 26" browning silver stalker..there on sale for 500 off msrp. Looks like a nice gun in the pics but don't know of anyone that's shot one.

Edited November 19, 2011 by sdm74

[AustinT]

My SBE takes more oomph to run, but that means I very, very rarely have problems with steel. 3 1/4 dram 1 1/8 oz is all I run. It's picky about what slugs it likes also.

But the Browning is a gas gun I assume, so it would probably work with a bit more of a range of ammo. Make sure you can get a mag tube extension for that shotgun.

[sdm74]

It looks very similar to a sx3

[sdm74]

Anyone else running a 3.5" chambered shotgun?

[bigbrowndog]

I just met a new shooter yesterday that asked about having mods done to his new SBE.

Trapr

[AustinT]

There were 3 SBEs on my squad at the last 3MR match.

[BlueOvalBruin]

I use a Beretta Xtrema2 for 3gun and it has a 3.5” chamber. It was my duck gun that I decided to try 3gun with. It’s a lot easier to load shells in than my Benelli, especially if you have big fingers like me.

It had trouble cycling walmart promo loads early on but after a season of heavy 3” and 3.5” waterfowl loads the gun is well broken in and I have no problem now with even lighter loads like 2.75dram or light slugs. A lot of folks don’t break the gun in properly and have trouble with lighter loads.

[shopgun]

My new Rem Versa Max runs loads that won't cycle my 2 3/4'" 1100. 20 gr 7625 and 1 oz shot. throws the empties about 5 ' That load makes about 1050-1100 fps depending on case/wad/primer combo.

[ziebart]

I shoot a 26" sx3 3.5". I put one box of 3.5" shells through it then about 1500 federal bulk pack from Walmart. Only problems were when I tried hip shooting it, and when I used the Winchester bulk pack.

I got the 3.5" cause sometimes I go goose hunting with my brother and he uses the big shells and it is nice to be able to put anything in it. It would be nice if the barrel was shorter but so far it has worked for me.