Sheridan

You can shoot 2 3/4", 3", 3.5" from any gun chambered for 3.5" shells.

Just need to "break-in" the gun with a box of 3" mags.

I started by patterning my gun with 3.5" turkey loads (6 rounds) for turkey season, unscrewed that choke, put in a skeet choke and shot 2 rounds of skeet with #7 1/2 high brass.

My gun cycles 2 3/4" #8 low brass and 3.5" #4 high brass with ease !!!

Bible_Man

The Stoeger is a good gun...as is the 11-87. And while I love my 835, my experience with Mossberg's 935 autoloader has been horrendous! I'm sure some folks love them and have had nothing but success with them, but I can't stand them. The only ones I have ever been around (4) have jammed consistently...very consistently.

Jarrey12

Thank you that helps alot and I think I made my choice either the stoeger 3500 or the browning bps depends which feels more comfortable and the price. Thanks again

Sheridan

More info the better.................

http://hunting.about.com/od/toppicks...toshotguns.htm


Look at reviews and then handle the ones that make sense to you (the ones you like best).

Ultimately, the "right" gun will pick you !!!

Mojotex

Here's my advice based in part upon your confessoin that you do not know the "first thing" about shot guns, and that your budget is about $1000. I'd stay with a pump action. This design is somewhat simpler that most auto loaders and presents less maintenance issues ... and are usually around $200-$500 less in intial cost depending upon make and models that you are comparing. A route to go would be to locate a reputable gun shop that sells used shot guns. Typically anoher $100-$200 can be knocked off the normal pricing for a comparable new shotgun. A local shop that I have done a lot of business with, for example has several of the following used 12 ga. pumps listed for sale: (US $$) NOVA - $400, BPS-$425, Rem 870-$400, Win. 1400-$250, Mossberg 835 - $300. Each of these are listed to be in VG to "as new" condition. Not a great deal of savings, but at least some. With the $1000 you can go new for sure. My choice Browning BPS or Benelli NOVA.

I'd buy a pump that can handle 3 1/2" shells. It'll handle 2 3/4" and 3" as well. A
3 1/2" , 12 ga. shot shell is a heavy recoil round, but puts a lot of shot in the air for sure !?!

Buy the pump with a smooth bore, cabable of taking choke tubes. Most new will come with 2-3. Usually Improved (wing shooting), Modified (tighter choke for longer distance wing shooting and small game), and Full (even tighter choke for larger flyers such as duck and geese , and suitable for turkey out to about 35 yards +/-). If you are planning on hunting turkey, consider buying a ported, screw-in choke tube (.670 is a good choice). You'll pick up another 10-20 yards of effective range for turkey, but the pattern is mighty tight at 10-15 yard range !

You should have enough left now to buy a rifled "slug" barrel. This set-up is used for hunting medium game where center fired rifles are prohibited. Slug guns are generally accurate and can take deer sized game cleanly out to about 150-200 yards.

Your $1000 should be about (if not totally) gone by now. If not, and you have $200-$300 +/- left, invest in a decent low powered scope for the slug set-up.

Now you have a pump useful for wing shooting, small game, turkeys ... as well as medium game.

Jarrey12

Thank you Mojotex thats more along the lignes of info that Ive been looking for I've been looking at different models but I dont know what im looking a.t I never knew that 3-1/2" meant you could use 2-3/4" also and that is good to know otherwise I wouldve gotten a 3" lol. And your info on chokes is exactly what I wanted to know I want to get to know the basics. So I'm guessing modified would be good for skeet shooting? And as far as maintenance it doesnt matter to me, I like tinkering and I recently also successfuly and safely performed a trigger job on my sks. And I clean all my guns whenever I take them shooting.

Mojotex

I am not into skeet shooting. So not help there. Sorry.

Sheridan

"skeet" choke for skeet shooting.

http://www.trulockchokes.com/clay-targets-c-22.php


If you call; ask for George

Topgun 3006

Yep, modified is too tight for skeet shooting unless you are an expert. Incidentally, back to your choke comment. You mentioned that you would have bought a 3" chamber shotgun when commenting about the Mojotex 3 1/2" statement. The 3" chamber or the 3 1/2" chamber will take a 2 3/4" shell, but not the other way around. The shell always has to be the same as marked on the barrel/action or smaller to safely shoot it.

Jarrey12

Thanks thats what my understanding of it was.