ya muddah

>>64624428
the only thing that really "needs" anything longer than 2-3/4 is when you're shooting waterfowl with steel shot. Steel is less dense than lead so you need a larger shell to get the same effective payload. That's pretty much the only purpose of 3.5". There are some hunting loads that make sense in 3", mainly because the extra length gives more room for an effective cushion wad.

I wish the idea that shell length correlates with power would fucking die though, that shit is annoying.

>>64624452
>I wish the idea that shell length correlates with power would fucking die though, that shit is annoying.
It does though. 2-3/4 and 3" have the same pressure specs but pretty much every shell length has its own pressure spec with the longer shells being rated for more pressure.

>>64624428
Unrelated but I remember needing to buy some shotgun shells and was quite confused as to why they were expensive when I brought them to the register, only to find out while driving away that they were 3 1/2" shells. (I forgot that shotgun shells had different lengths, whoops, no refunds!)

>>64624461
95% of shells are loaded nowhere close to max spec. Also, if you look at the ballistic data on various loads you will see there's an awful lot of 2-3/4" shells that outperform 3".

Now it's theoretically possible to load a shell that would max numbers on paper in 3.5", but there's really not any practical application for that. A 2-3/4" shell loaded with Tungsten mogs a 3.5" steel shotshell for hunting, and a 3.5" shell loaded to its max capacity with tungsten would be much too high recoiling for any practical purpose, and you'd be better off using a 10ga for that load for the heavier gun and a better pattern.

>What game actually requires 3 inchers
Asian girls
>what game actually requires 3.5 inchers?
Adult Asian girls

>>64624428
>3.5”
Geese. Shots can be 60+ yards and while that’s easy for guys like George Digweed, for geese in windy conditions you’ll want the density and range. Also turkey. Again shots can be at 50-60 yards where most bird shot from shorter shells loses its oomph and density.
>3”
Birdshot for Ducks, buckshot for deer, and slugs for bear
>2 3/4”
Everything else.

>>64625103
>Birdshot for Ducks,
I read that as doves for a second