# O&U shotguns



## wyogoose (Feb 11, 2006)

I am looking at trading in the semi for and O&U but am not very familiar with them. I was wondering if anyone made one in 3.5" and if you can still use a patternmaster or similar choke with them?


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## darkgael (Feb 10, 2006)

Just checked in the old Gun Digest from 2005 ( the new one is home on the bookshelf). As of 2005, Beretta, Browning, Fabarm, Traditions and Tristar all had O/U shotguns available with 3.5" chambers.
Pete


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## odiewan (Sep 23, 2006)

I have had a couple of the 686 waterfowler 3.5" guns. I do not believe that it is worth it in an O/U. I still prefer the O/U to other shotguns, although I own auto, pump and O/U. The recoil from the 3.5" gun with a good pad, in late season, was rough. I get consistently better patterns and shoot better due to more reasonable recoil using a 3" shells from an O/U.

A 3.5" O/U has to be heavier to absorb the recoil, this makes it both, unbearable to shoot heavy loads, and a heavy load to carry if you plan to hunt upland with the same gun.

If you've got to, do it and enjoy it. You don't have to shoot 3.5" if you decide you don't want to after you try it. But you may end up paying more than you need to, to buy the gun and you'll have a harder time finding one.

Just my experience. Good luck, whatever you decide. As to your actual question, a few manufacturers continue to make them. In recent years, the Beretta Onyx Pro, Browning Citori Hunter and Fabarm has made them as well as others. All of them take choke tubes that you can find Patternmasters for.

By the way, I now shoot an older 3" Citori with standard invector chokes for general duty and a Baikal MP153 for when I just HAVE to shoot the longer shell.

Sean


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## southdakbearfan (Oct 11, 2004)

I shoot a citori 3.5", and the recoil isn't that bad. I shoot 1 1/2 oz loads in steel, and have shot many 2 3/8 oz fiocci turkey loads.

You can definately get 3" loads that will be faster than 3.5" loads, but what I have found is once you surpase about 1550 fps, steel shot knuckle balls and you get wholes in the pattern.

You can use patternmaster or most aftermarkets in the citori. Double check with the manufacturer.

One thing I will say though, when you do shoot heavier loads in them, at least on mine, wear a glove on your trigger hand as the trigger guard can whap your finger pretty good.


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## NDTerminator (Aug 20, 2003)

As an O/U owner (Ruger Red Label) I've found that they don't lend themselves well to waterfowling. Anyone who like me, has screwed around breaking and loading one laying in a field blind or trying not to dunk the muzzles doing the same while up to the confluence of your anatomy in a slough know what I'm saying.

I love my Red Label, but I only use it for upland hunting. When I'm waterfowling, I use one of my pumps.

Just some food for thought, if this is the way you're thinking of going...


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