# Finally got my hands on a Stoeger M3500



## rutandstrut

I have been using a Stoeger M2000 Turkey Gun for the past 3-4 years to Turkey Hunt with and been very satisfied with the Gun and it's peformance!

When I found out that Stoeger was now offering a 3.5" Model called the M3500, and after reading the reviews from the Shotshow and several other sources. I was very interested in puttin my hands on one! 

I called my local BP a week ago Monday, and talked to the Gun Manager to see if he could get one or more of these Guns in the store to take a look at. He said he found several of them at different Stores and would have a couple of them Turboed in to Store. 

Yesterday right before I was ready to walk out the door from work. BP called to let me know the Guns had arrived. I went to BP on the way home to take a look at them.

They had Two, one 28" with Realtree Max-4 Camo and one 26" Turkey Model with 26" Barrel with Realtree APG Camo. I really liked the way the Gun felt and with a pocket full of Gift Cards I have been saving to get a new Gun with and decided to buy the 26" Model. I can't wait to shoot this gun and see what it can do!


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## Arrow3

Good looking gun!


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## joshsmallwood1

Sweet!! Looks awesome! Let me know how it shoots! got one on the way!!


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## HALOJmpr

Congrats buddy!  I love my 2000 but I'm gonna have to hold on to it for a while!


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## dkight

Let us know how that thing patterns.


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## trkyhntr70

nothing like a new gun, congrats Tim!


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## sheetsrep

Looks great!


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## rutandstrut

Arrow3 said:


> Good looking gun!



Thanks Brandon!



joshsmallwood1 said:


> Sweet!! Looks awesome! Let me know how it shoots! got one on the way!!



It feels real good! I should be able to shoot it some this weekend! If it shoots anything like the M2000 I have I am sure I will Love this Gun and the extra power of the 3.5"!



HALOJmpr said:


> Congrats buddy!  I love my 2000 but I'm gonna have to hold on to it for a while!



My M2000 has smashed a bunch of noggins' and I am sure it will smash a lot more! This Gun will be used on Turkeys, Ducks, Geese and maybe Deer also!



dkight said:


> Let us know how that thing patterns.



I am going to start out with 3.5" Winchester Extended Range #6's and the same Choke (Gobbler Guns "Final Strut" .665 Choke) that I use in my M2000.



trkyhntr70 said:


> nothing like a new gun, congrats Tim!



Thanks! I can't wait to put it to use this Spring!



sheetsrep said:


> Looks great!



Thanks!


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## stringmusic

Make sure you use the recoil reducer that it came with, it works wonders with those 3 1/2's! I am very pleased with my m3500 as well. Primos jellyhead .655 with winchester supreme xx turkey #5 did pretty well at 30 and 40 yards out of mine. Still going to try some winchester supreme HV #6 before turkey season. Let us know how your patterning goes!!


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## returntoarchery

Congrats Tim.


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## rutandstrut

stringmusic said:


> Make sure you use the recoil reducer that it came with, it works wonders with those 3 1/2's! I am very pleased with my m3500 as well. Primos jellyhead .655 with winchester supreme xx turkey #5 did pretty well at 30 and 40 yards out of mine. Still going to try some winchester supreme HV #6 before turkey season. Let us know how your patterning goes!!



I am use to shooting a Mossberg short Barreled 835...20 inch...and an Ithacha M37 featherweight, so the recoil probably won't bother ne too much after that! I can't wait to shoot it!



returntoarchery said:


> Congrats Tim.



Thanks Frank!


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## chadf

Tim, what does that gun weight ?


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## rutandstrut

chadf said:


> Tim, what does that gun weight ?



If I remember correctly it said 7.25#. It seems to be very well thought out and the fit and finish is very good! Can't wait to run a few through it before Turkey Season! Maybe I can smash a head or two with it!


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## chadf

rutandstrut said:


> If I remember correctly it said 7.25#. It seems to be very well thought out and the fit and finish is very good! Can't wait to run a few through it before Turkey Season! Maybe I can smash a head or two with it!



I feel bad for those thunder chickens this year!!! 
Not really!
Bust there heads with the new gun!
I wanna see the pattern that it throws when u get a chance to post it, tim !


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## rutandstrut

Don't fell bad for those Thunder Chickens! They have had a whole year off! I plan on showing them no mercy! With one o fmy calls and the right shell and choke combination, they will meet their maker in a hurry!


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## joshsmallwood1

rutandstrut said:


> Don't fell bad for those Thunder Chickens! They have had a whole year off! I plan on showing them no mercy! With one o fmy calls and the right shell and choke combination, they will meet their maker in a hurry!



The past two years I've used a briley choke in my Benelli nova with Winchester supreme #6's. I'm definitely going to have to try it out when I pick up my 3500 because it was sweet with the nova.  Here is a link if you are interested....
http://www.briley.com/benellimobilechokeextendedblackoxideportedshotgunchoke.aspx


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## rutandstrut

joshsmallwood1 said:


> The past two years I've used a briley choke in my Benelli nova with Winchester supreme #6's. I'm definitely going to have to try it out when I pick up my 3500 because it was sweet with the nova.  Here is a link if you are interested....
> http://www.briley.com/benellimobilechokeextendedblackoxideportedshotgunchoke.aspx



Thanks for the link! I wish there was a way to try several different chokes and shell combinations before you buy them. That way you would be sure to get the best combo for your gun!


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## Jody Hawk

Nice gun Tim, enjoy it !!!!!!!!!


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## rutandstrut

Jody Hawk said:


> Nice gun Tim, enjoy it !!!!!!!!!



Thanks Jody! I am going to try and shoot it this weekend! If it patterns well with the shells and choke cobination I picked out, I may use it next week to hunt with!


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## Gecko

Real nice shotgun Tim, I hope you get to bust a few heads with it.  Cant wait to see how she patterns.  Good luck.


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## turkey blaster

how much did it set you back ?


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## rutandstrut

Gecko said:


> Real nice shotgun Tim, I hope you get to bust a few heads with it.  Cant wait to see how she patterns.  Good luck.



I am going to try and pattern this Gun on Sat. or Sun.



turkey blaster said:


> how much did it set you back ?



The list price was $599.99, I had a 10% Off Coupon and a bunch of Gift Cards I have been saving to buy a Gun with!


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## swamppirate

Good lookin gun...is it inertia recoil or gas operated?


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## stringmusic

swamppirate said:


> Good lookin gun...is it inertia recoil or gas operated?



Inertia, same as Franchi and Benelli.

Gas is to high to be shootin' those gas operated guns


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## rutandstrut

stringmusic said:


> Inertia, same as Franchi and Benelli.
> 
> Gas is to high to be shootin' those gas operated guns



After shooting an Inertial Drive Shotgun like the M2000 & M3500, I won't shoot any other kind of Autoloader! Simply awesome from field loads to heavy duck and turkey loads!


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## joshsmallwood1

Finally got mine today! Can't wait to shoot it! Looks like I may have to use the turkey choke that came withe the gun this year. I lost my other choke! Let me know if y'all try out the factory turkey choke. Wont be able to shoot it for a week or so!


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## va longbeard

Nice looking guns!

Post up some patterns.


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## Brad C.

Nice looking gun Tim.


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## rutandstrut

I shot it today with a Kick's Gobbling Thunder .665 and the Factory Extra Full Turkey Choke Tube! The Factory Extra Full Turkey Choke (Non Ported) smoked the Kick's Choke (I guess it will be going back to BP) I had 34 Pellets in the Neck and Head using Winchester Extended Range 3.5" #6's. The Kick's Choke only had 14! It shoots really sweet and the recoil is nothing compared to the short Barreled (20") 835 Ulti-Mag Pro Staff I shot prior to shooting the Stoeger M3500. 

I also shot the Ithacha Featherweight M37 "Project Turkey Gun" and my Stoeger M2000. Went through 1 Box of 3.5" Shells with the 835 and the Stoeger M3500, one 3" Shell with the Stoeger M2000 and 6  2 3/4" Shells with the Ithacha. Thank God for the Caldwell Lead Sled! 

The Highlight of the day was one shot from the M2000 that put 79 Pellets in the Neck and Head (Kudo's to Rob Roberts "Gobbler Guns") he does awesome work! No Turkey will walk away from that Gun out to 60 yards! He worked on my 835 and it shoots Awesome too! 

I am probably going to send the M3500 to him to work his magic! After he does, you know your Gun will be right! He shoots multiple brands of shells and multiple choke to match the Shell and Choke to each particular Gun! It is called something like the "Total Turkey Factor" Wahtever he does, It works and I am very happy with it!

To top it all off. On the way home I saw 3 Turkeys fly over the road. Then I saw another larger one do the same. I rolled up and got out of the Truck to see a Huge Osceola with a Ground Dragging Beard following 3 Hens. They had just flown over two 3 Strand Barbed Wire Fences. One on the WMA side and one on the Private Property Line. I had a Diaphragm in my mouth to play with on the ride home! I couldn't resist! I had to let him have it! He obliged me with a Double Gobble and broke into a Full Strut. If I had to guess this is a 20+ Pound Osceola with a really impressive Ground Dragging Beard! I would say 12" plus! He was coming from an area I like to Hunt and will definitely be sitting in on opening day after seeing him! I messed with him a little more and then just watched him with Binocs as he Strutted his way after the Hens! I hope to meet him again next weekend! Hopefully he will be at the end of my Shotgun! I had a great day today! Beautiful Weather, All 4 Guns patterned, Saw a Huge Osceola and got him to Gobble and raise my Blood Pressure! Doesn't get any better than that!


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## joshsmallwood1

Sounds like a good day to me! I hope you get back on him opening morning! Thanks for the info on the guns. Definitely sounds like you put you time in. Just wish I could do the same with my gun. D any of you know anything about the shims that come with the gun? Just curious because the manual didn't have anything in there. I know how to change them just not real sure if they matter too much unless you do some extensive Pattern testing.


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## rutandstrut

joshsmallwood1 said:


> Sounds like a good day to me! I hope you get back on him opening morning! Thanks for the info on the guns. Definitely sounds like you put you time in. Just wish I could do the same with my gun. D any of you know anything about the shims that come with the gun? Just curious because the manual didn't have anything in there. I know how to change them just not real sure if they matter too much unless you do some extensive Pattern testing.



The shims are for the Cast and Drop of the Stock. I am pretty sure that is what they call it! This is a Mecahnical Fitting that has nothing to do with Patterning. You can check and adjust the Stock to fit you with the shims provided without shooting a single shot! If you are comfortable with the Gun the way it arrive there is no need to mess with the Shims. If not try them until you get the Gun setup so that when you throw it up...it is in position to take aim and shoot automatically!


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## River Rambler

Got mine today. Slick gun. 5 Chokes, Shims, Recoil reducer, 3.5'r that cycles great, and camo gun all for 598. I traded in a 10/22 that constantly jammed and it knocked my price down to $325. What a deal for the $$$!! 

Can you PM me Rob Roberts contact info?
My only gripe is the trigger pull....it could use some tuning.


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## quacksmacker31

can i get an update on these guns. i really want 1 but kinda iffy because of the mixed reviews on the 2000


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## River Rambler

quacksmacker31 said:


> can i get an update on these guns. i really want 1 but kinda iffy because of the mixed reviews on the 2000



Love mine. Completely different gun from the 2000.


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## joshsmallwood1

I love mine too! I haven't shot it a lot but did kill  two turkeys with the factory turkey choke at 30 yards. Neither of them moved an inch! I've also shot all sizes shells and have yet to have a problem. I guess the real test will be duck season then we'll see if it can hold up! I would say I've fired 75 to 100 rounds so far.


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## rutandstrut

quacksmacker31 said:


> can i get an update on these guns. i really want 1 but kinda iffy because of the mixed reviews on the 2000



I Love mine also. I also have a M2000 that shoots great and has never failed me. The M2000 got a bad first rap because of assembly problems from the factory...Stoeger implemented some additional Assembly and Quality Control measures to fix the problems Both are great guns. Shot a couple bixes of heavy loads through either gun...strip the gun down...clean it good...apply good light gun oil and enjoy. Both are great shooting Shotguns!


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## joshsmallwood1

Finally got to do some shooting this afternoon. Ran about 75 rounds through it. Mostly target loads 2-3/4" but it never stopped. I have to say I'm pretty impressed with the gun. I would definitely recommend it for anyone.


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## rutandstrut

joshsmallwood1 said:


> Finally got to do some shooting this afternoon. Ran about 75 rounds through it. Mostly target loads 2-3/4" but it never stopped. I have to say I'm pretty impressed with the gun. I would definitely recommend it for anyone.



I can't wait to see what my Gun will do when William at Sumtoy gets done with it. I am having him do a little work and make a choke. I was very impressed with the pattern the Sumtoy Choke threw out of my Ithacha Project Turkey Gun!


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