Stoeger m3500

[winfila]

Saw where several of you are hunting with stoegers,  I just had to send mine back to the factory. I missed 2 birds. One at 25 and another at 28, the one at 28 missed 3 times. Had a mild fog on the ground and figured the bird just didn't know what to do or where was coming from. Made a rookie mistake and didn't pattern the gun. After second miss we patterned the gun and was shooting way low. I was aiming and the head and was hitting at the bottom of the target.  Was wondering if anyone has had any problems or know of anyone who has had an issue with one. By the way I'm using the factory xfc, and information or feedback would be greatly appreciated.

[WildTigerTrout]

Why would you send it back? Because it does not shoot POA? ALOT of shotguns don't shoot to POA. Put an adjustable sight of some sort on it and your problem is over. My friend owns a Stoeger 3500 and has nothing but praise for it. He has a Bushnell red dot on his.

[winfila]

I contacted stoeger and they said should be 6"high not low, the guy Bill i spoke with from stoeger felt like the barrel was bent or bad bore where the choke screws in. He said several of them have had this problem. Only reason sent back was on factory's  request. It broke my heart when I missed 2 birds one at 25 and 28 yards. The 28 yards missed 3 times and he just keep jumping up in the air after every shot. I  just got up and left i was so sick. Sad part the turkey just watched me walk off, craziest thing ever. Only reason I think he didn't run off was a mild fog had rolled in and he couldn't tell where shots was coming from. I sure hope it's a choke or barrel problem.  Took my first turkey gun the last day of the season and bailed my season out. My buddy had me get the gun, he has the older m2000 and has killed every bird he has pulled the trigger on. I will give an update asap, thanks for the reply. Just hope was just bad luck and get a bird slayer back.

[Mike Honcho]

Sorry to hear your about your misses...in my opinion most shotguns don't shoot to POA, at least not accurate enough for the loads and turkey chokes I use.  All my turkey guns have either Tru Glo Magnum GobbleStopper Adjustable sights on them or scopes or
Red Dots.

The bead on the Stoeger 3500 is too big in my opinion anyway and covers too much of a turkeys head and neck. 

You unfortunately committed the cardinal sin of turkey hunting...not patterning gun before hunting.

I am guilty of doing this once before too as I was in too much of a rush and had just bought a Mossberg Youth 20 for my 10 year old grandson.  He missed three toms in one weekend with it and
I am surprised he still likes to turkey hunt.

I felt horrible when I patterned it and it was shooting one foot high at 30 yards. It has a Red Dot on it now!

Honcho

[walnuts4x4]

I used a basspro blackout on my 3500 and it worked on the first bird I shot at this year... 35yrds.. I saw a fair amount of bad reviews on the factory one so I never even tried it...

[Farmboy27]

Why would you send it back? Because it does not shoot POA? ALOT of shotguns don't shoot to POA. Put an adjustable sight of some sort on it and your problem is over. My friend owns a Stoeger 3500 and has nothing but praise for it. He has a Bushnell red dot on his.

He probably sent it back because it's shooting terribly of poa!  Pretty sure he made that clear. Not everyone wants to spend money on a optic. I personally hate optics on shotguns. I got rid of a benelli for the same reason.  Not shooting to poa is one thing. Shooting far enough off to totally miss a bird at a reasonable range is unacceptable to me.

[WildTigerTrout]

Why would you send it back? Because it does not shoot POA? ALOT of shotguns don't shoot to POA. Put an adjustable sight of some sort on it and your problem is over. My friend owns a Stoeger 3500 and has nothing but praise for it. He has a Bushnell red dot on his.

He probably sent it back because it's shooting terribly of poa!  Pretty sure he made that clear. Not everyone wants to spend money on a optic. I personally hate optics on shotguns. I got rid of a benelli for the same reason.  Not shooting to poa is one thing. Shooting far enough off to totally miss a bird at a reasonable range is unacceptable to me.

As has already been stated MOST shotguns DO NOT shoot to POA. You don't have to install an optic. You can install an adjustable open sight. Turkey loads of today shoot such tight patterns I  can't see NOT having some sort of sight on a turkey specfic shotgun.

[Waynesworld23]

I had one was not impressed with the gun mine shot way to the left so I sold it to a friend that likes scopes on his turkey guns

[Farmboy27]

Why would you send it back? Because it does not shoot POA? ALOT of shotguns don't shoot to POA. Put an adjustable sight of some sort on it and your problem is over. My friend owns a Stoeger 3500 and has nothing but praise for it. He has a Bushnell red dot on his.

He probably sent it back because it's shooting terribly of poa!  Pretty sure he made that clear. Not everyone wants to spend money on a optic. I personally hate optics on shotguns. I got rid of a benelli for the same reason.  Not shooting to poa is one thing. Shooting far enough off to totally miss a bird at a reasonable range is unacceptable to me.

As has already been stated MOST shotguns DO NOT shoot to POA. You don't have to install an optic. You can install an adjustable open sight. Turkey loads of today shoot such tight patterns I  can't see NOT having some sort of sight on a turkey specfic shotgun.

Not everyone buys a gun as a "dedicated turkey gun". Sights and optics are fine in the turkey woods for those that like them. Not the greatest in a waterfowl blind, or in a stubble field kicking up ring necks, or for a weekend round of sporting clays. I will never accept anything more 3-4 inches off poa. Why be content with a new gun that needs an additional aiming device to be useable? 

[winfila]

Sorry guys have not had a chance to reply. I really don't want optics on the gun, I truly hope stoeger gets it figured out. Nothing more disappointing than a new gun that's no where close. Have no plans for it to be just a turkey gun. I want a multipurpose shotgun. I especially expect for it to be close for $800.00!!!!!!!! I have a 189.00 mossberg maverick 88 that's nasty on the birds. I have only killed 3 in the 2 years that I have been hunting. It has taken one at 70, 62, and 40 yards. I fitted it with a true glow choke and high viz sights combo and has been deadly. Let my buddy talk me into the stoeger and just been a disappointment. He has the m2000 and has been outstanding for him with the factory xfc. He has killed every bird that he has shot at and a lot of extremely long shots. Well the factory has received it so we will see what's wrong with it. I'll keep you all posted what happens. Still may sell it when I have a gun that's dead on and only 200.00 in it. Was not for it would have taken a big 0 this season. Killed my biggest bird with it the last day of our season. He weighed 26 1 / 2lbs, 11 1 / 4 " beard, and 1 1 / 8 " spurs - the shot on him was 60 yards out and my mossberg maverick 88 was dead on the money. I got the stoeger cause I wanted a semi automatic with the benelli quality at half the cost to use for whatever I wanted. So time will tell when receive it back. You know there's an issue when the factory request it back and was told there were several guns out on the market with the same exact issue - shooting extremely low. Some bent barrel and bad bore in the barrels for the choke tubes.

[surehuntsalot]

Why would you send it back? Because it does not shoot POA? ALOT of shotguns don't shoot to POA. Put an adjustable sight of some sort on it and your problem is over. My friend owns a Stoeger 3500 and has nothing but praise for it. He has a Bushnell red dot on his.

He probably sent it back because it's shooting terribly of poa!  Pretty sure he made that clear. Not everyone wants to spend money on a optic. I personally hate optics on shotguns. I got rid of a benelli for the same reason.  Not shooting to poa is one thing. Shooting far enough off to totally miss a bird at a reasonable range is unacceptable to me.

totally agree, a new gun that is off poa more than 2-3 inches is unacceptable for the money they cost

[kyturkeyhunter4]

I've had mine for three seasons now I love it. I've had no issues with it. I've shot a lot turkey chokes through it and I've had great luck with the Carlson LongBeard XR chokes

[davisd9]

Even shooting that low the birds had to have been body hit at less that 30 yards.

[winfila]

I think I hit them low as well. The bird I missed 3 times just keep jumping straight up in the air. I  should have shot a foot high at him but in your mind hard thing to do. So far I have not heard anything from stoeger yet. I will post as soon as I hear something. I could have handled a bad poa on a cheap gun not one I have 800.00 in then just to make matters worse have a 200.00 mossberg maverick that's just nasty on poa! Several of my buddies have offered 500.00 for the gun cause it's that accurate and deadly. The pattern is so good I want second guess a 70 yard shot. I really hope when I get it back it will be the gun was hoping for.

[Horrendo Revolver]

Stoeger CS has a good reputation.  I bet they take care of you.