As mgspencer said, I also do not feel a large difference in recoil in 3" to 3 1/2". I am only 17 years old, I have shot my share of 3" shells and just recently 3 1/2" out of my buddies mossberg. Sure, when shooting at paper it is more noticeable, but when you are out in the field/duck blind recoil tends to be the absolute last thing on my mind. Now the 3 1/2" I shot WAS a pump, and I have yet to shoot a 3 1/2 out of a semi. I am told, no personal experience on this one, that the 3 1/2 is more beneficial for turkeys/geese?? I shoot 2 3/4" loads out of my old mossberg pump for ducks and I had no problem dropping a few nice ones out of the sky past season. So I guess you just need to ask yourself if the price of such a gun and or shells is worth it. Im sure many people out there would agree that a 3", in most cases, will get the job done just as well as a 3 1/2".