The Mossberg 835 is the best 3 1/2in gun out there! And was the first 3 1/2in gun made.
I have a Mossberg 835 gun and it is so much better built then my Remington 3 1/2in gun that I once had...
The Remington did not even last a season. I also heard people having problems with it. The Remington also has much more recoil then the Mossberg 835 gun...
The Mossberg 835 has a ported barrel, the Remington gun don't. Ported barrels are really nice. Takes a way lots of felt recoil. Only down side to ported barrels is its an over size barrel, can't shoot slugs out of it. But your looking to kill birds with it. You can buy a rifled slug barrel for the 835 if you really need one.

The Winchester 1300 makes one very fine 3in gun. I own one with the 28in smooth bore barrel and a 22in fully rifled barrel and have well used it. Only problem I had was the choke tub came lose on me..yada yada yada long story there.

Yet to shoot a Benelli Nova 12ga 3 1/2in gun so I have nothing to say about it.

Don't waste your money on an Auto 3 1/2in gun. You will have problems later down the road.

My 3 1/2 cents