Ammo for Mossberg 500.

[tjac04]

I just bought a Mossberg 500 3 in1 the other day. It came with the 28" deer barrell and the 18 1/2" home invasion barrell. I know what i can use with the home invasion, but am wanting to know what ammo i can shoot in the 28". I have heard people say you can only shoot certain types of slugs through it. I am not trying to ruin what i have. So if anyone can help me out i woould appreciate it. I am wanting to deer hunt with it this year so i need to know what i can shoot. Thanks

 

[churchmouse]

I just bought a Mossberg 500 3 in1 the other day. It came with the 28" deer barrell and the 18 1/2" home invasion barrell. I know what i can use with the home invasion, but am wanting to know what ammo i can shoot in the 28". I have heard people say you can only shoot certain types of slugs through it. I am not trying to ruin what i have. So if anyone can help me out i woould appreciate it. I am wanting to deer hunt with it this year so i need to know what i can shoot. Thanks

If it is listed as a "Deer" barrel I would think that slugs are allowed. If you run Sabot through it no harm should result. Spendy but deadly accurate.

 

[tjac04]

ok thanks. i have looked down barrel to see if it was rifled but i cant really tell. there are some lines but they are straight down the barrel there is no twist to them.

 

[Bill B]

It's most likely a 28" field barrel.
Does the barrel have bead sights or regular "rifle" sights? If it has beads, it's a field barrel. You can shoot anything except saboted slugs out of it. Saboted slugs won't hurt it, but they won't have any accuracy at all.

Is this it? http://www.impactguns.com/mossberg-...me-defense-w2-barrels-51482-015813514828.aspx

 

[Broom_jm]

A rifled slug barrel would be shorter than the 28" field barrel, but longer than the riot barrel. The rifling would be a slow twist, but still quite prominent in the barrel. It would also weigh quite a bit more than the field barrel.

It's ironic that this is being marketed as a "3-in-1" setup, when you're really only getting 2 of the options available; home defense and waterfowl/upland bird hunting. The rifled slug barrel, shooting sabots, (or even a muzzle-loader barrel) would give you a much better option for deer hunting than shooting rifled slugs from a smooth bore. If you have the money to do so, and want to hunt deer, you should look into getting a 3rd barrel that you can shoot with rifle sights or mount a scope on. (The scope may go on the barrel or receiver, depending on what you want.)

Oh yeah, if you DO get the slug barrel, be warned that there are distinctly different weights of slugs and it is entirely likely that your barrel will only shoot one of them well, based on the rate of twist in the barrel. Also, saboted slug shells cost an arm and a leg, but fortunately the recoil is so brutal, you won't even consider shooting more than a few of 'em.

Now, if you're really well-heeled and would like to talk Indiana-legal rifle options, (better range AND less vicious recoil) shoot me a PM.

 

[dhnorris]

the recoil is so brutal, you won't even consider shooting more than a few of 'em.

I just sold my 500 because the recoil sucks so much I never want to shoot it again.

 

[Hookeye]

FWIW back in the early 90's my brother drilled and tapped his old 500, slapped the 18.5" cylinder bore bbl on it (had the same fixed choke combo as the OP), added 4X scope and took deer cleanly at 50, 75 and 150 yards.

It shot WW 2 3/4" foster slugs very well.

I've had 3 other 500's with 24" smoothbore barrels and scopes on receivers, they too shot very well.

Note: I buy all my slugs from the same lot #

 

[tjac04]

yes bill thats the one i have. so if its a field barrell i am better off not using it for deer hunting. because unless i sell or trade this barrell i cant afford to go buy a 3rd one. but if i kepp this one i can still shoot slugs (non sabot) and just take my chance with the deer?

 

[Hookeye]

Scope it and the deer inside of 100 yards have no chance

 

[badmac183]

I just sold my 500 because the recoil sucks so much I never want to shoot it again.

I wish I could give you bad rep for this.

I'm 17, 140 pounds and I have been able to handle any kind of loads I have ever shot out of a Mossberg. You need to learn how to shoot if you're a grown man and can't handle a 12 gauge..

 

[Broom_jm]

I wish I could give you bad rep for this.

I'm 17, 140 pounds and I have been able to handle any kind of loads I have ever shot out of a Mossberg. You need to learn how to shoot if you're a grown man and can't handle a 12 gauge..

I'm 41, 230 pounds and have shot a LOT of rifles, over the years. I've shot 338 Win Mag, 7mm Rem Mag, tons of '06 and 270 and 308. I've even shot 460S&W from a Ruger #1.

You can have your 12 gauge shotguns and slugs. These guns are generally light in weight and according to ANY measurement of recoil you care to use, they kick harder than all but the largest of the magnum rifles. If I could give you a bad rep for trying to question someone's shooting ability or manhood, for simply being honest about how hard a slug gun kicks, I'd do so in a heartbeat.

Here, compare for yourself:

Rifle Recoil Table

SHOTGUN RECOIL TABLE

As to the guy who talks about shooting deer at 150 yards with a smoothbore shotgun barrel, I'm not going to say it can't be done, but I will say with complete candor that my own personal hunting ethics would prevent me from even attempting such a shot.

Accuracy means different things to different folks. I'm not willing to get the snot knocked out of me for MAYBE 150 yards of usable accuracy. There are easier ways of getting better performance and still be within the ridiculous laws Indiana places on rifle cartridges for deer hunting. Heck, I'd stick with my Contender barrels before I'd go back to shooting slugs.

 

[THolland]

I would say that all the above posts are spot on. Ammo choice is going to be a shoot and see what the gun like, i have had both types of barrels, brenneke shot best out of my smooth bore and copper solids out of my rifled barrel. Remember that if you are going to shoot out of your field barrel put the improved or modified choke tube in and it may be a good idea to shoot them both and see which out gives you the best accuracy.

Good Luck and Have Fun, That whaat this is all about

 

[Hookeye]

FWIW skinny little dudes can often take recoil better than bigger guys.

The guns stays where it is supposed to and there's not enough meat/fat to act as an intermediate sliding surface.

You get no bruise because you haven't got enough to bruise

Bigger folks can get the "purple worms" rather easily.

 

[Hookeye]

Jim Broom,

I test my guns and can shoot well. My 870 smoothbore, even with barrel to receiver shimmed was an inside 100 yd gun.

I've had three M500 smoothbore deer models that shot WW fosters very well. Note: I zero in and hunt with slugs from one lot#.

Scopes were on receivers D&T, no clamshell type of mount. Barrels were cranked on and left for the entire season- no taking off for any cleaning (cleaning done with barrel on).

I shoot 2 fouling shots and then leave the gun for hunting, clean after 10 more shots, foul for 2 and then it's ready to go again.

I prove my gear's worth before I take it afield and stay within its limits.

 

[Broom_jm]

Jim Broom,

I test my guns and can shoot well. My 870 smoothbore, even with barrel to receiver shimmed was an inside 100 yd gun.

I've had three M500 smoothbore deer models that shot WW fosters very well. Note: I zero in and hunt with slugs from one lot#.

Scopes were on receivers D&T, no clamshell type of mount. Barrels were cranked on and left for the entire season- no taking off for any cleaning (cleaning done with barrel on).

I shoot 2 fouling shots and then leave the gun for hunting, clean after 10 more shots, foul for 2 and then it's ready to go again.

I prove my gear's worth before I take it afield and stay within its limits.

For the record, it's "Jason", but I do have an uncle named Jim.

You "have" had three different barrels? Is that to say you no longer have them? It sounds like all of your references are in the past tense. Why is that? Do you still own and shoot a Mossberg 500 smoothbore shotgun barrel for deer, or have you moved on to something else? If so, why?

I still have a slug barrel for my 500, but it hasn't been on the gun in years and I should probably just sell it because I will never put it back on. I've learned there are far better ways to hunt at 150-200 yards. Have you learned the same lessons and that's why you are no longer using a smoothbore with slugs?

 

[jackadew]

Are Winchester foster type slugs acurate out of a smoothbore to 150 yards? Maybe only if your a little skinny girl from Kentucky. To the op i would try slugs in both of your barrels.
[ame]http://youtu.be/NrwUxYwhJvE[/ame]

 

[Hookeye]

I had 3 different Mossberg 500 guns, not just barrels. IMHO back then the M500 was THE slug gun to get as they locked up rather well and came drilled and tapped for a scope mount.

IMHO a M500 can be part of a decent slug hunting system. But folks often use poorly setup scopes, mixed ammo and a lot of the time.........can't shoot well with such fierce recoil.

I jumped off the M500 bandwagon due to the rattle of the dang forearm and after getting a rather poor 835 combo. Plus the wrist of the buttstock is way too thick for my tastes, even for a slug gun.

So I went to Remington, .44 handguns and inlines for a spell.

All the 500's I used were scoped (straight 4X) and all ran WW fosters in 2 3/4" and each gun was zeroed and hunted with the same lot # of ammo. The synth and Regal had some trigger work done on them, were quite usable. My brother left his as is.

He's a lefty so likes the top safety.

What kills me is how folks try to zero their slug guns. Big but slow recoil means one has to work at being consistent. Sight vices and lead sleds, with folks hunched over don't replicate field positions.

I run bags, sit very upright, to mimick a standing shot.

Pretty light grip on the gun too, so I take a whallop. I shoot them like a varmint .243 grip wise. Not fun, but I am consistent.

I think slug guns the King of the Deer Woods around here, but to me they're like an Estwing hammer in the garage........very useful but boring.

Rather experiment with different things, esp now that my deer hunting ground isn't good and the only fun I can have is messing with small deer.

If I had to pick one deer gun, for serious killing in a variety of methods (drives, stands, deep woods, open fields) it'd be a high combed stocked tuned 870 rifled bbl with a 2-7X Leupold on a drilled and tapped receiver running some sabot deals from Winchester

 

[badmac183]

I'm 41, 230 pounds and have shot a LOT of rifles, over the years. I've shot 338 Win Mag, 7mm Rem Mag, tons of '06 and 270 and 308. I've even shot 460S&W from a Ruger #1.

You can have your 12 gauge shotguns and slugs. These guns are generally light in weight and according to ANY measurement of recoil you care to use, they kick harder than all but the largest of the magnum rifles. If I could give you a bad rep for trying to question someone's shooting ability or manhood, for simply being honest about how hard a slug gun kicks, I'd do so in a heartbeat.

Here, compare for yourself:

Rifle Recoil Table

SHOTGUN RECOIL TABLE

As to the guy who talks about shooting deer at 150 yards with a smoothbore shotgun barrel, I'm not going to say it can't be done, but I will say with complete candor that my own personal hunting ethics would prevent me from even attempting such a shot.

Accuracy means different things to different folks. I'm not willing to get the snot knocked out of me for MAYBE 150 yards of usable accuracy. There are easier ways of getting better performance and still be within the ridiculous laws Indiana places on rifle cartridges for deer hunting. Heck, I'd stick with my Contender barrels before I'd go back to shooting slugs.

Are Winchester foster type slugs acurate out of a smoothbore to 150 yards? Maybe only if your a little skinny girl from Kentucky. To the op i would try slugs in both of your barrels.
http://youtu.be/NrwUxYwhJvE

I think this girl would question your shooting ability, and manhood.
LMAO this little girl can even handle a shotgun and you can't?

 

[rimfire_crazed]

I think this girl would question your shooting ability, and manhood.
LMAO this little girl can even handle a shotgun and you can't?

This kind of really doesn't fly around here.

 

[Broom_jm]

I think this girl would question your shooting ability, and manhood.
LMAO this little girl can even handle a shotgun and you can't?

Poor form, Mac, not to mention presuming facts not in evidence. I said I "choose" not to shoot a slug gun, because there are far better options available. Do you drive in finish nails with a sledge hammer, too? My 14 year-old daughter has killed two deer with a 44-40. I guess you think she'd be better off with a 12 gauge and slugs, right?

I'm secure enough in my manhood and my shooting ability that I have no need to prove anything. I'd bet a pound of powder I shoot better groups than you, with whatever type of long gun is used.

Slug guns are incredibly inefficient tools for deer hunting and if you do much hunting outside of Indiana, that will become apparent to you very quickly. I grew up where 200 yards was a chip shot and twice that was what you prepared for at the shooting range. Three of my first 5 big game kills were at more than 250 yards. Have you shot a big game animal at 250 yards...ever? Uh huh, sure ya did.

All you have to do is look at this reloading forum and the almost complete lack of RIFLE threads to see how Indiana's rules have molded the way guys think about deer guns. How can you expect me to get excited about someone hitting a 12" metal plate at 150 yards when I'm shooting 3" groups at twice that distance? What you think you know is based on where you grew up and the guns you have always shot. That's fine, as long as you're OK with it.

As for me and a handful of other guys with a different perspective, we'll stick with guns that have greater range AND less recoil. Some folks would just call that being smart.