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Mossy 500 no go with slugs

Djcala

Djcala

.30-06
Supporter
Heres my boggle. I have access to a small shotgun only area. I havent hunted it as i dont have slug slinger. Ive been looking at a few and considered purchase but not sure how much id actually use it. I have my old 500 20gauge which is been great dove quail squirrel etc.... I thought hmmm let me run a slug just to see could it suffice at say 50 yards. I bought a couple boxes of cheap slugs while gander had sale. I put up a 15x20 cardboard target at 50 yds. 2 shots nada zip nothing? So i move to 25 yards wow hits target way low and right ugggh this aint gonna work. Should i try different slug or is the bird gun just simply not a slug slinger ? It doesnt have to be a sniper rifle but has to at least hit an 6 inch circle at 50 yards for what id need it for in the given location. Kinda bummed i may just have to get a dedicated shotgun. I could buy another barrel but foe the price of one id just as well get whole gun. Heck when i was kid my old single shot stevens 20 bore was fine with slug out to say 80 yards or so it wae all i had and took plenty of deer in its day. Penny for your thoughts.20170731_151424.jpg 20170731_151539.jpg
 
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Well, you could try some different shells, but I don't think I'd expect a massive difference. I'd still shoot more than 1 or two just to make sure that's where it's going to pattern at though to make sure it wasn't a fluke.

And if it's still shooting low and right, try aiming at 11 o'clock about 4 inches higher than you want to hit and see how that goes.

Or, if you are not a KY windage kinda guy, drill and tap the receiver for a scope rail and add a little red dot or shotgun scope and zero it for your slugs at whatever distance you want to shoot it from? That would be a heckuva lot cheaper than buying a new barrel and would be just as good once you got it zero'd.

You can send me my penny in an envelope. Unfortunately, a stamp is going to cost about 2 quarters to get it to me.
 
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Ive definitely been known to use a lil Kentucky windage. But my RAM is near full now remembering where and how much in heat of the moment may result in smoke from my ears anymore. I may grab a different brand slug or two and give it one more try. I fear i may be having to suck it up and grab a slugger i saw one on saturday used at a shop in dothan it had a cheap 1x4 on it it was a 12 bore Mossy Sluggerp rifled ported barrel kinda ugly. It can be had for 300 bucs. It was a bolt gun i believe model 695 ? Id really prefer a 20 bore but that proving impossible to find.
 
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Your receiver isn't tapped for a scope rail?

Mine 500 isn't, but would only take a few minutes to put one on it. The aluminum isn't terribly thick and is pretty easy to tap.

I tapped a Marlin 1894 (steel) for a friend of mine last deer season in about 10 minutes including the time it took me to make sure everything was lined up right and to punch where I wanted my holes, etc.

If you don't want to drill and thread a couple of holes, here is a mount that attaches with the trigger pin holes and the other little screw hole in the left side of the receiver. Even it's a lot cheaper than a new barrel or gun. And no permanent alteration to the gun. It pretty much drops on.

https://www.budsgunshop.com/catalog...tgun+Scope+Mount+Mossberg+500+Series+20+Gauge
 
Yeah I have drilled and tapped quite a few rifles probably won't do this shotgun though. But that mount you suggested may just be an option. I'll get a poster board and shoot for a group first to see if can find a consistent load, if yes I'll grab that mount and throw an optic on there. That little patch of woods is really thick so no long shots. The mount may solve problem.thank you sir.
 
You don't have to thank me.

I'm just trying to throw out a few things that may help so you can put some bacon on the table.

I don't get long shots in my woods either. 50-75 yards is about maxxed out and typically less than that.

I'm in the process of removing all my (higher power) scopes and switching over to 1.5-5x shotgun scopes, even on my crossbow and 22's and a few of my AR's.

3-9 power is just overkill for where and how I hunt.

Plus, I really like the shotgun reticles on bushnell and tasco scopes. I get on target pretty fast with them.

If you go that direction, I have a link to some tasco shotgun scopes for about $40 shipped if you want me to PM it to you.

After all, Tasco and Bushnell are both owned by the same parent company now and their quality is pretty decent for the price.
 
I have a rifled slug barrel with rifle sights I have been trying to sell. PM me if you are interested, I guarantee its cheaper than a new gun. ;-D
 
I really walked area in question yesterday. Unless i cut some shooting lanes its truly about 30 yards max range. Its like shooting thru a screen door in there. Lol20170801_075724-1.jpg
 
Djcala said:
Yeah I have drilled and tapped quite a few rifles probably won't do this shotgun though. But that mount you suggested may just be an option. I'll get a poster board and shoot for a group first to see if can find a consistent load, if yes I'll grab that mount and throw an optic on there. That little patch of woods is really thick so no long shots. The mount may solve problem.thank you sir.
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Like John mentioned the saddle mount works fine. My old 500A with a Millet mount and scope.
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DOH!! Sorry didn't catch that the gun in question was a 20G. My barrel is 12G.
 
Thats my luck id have sure bought it or traded great offer you made thanks for trying
 
Djcala said:
Ive definitely been known to use a lil Kentucky windage. But my RAM is near full now remembering where and how much in heat of the moment may result in smoke from my ears anymore. I may grab a different brand slug or two and give it one more try. I fear i may be having to suck it up and grab a slugger i saw one on saturday used at a shop in dothan it had a cheap 1x4 on it it was a 12 bore Mossy Sluggerp rifled ported barrel kinda ugly. It can be had for 300 bucs. It was a bolt gun i believe model 695 ? Id really prefer a 20 bore but that proving impossible to find.
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http://www.ebay.com/itm/Mossberg-50...743648&hash=item5b1ffc9a0e:g:JV4AAOSwHnFV5Lai


ebay has the barrel $135. free shipping.
 
I kinda liked your setup Mossy. So i ordered the saddle. I had set my break point at 100 bucs if over that id just bought another gun. I have optics already so the mount should be good economical solution.
 
Djcala said:
I really walked area in question yesterday. Unless i cut some shooting lanes its truly about 30 yards max range. Its like shooting thru a screen door in there. Lol
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Looks like we hunt in the same area.

Only mine is anywhere between almost -90 degrees to sheer +90 degree cliffs LOL

Lots of hills and valleys in my little corner of the Appalachian mountains ;)

There's not a level spot to be found for miles LOL
 
John A. said:
Looks like we hunt in the same area.

Only mine is anywhere between almost -90 degrees to sheer +90 degree cliffs LOL

Lots of hills and valleys in my little corner of the Appalachian mountains ;)
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I dont know how much il actually use that little patch of hell. But i have access to it so im checking it out. It somewhere i can go that no one else will be so i do like that aspect. Its very close proximity to rental cabins area and theyve not allowed hunting. But i got the offer if i use bow or shotgun. So well see.
 
John A. said:
. . . . Lots of hills and valleys in my little corner of the Appalachian mountains ;)

There's not a level spot to be found for miles LOL
Click to expand...

I remember around grandpa's house it was like that; and then I went back years later and they had filled in the hollow out back & built a trailer park out there in the sticks. There was now this huge level spot.
 
At risk of completely sidetracking the conversation, remember that you're currently shooting a smooth bore with bead sights. Six inches at fifty yards is kinda a practical limit. I managed about an eight inch group with Federal slugs (every gun store in town has exactly two boxes of the stuff, I buy both) at ~30 yards the first time I took it out. Windy day, double bead sights on a 28" barrel with an improved cylinder choke and an inexperienced marksman. Certainly room for improvement, but never forget that this is a shotgun, not a rifle.

Unless of course you get a rifled barrel, in which case you have a .614 caliber rifle.
 
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