New Spx and couple of dumb questions

[schnacke]

I am both new to the forum and new to shotguns in general. I currently do not own any shotguns but will be picking up my first one on Friday, a 930 SPX. I am planning on bringing it home after work and stripping it to clean it and familiarize myself with it. My real question is how many and what type of ammo should I use to "break-in" the shotgun. I would like to get to the point where this is a viable home defense gun but when I go to the range in the future would hope to be able to put lots of the cheap low brass through it. Thank you in advance.
-Schnacke

 

[mvacdp]

When mine was new, I shot 4 or 5 full power slugs and 00 buckshot, then a couple of boxes of low brass bird shot. I don't keep count, but I've got quite a few rounds of birdshot and low recoil buckshot and slugs through it now with no problems.

 

[SHOOTER13]

Welcome to the Mossberg Owners Forum schnacke and mvacdp !!

Sometimes the most fun you can have with your shotgun is trying all sorts of different loads, whether it be birdshot, buck shot, or slugs...and find out how each one does from your particular firearm, as no two are alike when it come to what they feed and print better with...

I take a small notebook, and write down the load, the number of pellets contained in each, how each performs at a given range, how many pellets each load puts in a 30" diameter circle ( patterning )...and any other pertinent info that you choose. If the gun will be used for home defense, figure out the longest distance you may have to use it at in your house and start practice at that range. It's half the fun of owning one. Each load will have it's own characteristics...as will the firearm shooting it.

 

[megawatt]

My first outing I shot 100 value box of birdshot, about 30 00B and a few slugs. Not because I thought that was a proper amount for break in, I just had fun shooting the new gun so I kept shooting.

 

[schnacke]

Thanks guys for the help. i will not worry to much about it this first trip out and just take a variety of ammo. Thanks for the advice on learning the different loads for the gun and the way of keeping track of the info.

 

[jaggedx]

Mines fairly new still. I've put about 275 rounds through it. All of it has been buck shot and bird shot because I can't seem to get to the indoor range where I shoot when there isn't a long line on the rifle lanes. I've used a mix of ammo brands without having any trouble until last weekend.

A couple weeks ago I bought 100 rounds of Remington 2-3/4" Managed Recoil 00 shot from CheaperThanDirt.com. I finally got to shoot the stuff on Sunday and it ran butter when loading 5 or 6 rounds. When I tried to cram that 7th round in the tube it was really tight. I racked the charging handle, flipped the safety and... click. WTF? I look down to find that the round in the magazine tube is locked against the little stopper that's connected to the bolt release (what the correct name of that thing anyway?). It took me a couple minutes of pushing, but finally the round let loose from the magazine and found it's way to the chamber. Boom. No more problem.

I do have a GG&G follower and I'm thinking the added length (minimal) compared to the stock follower from Mossberg could be the difference. I've loaded it full of Winchester and fiocchi without problems but I think the Remington must be a fraction longer.

I did get my EOTech dialed in (but not with slugs yet) on Sunday. That thing is sweet. It needed about 6" up and 6" right to get it zero'd.