• Mossberg Owners is in the process of upgrading the software. Please bear with us while we transition to the new look and new upgraded software.

looking to buy my first gun

Thank you everyone. John, the video was a big help! Dan, I will sign up on a couple of the sister sites and browse some. I have a general idea of what I would like and what will fir my needs. SO now, it's time to start looking and handling everything I can. Hopefully the shop owners will be as knowledgeable and helpful as all you are! I will definitely be around and I am sure asking more questions :)
 
If you go to a big chain store, just make sure you pick out one of the 'older' looking guys to talk to. I've noticed 9 times out of 10 if I deal with someone that has been around the block a time or two, tat they seem to give you non-bs or non-dealer inspired information.
 
I may go to one of the chains just to handle a selection of different guns and find something that feels comfortable. Then I will have a general idea what I am looking for. At any of the outdoors stores, I try to find a clerk at least my age lol
 
We have a guy (one) that I like at our WalMart. Good guy and knows the guns, a veteran too, served in VietNam. We also have a small local place, real good folks, like family!

Other than that, your likely to find more useful applied knowledge without any BS or bias here or on the sister sites. Hopefully you can find a local place thats cool though!!!

Sounds like youre narrowing the field some!

With the chokes, Mossbergs accuchoke set is a good deal. For whatever reason, the combo sets from Mossberg are just real good deals, if its a second field barrel or choke sets or home security barrel... the mark up from the gun to the gun + combo is worth the price when you begin to compare purchasing each thing individually.

I know you had said before you arent particularly recoil sensitive. The 12 ga. I think offers more choices with ammo and the cost is generally less because it is the most used gauge of shotgun. You'll also have access to loads like Federal Premium's VitalShok with TruBall if you dont decide on a rifled barrel. .410 ammo can be stupid expensive and my daughter likes to eat it up! Shes gettin a 20 soon! Maybe even an SA-20! I dunno she confuses me by goin back and forth, but I think shes diggin the SA-20 with 24" barrel and 13" LOP stock! My feelings, if youre ok with recoil, go 12 ga.

Heres somethin of interest about the Mossberg autoloaders. While many other makers boast having the softest shooting auto's, but because of Mossbergs gas blowback system, its said to be much softer than say the inertia or recoil operated guns. Mossberg isnt real good at advertising and boasting the things they do well...

Back to the LOP... Something you can do to get an idea for the LOP that may work, measure the length of your forearm. Bend your arm on your dominant side, roughly 90 degrees. Measure back from the first joint of your index finger to the bend in your arm, like to your bicep. Its not a perfect science, but should give an indication of what will work.

Something I mentioned elsewhere when considering hunting in cooler if not cold weather, is that adding heavier clothing will affect LOP. I keep a 12" LOP on my 590A1.

In summary;
12 ga. if recoil isnt an issue, it offers more load choices and can generally be less expensive to shoot
LOP, get your hands on a few different makes and models to see what fits
Combo sets to get barrels and possibly choke sets to meet your needs, like maybe a rifled slug barrel for deer, (though deer can be hunted with Foster type rifled slugs from a cylinder bore barrel) and maybe a field barrel with interchangable choke tubes
Or maybe a 12 ga with a single field barrel and choke set

I think thats all I got for now.
 
Alot of great and very helpful info. Thank you :) One question, and I think I saw it somewhere in one of the posts...but not enough coffee yet to look back lol...what is the difference between a rifled barrel and not?
 
A rifled barrel is good for sabot slugs because it puts a spin on them as the bullet is going down the barrel, but not good for regular shot shells with pellets.

Smooth bore barrels will shoot both kinds if you are looking for one that will do both.

It isn't uncommon for people to own both types of barrels for both uses though. So during Turkey season you can use the smooth bore and during deer season, you can use the rifled barrel so the gun will (probably) be more accurate at longer distances.

Changing barrels out on a mossberg is super simple.

You just slide the bolt back with the forend (like you're ejecting an empty shell) and then unscrew the cap/bolt that holds the barrel and the magazine tube together and just twist/pull on the end of the barrel and it slides right out of the receiver.

And putting the other barrel in, you just reverse the steps. Push the barrel in the receiver and line up the cap/bolt and screw it back into the magazine tube and push the forend forward.

After you do it a time or two to get the hang of it, it doesn't take a minute to do it.
 
John A. said:
12 gauge can have some pretty strong recoil, so maybe a 16 gauge or 20 gauge may be easier on the shoulder when you pull the trigger. But there are different types of bullets that are lower recoil than others too, so we can probably help with that too after you get to actually shoot it.


As JohnA says they do have some strong recoil, and since you are not into the "tactical" look, check out this stock from blackhawk! it looks just like a oem stock, but with a recoil reduction system...for 20g and 12g...

http://www.blackhawk.com/product/compst ... 55,165.htm

I found them cheaper elsewhere at amazon, and midway for around $100.00 - $110.00
 
Thank you. I have to remember I am not as young as I used to be and the aches take longer to go away lol. SO this is something I think I may definitely want to look in to :)
 
Back
Top