Proper Mossberg choke tube?

[Steve Foss]

Never been a slugster before (always rifles), but I've got a Mossberg 500A I'm shooting for deer. Standard barrel, 12 gauge, 2 3/4 inch 1 oz standard slugs. It's got a modified choke tube. I thought that might knock down the wings on the slugs and hurt accuracy, since I was told at the shooting store standard slugs should be shot through an improved cylinder. None of the stores had improved tubes that fit my gun, so I went with a skeet tube, which I was told is just a touch more open than an improved.

Thoughts?

I'm sticking with the original barrel, and am not in the market for a rifled slug barrel and all that, since I'll be doing the pushing in thick woods while others post, and I won't even be able to see a deer farther than 50 yards, let alone shoot farther.

[uffdapete]

I've hunted with slugs for many years and a few years ago, attended a seminar that covered many aspects of deer hunting including selecting the right ammunition. The diameters of rifled slugs vary from manufacturer to manufacturer. In order to find out which one shoots best through your barrel you'll need to try a few different brands. If you're using a modified choke, I would start by trying using Winchester, because from what I learned their rifled slugs are the smallest diameter. The next largest diameter is Federal and the largest diameter is made by Remington. I would also try Brenneke unless one of the above slugs shoots very well for you. With the skeet tube, I would try Remington. Before using a rifled barrel, I shot Remingtons through an improved cylinder and they worked very well. There may be some new rounds out there I'm not familiar with also.

Keep in mind that this information is about 10 years old, so manufacturers may have changed things in that time. You might want to check with a reliable gun shop to verify if that information is still accurate.

If you continue hunting with slugs, I would also highly recommend getting a rifled barrel with a cantilever scope mount for your Mossberg. I've got the same gun as you in a 20 ga. and have taken many deer with it from 50 to 120 yds. never firing more than one shot per deer. Most of those deer gave me very good targets - never needed to shoot one running, but my point is the rifled barrels are very accurate and worth the money.

[This message has been edited by uffdapete (edited 11-15-2002).]

[This message has been edited by uffdapete (edited 11-15-2002).]

[Chev_trucks501]

Catfish,

Well once again I work in the Gun Industry and here is the skinny. You can shoot slugs through a modified choke but be aware it is NOT recommended. As you know the choke is a constriction of the barrel. By shooting slugs though a mod or more constricted barrel you run the risk of bananaing your barrel kind of like the cartoons. But serious harm or death could result.
Anyways uffdapete has a point. Different manufactures have a different combination of slugs that work for their particular group. All in all pattern your gun accordingly to what shoots the best with the skeet tube in. A skeet tube is actually a little bigger than a cylinder which is a little bigger than an IC. You may get some wobble when you shoot slugs outta a skeet tube. If you notice cuts in the paper when you shoot instead of nice O's then the slug is tumbling and you will need to find different ammo or a different choke.
Did some testing a few years ago and shot a smooth bore barrel with a mod choke using rifled slugs. I shot all the major brands (remington, winchester, federal, lightfield, hornady and brenekke) and found that at 50yrds nothing hit a 12 inch target. So yes, accuracy is compromised when shooting through a choke that is too small. Well hope this helps.

Good Luck!

[Steve Foss]

Thanks gents. It helps.

I've got 2 3/4 federal slugs that I'll be patterning through the skeet choke. We'll see. Probably, it's best I hunt up an improved, though, if the slugs tumble.

In the long run, uffda, I may get the slug barrel with the cantilever. Runs about $169 where I shop, though I posted an inquiry a month or two ago here if anyone had one for sale used and got no replies.

Mostly, I think I'm just trying to get through this season OK before buying a good used Savage model 99, or a Marlin 336 in .35 Rem for deer from now on. Then the shotgun will be only for the birds. I'm building my guns back up after selling them all off several years ago. Dumb, I know! Worst loss was the model 99 in .300 Savage, pre-WWII with the brass counter and full buckhorn sights.

------------------
Steve Foss
Superior, Wis.
[email protected]

[This message has been edited by stfcatfish (edited 11-16-2002).]

[This message has been edited by stfcatfish (edited 11-16-2002).]

[Guest]

stfcatfish
That selling off the Savage must really hurt!
But if you hurry there's one just like that on Gunsamerica.com for $835.00! Brass rotor and all!

I wish I had the money to get it, they were nice guns.

[joneshat11]

stfcatfish,

I use a mossberg 500 for deer also, been think of upgrading to riffled barrel but have no need to. I shoot it with I.C. 3inch 1 o.z. remingtons and shoot 1 inch groups at 50 yards with normal ribbed vent sights. I would suggest going to find the I.C. choke, just because of the groups I recieve with my gun with this setup.

[Steve Foss]

Thanks Joneshat. I've got the ribbed barrel and double-bead sight like you. Think I'll look up an improved choke. An inch at 50 yards is as good as I'm going to need pushing the woods.