Dedicated Predator/Varmint/Vermin shotgun

Does it have interchangable chokes?

What is the barrel length & is it the walnut, or black stock? /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused1.gif

There's lots to do with it...We just need to know what configuration it has first. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/ooo.gif
 
Yes, and the current barrel is 28" (too long).

Hardwood stock, blued.

It's a 500AT, old style. WELL worn, but mechanically sound.

Here's my thoughts:

20-24"ish tube, super-full turkey choke, scope mount and a holo-sight (already have one, might as well use it).

Rattle-can camo the works.
 
Oh, and #4 buck is a given, as this one will almost certainly live behind the seat of the truck, and only come out when something needs a can of whoop (radio edit) opened PDQ.....
 
Interesting thing about the choke tube thing...

I have the ported super-tight turkey tube for my Mossberg, but the #4's pattern better out of my modified choke for some reason.

Other than the bbl length, I'd say you were good to go with it.
The barrel is workable, but, the shorter barrel is way better for a truck/calling gun as you know.

I wouldn't hesitate to get the paint going on it either.
Of course I just can't leave well enough alone...
(I think I painted my first gun 20 years ago..) /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/crazy.gif
 
Krylon, is already in the shed. It's the matte-finish, textured, exterior/deck furniture stuff, and should work like magic.....
 
A 6 position or a Axiom style buttstock and an extended tube would be tempting. Even though they would make it "tacticool", the extra rounds in the tube would help with muzzle flip by adding weight to the muzzle end, and the telescoping stock would make it a nice behind the seat fit. VA now allows more than 3 rounds for all non-migratory species.
 
I've had the "tacticool" stocks before; no thanks..... just not me. A synthetic, perhaps with a pistol grip, maybe, but no more of the folding, sliding, extending stuff....

If anything is added out front of the magazine for "weight", it'll be a light, like a Mag-Lite LED or Surefire. The 500 already holds 5 rounds of #4 in the tube; if I need more than that, I need air support, not more buckshot.
 
#4 will usually pattern better from a mod or imp choke the tighter resriction of the super full tends to deform the pellets makeing them fly off at angles from the rest of the pattern (sort of like skipping a flat rock.) That is why police shotguns (that are routinly loaded with #4, 00, or slugs are cylander bore or Mod or Imp Choke. The super tight turkey chokes are for nonlead shot and work great with that materiel But for lead shot you don't want to tight a choke and you want to keep the ranges about fifty to sixty yards max.
 
blinddog, I don't know where you got that information, but it is ALL WRONG on your choice of chokes.

No doubt that I have shot in excess of 500 test patterns on a 30" roll of paper over the years.

I custom load my buckshot and large shot since the early 80's and never has an improved or modified patterned tighter than a standard full choke with any large size shot especially buckshot.

I shoot a standard Full choke and another barrel with screw in chokes. The tigher than normal full chokes ALWAYS pattern tighter than a modified and just forget the Imp Cyl.

I do use the Modified on doves.

My turkey choke in my 11-87 puts 100% of 000 buck and 00 buck in a 15" circle at 40 yards. The same choke will put all the pellets in a #4 buck in a 20" circle at 40 yards.

The standard full choke will put all the #4 buck in a 30" circle at 40 yards and has accounted for hundreds of predators.

Put in a Modified choke in either the 1100 or the 11-87 and patterns are so large they are only good for 25 yard shooting.
 
Got a Cabela's today and see they have Moss.500 20" and 24" barrels with the accu II cokes. Don't set yourself to a fixed choke. Test them all out and let your shotgun and load tell you what shoots best.
 
Quote:
Here's my thoughts:

20-24"ish tube, super-full turkey choke, scope mount and a holo-sight (already have one, might as well use it).

Rattle-can camo the works.



I could live without the glass sight, but if it floats your boat, go for it. Everything else is right on. Any length barrel from 18" up that is comfortable and handy enough for you personally will work with choke tubes. I'd get a decent choke of from .660" - .680" and begin my pattern testing with 3" Federal Premium No. Four Buck. Camo is optional and no big deal as long as the stock and finish is matte or dull enough not to reflect light. Might add a sling too. My dad uses a Mossberg .12 ga. 3" M500 Camo Turkey gun with 24" barrel and a .660" Hastings choke with the Federal 4BK and it performs very well for him. Makes for an inexpensive (not to be confused with cheap) working class rig that has a "can do" attitude. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grinning-smiley-003.gif
 
This is for turkeys, but works for coyotes too.

Mossberg835-1.jpg
 
May I ask why a 28 inch barrel is too long? I have been plannin on gathering things up for my 1100, all I was gonna do was put a sling on it and leave it as is. It's got a 28 inch barrel, 29 if you count the dead coyote choke tube.

t/c223encore.
 
Your 28" barrel will work just fine. If you are used to shooting your 28" barrel it makes more sense to use it than shoot something you are not used to.
 
Quote:
May I ask why a 28 inch barrel is too long? I have been plannin on gathering things up for my 1100, all I was gonna do was put a sling on it and leave it as is. It's got a 28 inch barrel, 29 if you count the dead coyote choke tube.

t/c223encore.



Nothing wrong with the longer barrel if you have the room to swing it around in the cover you hunt in. Many of us use a shotgun because the cover is thick and long barrels aren't as handy in the thick brush/timber. Other than the handling factor there isn't anything wrong with the longer barrels. The first two shotguns I used for predator hunting, all shotgun hunting in fact, had longer barrels like yours. I now prefer the shorter barrels because for me they handle quicker and are easier to use in thick cover.
 
I am used to using a 28" barrel and would also like a shorter rig for coyote hunting so my question would be how much speed do you lose by going to a 18" barrel vs the 28" barrel.If it matters I use dead coyoute 3.5-T
 
Not enough speed, to matter for schit, in the field.

Handy and dandy, is the way I want a scattergun, and a 28" tube, ain't that.
 
Thanks for the asnswers guys, I was just wondering if it was similar to rifles bein a longer barrel slows down the shot more than a shorter barrel. I see now checking back I will have to take out he dead coyote choke tube and try the full and modified choke tubes to see if they pattern better.

t/c223encore.
 
A shorter barrel will normally have a lower muzzle velocity, at least with the powders normally used for steel shot shooting and heavy lead loads ....... that being slow burn rate powders. However, in the chronographing I have done, it seems that the velocity loss averages about 7 - 10 fps. per inch below 30" barrel length, much less than occurs in center fire rifles.

Considering how fast the pellets slow down, that means that going to a shorter barrel will have little effect on load velocity down range. However, I have found with the longer barrels, often they pattern somewhat better. But, there is so much variation in performance from gun to gun and from shot to shot, that using a good choke can normally more than compensate for any small pattern degradation that may occur.
 
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