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Mossberg 500 Shooting distance

RobG

RobG

.410
Hello everyone, This might seem like a silly question but what would be the correct shooting distance when I'm using my Mossberg 500 at the shooting range? I was at the range this pass weekend and shot it for the first time but notice I may have had my target to far away. I mean I did hit it a few times but not as much as I would have wanted.

I know there are a lot of factors involved like what type of ammo I'm using and how my Mossberg is setup. Any information you can provide will surely be appreciated.
 
A lot of variables on that, i.e., choke, shot size, steel, lead, and the purpose.....pheasant, duck, turkey, deer, skeet, HD, target...........I start at 30 feet and move out with bird shot and skeet loads. Slugs (rifled) 50 yards. Buck shot is illegal for hunting in my state and its application is probably HD. You know the range on that. Fast steel for waterfowl patterning is critical if you don't want to injure waterfowl and go home empty handed. 4 shot choked goes tight a long way in my old 500A. 2 shot runs a long way tight as well. My all purpose choke is modified when I'm too lazy to swap out chokes. A full choke will keep the dust shot (9,8,7) much tighter at distance. It's all going to spread out. It's just that window you find to maximize your pattern for the application. After installing the 20 inch barrel this fall (no choke), I took the 500A to a turkey shoot and was astounded only 7 or 8 pellets of target loads were hitting the paper. My 500A with the 28" barrel and turkey choke riddles the paper at that range. The fun is in finding your pattern through choke and load.
 
You need to be more specific.

What types of ammo are you using.

Bird shot out to about 40 yards +/-
Turkey loads out to 50 yards +/-
Buckshot 50-75 yards +/-
Smoothboore slugs (rifled slugs) typically out to 50 to 100 yards +/-
Rifled barrel slugs (Sabot) 50-150 yards possibly 200 with a good gun and lots of practice.

These are just ballpark figures your results will vary a lot depending on the chokes used and the size of the shot, the velocity, etc.
 
I only use my firearms for recreation and target practice I do not hunt prey. I used buck shots starting and they were high recoil loads. I just wanted to know if maybe I'm shooting from the wrong distance
 
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Refresh my memory, what length barrel and is it choked at all?

Buckshot, full power loads, open up the pattern quickly. Without any sort of choke, patterns pretty much suck at even 25 yards. Ammo selection will help this somewhat. You mentioned in the other thread something about recoil and the suggestion was made to use a low recoil load. Federal Premium 2-3/4" low recoil with FliteControl is good place to start. It can be found under the VitalShok name in a red box sold in 5 rounds at a time.

Are you shooting at paper? I'd put up a piece of cardboard about 30x30" and start at about 10 to 15 yards. Just for targets buckshot isn't necessarily the best load unless you're shooting reasonably close but I've made 35 yard shots on varmints with the Federal load I mentioned.

The birdshot stuff is better suited for target practice, paper or pop cans and bottles alike. Milk jugs and 2 liters are fun.

A little more on the specifics and we can better tailor our responses.
 
Rossignol said:
Refresh my memory, what length barrel and is it choked at all?

Buckshot, full power loads, open up the pattern quickly. Without any sort of choke, patterns pretty much suck at even 25 yards. Ammo selection will help this somewhat. You mentioned in the other thread something about recoil and the suggestion was made to use a low recoil load. Federal Premium 2-3/4" low recoil with FliteControl is good place to start. It can be found under the VitalShok name in a red box sold in 5 rounds at a time.

Are you shooting at paper? I'd put up a piece of cardboard about 30x30" and start at about 10 to 15 yards. Just for targets buckshot isn't necessarily the best load unless you're shooting reasonably close but I've made 35 yard shots on varmints with the Federal load I mentioned.

The birdshot stuff is better suited for target practice, paper or pop cans and bottles alike. Milk jugs and 2 liters are fun.

A little more on the specifics and we can better tailor our responses.
Click to expand...

Yes it was a paper target and seemed but it looks like the target was a bit to far, I will use your suggestions because it makes a lot of since.....keep the info coming
 
At 10 feet the load is a one piece precise projectile. Back up to say 7-10 yards, maybe even 15 yards before the load opens up depending on the load.
 
Yeah I'm trying to learn the different loads that are available and what each one will do. Thanks you everyone for this valuable information don't stop posting if you feel you can add something that will help things move along.
 
RobG said:
Yeah I'm trying to learn the different loads that are available and what each one will do. Thanks you everyone for this valuable information don't stop posting if you feel you can add something that will help things move along.
Click to expand...

Here's a thread I put up a while back that might provide some insight into the performance of a few different types of buckshot...

http://mossbergowners.com/forum/index.php?threads/buckshot-pattern-test.9802/

Might save you a few bucks at the least...
 
How long is the barrel on your gun, Rob? I have one with a 28" ribbed barrel and a modified choke (kind of a middle of the road choke, not too open or too tight) and one with a 18.5" barrel with no choke at all, which makes the pattern a lot wider (called a "cylinder bore" barrel). At equal distances with equal ammo, these two guns would have very different results.
 
Van Doren said:
How long is the barrel on your gun, Rob? I have one with a 28" ribbed barrel and a modified choke (kind of a middle of the road choke, not too open or too tight) and one with a 18.5" barrel with no choke at all, which makes the pattern a lot wider (called a "cylinder bore" barrel). At equal distances with equal ammo, these two guns would have very different results.
Click to expand...


It's about 18.5
 
Just a note, the length of the barrel has little impact on pattern, it is a product of choke.

Barrel length will have a small effect on velocity and weight balance of the gun when wing shooting.
 
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