Noob to shotguns just bought one and has some dumb questions...

[BigMetal]

so I picked up a used Mossberg 590A1 at a gun show last weekend... parkerized heavy 20" barrel, ghost ring sights. it's got some kind of choke installed that the dealer said wasn't normally on it. i haven't used a shotgun since i was ten (and those were all single barrel 410s).

1. was the dealer FOS about the choke?
2. can i fire slugs through this thing with the choke there?
3. what kind of shells are good for practice (and economical)?

i picked up some 00 Hornaday TAP Low Recoil at the show, but don't really want to blow it all at the range.

any other bits of advice?

Thanks!!

[tomfoolery]

Im pretty sure you have to remove any choke tube before shooting slugs. I buy #8 shot (federal) from walmart, I think its $20 per 100 rounds or so. Pretty economical for practice.

I debated picking up some of the hornady 00. I have 000 in it for home defense....someone won't be happy!

Nice gun, have fun shooting!

[gsh341]

If this has a removable choke on it you need to pull it out and change it to a "cylinder" choke before shooting any slugs through it. After you pull the choke out you can determine the type of choke because it's usually written on the side.

Also, never shoot your gun without a choke in it. Shooting it without a choke can damage the threads.

If you want practice with a shotgun I recommend learning to shoot clays. You can buy a box of clays, some target load shells as well as a hand thrower at most gun shops. Here in South Dakota you can get 100 shell packs and a box of 90 clays for a very reasonable price from Wal-Mart.

Have your buddy throw the clays and you will get practice hitting moving targets. This will be difficult with ghost ring sights though.

[Chapie+]

Welcome to XD Talk!

Congrats on the new shotgun!

I am curious about the choke on your 12 - I haven't seen a 590 with choke tubes. Can you post a picture of your new shotgun or maybe visit the Mossberg website: O.F. Mossberg & Sons, Inc. - Firearms, Shotguns, Rifles, Accessories, and Precision Machining and see which one is yours. It might be that you have one of the 500 models with the choke for blowing through doors, etc.

Does this look like it?

or this:

or this:

or this:


Hope this helps,
Chapie+

Originally Posted by BigMetal

so I picked up a used Mossberg 590A1 at a gun show last weekend... parkerized heavy 20" barrel, ghost ring sights. it's got some kind of choke installed that the dealer said wasn't normally on it. i haven't used a shotgun since i was ten (and those were all single barrel 410s).

1. was the dealer FOS about the choke?
2. can i fire slugs through this thing with the choke there?
3. what kind of shells are good for practice (and economical)?

i picked up some 00 Hornaday TAP Low Recoil at the show, but don't really want to blow it all at the range.

any other bits of advice?

Thanks!!

[Barbarossa]

Originally Posted by gsh341

If this has a removable choke on it you need to pull it out and change it to a "cylinder" choke before shooting any slugs through it. After you pull the choke out you can determine the type of choke because it's usually written on the side.

Also, never shoot your gun without a choke in it. Shooting it without a choke can damage the threads.

If you want practice with a shotgun I recommend learning to shoot clays. You can buy a box of clays, some target load shells as well as a hand thrower at most gun shops. Here in South Dakota you can get 100 shell packs and a box of 90 clays for a very reasonable price from Wal-Mart.

Have your buddy throw the clays and you will get practice hitting moving targets. This will be difficult with ghost ring sights though.

^ good post!

[mcb]

If were talking about standard screw in choke tubes and foster slugs (sometime called rifled slugs) then you can shoot them through any choke from Cylinder to Full choke without damage to you or the gun. It is not recommended to shoot any slug through a choke tighter than full as your liable to damage the threads and/or choke tube.

That said you will likely find that the more open choke tubes (Cylinder, Skeet, Improved Cylinder) will shoot the best groups. However, each gun is unique and you should probably buy several boxes of different slugs and try them through some of your more open choke tubes and see what combination shoots best for you.

Sabot slugs are another story and will not shoot accurately through any smooth bore they are intended for fully rifled barrels.

Another slug to look at is the Brenneke style slugs. Brenneke Wolf and maybe one or two other manufactures load this type of slug This is a modified foster slug with a trailing gas seal. These slugs work pretty good in both smooth bore and rifle slug guns.

mcb

[BigMetal]

thanks for the replies.
i'll have to take the choke out and post some pics... (when i get home from work ) however, i don't have the appropriate tool to remove the choke and probably shouldn't hack at it with a screwdriver. it's probably the standard full choke that comes with it... hopefully the guys at the range can help me out on Sunday... although i only planned on firing buckshot anyways.

[Chapie+]

Originally Posted by BigMetal

thanks for the replies.
i'll have to take the choke out and post some pics... (when i get home from work ) however, i don't have the appropriate tool to remove the choke and probably shouldn't hack at it with a screwdriver. it's probably the standard full choke that comes with it... hopefully the guys at the range can help me out on Sunday... although i only planned on firing buckshot anyways.

Look forward to the picture. Can you post a pic of the shotgun too?

Chapie+

[Barbarossa]

Originally Posted by BigMetal

thanks for the replies.
i'i don't have the appropriate tool to remove the choke and probably shouldn't hack at it with a screwdriver.

Try using a coin, I've never owned a choke tube wrench.

[BigMetal]

Originally Posted by Barbarossa

Try using a coin, I've never owned a choke tube wrench.

nice. i really should have thought of that.

I'll have pics of the gun and choke up tonight.