Mossburg Pump Action Shotgun Any strong opinions for or against?

Hunterbiker

Hey Lads.
I have a nice o/u already but I seem to be looking at a Pump Action for really rough shooting days and for when I want something a bit different.

I know additional firearms mean more paperwork so (assuming I should go for an additional gun) is the Mossie a good bet. Seem cheap and rugged enough. A Semi Auto would push the budget a bit.

Just wondered what you Lads that own / owned them think.

Opinions For and Against welcome.

clivej

Good pump action SG and built like a brick sh!te house. Hard to go wrong with them, the 500 or Maverick

garv123

Hunterbiker wrote: »

Hey Lads.
I have a nice o/u already but I seem to be looking at a Pump Action for really rough shooting days and for when I want something a bit different.

I know additional firearms mean more paperwork so (assuming I should go for an additional gun) is the Mossie a good bet. Seem cheap and rugged enough. A Semi Auto would push the budget a bit.

Just wondered what you Lads that own / owned them think.

Opinions For and Against welcome.

Have a mossberg maverick. As clive said built to last and take any abuse.. Never failed to fire anything. Cheaper semi's can fail to cycle some lighter loads. one issue you never have with a pump action.
Mines for sale at the moment
only reason is the safety is a bit slow for a lefty out walking.

juice1304

There is a good one in the for sale section for E300

cookimonster

Can't speak about the Mossi, but I shoot a winchester 1200, that I bought over twenty years ago. I get a lot of stick off my mates as they shoot o/u or SxS, but it does drop birds.
You can put 100s of cartridges through it with out cleaning. Dropped it in the marsh, had it in near biblical rain falls and it still functions. Double guide rails make it smooth and reliable.
If your action is smooth you'll get off a following shot no problem. Got two doubles last Sunday on crows and pigeons. Practice doubles on the clays and you'd be surprised how quick you can become.
I love shooting mine even if others give me side way glances, BUT I do have a semi on the way.

Dalken

My brother had a mossberg semi years ago, major problems cycling shells, I wouldnt touch one with a barge pole way better guns out there imo.

CJhaughey

I've the Remington 870 pump. Hogue stock.
For some unknown reason pumps are looked down on here by a few narrow minded people.
Not really sure why but a firearm is a firearm to me.
Anyway I'd have no hesitation about Mossbergs pumps they will work fine.
Just be aware of the possible negative reactions...

Pkiernan

If I was getting another pump action, it would be a Remington 870.

But I prefer shooting my Winchester Super x2 semiauto

juice1304

I also have an 870 and love it, The mossburg are good too though the only thing i'm not mad about is how light they are i prefer the heft of the 870

meathstevie

I've a Maverick, cheap as chips and virtualy nothing in them moving parts wise to break and go wrong. If you keep the surfaces the bolt slides over clean and lubricated it's actually a smooth working action escpecially for such a cheap gun.

Hunterbiker

Thanks Lads.
Hopefully going to have a proper look at a new one today. Saying that tempted by the saving on the ones on here.
By the sounds of things its a great gun for the money. I've heard its a bit rattly but if looked after is good.

Grizzly 45

Mossberg ..
Definately cant go wrong with them. Cheap as hell,rated to over 750,000 rounds[Milspec 590 version] Will eat any old ratty ammo and fire it,although sometimes some brand of shotgun shells when fired and are extracted and ejected,wont clear the ejection port due to a very long crimp!
Not the guns fault,its poor ammo.
Replacement barrels are cheap as well,Mossberg makes all the barrells for Remington shotguns as well.
Only fault is the trigger group mechanism housing is made from a hard plastic.
But it seems to be a total non issue,as it doesnt break,and no one seems to have broken one sofar...
A bit lighter than the Remmy 870 and if you want to go restricted,your choices are 6 or eight shot only!! No mag extension tubes available for this model.
Plenty of add on bits for them if you want to "Barbieify" it.:p

If you are a Left hooker,the safety is in an ideal position on the back of the reciver. Thats another plastic bit.Can be replaced with a steel aftermarket switch for 5 dollars from Brownells.

Stock and pump in the plastic version were too small for me and my hand.Replace with wood and a recoil reducer buttpad for a few quid and problem sorted,no need to get custom stocks made for these.

All in all a shotgun that will keep going when others have choked out,and will come back for more.:)

davediesel

I have a black Mossberg 88 and love it, first pump I've had after lots of double barrels, half thinking of selling it though and getting a mossberg 500 with some nice timber even though the synthetic doesn't get damaged. I looked a remi 870 and they just didn't feel right for me, lovely guns but I just preferred the feel of the mossy. Dealer was looking up wondering how long was it going to take me to make up my mind as I went there for an 870

davediesel

if I've won the lotto I'll get and 870 too:D

iverjohnston

I have a 500 about 12 years now. Bought it new in Grahams in Monaghan, about £300 at the time, I think. Its got a ventilated rib and came with 3 chokes, and has porting on the barrel to reduce barrel "flip". Hard to know if that feature actually works. Wood stock and fore end. Never fails to work. Even if you drop it in a gritty boghole, with the aid of a pencil, or a fine twig, you can completely disasemble the mechanism and wash out the muck in a puddle. Ideal as a "tool". Don't use oils which go "tacky" as these can slow down the action when its been stored for a long while. If other people are concerned in your company, citing the reason that they cannot tell if a cartridge is chambered, you can easily carry it with the slide back, or have an empty (fired) shell case sticking out at 90 degrees of the ejection port ( held in place with the bolt).

iverjohnston

And as an afterthought, if you are left handed, you may not like the shell being ejected across your face. You could try and find an Ithaca model 37.The spent shell is ejected down through the loading port on the bottom of the action.

Grizzly 45

I'm left handed,and it has NEVER botherd me on the Mossberg or any other guns be it pump or semi auto.Only guns I find a pain are bolt actions and doubles.:p
Properly ejecting ,you dont even notice them coming out.
Good luck trying to find an Itacha 37 around here..:D Rare as the proverbial hens teeth.

Larry60

Pretty much all of the American pumpactions are ruggid and reliable in my experience. I have been using a Winchester 120 for the last 25 years without any problems at all.

lapua20grain

have a mossberg 500 good solid firearm good accurate gun when i bought it 15 years ago got free slug barrel with it auto choke on both good gun the secret is with any gun is to maintain and clean regularly. one notable thing i find i have a savage side by side and a beretta semi-auto and the recoil from the mossberg is like a 22LR compared to both of these.

iverjohnston

Grizzley45
A guy here in Cavan had one in his shop about 20 years ago, I remember it seemed very light compared to the Mossberg I finally went with. A lot of those older "unloved" models and oddities probably melted down by now, I suppose.

coolhandspan

bought a mossberg pump as first gun, began to fall apart after 2 3 years heavy use, became loose at stock etc. would not recommend for beginner. useful for vermin, fox shooting etc, poor choice game hunting.

davediesel

Yeah the kick off a mossberg is extremely light, the first time I fired it I had to do a double take at the shells, great yoke. The only problem I have with mine is the 28" barrell makes it that bit more akward getting in and out of the 110 pickup compared to the double barrell, on the look out for a 24"

CJhaughey

coolhandspan wrote: »

bought a mossberg pump as first gun, began to fall apart after 2 3 years heavy use, became loose at stock etc.

Does that not fall under routine maintenance?
If parts get loose, tighten them etc.

coolhandspan

CJhaughey wrote: »

Does that not fall under routine maintenance?
If parts get loose, tighten them etc.

Not really had a gunsmith look at it would cost too much to get right. Badly balanced gun as well imho. ..

lapua20grain

coolhandspan wrote: »

bought a mossberg pump as first gun, began to fall apart after 2 3 years heavy use, became loose at stock etc. would not recommend for beginner. useful for vermin, fox shooting etc, poor choice game hunting.

i have mine years never had any issues maintain it though and it gets heavy usage. no gun should fall apart after 2-3 years i would have contacted mossberg directly and any smith worth his/her salt would have advised same this should'int happen with a modern firearm

clivej

davediesel wrote: »

Yeah the kick off a mossberg is extremely light, the first time I fired it I had to do a double take at the shells, great yoke. The only problem I have with mine is the 28" barrell makes it that bit more akward getting in and out of the 110 pickup compared to the double barrell, on the look out for a 24"

on the look out for a 24"

I have one and it's great. Unrestricted it will hold 8 shells.
Nice short length - makes it very handy ;)

Look even better when this goes on it.


Talon thumbhole stock.jpg

Grizzly 45

lapua20grain wrote: »

i have mine years never had any issues maintain it though and it gets heavy usage. no gun should fall apart after 2-3 years i would have contacted mossberg directly and any smith worth his/her salt would have advised same this should'int happen with a modern firearm

Mines over 30 years old and still going strong..Never had any issues as is described.At the time Mossberg was considerd "cheap& nasty" when I bought it.
Only way any gun would fall apart that quick is poor maintence and using it as a tyre lever or somthing like that.

makes it that bit more akward getting in and out of the 110 pickup compared to the double barrell, on the look out for a 24"

Try Frankonia.de they might have some in stock and will ship in Europe with the correct paperwork.Or Ardee sports who are the main importers.:rolleyes:

maxusman

I have a mossberg 500.Its bloody great crack to shoot,it will fire any shell you put thru it and as its synthetic there,s no nice wood to scratch. Go for the mossberg. The foreend is a bit clacky and its strange getting used to the pumping to reload but its well worth it.