[Lascivious1]

First, I'd like to thank Viper for putting up with all my BS and picky ways the last few months. Secondly, I'd like to thank him again for being such an awesome dealer and finally getting what i was looking for and even topped it off with black instead of wood.

I am now the proud owner of a new Mossberg 500 Combo barrel with pistol grip. if i decide to slap it on. Its sweet!

So next is my question. Once it warms up outside i plan to take it to Elk Neck and break it in and practice. I wanna see how accurate it is or should i say how accurate i am with it.

What distance do you think i should start off with first to test it out and what ammo should i use? I just got a box of 00buck for home defence for now.
My plan is to go Deer Hunting. so i have plenty of time to warm it up and get my practice in.
What ammo do you recommend for Deer hunting and should i use the same for practice?

[bmel17]

what barrels did the combo come with?

I used to use 00 buck when hunting deer, but later in the season I switched to slugs and my rifled barrel. For practice you can use 00 and see how it patterns (can switch out the choke if desired). I usually just check the pattern and fire a few myself. For slugs, you might have to do some adjustments with the sighting system (scope, red dot, iron sights). Take a box and dial her in.

Distance-wise I fire 00 to about 50ft and slugs to 70.

[Lascivious1]

it came with a 28" ribbed accu w/ 3 chokes and a 18" cylinder bore.

What choke do you recoommend i use for the 00buck and which for the slug?

[bmel17]

it came with a 28" ribbed accu w/ 3 chokes and a 18" cylinder bore.

What choke do you recoommend i use for the 00buck and which for the slug?

The 18" isn't rifled? Usually in those combos that size it is rifled for slugs. If it is an 18" smooth, it is just a short version of the 28" barrel that doesn't take chokes. You can fire slugs out of it though too, just make sure they are for smooth bore firing.

I use a modified choke on my 28" but it's preference on how you want your shot patterned. The tighter the group, the farther the shot travels before it spreads apart.

I usually use my 28inch for birds anymore and my rifled barrel for deer or my PSE bow. In fact I want a new Stoeger M3500 for ducks~

[Kuntryboy816]

So next is my question. Once it warms up outside i plan to take it to Elk Neck and break it in and practice. I wanna see how accurate it is or should i say how accurate i am with it.

What distance do you think i should start off with first to test it out and what ammo should i use? I just got a box of 00buck for home defence for now.
My plan is to go Deer Hunting. so i have plenty of time to warm it up and get my practice in.
What ammo do you recommend for Deer hunting and should i use the same for practice?

Congrats on the new acquisition!

A few things though....
1. You are not allowed to "pattern" a shotgun at Elk Neck. If you are on the rifle range you are only allowed to shoot slugs from your shotgun.
http://www.dnr.state.md.us/publiclands/ ... e_Regs.pdf
2. If you are not looking to add optics to your shotgun, I would at least change out the bead sight for a blade/notch style sight if intentions are for target or hunting.
3. When I used my shotgun for deer hunting (Archery only now) I shot the Brenneke KO 1oz Sabot. I could put 5 shots inside 2.5" circle at 75 yds. I have a H&R single-shot break action 12ga w/ a 20" smooth bore barrel with upgraded sights (not optics).
4. Yes, Yes, Yes... always practice with the same ammo you intend to hunt with. Changing ammo will most likely change you POI on target and leave you wondering "WTH happened?!?" when that buck goes tromping off into cover.
5. Figure out what your max distance is that you are comfortable with taking a shot. Start at 25 yds to get you hitting paper. Adjust windage until you're centered and shooting above the bullseye (1" or so). Then distance it out to 50 yds and zero it in. Almost every area I've hunted in DE is 60 yds or less to a potential target.
6. Take as few shots as necessary to get sighted in. Slugs run about $10-$20 per box of 5.

[Lascivious1]

Bmel, no I wanted smooth bore on the 18" so I could shoot anything through it. with rifled barrel I felt I was gonna be restricted to only certain kinds of ammo.
So if I shoot slugs through my 28" barrel what choke should I use?

Kuntry, if I cant shoot pattern at elkneck. where can I practice it at? im fine with slugs all day long but I would like to test out all the chokes and see what I get with them.
yes, my sight is just a bead. but I dont see a way a way to add anything else. I would really love to just ditch it and go a red dot.

One last.thing. do you think it would be foolish to have a red dot for hunting?

[colt0208]

Bmel, no I wanted smooth bore on the 18" so I could shoot anything through it. with rifled barrel I felt I was gonna be restricted to only certain kinds of ammo.
So if I shoot slugs through my 28" barrel what choke should I use?

Kuntry, if I cant shoot pattern at elkneck. where can I practice it at? im fine with slugs all day long but I would like to test out all the chokes and see what I get with them.
yes, my sight is just a bead. but I dont see a way a way to add anything else. I would really love to just ditch it and go a red dot.

One last.thing. do you think it would be foolish to have a red dot for hunting?

There is a patterning board at Ommalanden... It's all the way past the clubhouse and its free. You just have to stop in the house and tell them you are heading back there...

Just stop and get some poster board (or any large piece of paper) and make some large circles on it. Then you pattern each choke you have. Ommalanden has a few different yardages so you can try 10yds, 15yds, etc....

[cslade454]

An old friend of mine has an old 870 wingmaster with a 30 inch fixed full choke barrel that he hunts with. I have seen him take some ground hogs at 100 yards with slugs. To answer your question you may need to test all your chokes to see which one shoots slugs the best. Many years ago before a got a rifled barrel my 1187 shot slugs best with the mod choke. From the bench I was able to keep my hit on a paper plate at 100 yards on a good day.

[bmel17]

Your 18" barrel is a cylinder bore, it should not accept chokes.

For your 28" I wouldn't even bother shooting slugs through it. Chokes are designed for shot, not slugs. But if you're dead set on it, I would start at the least restricting choke you have then work your way down.

As for a red dot, I know people who use them for hunting. I personally don't, I use my iron sights. I like to make it more challenging. With that I usually bow hunt for deer. I use my 12g for the ducks and/or geese. Shotgun season in DE for deer isn't all that long anyway. With archery or a muzzleloader you extend your season quite a bit.

[Lascivious1]

Thanks guys for the info!

Yes, my 18" doesnt accept chokes. but isnt that too short of a barrel to hunt with?

Yea last night i was looking at red dots for it and decided if i did get a red dot it would take all the fun out of hunting. plus how fair is it to the animal i hunt. im already up one on them with a firearm. i wanna keep it traditional and stay with iron sights. plus i think my old man would be mad and disaprove if i use one. he was a big hunter in my childhood.

well this weekend ill finally break it down give it a good cleaning and lube it up with new oil.