12 Gauge Mossberg 500. Will it kick like a mule?

[Yazz]

Rifled slugs kick less!

 

[Buck F]

I was around 11 or 12 when my dad took me out w/ a 12 gauge Mossberg, he pumped a few rounds into a stump (easily) and then loaded it and handed it to me. BLAM BLAM BLAM, it shook me for sure. He laughed as I tried to be tough about it. Then I found out he was shooting #8 Dove & Quail load and he loaded 3" Magnum slugs for me. Big difference.

Another thing to keep in mind: Make sure you're not shooting from a bench rest position, that can suck. Some clubs require you shoot rifles from a bench rest position so if you're thinking slugs on the rifle range, don't. Start out w/ some birdshot just to get comfortable then move your way up to slugs, you'll find its more hype than anything.

 

[Dennis in MA]

1. Dicks??? WTF,O???

2. Damn, I don't remember where I got my 590. Honestly. I couldn't tell you. Wow. That's scary.

3. The 500 series isn't as smooth as many other platforms. My 90's era 870Express is 100x smoother. But it's the choice of the US Military, so I guess it does work. Just not as smooth as I'd like.

4. The thing can double as a boat-anchor. DAMN,SON! I find the 500-series to be a heavy muthah. Ergo, it will kick less.

5. Get low-recoil ammo anyhow. A billion years ago, some guy on another board was a HUGE self-defense shotgun shooter. He would buy the stuff by the case. He found that this certain lot of Estate 00Buck was pretty low recoil. I grabbed a case. Still got most of it. Plus a case of low-recoil slugs. Both are 100% manageable.

6. I've shot a TON of clays with mostly-full loads. Days (not many, but some) of coming back with my shoulder purple. It was a long time ago, but I really don't fear a shotgun load. That and I don't buy 3" shells if I can help it. LOL

 

[Racenet]

What the hell is happening to this world? When I was 15 me and all my buddies had shotguns and we'd spend all of our lawn mowing and paper route money on shotgun shells and we'd spend entire days shooting. Hand-thrown clay pigeons, cans, bottles, old cars, whatever.
Now a 225 lb full grown man is posting that he's afraid to try his gun? The times, they are a-changin. And not for the better.
Just shoot the damn thing!

I hear ya! In my younger life, I deer hunted with a double barrel 10ga shottie. Never bitched about it and shot it fine.

 

[mac1911]

What the hell is happening to this world? When I was 15 me and all my buddies had shotguns and we'd spend all of our lawn mowing and paper route money on shotgun shells and we'd spend entire days shooting. Hand-thrown clay pigeons, cans, bottles, old cars, whatever.
Now a 225 lb full grown man is posting that he's afraid to try his gun? The times, they are a-changin. And not for the better.
Just shoot the damn thing!

the biggest guy i shoot with is a recoil sissy

 

[mac1911]

Rifled slugs kick less!

whats a rifled slug

 

[W.E.C]

whats a rifled slug

Mr. Fosters chunk o’ lead.!

It don’t spin much tho....

 

[pupchow]

Compared: Rifle and Shotgun Recoil Table

 

[qqac]

It shouldn't be as bad as an older Remington 1100 12ga with a metal buttplate.

Being a semiauto, a Remy 1100 usually shoots pretty soft since cycling takes the energy of the recoil. Mine does anyway.

But regardless, 225 lbs should be plenty of mass for the recoil of 12 ga pump.

Wait a minute . . . from your screen name, you shoot a mosin and you are worried about recoil?

 

[MSant]

No worse than a mosin nagant, in Mass or anywhere else

 

[whacko]

No worse than a mosin nagant, in Mass or anywhere else

Depends on the load your shooting! 1 ounce slugs kick WAY harder than any of my mosins.

 

[voidoid]

With a lightweight synthetic stock and 3" magnum turkey loads, my 500 Grand Slam Turkey Series sucks to shoot (and it's even got a muzzle brake/comp). But any other typical shotgun load is really no big deal at all.

 

[whacko]

View attachment 229861
Mr. Fosters chunk o’ lead.!

It don’t spin much tho....

Don't forget about Mr. Foster's evil cousin.....Mr. brenake!

 

[Carver patriot]

YES.

 

[rocket500]

The big turkey 3 1/2 inch mags rattle your fillings but your 500 won’t shoot those. I don’t find a 12 gauge with 2 3/4 shells, even slugs, to be bothersome.

 

[Hillx21]

Being a semiauto, a Remy 1100 usually shoots pretty soft since cycling takes the energy of the recoil. Mine does anyway.

The one I had was far from a soft shooter. It was replaced by an 870 12ga. Night and day shotguns.

 

[HuntMaine]

I run a 12 ga with 3 1/2 shells, if thenkick bothers you I have a pink camo 410 my daughter will let you use

 

[MassachussettsMosinNagant]

What sort of load are you planning to shoot? Start out with basic target loads on the trap field and you'll be fine, even after putting a whole box through it.

This^

Op.....there are literally dozens and dozens of different loads you can put through a 12 gauge shotgun with a 3 inch chamber like your mossy 500. Gun club target loads with 1 oz of 8 shot are cake. I shoot 3 rounds of trap on a Saturday using those and no problem. If you hunt......I hunt with a 12 g mossy 500 ALOT.... And high brass Remy xtended range loads with 1 1/4 oz of 4 shot "pop" a bit. Get up into 3 inch turkey loads with almost 2 ounces of 5 or 6 shot and yup.....your into some stout recoil. 1 ounce slugs suck......they hurt a bit.....but put deer down hard and that's what they are for. Buckshot......2 3/4 inch shells will get your attention but won't "knock you over". Just pull tight into the pocket of your shoulder....lean in.....you'll be fine.

I picked up 3 different boxes of slugs with the shotgun from the fella at dick's. 1 is Federal Brand, 2 3/4'' 9 pellet, 00 buckshot slugs. Came with 25 in the box. The next is cheap bird and target rounds, 1 oz, 6 shot. Paid 5 for 25. But unfortunately the range i'm a member of only allows buckshot for some reason. I would rather waste the cheap rounds but oh well. I'm not sure as to why. Than the last box was some pricey Hornady SST 300 GR, Slugs for the Rifled Barrel the shotgun came with. Supposed to be way more accurate for longer distances.

How much do you reckon those federals will kick?

 

[ThePreBanMan]

Must be a new shooter... Welcome to the sport. A 12 gauge is nothing one of your stature needs be concerned with. Especiay if shooting short brass bird shot. Slugs and buck shot may rattle the teeth a little but if your a man and not a pussy you'll be fine.

Now of you said I just bought a bolylt action .338 then that's a different story...

 

[ThePreBanMan]

I find 0 "enjoyment" in shooting any slugs through a 12 gauge pump action. I only use them for deer hunting. The only time I go to the range and consider it to be "work" rather than "fun" is checking the zero on my 12 gauge before deer season.

True story... 3" slugs aren't a bunch of fun. They're hard on the shoulder and the wallet.

 

[amm5061]

I picked up 3 different boxes of slugs with the shotgun from the fella at dick's. 1 is Federal Brand, 2 3/4'' 9 pellet, 00 buckshot slugs. Came with 25 in the box. The next is cheap bird and target rounds, 1 oz, 6 shot. Paid 5 for 25. But unfortunately the range i'm a member of only allows buckshot for some reason. I would rather waste the cheap rounds but oh well. I'm not sure as to why. Than the last box was some pricey Hornady SST 300 GR, Slugs for the Rifled Barrel the shotgun came with. Supposed to be way more accurate for longer distances.

How much do you reckon those federals will kick?

The actual slugs will kick. The buck and birdshot won't be anything to write home about.

 

[leewongfei]

Hello folks, I just purchased a Mossberg 500 combo with different barrels for different purposes at my local dick's. I'm loving it. Look forward to trying it. Will I get kicked down to the ground? I mean i've heard boogie man stories about shotguns breaking shoulders or sending people on their butt. That it'll rattle your soul and has brought the likes of grown men to tears. But was wondering if I can handle the beast lol. I'm 225 and 6 feet tall. half fat, half on the way to not being fat . fairly strong. Not that it matters. I've studied how to hold it when firing but of course it's my first time so the first few will need adjusting.


How bad is the punch on one? Will wearing a jacket help absorb the punch? I assume it would. Any tips for the first time shotgun shooter. I've shot small rifles and large pistols before. Thanks for any help.

I had calcium buildup in my shoulder that the doctor was going to give me surgery for. I bought a Mossberg 500, shot a box of ammo on my bad shoulder. This was 5 years ago, and I have not had an issue with my shoulder since. The doctor is 100% amazed by my recovery without surgery.

Do they kick, hell yes they do. But that's part of the fun of shooting.

 

[MassachussettsMosinNagant]

Thanks for the feedback everyone, I am a lot more confident than when I came in. I'm just gonna hunker down and see what she has lol.


I wish I had open private land, I would have already came back talking about how it went. Waiting to try a new gun is grueling when you live in the city. But this weekend i'm gonna make a day of it and take a trip out to the local range I go to. I'll report back with how it goes. If I don't come back, it only means it snapped my torso in half with the power of it's recoil. And in that case, I went out in a patriotic manner which is all one can ask for.

 

[whacko]

I picked up 3 different boxes of slugs with the shotgun from the fella at dick's. 1 is Federal Brand, 2 3/4'' 9 pellet, 00 buckshot slugs. Came with 25 in the box. The next is cheap bird and target rounds, 1 oz, 6 shot. Paid 5 for 25. But unfortunately the range i'm a member of only allows buckshot for some reason. I would rather waste the cheap rounds but oh well. I'm not sure as to why. Than the last box was some pricey Hornady SST 300 GR, Slugs for the Rifled Barrel the shotgun came with. Supposed to be way more accurate for longer distances.

How much do you reckon those federals will kick?

The federal buckshot is not all that bad. Point of order though.....buckshot and slugs are two different things. You said buckshot slugs when describing the federal ammo.

 

[whacko]

True story... 3" slugs aren't a bunch of fun. They're hard on the shoulder and the wallet.

3 inch turkey loads are no ball of joy either.....that's why I hunt turkey with a 20 gauge. Its about a tight pattern not payload. 20 gauge Still takes their heads clean off.....

 

[Palladin]

I purchased my 500 in 1979, from Ivanhoe's, for $110 new, I was 22yo and 150#. as wickedcoolname said, just put it tight to your shoulder, pucker up and let the lead fly.

 

[whacko]

I purchased my 500 in 1979, from Ivanhoe's, for $110 new, I was 22yo and 150#. as wickedcoolname said, just put it tight to your shoulder, pucker up and let the lead fly.

I got luckey with my Mossberg 500. Was looking for an inexpensive 12 gauge for hunting and recreationally trap. Army buddy of mine had a new in box mossy 500 made in the mid 1990s.....he won it in a club raffle and never even took it out of the box. Sold it to me for $150 in 2012. That guns been a workhorse for me hunting everything from deer to snowshoe hare cottontail squirrels pheasant and ducks. Looks like hell now the woods all dinged up and the bluing is wearing off the mag tube pretty good but no rust and has gone bang every time I've pulled the trigger. Never failed to eject feed or fire.

 

[Dadstoys]

Mine's nickname is Miss Piggy.
Have a sloppy hold with 3" mag buck or slug and you'll find out why . , But it's not going to knock you on your ass.
Funny though, you never notice recoil when hunting.
The old girl has killed a heck of a lot of deer though and never failed me.
She also looks like I feel some days.

 

[whatluck]

Technique is everything. Use the same stance you would to knock someones head off with a straight right.

 

[Koolmoose]

I have 4 12 gauge shotguns. A Mossy 500 ATP, a Winchester 1300 Costal, both pumps. Also a Charles Daly O/A and an H&R Topper. The first three aren’t bad, but the shooting the Topper ..... that’s a religious experience!

I have rotator cuff issues in my right shoulder and am going to buy a vest with a gel pad insert to reduce the impact on my shoulder joint.