New Hunter

[Shooter7]

Hey all, been lurking a while and decided to join the boards. Hope to meet some of you this season!

I'm a relatively new hunter. Past year I've done a couple Raahauge's club pheasant hunts & shot dove in the IV. Started with fishing and just found the outdoors relaxing & enjoyed the challenges. I still enjoy the fishing but once I had that first bite of bacon wrapped dove... Well lets say I'm stocked with 7.5" shot instead of hooks!

Really interested in all forms of upland & waterfowl hunting.

Have my own pump-action Mossberg 500 for a few years now and hasn't failed me yet! Thoughts on pump-action for upland & waterfowl?

I look forward to contributing to the site & community!

 

[Gspman]

Hey and welcome. Lots of good info here and good guys.

 

[TRICER]

My opinion is the M500 is the most reliable shotgun available. You can't go wrong. It's not the gun it's the shooter your pump will outshoot a lot of guys with high dollar guns. Practice practice practice.

 

[NBK]

Welcome to SCH Shooter7. Glad you are wanting to be part of the community. There is an old adage a close friend reminded me of some time ago; beware of the man that shoots one gun. Your Mossberg is just fine.

 

[longbowhunter2]

Honestly I have the same shotgun. It got my limit of dove last year. So X1 to advice given. So far it has been reliable. I am use to shooting a semi but my pump works fine. Only mistake I made I purchase a built in modified choke. But not mistake really. It would have nice to have variable choke. But so far happy with it.

 

[Shooter7]

Longbowhunter2, I purchased mine at a Big 5 sale as a combo (long & short barrel). The long barrel is the kind that you describe (fixed modified choke). I've seen the Mossberg accu-choke system but really how much does a modified vs. full make a difference in the field of upland & waterfowl? Ultimately what I'm trying to ask is: do I really need anything other than modified?

All other replies, thank you for the welcoming! I'll be down in the IV for the 2nd opener and look forward to the hunt!

 

[longbowhunter2]

full choke if you need the distance only for turkey & duck hunting , other than that modified does great. quail, dove, pheasant, rabbit,

 

[SurfNHuntSD]

Longbowhunter2, I purchased mine at a Big 5 sale as a combo (long & short barrel). The long barrel is the kind that you describe (fixed modified choke). I've seen the Mossberg accu-choke system but really how much does a modified vs. full make a difference in the field of upland & waterfowl? Ultimately what I'm trying to ask is: do I really need anything other than modified?

All other replies, thank you for the welcoming! I'll be down in the IV for the 2nd opener and look forward to the hunt!

Mod is great for most all hunting scenarios. I only use my XF for turkey, but it's not a necessity. Given the lead phaseout though, is that fixed mod OK with steel?

 

[ilovesprig]

Do NOT shoot steel with a lead full in your Mossy......Modified is literally good for everything (even turkeys, if you're shooting Hevi-Shot).....Full chokes were implemented for the most part because of the old paper wads in the old days.....Now all shells use plastic cupped wads.....That alone makes them tighter.

ps.....I do own high dollar hunting guns (Benelli SBE's) and except my turkey gun, the modified is permanently stuck in the barrel.

pss....Killed lots of stuff with my old Mossy 500.....Lots of folks have with this solid shotgun.