Big Mistake?

[Big D]

Hey yall. Back in April I purchased a Mossberg 500A Persuader 8 shot, as I missed the feel of my 5-shot Mariner. So for the first month or so I loved the gun, although front heavy. Then I started looking more and more @ my 870 Express, which has an 18 1/2'' barrel, 4+1....and the more I thought about it, the more I realized that I made a mistake, as I would have rather had a more compact and light shotgun like my 870. So then I screwed up and traded my 100% Persuader for a like new Mossberg 500A field model, with a 28'' vent rib barrel and a 24'' rifle sight slug barrel. Although the finish on the gun is damn good, and the wood grain is beautiful, after just now shooting the thing is believe I made an even bigger mistake. This 500 has more recoil than my Stoeger SxS and my 870. I just don't understand. I have no idea what to do. Right now I've only got $225 tied up in the whole deal, as I traded my Persuader outright, but I paid $25 bucks for the extra barrel. As of right now I'm stuck with a shotgun I do not even want. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciate!

 

[monduconstruct]

A big mistake is running over the neighbors kid with your car. This is a tiny itty bitty mistake. And I'd consider it a learning experience rather than a mistake! You learned that isn't what you want. I'm not sure about your part of the country, but are you able to sell firearms on craigslist? I know in Mass I can't, but I've heard some places you can.

 

[Gord]

If you don't like it, sell it or trade it for something you do want. If you prefer the 870 and would like another, get one. If you're just looking for another shotgun, keep trying until you find one you like.

 

[JFrame]

If the recoil is what is bothering you about the Mossy, but you like the shotgun otherwise, you might want to consider one of any number of options for taming the recoil, such as LimbSaver or a mercury insert.

Another option is something like the SpecOps or Compstock stocks by Blackhawk. Can't speak for the Compstock, but the SpecOps stocks are on sale right now via Natchez for something like 82 dollars, plus shipping.

Just some thoughts...

.

 

[Bud Tugly]

If you're using it for hunting and/or clays and like the gun otherwise you could try shooting lighter loads. Most folks find them quite effective unless you're hunting turkey or waterfowl.

Another option would be to sell it and use the money to buy a couple of extra barrels for your 870.

 

[augustino]

Like someone said earlier, nobody died, no one is hospitalized and at worst you've learned what you don't like and refined your search for that perfect shotgun, IF one exists. As I grow older what was perfect a decade ago isn't that same as what's perfect now.
So this is a learning experience and firearms always sell well and I'm sure you can recover almost everything you've got in it.
Don't fret, don't sweat worst case scenario is you've got another reliable SG to play with.
Besides if the SHTF you'll be very glad you have an extra.
If it's too heavy don't load all 8 rounds into the mag, only send in 5 or however many feels comfortable.

 

[winchester '97]

cut the stock down an inch and put a pachmayr decelerator pad on it, they are dirt cheap and turned my trap gun from a gun that would literally make your shoulder bleed to a gun i shoot 200 singles tournaments with without a sore shoulder. That pad over the factory pad makes my mossberg 535 feel like a 20 guage.

 

[NMGonzo]

my 870 18 1/2 is not bad.

I would try to get a mariner if one showed up used.

 

[DaveinPA]

While I can't give you advice on how to proceed from here, I can say that I agree with the conclusion you have reached. Guns that are quick and light are more useful to me than the overly accessorized barges that you often see pictures of. I believe that most of those owners have never used them in the real world.

Good luck and go light!

 

[goon]

If you don't like the Mossberg, why not just sell it?
I do it all the time.

 

[DHart]

Keep it if you want to have the long barrels for hunting, etc. Then just buy a Bantam butt stock for it and an 18.5" barrel - both from Mossberg. Now you've got a sweet 18.5" six-shooter with a really comfy 12.75" LOP, wood furniture on blued steel - sweet! If the recoil still bugs you, have a gunsmith put a Limbsaver on the Bantam stock and you'll absolutely love the gun. When you go hunting, put one of the longer barrels on it. Easy.

If you'll never use the long barrels, just sell them or the whole gun and barrels! Easy to do! No biggie.

Then buy an 18.5" Persuader and do the Bantam stock thing.

Here's my 18.5" Persuader with the Bantam stock.



I actually like it better with the ribbed forearm and I'm liking the looks too!



Don't sweat it... you've got lots of great options.

Here's another option. Sell the gun you've got and buy this sweet Winchester 1300 Defender. I would buy this gun in a heartbeat if I didn't already have TWO of them!

These are fantastic guns. 18.5" barrel with EIGHT-round capacity! They stopped making these four years ago, so you have
to hunt around to find 'em. Great gun. They feed those cool short Aguila rounds too. Can't go wrong with this gun. I expect it to
sell for a bit over $300, which I think is a very reasonable price for this gun.

http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.aspx?Item=173337293

 

[Big D]

Now I know why my Mossberg's felt recoil was so bad, I checked, and my Remington has a 14" LOP, which fits me almost perfect ( comes to shoulder very easy and just feels right, and recoil is extremely manageable), whereas a Mossberg sythetic stock has a 14'' to 14.5'' LOP, and a wood stock has 13 7/8''. I'm suprised it makes that big of a difference, but I guess it does.....

 

[oneounceload]

Your stock does not properly fit. Just blindly following some opinions to cut it or do other things to it without knowing what you need is foolhardy. A shotgun needs to fit properly. Cutting stocks to junior dimensions and then scrunching up on the stock is one of the biggest fallacies going. There's more to fit than LOP - there's cast on or off, pitch, drop at heel, drop at comb, toe in or out, etc.

 

[JNewell]

Your stock does not properly fit. Just blindly following some opinions to cut it or do other things to it without knowing what you need is foolhardy. A shotgun needs to fit properly. Cutting stocks to junior dimensions and then scrunching up on the stock is one of the biggest fallacies going. There's more to fit than LOP - there's cast on or off, pitch, drop at heel, drop at comb, toe in or out, etc.

Definitely true, and if you just shorten the stock, the two bolded above will go UPwards, which may or may not work for an individual shooter.

 

[oneounceload]

They may, or they may not, depending on the original configuration of the stock, which is why a fitting is in order