Mossberg 395KA?

[395KA]

Hello,
I was a given a Mossberg 395KA 12Ga w/ a C-LECT choke in great condition. I wanted to use it as a slug gun for this upcoming deer season. I took it out today to get familiar with it and shot 3 different brands of riffled slugs through it. It shot terribly. At 25 yards it was about a 12" lower than the center of the target. At 50 yards the shot dropped about 2 feet. I have never seen anything like it. I am wondering if anyone knows anything about these guns, or perhaps anything about adding on a rear adjustable sight? It has open sights, front and rear, but no place to mount any add-ons. Perhaps this gun just isn't made to do this? The choke is set to I.CYL. which is open. Any input or help would be appreciated since I can't afford to go buy a gun. I will try some other posts too, to see if anyone has ran across this problem.

 

[Shawnee]

Hi 395...

Am curious, aside from shooting low - how was it left/right and what were the group sizes?

I've been toying with the idea of buying one - filing off that rear "sight" that's on it and adding a RedDot style sight. Am not sure if there is enough metal on the receiver to accomodate the screws for the sight mount or whether a mount with the proper radii to match the receiver can be found.

 

[Dave McCracken]

There's a thread in the floaters about a Mossberg BA. Look for "The Ugliest Shotgun in Howard County".

Either the C lect is mounted crooked or the barrel is bent a mite. Or both.

Take the stock off add a small shim at the tip of the forend to add some pressure and reassemble. DO make sure the action bolts are tight but not overtorqued. Hand tight is good.

Retest and see where POI is. This may solve your problem.

 

[395KA]

Hi Guys,
Thanks for replying back to me.

As far as the group sizes, they were all spread out. Most shots pulled a little to the left. And that could involve a lot of human error since most shots were taken from a standing position. But even from 25 yards, it shouldn't be that off. The metal around the receiver is somewhat dense, but I don't know how deep the screws for a RedDot go. I am not familiar with them aside from reading about them online.

I like the idea of shimming the front-end of the stock. I am not sure what to use... I tried to find gun shims online but I didn't see any commercially made. I will try to get creative on that.

 

[35Rem]

Need a taller "rear sight", see about adding some height to the rear of the receiver for a sighting point.

How and where does regular shot pattern?

 

[Dave McCracken]

For shims I like folded up aluminum foil. Cheap, available and adaptable.

 

[Oneofsix]

395KA, did you get a chance to do this yet? I'm getting ready to put my 395K back together and will hopefully be taking it out for a test run soon...

 

[395KA]

something new...

Oneofsix and others who have replied...

I have not had a chance to try shimming the front end of the stock yet. Although as I have thought about it, I am not sure why that would raise my slug? The physical front sight/rear sight alignment would be the same as would their positions on the barrel itself. So to lower the front end of the stock would not change the firing line because isn't that determined by the sights and the barrel? See my dilemma...

I believe my option is to raise the rear sight by adding a new sight. Something simple such as...

http://www.brownells.com/aspx/ns/store/ProductDetail.aspx?p=16738&title=#20+UNIVERSAL+REAR+SIGHT

The problem is no one around me seems to carry these things, only TruGlo sights.
I have a Bass Pro Shop and a Dick's Sporting goods with in a mile of my house. I usually go to BPS, but the other day I went to Dicks. The guy there was very knowledgeable and he was at one point a gunsmith. He told me the problem I was having was the front bead is mounted on the poly-choke. So to line up the sights, I naturally tilted the barrel downwards to get the bead over it. But it is so slight you can't see what is happening. Until you fire and the slug drops 12 inches from 25 yards.
Here is a picture of an almost identical gun.

http://www.box54.com/model395k.jpg

His recommendation was to hacksaw off the choke and put on new sights. Or buy a new gun. But raising the rear sight would work too.
I can't get a new gun this year. And I am not excited about hacksawing the front off. So I think a rear sight is the way to go. I just have to find a way to mount one after I find one.
So I am trying to raise the rear sight before this weekend because deer season opens Saturday. You should see some of the ideas I have had in making an open rear sight about 1/8" higher than the stock one. Anyone have any creative ideas? I will try two local gun shops today and see if they have one of these old sights sitting around. That is where I am at in my challenge so far. Thanks for all the advice.

 

[Oneofsix]

395KA-try sighting in again, but with the choke 'collar' removed. I took mine off after rereading your original post and I think this might help. It greatly improves the sight picture.The collar is not really needed if you're shooting slugs IMHO, because it's function doesn't apply to slugs. So remove it for deer hunting, put it back on for when you're using shot.
"His recommendation was to hacksaw off the choke and put on new sights. Or buy a new gun." I'm not too surprised at this, he's a salesman.

 

[larog72]

I have the same gun, I dont know what to tell you about the gun shooting low but as far as grouping your shots, I have found that the only ammo that groups well w/ my gun are the Breneke slugs. Good luck w/ it