Mossberg 500 12 gauge.

[V4Vendetta]

If I get a Mossberg 500 12 gauge, would I need a recoil pad? What brand would work best? How much would it be? Would reduced shells work better? I heard that reduced ammo isn't as effective.

 

[trueblue1776]

As a red blooded american man, no you don't need a recoil pad, no you don't need reduced recoil rounds, you aren't going to hurt yourself, it's just a 12ga. Just grip nice and firm and have some fun, I shoot full power 3" magnums all day with no pad and I'm fine, (3-1/2" shells are another tune though). I started shooting rabbits with a 12ga when I was 12

 

[Dave Dembinski]

I shot a Mossberg 500 in 12ga for my first time ever with a shotgun a couple weeks ago. I got some good advice on form, and it wasn't bad at all. Went through about 75 shells over the day (#7 1/2 shot for clays and steel plates), and had only a little soreness the next day.

Keep your weight forward, and keep the butt tight into your shoulder, with your cheek down on the stock and you'll be just fine.

 

[belton-deer-hunter]

well as a 12 gauge goes just leave no space in between your shoulder and you will be fine

 

[MCgunner]

The shoulder really ain't the problem for me. I'm a little sore after a good morning duck hunt except in cold weather when I have all the clothing on. What always gets me, not just the Mossy, is I have these high cheeks. Danged butt stock gets my cheek on crossing shots when I'm trying to shoot over to my right (southpaw). Thing kicks up into my face. That is not a real problem with self defense and it don't bother me in an ordinary skeet type situation, just some shots in the field, you know, when both feet are stuck in the mud and the bird is to your weak side and you're trying to turn 180 while stuck in the mud? You'd have to be a duck hunter to relate to this, I guess. LOL I have had that gun and others actually cut my cheek and have blood all down my face like I'd gone ten rounds with George Foreman (as if I'd survive 10 rounds with George Foreman. ). Takes a few days for the swelling to go down. I just tell everyone the ol' lady beat me up.

 

[V4Vendetta]

Thanks for the advice fellas. I'm 6' tall, 185 pounds & can lift a 50 pound bag of horse feed like its a feather if that has anything to do with it. I'll try it without the pad, but if I still think I need one, what pad would be best?

 

[SShooterZ]

Pachmayr, Limbsaver and Kick Eez all make good pads with a slight edge towards Kick-Eez from what I have read.

 

[trueblue1776]

the gun probably comes with a small 1/2" pad. 185lbs? You will have no troubles, it may as well be a .22

 

[Dave McCracken]

Now that the Testosterone Crowd has had their say, my $0.02.....

I trained hundreds of folks to shoot. For new shooters, the recoil thing is the hardest part to get past. Some never do.

Start off with the lightest loads you can find. Use good form(See the floaters and the Shotgun 101 threads for proper techniques) and take things slow until your form gels.Trust me on this.

Using a wearable pad like the PAST makes good sense.

Reduced recoil ammo may be not as effective but it's still effective. So much energy transfer occurs in a target the term "Overkill" can be used. Even the miniscule 410 packs close to the energy of GI hardball 45 ACP.

"Serious" ammo is for when you can control your weapon with the light stuff.

HTH.....

 

[slopemeno]

My Mossberg bashed me in the cheek too. If you dont care about the finish, take a rasp and sanding block to the cheekpiece until your cheekweld lines your eye up with the bead. Dont expect to be able to match the finish from the factory though, as its a combined stain and finish. The other option would be to install a taller bead which should allow you to raise your head slightly.

As far as recoil pads go, I like the Pachmayer Sporting Clays pad, as well as the Decelerator for rifle work. Remember that a pad may require fitting, though Pachmayer is starting to make pads to fit existing stocks, so you might want to check that out.

 

[trueblue1776]

Testosterone guy? I just figured a 185lb guy who had no problem with a 50lb bag of feed.... (Then again I do eat 2 dozen eggs for breakfast.)

 

[MCgunner]

My stock is camoed plastic and I think might be hollow, so I don't know about cutting on it. I've seen these rubber inserts that have to be fitted, often thought that might be an answer to the bruised face syndrome. Anyone know where I could get such a product? Heck, I'd try to fit it myself if possible, save some money that way. Not sure how those things would fit up on a plastic stock, though. Guess I could always buy a wood stock for it from Numrich Arms (sp?), used to be Gun Parts Inc. Or, is it the other way around? Haven't ordered anything from them in years, don't even know if they're still in business.

 

[sorny]

I have a Mossy 500 12ga and have shot 100 rounds at a time (skeet) with minimal soreness. Now that I've shot more and have a better stance/grip it doesn't bother me at all. That isn't a 3.5" shell though, and I've never shot a 3.5" shell so I don't know if it's night and day just or just a "bit" harder.

I'm 6', 245lb if that matters. I've tried to get my wife to shoot the 12 gauge but understandably, she is afraid it'll hurt her.

 

[dasmi]

Now that the Testosterone Crowd has had their say

/me beats his chest and holds his Mosin-Nagant M44 victoriously above his head!

 

[mrrev]

that mossy500 already comes with a factory pad which is quite sufficient. Like someone said earlier, the more you shoot the less you'll notice it. You yourself will adjust your stance and form, unless you like getting kicked in the shoulder over and over again. I recently shot my mosin 38 carbine for the first time with no pad, instead, a metal plate at the butt of the stock, ouch!!! But after about 20 rounds I adjusted...just like all those millions of ruskies that also used them in ww2...just keep shooting...

 

[MCgunner]

that mossy500 already comes with a factory pad which is quite sufficient. Like someone said earlier, the more you shoot the less you'll notice it. You yourself will adjust your stance and form, unless you like getting kicked in the shoulder over and over again. I recently shot my mosin 38 carbine for the first time with no pad, instead, a metal plate at the butt of the stock, ouch!!! But after about 20 rounds I adjusted...just like all those millions of ruskies that also used them in ww2...just keep shooting...

I have an old pattern 88 mauser. It's one of the ones converted to 7.92x57S before WW2 when Germany went to the larger diameter spitzer bullet. That thing beats the crud outta my shoulder. LOL Shot up 50 rounds on a lazy afternoon one day shooting at turtles and snakes on a pond. Wow, couldn't friggin' move my arm for three days. I shoot shotguns, belted magnums, all sorts of stuff without a problem. Might be that metal butt plate, all I can figure. Fortunately, I don't shoot that thing often.

 

[iamkris]

.

 

[riverdog]

For me, recoil is one of those things I don't even want in the back of my mind when I'm shooting. I've never been particularly recoil sensitive with rifles. Shoot a couple high power matches with a Springfield '03 (30-06 bolt action) and you'll see how well you handle recoil. That doesn't mean I enjoy being battered by a rifle or shotgun.

When I restocked my 870 for Trap I started off shooting the rough custom stock with the bare wood just to see if the LOP was correct, long or short. I shot more than a few rounds of Trap with that gun and lived to tell about it It doesn't mean the sharp corner of the wood was comfortable. Once I determined the stock length sans recoil pad was just about perfect, I took it to a shotgunsmith who removed enough stock to fit a Pachmyer Decelerator. Wow, felt recoil is very nice, some of it is the stock shape, but the Pachmyer pad is a real improvement over bare wood. I'd install a recoil pad in a heartbeat. Use it to help fit the stock to you.

 

[SASS#23149]

skip the 00 buckshot the first time out!

Double ought buck is for MEN to shoot.
any off the shelf nuber6's or 7 1/2's will bust clays and ring steel and not beat the crap out of you.
buckshot can definatley beat the crap out of you.
Unless you're bringing down high flying birds or shooting buildings apart the standard 2 3/4" shells will do ya just fine.The lower the 'dram equveilant' or fps noted on the box,the lighter the load.
have fun with it!!

 

[V4Vendetta]

I was mainly going to be using this gun for HD. Isn't 00 Buck the best for that purpose? If so, shouldn't I practice with them?

 

[Andrew S]

I was mainly going to be using this gun for HD. Isn't 00 Buck the best for that purpose? If so, shouldn't I practice with them?

Depends who you ask. Ive got 3" #4 buck loaded in mine right now. For my range the number of pellets will destroy any attacker.