Why I gave up my mossy 12 ga for home long gun

[Dr_2_B]

It's the recoil. I shoot my tactical 12 ga. occasionally and I hate it. I've finally realized that I'm just gun-shy every time I go to shoot the thing. None of my pistols phase me - and some of them are known for their snappiness.

So I'll man up and admit that I have gone to an AK, an AR or an M1 Carbine for home defense based primarily on the recoil issue and secondarily on round capacity. Anybody else feel this way?

 

[RP88]

I hate the recoil on my AK more than I do the Mossberg because at least the Mossy has a rubber recoil pad. That steel plate gives me bruises if I don't stick a washcloth on my shoulder.

 

[mr.scott]

if the shotgun is giving you that much problems you need to check your technique. Make sure you square it up on your pec, not your shoulder.
I would highly recommend against using the AK for home defense as the 7.62 round at those distances is going to go through a lot and possibly exit the house. the shot gun while uncomfortable will not over penetrate and in "the moment" recoil is going to be the last thing you are concerned with.

 

[jackdanson]

I usually practice with birdshot, easier on the shoulder, easier on the pocket.

An AR is a supposedly a great home-rifle. Lots of articles on the net about it. .223 is known for fragmenting, so penetration isn't neccessarily horrible, depending on what you use. I wouldn't use an AK or 30-carbine.

 

[Boats]

Despite having several rifles either a Mossberg 500 or 590A1 remains the home defender.

When a common 940fps .38 special will penetrate most of three or four rooms of a house, I'm not counting on fragmentation to completely stop a 2000+fps projectile.

Shotguns are more forgiving of misses for purposes of penetration and in CQB, harder to miss with in the first place when you practice.

You might owe it to yourself to try the shotgun again with the following tips:

1) If you've pistol gripped your Mossy, change it back to standard. Keep your recoil in line with your shouldering.

2) As someone said earlier, check your technique. Make sure you have a good recoil pad on the buttstock.

3) Get some reduced recoil "tactical loads" in #4 buckshot and give them a try.

4) Borrow and try a shotgun with a little more mass, like a Remmie 870 with wood stocks, and see if that helps take the edge off. A lighter weight aluminum receiver Mossy with synthetic stocks is not everyone's cup of recoiling tea, especially firing slugs.

5) Borrow and try a semi-automatic shotgun as they are generally softer shooting.

 

[geologist]

The Mossberg 500 has an aluminum alloy receiver making it light in weight. Felt recoil with my 500A is much greater than with my all steel 870 clone.

Try switching over to an 870, put a Knoxx Specops recoil reducing stock on the 870 or just buy a Past Recoil Shield.

 

[R127]

Use 124gr Military Classic JHP in your AK, it fragments so no worries about over penetration. Nobody should have to use a washcloth as a recoil pad. K-Var and Kalinka optics both sell the military AK recoil pad originally intended for use with the grenade launcher. There are some copies of that recoil pad that are a bit cheaper too but any of them will be under $30.

 

[foghornl]

Have a VERY knowledgeable shotgun shooting budd check the form & fit while you shoulder up that shotgun. You may need a bit more or less drop to 'fit' you..Mossberg sells the spacer kit to do just that. IIRC, the kit is under $30. The spacers are beveled to tweak the fit, and can also adjust the length of pull.

Invest in a better quality recoil pad than the factory one that came on the stock. Pachmayr, Limb-Saver, Kick-Eez, etc..buy one and install it. Again, less than $30.

I have also added 8 Oz. of lead into the stock bolt attachment cavity. It helps tame that recoil pulse. (My HomeLand Security Shotgun is the Maverick 88...18-1/2" barrel, synthetic stock). I cut the 1-Oz slug out of 8 rounds and installed them in the stock bolt cavity.

One more thing...look into some of the 'Reduced Recoil' buckshot/slugs.

 

[Speedo66]

I guarantee you will not feel the recoil if you ever have to use it seriously.

Ask any hunter how much recoil they felt after he or she pulled the trigger on game and they will generally have no memory of it.

 

[battlecry]

Surprised nobody has chimed in yet with a recommendation for the Knoxx stocks. Check them out.

 

[HB]

My biggest problem is if you miss with an AR (out the door or window) the bullet will go a long, long way.... #4 Buck or bigger won't.

HB

 

[Tom488]

I can't say enough good things about my Knoxx SpecOps stock on my Rem. 870. Shooting 00 Buck, I felt more of a "whump" against my cheek than I did against my shoulder. My Mini-30 has more felt recoil. It is one of THE best upgrades you can do to a home defense shotgun.

 

[rhinoh]

The Knox is the ticket...substantial difference. Besides if in a typical home defense short range situation I doubt the shotgun would be on the shoulder anyway, more likely shot from the hip...I think. Hope to never find out

 

[geologist]

The knoxx specops works great on my 14" 870 copy.

 

[Dr_2_B]

THANK YOU for the tip on the Knoxx. I'm looking into it now.

 

[kcmarine]

Sorry, but a shotgun does not hurt that much... Don't mean to be a jerk... but seriously, get a normal 12 gauge, with a relatively normal buttpad. You will be fine.

 

[Dr_2_B]

kcmarine, you're right. I believe at this point a large part of it is psychological. I mean, I fire my Garand and it's effortless. And I fire some very snappy handguns and they don't bother me a bit.

One possible factor is that I've never had great shoulders - lotsa cracking and stuff. Maybe I'm hypersensitive.

 

[mr.scott]

Like I mentioned previously. check your technique. Seriously. I'm right handed and shoot right handed. My right shoulder has about 75% the strength of my left. If I do push ups I can only get to about 20 before my right shoulder is on fire and I want to cry.
But with proper shotgun/rifle technique I have shot hundreds of rounds in a day with very little discomfort.
A quick tutorial of the technique I learned in the police academy. Don't hold the shotgun in a bladed stance. This will cause you to move the butt of the gun onto your shoulder or upper arm.
Stand facing your target weak foot forward. Place the shotgun on your pec below your collar bone.
I've been using this technique for years and it helps a lot. I can even fire 50 rounds through my mosin m44 with steal butt plate and I'm fine.
For perspective, I'm 5'10 about about 170lbs so I'm no heavy weight or brusier.

 

[chris in va]

The Knoxx is nice, but understand the 'cheek weld' is too high and your sights won't line up. BTDT.

And forget trying to practice shooting clays with it. Yikes.

My Saiga has HD duty now.

 

[TonyDedo]

The Knox is the ticket...substantial difference. Besides if in a typical home defense short range situation I doubt the shotgun would be on the shoulder anyway, more likely shot from the hip...I think. Hope to never find out

+1 on the Knoxx stock. I got one for my Mossy 590A1, and it's completely transformed the shotgun. Even my 110lb 4'11" girlfriend can shoot it without a problem (she loves the damn thing - wants one of her own now).

The Knoxx is nice, but understand the 'cheek weld' is too high and your sights won't line up. BTDT.

Not sure about the traditional sights, but the ghost sights on the 590A1 work perfect with the Knoxx stock.

 

[JWF III]

Don't give up on the shotgun just yet. I have a 590 and a standard 26" 870. The light loads, that I load, I can shoot literally all day out of the Remmy. I normally take a 5 gallon bucket of shell when I go shoot skeet, and rarely return with more than a gallon left. But the exact same load, absolutely kicks the s*** out of me in the Mossy. I can't explain it, other than different ergonomics and a better stock fit. I've even let friends try it, some of them have even claimed that I slipped some 3" into the Mossy. Give a Rem a try, before you completely give up the 12 ga.

Wyman

 

[Dr_2_B]

I'm also gonna check my technique & Scott I'm gonna walk through your approach.

thanks

 

[QuietEarp]

Nobody mentioned dropping down to a 20 gauge. Not a bad compromise and still an excellent round for home defense.

 

[Mike J]

I agree with Quiet Earp. I have a old mossberg model 500 20 ga that I horse traded for years ago. Even with a pistol grip it is not hard to hold with #3buckshot. Incidentally they tested 20 ga #3 buck on the box o' truth site. I believe it to be adequate with less risk of overpenetration.