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Advice needed

1702 Views 17 Replies 1 Participant Last post by  ShotgunPro
Purchased my new Mossberg 500 12g Cruiser/Presuader 18.5 inch barrel, just need to know what are somoe good shells to use for HD/SD but not too costly. I plan on stocking up with the rest of may ammo. What woudl you guys recommend?
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Purchased my new Mossberg 500 12g Cruiser/Presuader 18.5 inch barrel, just need to know what are somoe good shells to use for HD/SD but not too costly. I plan on stocking up with the rest of may ammo. What woudl you guys recommend?
You really opened up a can of worms with this one. Most of the keyboard commandos out there will say "nuthin less than 00 buck!" and then spit into their spittoon and scratch themselves for good measure. What kind of ammo you use is really up to you. Take your environment and living situation into consideration. If you live out in the country and don't have neighbors close by and don't have family members in the house, you'd be fine using 00 buck or even slugs. However, if you live in an urban neighborhood or have family members living in your home, slugs and 00 buck stand a much greater risk of over penetration and causing collateral damage. There are lots of macho guys out there that swear that nothing less than 00 or 000 buck will do for *any* situation (give me a break), but I have #4 buckshot in mine since I live in an urban neighborhood and have family members in the house. It's a pretty good compromise. I also have a Mossberg 500 pump action with the security barrel on it. As far as shells go, I'd recommend the 2.75" shells over the 3" for home defense because it kicks less and you have more capacity. I personally like the Fiocchi shells because the lead balls are nickel plated, but that's just a preference. Now, here comes the "don't listen to that guy! You need 00 buck!!!" comments in 3....2....1....
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I'll stay out of the debate as well and just recommend practicing with whatever you get. Some ammo will probaby group a little better than others and you may get a little better control and follow up shots with some of the low recoil rounds. Try them and see what works for you. I'd also give that pistol grip a shot first before I relied on it. The stock might work better for control and accuracy than a pistol grip for SD rounds.
I'll stay out of the debate as well and just recommend practicing with whatever you get. Some ammo will probaby group a little better than others and you may get a little better control and follow up shots with some of the low recoil rounds. Try them and see what works for you. I'd also give that pistol grip a shot first before I relied on it. The stock might work better for control and accuracy than a pistol grip for SD rounds.
^^Excellent points here. Although my shotgun came with the pistol grip as an option (the stock was installed), I've never been tempted to try it as I prefer an actual stock. I feel I could aim it better than something shot "from the hip", but I'm sure others probably feel the opposite.
Personally, for me, Federal XM127. Not because it's the best ballistically, not because it's the most accurate, etc. Because I can get it cheap in bulk, and it gets the job done. If you're buying for home defense, i'd feel comfortable with #4 and up. Again for me, XM127 is cheap and bulk, so I can shoot more. It will definitely ruin a BG's day, a hogs day, and anything that gets in the way.

Flame on.
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Ok I just picked up some Remington 2 3/4 shells, 8 pellets these>>



and some of these Ive had stashed away from y old 88 12g Shotty

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Ok I just picked up some Remington 2 3/4 shells, 8 pellets these>>



and some of these Ive had stashed away from y old 88 12g Shotty

Any of those should do fine for HD. Just make sure your keep the regular buttstock on it. The pistol grip is pretty much worthless, unless you're on the set of a movie.
"don't listen to that guy! You need 00 buck!!!"

:p

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"don't listen to that guy! You need 00 buck!!!"

:p

:p lol!!! good one
I have a pistol grip w/ stock, I wondered about a laser for aiming from the hip?

I know that people don't recommend Slugs because of over-penetration, but what about sabot bullets?
I have a pistol grip w/ stock, I wondered about a laser for aiming from the hip?

I know that people don't recommend Slugs because of over-penetration, but what about sabot bullets?
Most sabots are made for rifled barrel, and are used for hunting. As for lasers, I personally don't prefer them. My experience with them, is you get your first shot off, and after that, you're wasting time trying to find your dot so you can get it back on target.
I have a pistol grip w/ stock, I wondered about a laser for aiming from the hip?

I know that people don't recommend Slugs because of over-penetration, but what about sabot bullets?
Why in the world would you want to shoot from the hip, instead of properly shouldering your shotgun so you can properly aim it, have better control over it, and can cycle the action faster for more rapid follow up shots?:confused:

Take all the money you want to spend on the laser, buy some ammo for practice and find where you can take a shotgun class and learn how to effectively employ your weapon.

As for what to use--those low recoil 00's are a good choice. If you live in tight quarters, #4 buck can work, but would not be my first choice. #1 buck is usually considered the best load out there, though...

Just avoid birdshot, period. It's good for anything with feathers and mammals under 10 pounds; for mammals over that weight...go for the buckshot.

Slugs--well, they do have a place in home defense--and that's called turning cover into concealment tout suite. I really hesitate to recommend them, though, unless you live in a very rural area, as I do (and I don't choose them for HD, m'self...). And as pointed out above--sabots require a rifled barrel to be effective, they'll go through many walls just like a Foster slug, and are expensive as heck, to boot. Not needed for HD.
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federal 00 buck with the truflight cup puts up some very tight patterns.

But what Cuda said, it's all about tailoring the load to where you're at. I keep 00 Buck in my gun. neighbors aren't terribly close and the outside walls ofthe house are brick.
I have 00 buck in mine. Don't know if that's the best or not, but it's what I have for HD in my shotgun.
Just remember that even with smaller #1 buck the pattern at SD distances (around 15' or less) is very small so a proper presentation and aim is critical. The old cowboy movie style of shooting from the hip from across the room may or may not work with an 8"-10" pattern at that distance.
I have a pistol grip w/ stock, I wondered about a laser for aiming from the hip?

I know that people don't recommend Slugs because of over-penetration, but what about sabot bullets?
try getting a real buttstock and aiming.

It's WAAAY more pleasnt to shoot.

The only application I can think of for a pistol grip shotgun is a cut down barrel for a breaching gun. Fits in a scabbard better.
Yes I have already placed the buttstock back on, now I just need a barrel to shoot it..lol went out UPS to Mossberg today
if I were to put a "pistol" grip on the Mossberg platform, it'd be the speedfed. It's more like a cut off buttstock.



Like so. You can still hit the safety with that.
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