Ammo for a newbie...

C

corvairkid64

New member
First timer here... I am leaning towards purchasing a Mossberg 500 Field/Security combo #54169.
As my wife will also be learning how to shoot this gun, what low recoil ammo would you recommend?
Thanks,
Ken
 
They make low recoil target ammunition, (Winchester IIRC), which would be a great start. From there move up to regular target ammunition and slowly progress up through the various payloads till you get to whatever load you deem necessary for your purposes (I'm assuming HD here)
 
Welcome!


start off with some birdshot... 2 3/4in. I must say that i shot my friends mossberg with some light sporting clays rounds and it felt like i was shooting my supermag ( rem. 870). i don't know if all mossbergs are like this because that was the only one i have ever shot.
 
Welcome.......

Use light loads of birdshot for training and familiarization at first. A 1 oz load of shot, all else equal, will kick 12% or so less in a given shotgun than a 1 1/8 oz load. And, one of the 7/8 oz loads now available is another 12% less.

Winchester, Remington and Fiocchi, among others,make 7/8 oz 12 gauge loads.

Velocity also counts. Cutting the speed to say, 1150 FPS instead of 1250 drops the kick (Felt Recoil) significantly. Sorry, just woke up and can't do the math right now.

The Mossbergs are fine guns but the light weight has its downside. Set the gun up for the smallest shooter (any decent smith can fit a stock well enough) and install a premium pad.

HTH....
 
Dave McC said:
Velocity also counts. Cutting the speed to say, 1150 FPS instead of 1250 drops the kick (Felt Recoil) significantly. Sorry, just woke up and can't do the math right now.
Click to expand...
What our sleepy-headed, but otherwise fearless, leader is trying to say, look for loads that not only have less shot but are slower, too.

Recoil is directly proportional to changes in payload, but to the square of the velocity: Cut the shot load in half and you halve the recoil. But, if you cut the velocity in half you'll have only a quarter of the recoil.

In Dave's example: dropping the velocity from 1250 to 1150 is roughly an 8% drop, by it reduces the recoil energy by 15%.
 
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Yup, Dave is right. If I could find some 7/8 oz. target loads, I would start with those for a nice, low recoil load. If not, get the slowest 1 oz. load you can find (i.e. 1145 fps as opposed to 1325 fps). Work you way up from there.
 
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