Mossberg wooden stocks?

C

Crazy Carl

New member
Is there a significant weight difference between the wood & synthetic stocks that Mossberg uses?

Just bought a M590A1 (20", ghost ring sights) & it kicks like a mule. I know, "man up" & all that, but 1) I'd like a little more weight to soak up some recoil & 2) I prefer the look of wood over synthetic.

Also, I've heard that some Mossys use 6 3/4" fore ends & some use 7 3/4". Short of yanking mine off & measuring, can anyone tell me what size mine should have?

Thanks!
 
I know, "man up" & all that,
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Those type of statements are made by people who have no idea what it means to have a properly fitting stock.

If your gun hurts, then it doesn't fit right............

There's nothing wrong with admitting you need to tweak the stock
 
I've heard the newer syn stocks are a bit long, tho it could just be I'm not shouldering the gun right. Haven't fired a shotgun regularly in close to 25 yrs & that was a .410.

Like I said, I'd just like to add some weight & I prefer the look of wood.
 
Carl,

Likely 7 3/4". IIRC, all the short "tactical" forends use that action slide length. To confirm though, feel free to bring it by the house one evening and we can pull it and measure. I've got a properly sized forend removal tool.

Yes, the wood stocks are a little heavier, but not much. You also may want to look at a Limbsaver pad, or if the stock is a little long for you (likely) shortening it up a bit (easier with wood).

I got a pretty well equipped shop if you need to use it for this project.
 
Cool, Tom. Thanks.

Found some reasonably priced wood stock sets online, so I'll most likely go on ahead & order 'em.

Does the Limbsaver make much difference over a standard pad?
 
I too don't quite understand the trend of longer buttstocks on shotguns these days....they seem to be about an inch too long.(I don't think I have shrunk)

Ebay is a good source of wood takeoff stocks...I got an older set for a 500 on the way to my house as we speak.

limbsaver pads are good ones...they are a new softer material.
There is also the compstock by Blackhawk to consider if you need something more.
 
Does the Limbsaver make much difference over a standard pad?
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It does. Proper fit is more important, but the Limbsaver certainly takes the edge off. I've got them on several shotguns and heavier recoiling rifles.
 
I too don't quite understand the trend of longer buttstocks on shotguns these days....they seem to be about an inch too long.(I don't think I have shrunk)
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Typical LOP 110 years ago was 14-1/4, current is 14-3/4, and many find 15 to be just right...............EXCEPT those who think a HD gun should be 12" or less and they should scrunch up on the stock - something I have never understood among the tacky cool crowd
 
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How do you determine "correct" LoP? I'm retired Army & conditioned to shoot "nose on the charging handle". Plus, I feel like I get a better sight picture when I get in close/tight to the gun.
 
I'm 6'3...........for ME a decent LOP is around 14-3/4 to 15-1/4 depending on the gun and how it is set up.............getting fitted is something that will let you that.............WAY too many folks think that unless they are "scrunched" up close and their thumb is hitting their nose when they fire that the sto k is too long.

Pick a point on the wall......maybe a corner where two walls and the ceiling meet........close your eyes and mount your gun comfortably and easily - are you pointing to that spot?.......The gun should effortlessly come up as your eyes meet the target and you're ready to shoot.,

Tacky cool folks prefer to hunker down and worry about recoil - if their gun fit, it wouldn't be a problem
 
CC,
It sounds like you're trying to aim your shotgun like a rifle, not point it. Since you're retired Army, I suspect you're more accustomed to a rifle. There is no sight picture with a shotgun you should be looking at the target, not the sight. Mounting a shot gun should be a natural action (see 1-oz's comment) -- you shouldn't be doing neck exercises to get close/tight to make some GI stock fit you.

New shooters often do better when introduced to a shotgun than trained riflemen. The newbie has no preconceived ideas, so an elbows up swing, shoot and follow through works for him. The rifleman mounts a shotgun and often his training has him taking a modified offhand stance and he gets tucked-in to stabilize the gun. Tucked in and smooth swing are mutually exclusive.

A while ago I watched Lock N' Load with R. Lee Ermey's episode on shotguns. I had to chuckle when the gunny was demonstrating shotguns, he's obviously a rifleman and not comfortable with a scattergun. His guest was Olympic champ Kim Rhode. IIRC, when Kimberly was a newbie small girl she had a better stance and swing than Ermey.

Carl, do yourself a favor and have a shotgunner you respect work with you on mounting, swing and stock fit. The gun will become part of you and you'll be watching your targets fly and die without giving the sights a second thought.

Back to the OP…
Stocks are getting longer because of market forces: If people don't buy your gun, but buy your competition's longer stocked similar model, wouldn't you start selling your guns with longer stocks?

In the old days shotguns came without recoil pads. If a gun felt short, the LGS salesman could quickly shim the hard butt plate, and give you a, "Here… try it now. We can add a pad for the extra length." It wasn't unusual to see someone shooting with two stacks of fender washers under the butt plate (or no plate) while trying a new gun for size.
 
I'm a dead even 6 feet, with longish arms and 14 1/2-14 3/4" is about right for me. The good news is that's about what the standard LOP is out of the box for most shotguns and rifles these days, so I don't have to worry overmuch about it. I do have one rifle (the Ruger .308 I brought to our first range trip together Carl) that I think I'm gonna have to make some adjustments to. It beats me up a little as it's just a hair too long.

At your height and build, Carl, the standard length is probably a bit much. Particularly if it's beating you in the face like you described your BLET experience.
 
rantingredneck said:
Zippy,
The Mossberg he's got is a ghostring equipped 590A1, so he will sorta have to aim it like a rifle.
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You're right! I was talking about generic shotguns not something mission specific. Obviously, if a shotgun is fitted out like a rifle/carbine, then it is sighted like one. IMHO, it's no longer a shotgun but a musketoon wannabe.

Mossberg makes a great many shotgun stocks (wood and synthetic) with "average" shotgun dimensions. These dimensions are based on using the shotgun with conventional bead sights. Responding to market demands, Mossberg puts ghostring sights on some of their specialty shotguns. Do they change the stock dimensions to accommodate the new (higher) sights?… I don't know, their web spec sheet has no entries in the DAC and DAH columns; so, I suspect not. Am I surprised that there are stock fit questions and recoil complaints with the ghostring gun?.. No. I was hoping that if Carl is considering a wood stock for his gun, perhaps he'll think of getting a regular (bead) sight barrel, too.

If you've got a light gun and the kick bothers you, then you might:
Fit the stock to the shooter (better distribute the recoil),
Add weight to the gun (reduce the recoil),
Shoot lighter loads (reduce the energy),
Port the barrel* (divert some of the energy), and/or
Install recoil reduction device/s (buffer the recoil).
[SIZE=-3]* Barrel porting is a subject of endless debate. Mossberg claims it works and offers a barrel porting service on some models for $35. [/SIZE]
 
Tom, the bead-sighted 870s smacked the be-geebus outta my face. No probs with your rifle-sighted 870, nor any face smacking with my Mossy.

The Mossberg did kick like a mule, with slugs, in comparison to your 870. Wasn't bad w/Remy #4 Hi-Vel loads, tho.

Not a huge deal, either way, tho I wouldn't mind taking some of the edge off with slugs.

Maybe we need to get together again sometime & have you give me some pointers on shotgunning, if yer up for it?
 
Zippy,

I have a tough time with bead-sighted shotguns. For me to get a good sight picture for slugs, I have to really jam my face into the stock. Needless to say, it's not real comfortable.

I was just surprised at how hard this one thumped with slugs, tho in the gun's defense, it's possible (can't remember/didn't notice) I was shooting 1.25 oz slugs. I'm sure that didn't help things :D

The gun's purely for HD use, with the occasional humorous go at a clay pigeon or two.

No real issues with the gun at all. I just prefer the look of wood & if it adds a bit of weight to help tame the recoil a bit, so much the better. If I can get 'er fitted properly, so much the better.
 
I have a tough time with bead-sighted shotguns. For me to get a good sight picture for slugs, I have to really jam my face into the stock. Needless to say, it's not real comfortable.
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That's the thing Zippy was referring to re: trying to sight a bead sighted gun like a rifle (like you instictively do given your training/experience).

The other thing I suspect is that you were likely shooting an older PD issue gun with a bead directly on barrel? The newer bead only short barrels have a pedestal to elevate the bead slightly so that it's on the same plane as a bead would be on a vent rib model. That lower bead arrangement is hard to transition to if you're used to a VR equipped gun. Ends up shooting a little high. I have 1 870 so equipped and I'm seriously considering adding an XS Tritium front bead to it. Not because I need the night sight so much as I want to elevate the bead a bit and that's the cheapest way I've figured out to accomplish it. It would epoxy over the existing bead and would necessarily be higher. But I digress......

So combining the older bead on barrel arrangment (?) with you shooting a shotgun like a rifleman and voila, Carl goes home with his face sore......

The rifle sights on my 870P and the ghostrings on your 590A1 had you holding your head up a bit and not doing neck stretching/face squishing exercises trying to line a low bead up over the rib in the top of the receiver.

I'm game for a range trip whenever you are. Not sure what's going on around the casa this weekend, but if I can get a 2hour pass from Mrs. RR on Saturday morning we may be able to arrange something. I can bring a few differently configured shotguns including some bead (VR and non-VR) and rifle sighted ones and we can work on form. I suspect at some point you'll have to work on the fit of that 590A1 stock though.
 
Carl / rantingredneck
Since y'alls are nearly neighbors, it would be a shame to miss an opportunity for a face-to-face and a chance to get Carl squared away.
 
Tom- that's exactly what we were shooting. I hated that dang gun. Whenever's convenient for you is good for me.

Zippy- no worries. We both belong to the same club & shoot together from time to time.

'Preciate the assist/advice, fellas. I was never that good with a shotgun as a kid, so it's nice to get some tips, now that I'm getting back into it.
 
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