# i need your help



## walleyewrangler13 (Apr 2, 2010)

i bought a brandnew mossberg 500 20 gauge pump at the end of gun season last year. hadnt used it at all. went and shot it today. first shot hit box i was shooting at about 4 inches low of the dot. shot again missed box completely. dad took the gun shot missed box completely.(we both have good aim and know we should have been hitting) and this box was quite big. shooting at about 50 yards. i was using the regular field barrel and i have the screw in modified choke in it. and shooting winchester 2 3/4 slugs. can anybody please help me out and tell me what i need to do to get this thing to hit? youth hunt is next weekend and i need this gun so i can hunt. thanks


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## saugeyesam (Apr 20, 2004)

For now you need to put the improved cylinder choke in and try that. And see where it gets you. If still no luck, then I'd say use your Muzzle loader or borrow one if you don't own one, just until you can buy a slug barrel for the shotgun. One other thing try a different slug. Federal 2 3/4 slugs shoot very well out of my Mossberg 500.


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## walleyewrangler13 (Apr 2, 2010)

saugeyesam said:


> For now you need to put the improved cylinder choke in and try that. And see where it gets you. If still no luck, then I'd say use your Muzzle loader or borrow one if you don't own one, just until you can buy a slug barrel for the shotgun. One other thing try a different slug. Federal 2 3/4 slugs shoot very well out of my Mossberg 500.


thanks for the info. the gun came with a slug barrel. but its only set up for a scope. (no iron sights) and i havent even mounted the scope. so i dont have enough time or money to try and sight that one in. sabots tend to be really expensive.


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## killingtime (Apr 29, 2009)

i second that on the improved cylinder. i have a browning gold 20 gauge with improved choke and a red dot scope and it shoots well. i shoot the cheap remington 2 3/4 inch.


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## ezbite (May 25, 2006)

Those winchester will be just fine. Like the others said, shoot rifled slugs thru the cylinder/imp cyl choke tube. Start closer too. Go to 30 yards and see where you hit. If your hitting low/left, you now know to adjust your point of aim to high/right or where ever the slugs hitting. It will be trial and error until you find the correct point of aim to get the slug to hit where you want. Does your box have a target on it? An X or black dot, something? You need some type of bullseye to aim at, just aiming at a plain box will not help you much.


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## markfish (Nov 22, 2007)

i will say this after you shoot the barrow will get hot then it will shoot different, i found that the Remington slugs work good in my 500.


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## walleyewrangler13 (Apr 2, 2010)

ezbite: yes i am aiming at a black square about 4x4 inches.


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## ezbite (May 25, 2006)

walleyewrangler13 said:


> ezbite: yes i am aiming at a black square about 4x4 inches.


move closer then until you can hit the box, move back as your groups get smaller, are you shooting from a rest? that would be a good idea too until you start hitting the box with every shot, then stand and shoot like youre out in the woods hunting.


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## I Fish (Sep 24, 2008)

They used to make a cheap stick on rear sight. It was plastic, but worked very well on my brothers H&R single barrel for about 4 years, until the adhesive let go. You might try to find one so you will have an adjustable rear sight. It's not fancy, but works.


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## Angler ss (May 15, 2008)

I agree with (I Fish) if you plan to shoot a field barrell buy a set of sights. Some snap on some stick with adhesive they will turn your field barrell into a smooth bore slug shooting machine.
Angler ss


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## Poohflinger (Feb 2, 2010)

Hide the bead. What I mean is when aiming, drop your barrel in front so in your line of sight the front bead dissapears. Tough to do at first. But since you want to get any kind of accuracy from a smooth bore field barrel, you have to improvise. Had the same problem with my 20ga field barrel when I was a kid. Hope this improves your accuracy.


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## Bonecrusher (Aug 7, 2010)

I would be willing to trade you barrells. I have a slug barrell w/ iron sights. Was looking for one with a scope and don't want to do any drilling on my gun.


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## Weekender#1 (Mar 25, 2006)

Remember "it is a Mossburg"


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## ezbite (May 25, 2006)

Weekender#1 said:


> Remember "it is a Mossburg"


nothing wrong with mossberg. just because it doesnt cost $900 doesnt mean it wont shoot straight. if you dont have something helpfull to say, please stay out of it, why slam the guys choice of gun??


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## nick99 (Mar 8, 2010)

i had this same thing happen to me a few years back i spent over 250 bux on slugs trying to sight it in went through 2 different barrels and still could not get the gun to sight in the place i bought it from refunded me my money and sent back to mossburg and i bought an 1187 took it out after boresighting it and 3 shots later was shooting 2 in groups at 100 yards i will never own and other mossburg again they have really went down hill as far as good gun i think. moss bug told me when i called they had troble with the riffling of the barrel and i wasnt the first to complain.


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## nick99 (Mar 8, 2010)

forgot to add that was with my fully riffeled barrel and my bead barrel was a tack drivier but ive lost to many deer with lead lslugs when i was yonger and i will only shoot riffeled guns. Mossburg does make good guns i just think the 500 has really went down. My first gun when i was 8 was a 500 20 ga and was the best gun i ever shot never missed with it should have never of sold it and bought the newer camo one.


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## walleyewrangler13 (Apr 2, 2010)

went out again with the ic choke. hitting a lot better and all shots were in a fairly small group from 50 yards. i ran out of slugs and couldnt try from 75 yards. so i might just use a different gun for this weekend. i would sure be upset if a monster showed up and only came to 75 yards. thanks for the help everyone.


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## Weekender#1 (Mar 25, 2006)

After all it is a Mossburg.
I have owned several of the guns, good starter gun but if I can not give a fair opinion shut the heck up. 
Two guys that used to come up bird hunting with a mossburg they bought them new, a semi auto model. They could only put one shell in the gun or they would jam up and take a mastermind to get the gun clear. I had a 500 for years and the performance was sad. I would rather suggest buying a used 870 or anything else. I have a barrel off a mossburg that blew out the side, lucky the kid was not killed. 
EZ bite, grab a rod.
I am allowed to post my opinion. Nothing against the kid and I have killed a few deer with that brand but you will not have it for the long run at least I hope not.


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## crappiehunter18 (Apr 25, 2010)

About 5 years ago i bought a mossberg 20 gauge combo we could never get the gun to shoot good with any sabots we tried traded it in for a used 870 the next, and just with the field barrel it shot better than the mossberg. Family and friends i know have had the same luck as me. Just my opinion


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