Mossberg smoothbore

[Goatwhiskers]

Gunsmithed close to 40 yrs and finally saw one, a Mossberg 340TR, a smooth bore .22 with a screw-in rifled tube in the muzzle. Probouably early '50's manufacture. Mag is missing but I think I'm on the trail of one. Just out of curiosity, anybody got an idea what one of these is worth in about 75% condition? Thinking I might try to buy it if customer is willing. GW

[richhodg66]

I picked up a single shot Mossberg smoothbore, no rifled choke, a few months ago for $100. I was intrigued by it, not real sure why I got it, but it did have enough oomph to kill a bird that was causing a problem from about 30 feet away.

Apparently at one time, mini skeet was a thing and some of these had small target throwers that attached to the gun.

[Goatwhiskers]

According to Numrich catalog this is supposed to be a single, but it's sure a repeater. GW

[shaune509]

The 340TR 22lr bolt action clip feed smoothbore was made in the early '60s, there was a earlier model in the '50s with external threaded changeable smooth and rifled chock. Any 340 clip will work. They cam with a smooth and rifled insert. value IMHO should be on the high end of the 340 prices as they are of limited run. I have never shot the used one I have.
Shaune509

[Multigunner]

Here's a PDF of an old "Guns" Magazine from September of 1961 with a short write up on the 340TR. Look for page 14.
https://www.google.com/url?q=http://...nwl5g9iiSiZxsQ

[Bent Ramrod]

There's a Mossberg Collectors' Association. You might get an idea of value (and spare parts) from their members.

A late friend was a member and he used to lend me his Newsletters. The Targo system was always a hot item for discussion whenever anybody found one.

[Drm50]

I've got old Stogers Shooters Bibles from 1950s that have them listed, with pictures of the trap
thrower mounted on barrel. Mosquito Trap is what they called it. Have shot several smooth bore
22s, but not at these little " birds". I would think you would have to shoot fast to break target
with limited range of the old crimped 22 shot cartridges. Have no idea of value on today's market.

[Lostinidaho]

My Uncle had a mossberg clip fed that had a rifled screw on choke and a smooth bore screw on choke. Both about 6 inches long, I think. Shot well with both normal 22 lr and 22 shot shells.

[shaune509]

Moskeeto was Remingtons version Targo was Mossbergs
Shaune509

[Uncle R.]

When I was a boy scout in the late 60s we shot Mo-Skeet-O targets at summer camp with smooth bore Remington single shots and the regular crimped .22 shot loads. The thrower was mounted on a bench and hand cocked like a Trius trap. I have no experience with the Mossbergs but .22 shot loads worked surprisingly well from the smooth bore Remington guns and it was no great trick to break those small targets at perhaps 15 yards or so. I quickly got it down to a science, and would catch those Mo-Skeet-O birds at the top of their rise just like a scaled down 16 yard trap target.

I was camp champion two years running and it was more fun than almost anything else I could think of as a 12 year old boy. Of course within a few years I discovered other interests that rivaled shooting, even if they never fully displaced it.



I hope you get that Mossberg for your own - I bet you'll find it patterns better and hits harder than you'd likely expect.

Uncle R.

[richhodg66]

Oddly, when I bought this, I couldn't easily find shot loads. Seems like during the scare, the local Wal Mart always had them and it was the only rimfire ammo available.

I did find a couple of boxes, I think they are Federals. I don't know for sure, but it seems the general wisdom is that the crimped type hit harder than the ones that use a plastic shot capsule.