Mossberg 500 410 pump

[rking22]

2014 NSSA rule update allows up to 232 in 410, as I said it don’t matter. I like your idea of adjusting for crimp, I will do that on my 3 inch!

[garandsrus]

I have shot skeet for about 30 years. It’s a lot of fun! I started with a Rem 870 in 20ga and put thousands of rounds through it. I don’t think I ever shot a 25 straight with it, but I know I was close several times. A miss was due to me, not the gun. I switched to a Citori O/U in 20ga when I started shooting a lot more sporting clays. No more picking up hulls off the ground! Choke tubes also made a difference. My 870 is old enough that choke tubes hadn’t been invented yet.

I recently got a good deal on a 410 MEC So I bought a 10” 410 Contender barrel and a Mossberg 500 in 410. I am looking forward to shooting both. I have shot a 410 Rem 870 a couple times and liked it. I expect to miss a few more birds than I normally would, but I am OK with that.

I would NOT want to learn how to shoot skeet with a 410. A new skeet shooter will be doing good if s/he gets 12-15 or so targets out of 25. Many people start a lot lower than that! A 410 would probably cause a new shooter to drop a few more birds per round, and they might get frustrated and quit shooting. A 20 or 12ga would probably be a lot easier to start with.

I do load 20ga with 3/4 oz and 12 ga with 1 oz of shot. Both still work very well on the skeet field.

[ncmn]

Well went and picked up a Mossberg 500 410 pump today. Took it home and took it apart and cleaned it. Got it lubed up and run a few shells to check feeding. Was dark when I got finished so couldn't shoot it. Pretty impressed with the little guy, didn't find any burrs or bad matching marks in the gun so we will see how it does. I am sure the guys at the range will horse laugh me when I show up to shoot skeet, but don't care for me it's about having fun and learning. I'm sure it will not be easy or smart to try it but if I hit any I will be happy. If I like skeet I may try an o/u later but right now this is it. Squirrels raiding the bird feeders better watch out now. Thanks for all the help and it will be fun to try. Going to try and pattern the little guy this week and that will be interesting.

[garandsrus]

Ncmn,

A good way to learn how to shoot skeet is to shoot “stations” by yourself. In other words, start at station 7 (easiest on the field) and shoot the high and low house 6 or 7 times. After getting comfortable with those, your next stop would be station 1. Do the same there. This will use up your 25 shells. After those two stations are pretty good, go to station 2 and 6. Once you are doing well there, shoot 3, 4, and 5. These are the hardest stations because they require the most lead and you are farthest from the targets.

Have fun!

[turtlezx]

ncmm what choke is it??

[ncmn]

Thanks that will help I am sure if they will let me do that? It is standard full choke and I know that will probably be another big handicap. I may take the 12 gauge o/u to learn how to shoot. Just got spine issues and shoulder issues already that is why I was looking at 410. I actually bought the cheap o/u about 8 years ago to shoot skeet but never got around to it. It does have 4 chokes and I bought AA's reduced loads in #9 at the same time as I was worried about my back and shoulder. Hey I am learning a lot already from y'all.

[Duckiller]

ncmm since you reload try loading your 12 ga with 7/8 oz at 1100fps. This load will operate an 1100 with low felt recoil. I don't like getting beat up and this load worked for me. Got load data from a Lyman manual. Probably used 700x powder.

[Hogtamer]

^^^ What he said. Will add #9 shot and mod choke to break skeet birds all day.

[ncmn]

I only have a Lee loader II for 12 gauge that I was loading slugs with and it works fine for that but it is a little slow and now that I have used a Mec I see the difference. I was really not crazy about reloading 12 gauge for skeet or trap due to cost of shot but I figured with the cost of 410 I had to reload them. I did load some 12 gauge 7/8oz #8 with Clays but I was planning on using them on trap. Yes guys I want to try both skeet and trap to see what I like the best. Just figured that the 410 would be better for skeet than trap. As a beginner at shotgun and shotgun reloading I have a lot to learn. I am going to take both guns to the range tomorrow and try the 12 gauge first, and I am sure that will probably convince me that I need more experience before shooting the 410 on a skeet range. The little 410 sure was a joy to shoot after shooting those 12 gauge slugs

[ncmn]

Well shot my first two rounds of skeet in my life today, and I am sure glad I took the 12 gauge. I had no idea what I was getting into, and them little skeet were faster than I thought. No danger in me taking the 410 until I get more rounds under my belt. I shot the 1oz low recoil loads and they were fine on recoil. Glad I went and I had a ball and that's what its all about right. No idea of how many I hit in 2 rounds, hit more than I thought I would but missed a lot as well. Had no idea where to hold or where they were going but I am learning and it was great fun guys. Will be back for sure. Not going to give up on shooting the 410 though but its going to be awhile.
Thanks

[rking22]

Glad you enjoyed yourself, so many let the misses get in the way of the fun. Enjoy the hits, learn from the misses, and above all, be safe and have fun.

[garandsrus]

Sounds like you are hooked! Did you shoot full rounds or stations?

[ncmn]

RK I appreciate all the help you have offered and the other guys as well. I was nervous as I could get shooting with the guys but next time it will be better as I'm in for fun. Just hate I waited this long to try it. I will take the little 410 soon as I don't mind the misses but they did say I had the best break of all of them on the last station, it was luck but it sure looked good. All 3 had shot skeet a lot and they had misses as well and they weren't shooting 1oz loads. Did a little cleaning on 410 after I got home so it's ready to pattern now. Thanks for the help.

[ncmn]

We shot 2 full rounds, I just shot singles where the doubles are at. That was hard enough for me. Plus sun was going down and they were hard to see against the trees.

[Rich/WIS]

When I was in the Army shot a lot of skeet, but with a 12 not a 410. Was terrible at first but the Skeet Club had videos that helped a lot, showed the view from the shooter point of view and really helped in terms of lead for each station. We had a club member who coached me as well. After all that could do 23-24 a round and even broke 25 a number of times. If you're new suggest checking the club where you shoot to see if those videos still exist and/or see if there is someone there who can coach you. Shot a 410 for sporting clays at my last club in WI, didn't do great but had a lot of fun. Moved to KY and nothing local so haven't shot it since. My 410 is a SKB O/U choked IC and Mod and I reloaded AA hulls with 1/2 oz of #9 on a MEC 600. Somewhere along the way Win supposedly made changes in the hull and older data may be incorrect, others say there is no difference. Have enough of the old hulls and components if I reload for it again that I am not worried, but might be wise to check if using AA hulls. And yes, crimping can be an adventure with the 410.

[rking22]

I am attaching a link that I hope will take you to a regular newsletter that is sent to NSSA/NSCA members. I hope it will work and is not tied to my membership. Try to open it, if it works you will find links to videos from certified coaches and multi time national champions. This info is valid, unlike a lot of u tube stuff and club experts. Good fundamentals make it lots easier. Hope it works
https://mailchi.mp/nssa-nsca/nssa-ns...1?e=fc72281829

Looking at this reminded me, if you ever get a chance to watch the USAMU shotgun guys do a show, make it a point to attend. One of the guys is a NC native and sitting in a very comfortable position to make the 2020 Olympic team. 5 men really close in score with one more selection shoot left. Two slots, Vincent Hancock is 1st, 5 others on his heals for the 2nd slot. Dustan Taylor is the young man from North Carolina.

Sorry for the off topic, but Skeet is an Olympic sport! Slightly more intense version, but still skeet. I know one of the other 4 very well, and have shot with and refereed for all. They work extremely hard to represent our country well.

[ncmn]

rking22 Thanks for the help and the link does seem to work and I will check to see if the videos work. After reading the posts again I am not going to mess with the oz drop as you are right it is close enough. Got more to learn about the stations and leads right now than worrying about opening up the shot bar. I think the 410 will be a lot of fun and with reloading I feel like I could get the cost below the 12 gauge box store costs. I appreciate all the comments and help guys.

[ncmn]

I went to the range today and shot a round of trap with the 12 gauge. Did not exactly do real good, as I am trying to get the gun to fit me. I had the little Mossberg 410 with me and nobody was around so I said what the heck. I went up to the 16 yard line and just shot station 3 to see if I could hit anything. I managed to break 3 real good and pushed some sideways but they did not break. Man I had a ball, the little 410 is a pleasure to shoot and the gun fits me so much better than the 12 gauge. I am only going to shoot the 410 now, and I am going try a round of skeet next. If my buddies horse laugh me it will not bother me as the little Mossberg is just plain fun to shoot. Maybe it will help me learn to shoot better as I will not be worried about recoil. Got to remember to keep both eyes open and that is new to me being a rifle shooter.

[turtlezx]

the 410 is not a trap gun
if you could stand on top of the house you would get them

[ncmn]

I had a good laugh at that turtlezx, as I knew it was not a trap gun but I am not a shotgun shooter either. I was having fun and that was the first time the little Mossberg had been shot. Totally amazed that I hit anything with it, as I have no idea how to shot trap. Sure was fun trying though and skeet is next....