RepackboxTitan ReloadingMidSouth Shooters SupplyInline Fabrication
WidenersLee PrecisionReloading EverythingLoad Data
RotoMetals2
Results 1 to 13 of 13

Thread: 3-9 ? Chokes & sights

  1. #1
    Boolit Master
    Join Date
    Jan 2015
    Location
    Indy
    Posts
    537

    3-9 ? Chokes & sights

    I have a Mossberg 500a that I am having the barrel cut from 28" vet rib to 18"-19". I will have it threaded for a choke. What is the best brand of choke to use? Rem chokes or Accu chokes or another brand. Are the threads the same for all chokes?

    Reciver is drilled and tapped from Mossberg. Rear sight should be mounted where, receiver or barrel? What would be the best brand and type of sight to put on the gun after the barrel is cut? Fiber optic, glow in the dark, or some other type fixed sight. Should the rear sight be ghost ring, v-natch, buckhorn and etc? Front sight will be a blade sight but which one and type?

    Remember it will have a vet rib!

    Gun will be used as a HD gun most of the time. I do hope to use it for a pig or 3.

    I look at Randy's post and it sounds like just what I want gun wise when done. A very usable all day type gun
    Last edited by warren5421; 09-09-2021 at 10:22 AM.

  2. #2
    Boolit Master
    Join Date
    May 2013
    Posts
    3,570
    Williams has all kinds of shotgun sights that won't break the bank plus they have gun shop and gun smith services, not sure if they thread for choke tubes though, could just be a one stop shop for your project, truglo has its benefits for sure. they have a front sight that just snaps onto the rail. but I guess its up to you what you ultimately want. saw one of those bubba rountree videos a while back where he tested slugs with one of those rifled choke tubes. results were quite impressive. I guess that's all that's needed to put a spin on a slug. you might want to look through the gun site manufacturers web sites, marbles, Williams, Lyman I guess are the best known and see what sights tickle your fancy.
    do you know where your going to get the barrel threaded for choke tube? if its your only shotgun you might just want to use whatever choke tubes mossberg uses since it is a mossberg, but if you have choke tubes already for another gun might want to go with them. there is a difference in different b rands and the treads that are utilized and how the barrel is reamed and threaded for them.
    Last edited by farmbif; 09-09-2021 at 11:27 AM.

  3. #3
    Boolit Master


    Join Date
    Oct 2009
    Location
    NH
    Posts
    3,783
    For chokes
    Click image for larger version. 

Name:	Mike Orlean.jpg 
Views:	20 
Size:	31.3 KB 
ID:	288445

  4. #4
    Boolit Grand Master Harter66's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2010
    Location
    120 miles North of Texarkana 9 miles from OK in the green hell
    Posts
    5,347
    Accu- chokes and the standard Browning Invector chokes not the plus interchange mostly the Hastings extended chokes for example bottom in the barrel in the Browning where they bottom on the muzzle of the Mossy . It's like .120 difference but suitable for both .

    Be aware that there are lead only chokes and shooting steel , which it doesn't sound like you will , will swell the lead only chokes and at a minimum lock them in the threads .

    Mossberg used to have a Youth/turkey barrel that was exactly what you're describing with 2 beads on the rib and screw in chokes . As a downer it was ported not bad from the shoulder but bad from the hip and over 10-15° down angle .

    I would use the receiver D&T as it is drilled for standard spacing . Williams has a ghost ring and U/V type rear . I've seen but don't recall where a threaded bead type that could be raised/set high as needed . Fire sights (?) offered a turkey sight set with a clamp on front ramp sight .

    You might seek out a riot barrel , 16' slick with a ramp
    In the time of darkest defeat,our victory may be nearest. Wm. McKinley.

    I was young and stupid then I'm older now. Me 1992 .

    Richard Lee Hart 6/29/39-7/25/18


    Without trial we cannot learn and grow . It is through our stuggles that we become stronger .
    Brother I'm going to be Pythagerus , DiVinci , and Atlas all rolled into one soon .

  5. #5
    Boolit Master
    Join Date
    May 2013
    Posts
    3,570
    I been thinking more about what you have written. most scattergun barrels are set up with a bead at the muzzle and ive got most of my barrels set up with a bead at center of barrel . but for a dedicated slug gun you may want to go with something like a tru glow at the muzzle and a receiver mounted peep or something. generally speaking sights on a shotgun are not set up like sights on a rifle.
    I looked into having a barrel threaded and buying new choke tubes and was cheaper and easier just to buy a previously used barrel, found a gun shop in Delaware of all places that had a wall full of used barrels at fair prices. I'm sure there are lots of good used barrels for a moss berg 500 but then again what is cost of a new one. sometimes you can buy a whole shotgun used for what new barrels sell for. just thinking out loud here dismiss all this if it doesn't apply
    Last edited by farmbif; 09-09-2021 at 12:18 PM.

  6. #6
    Moderator

    W.R.Buchanan's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2011
    Location
    Ojai CA
    Posts
    9,872
    The sights I used are William's Fire Sights and they Clamp onto the rib. See pics on my thread. They look pretty good so far. @$35

    I sent my barrel to Vang Comp for threading. www.vangcomp.com (1-928-636-8455) Talk to Cody, They only do Rem Choke because they are Big Time Rem 870 modifiers and have been for 30+ years. $100. They can cut it for you as well.

    I use Carlson's Choke tubes because they are the Best Bang for your Choke Tube Buck and some of them are made on Machines I built for them 30 years ago.

    Randy
    "It's not how well you do what you know how to do,,,It's how well you do what you DON'T know how to do!"
    www.buchananprecisionmachine.com

  7. #7
    Boolit Grand Master


    Join Date
    Apr 2017
    Location
    Aberdeen, South Dakota
    Posts
    7,136
    The threads are not the same for any choke tube. Mike Orlen is who most people use, and that's who I used. He only does Truchoke and Remchoke. Get the Remchoke. There's nothing wrong with Tru choke, but it simply is not as common as the Remchoke. If all you will use is regular tubes, it won't matter, but finding a Poly Choke II, or other oddball chokes are not easy at all in Truchoke.

    Since you mention defensive use, pig hunting, and 3 gun, I'm going to assume slugs will only play a small part in your shooting, and it will be mostly shot. My opinion is a regular old bead is the best way to go, as it is the fastest to use by far. A ghost ring peep sight is reasonably fast and accurate. A set of adjustable sights is slowest and most accurate. I've been using those rib clamp on Williams sights for years, and I love them. They are every bit as good and strong as any soldered or screwed on sight. They do sit a little high, but for shooting slugs mainly, this is the way to go. You can buy a receiver mounted Mossberg peep sight, which sits a little lower, and is faster to use. This would be coupled with a front sight, the front from the clamp on Willams would probably work great. These would be good for a combo of slugs and buckshot. A plain bead, and I like a brass bead, not a fiber optic, is the fastest and easiest to use. This would be the best for mainly buckshot or bird shot. Sometimes slugs shoot right to the bead too, but it's hard to shoot a bead hunting-level accurately past 40 yards or so.

  8. #8
    Boolit Master
    Join Date
    Jan 2015
    Location
    Indy
    Posts
    537
    I have done a lot of long range shooting using Tang sights on a Sharps, High wall, and trapdoor using a post front sight insert in a Lyman type front sight. Not knowing but would think the post sight on a shotgun would work the same. It might need to be changed to a thiner bead. I found that as long as the ball is small enough to see the bulls eye around it you could hit as long as the rear sight was set on the distance.
    Last edited by warren5421; 09-09-2021 at 04:04 PM.

  9. #9
    Boolit Grand Master


    Join Date
    Apr 2017
    Location
    Aberdeen, South Dakota
    Posts
    7,136
    There's two things going against a peep "ghost" sight on a shotgun. #1 is there is no aperture, it is a big hole, and it leaves a fuzzy "ghost" hole. You want this for fast shooting, and use in low light, but it lacks precision. #2 is it is receiver mounted. Your barrel has a ton of slop where it fits in the receiver, this reduces precision. For defensive purposes, they work really well with buckshot and slugs. You can make decent hits with slugs at 100 yards pretty easy. Even for hunting with buckshot, they work quite well. For hunting with slugs, I'll take rib mounted open sights, not that the ghost ring sights cant work. If you are trying to squeeze that last 10-20 yards from your slug gun, I'd opt for the Williams sights.

  10. #10
    Boolit Master


    Join Date
    Oct 2010
    Location
    Franklin, TN
    Posts
    1,629
    If most of your use is going to be home defense it doesn't really matter what is on the barrel. A shotgun, used properly, is pointed, not aimed. By the time you take to line up this sight or that sight someone has already shot you. Shoot your gun a bit considering shat I've told you. I think you may be amazed at a whole new shotgunning world.
    Rick

  11. #11
    Boolit Master
    Join Date
    May 2013
    Posts
    3,570
    rick is so right, its all point and shoot with shotguns even trap and skeet until it comes to slugs at longer ranges.
    look at most shotgun set ups any will see a bead at muzzle and maybe another one mid barrel

  12. #12
    Boolit Master Cap'n Morgan's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jun 2008
    Location
    Denmark
    Posts
    1,458
    Most of my slug testing has been with a 2x scope, but I've done a lot of off-hand shooting on all kind of stuff (sadly, no big game so far, though my slugs has reportedly killed a bunch of Czech wild boars) Most of the shooting is done with an o/u shotgun with a plain rib & standard front sight. Once you get the hang of finding the right "amount of rib" for the vertical aim, a shotgun can be surprisingly accurate aimed without dedicated sights.

    With a 30" or longer sight plane you don't need to worry all that much about perfect sight alignment; if you're 1/32" off, it only amounts to one inch at 25 yards. I would not hesitate to take a 50 yard shot at a bear or boar with my plain rib gun provided I had some sort of rest to prevent buck fever shaking Anything longer, I would use a holosight or a low-power scope - and I would limit my max range to where the gun would keep all shots within a 6" circle.
    Cap'n Morgan

  13. #13
    Moderator

    W.R.Buchanan's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2011
    Location
    Ojai CA
    Posts
    9,872
    The problem with a bead is that it is not adjustable. When you pattern or sight the gun in, you have to determine what amount of hold off is going to deliver a hit. Sometimes they are right on and sometimes they aren't. In some of my classes there is always someone who has a gun that doesn't shoot to the bead. I saw one earlier this year that was so bad the guy was having to hold 2 feet to the right to hit the center of the target. I think his barrel was bent but after he got the hang of it he was making regular hits.

    All my Tactical Guns have Rifle Sights. I prefer an Open Rear and a Green FO Front. When you mount the gun you are looking for the Front Sight and a Green FO is impossible to miss. I am looking to put that big dayglo green dot somewhere on the target and immediately let fly. The Front Sight a little off L-R, Up or Down makes little difference at those distances. At 50 yards I need to take a little more time to line things up, and gun needs to be properly sighted in. See the 3 shot group shot a 50 yards offhand it was obviously off a little to the left, but still good enough as I'd have to drift the rear sight on that gun to get it exactly right, and that's not that easy to get right. But if you look at the last pic you'll see the shots are all off to the right,. Both Shot with the same gun on 2 different trips so maybe I was holding my mouth different.

    The way I mount the gun, the front sight is always just above the rear sight, so as I am coming onto the target I can easily settle the FS into the notch of the rear for more Precision if it is required. If I'm shooting #8's at 15-25 yards it is like shooting a bird gun in that perfect precision is not needed for an acceptable hit. So as soon as the dot is on the target the trigger is pulled. This all happens very fast.

    I can get 3 shots in 2.1 seconds with the pump guns just about every time and 4 in 2.7 with the A5. which is why I got it in the first place.

    So that's what I do.

    Randy
    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails IMG_2159 (2).JPG   IMG_2154 (2).JPG   100464703.JPG   100464676.JPG   100464735.jpg  

    100464664.jpg  
    Last edited by W.R.Buchanan; 09-11-2021 at 05:07 PM.
    "It's not how well you do what you know how to do,,,It's how well you do what you DON'T know how to do!"
    www.buchananprecisionmachine.com

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •  
Abbreviations used in Reloading

BP Bronze Point IMR Improved Military Rifle PTD Pointed
BR Bench Rest M Magnum RN Round Nose
BT Boat Tail PL Power-Lokt SP Soft Point
C Compressed Charge PR Primer SPCL Soft Point "Core-Lokt"
HP Hollow Point PSPCL Pointed Soft Point "Core Lokt" C.O.L. Cartridge Overall Length
PSP Pointed Soft Point Spz Spitzer Point SBT Spitzer Boat Tail
LRN Lead Round Nose LWC Lead Wad Cutter LSWC Lead Semi Wad Cutter
GC Gas Check