New shotgun care advise

[boycan]

I just bought my first new shotgun, I went with the Mossberg 535 Turkey/Foul combo. I guess my main concern is should I do anything special before I shoot it? It seems pretty oily out of the box so I am wondering should I even clean it before I shoot it?

 

[Big country]

Always clean and inspect every firearm before the first time you shoot it. That way if it is dirty it will be clean and there wont be any issues with that. Give it a good looking over and inspection so it doesn't blow up in your face. Check all the screws and nuts and tighten anything that needs it. Be careful there tho you might tighten something to much or not enough. Just make sure you continue to check everything, especially while it's new. I had a marlin 336 that always needed screw tightening. Congrats be safe.

 

[Big country]

And read your owners manual to. I always read them after I've had the gun for a year and find out things I've been wondering about for a while. GI-John will be along soon to discuss safes.

 

[boycan]

Thanks thats what I will do ;-)

 

[Big country]

Cool! is it a bad guy gun, bird gun, or both?

 

[boycan]

It is going to be used as both but really it is a turkey/foul combo it came with a 22" turkey barrel and a 28" barrel which prolly won't see much use. OH and it also came with a truglo reddot scope! I will get a picture and post it in a minute.

 

[Big country]

cool cool. Yeah I'm with you on that barrel tho. the 22" is probably good for both. Are the chokes interchangeable?

 

[boycan]

I had to put it on the baby blanket because it blended in with the couch LOL

I'm no photographer so they don't do the gun justice but what ya gonna do?

 

[boycan]

cool cool. Yeah I'm with you on that barrel tho. the 22" is probably good for both. Are the chokes interchangeable?

Yes the chokes work for both barrels.

 

[Big country]

Cool Gun man that is a great lead launcher for anything Be it birds or BG's.

 

[boycan]

Yup I really wanted the combo with the 18" and 28" Barrels with traditional wood stocks but I couldn't even find someone to order that, so I figured the BG wouldn't notice the extra 4" on this barrel! LOL Do you think he will mind the heavy dove loads? ;-/

 

[Big country]

I think he might notice the heavy dove loads. Get yourself some 00 buck and you'll be good to go. It'll take a 3'' mag right? I have 00 buck for my always ready load and slugs on the but. Other than that man you are ready for anything with shotgun. Good job man.

 

[boycan]

I think he might notice the heavy dove loads. Get yourself some 00 buck and you'll be good to go. It'll take a 3'' mag right? I have 00 buck for my always ready load and slugs on the but. Other than that man you are ready for anything with shotgun. Good job man.

Yup it takes the 3.5 too ;-)

 

[boycan]

Well I shot a bunch thru both barrels today! Think I just may have to keep it. LOL Only thing I didn't notice when I bought it is the short Turkey Barrel (22") doesn't have a site on it not even a BB just a scope rail? I would like a fiber optic site on it, do ya'll think I could use some epoxy or super glue to put one on or does the barrel have to be tapped? Worse case I will just put a laser/light combo on the rail because I was wanting the short barrel for my home defense gun anyway. The 28" barrel has a red fiber optic site on it and that is nice, thinking about putting one on my S&W 45 revolver too now ;-)

 

[M. Sage]

22" barrel makes it a bit long for a HD gun. According to the Mossberg site, the Turkey/Waterfowl combo comes with a 22" turkey barrel with "rifle" sights and a 28" waterfowl barrel with a bead. The front sights on both appear to be light-gathering "fiber-optic" style sights...

The only barrel I can find for that shotgun on their site with a cantilever scope mount is a 24" slug barrel... Even if it's not the slug barrel that you have, I'd be surprised if a bead sight would do any good with the scope mount on there. I'd just get a red dot, holo or "reflex" sight like an Aimpoint and stick on there.

Mossberg site also lists barrels as short as 20" coming on this model, though I don't see any for sale in the online store. I'd consider 20" to be about the max for home defense - I'd prefer 18" or better - something around 14"-16", but that puts you into NFA and short-barreled shotguns. The shorter, the better (to a point); try taking a corner inside your house with the shotgun without letting the muzzle protrude around where it can be seen (or grabbed!) by someone you can't see and engage yet. If you can't do it, it's too long for HD.

Have fun with those 3 1/2" magnum loads! I had an 835 for a while, the 3 1/2 loads were too ridiculous recoil-wise, and the high pressures cause the shells to stick in the chamber.

 

[Big country]

I would think a 22'' barrel would work better than my birdy barrel. If you have a pistol use that for the sweep and clear of your house but if you were going to turkey hunt a halo sight or something would be great for a turkey. And M. Sage is right on target about those 3 1/2" loads, they are meaner than a rattle snake. on both ends.

 

[boycan]

I know the Mossbergs site only shows the 24" slug barrel with that scope rail but the one that came with mine is a 22" with the scope rail Identical to that one but not rifled and 22". And it came with a Red Dot scope so I will just put that on and use my 45 at night until I can get a persuader like I set out to do in the first place. LOL

 

[Big country]

There you go. Nothing says "go away like a 45 in your face. LOL

 

[boycan]

Well I am BUMMED, second time out with my new mossberg and the magazine spring is either broke or extremely week because it stops short of the last shell by a pinky length causing a jam unless I am racking the slide while I am pointing at the heavens! I hope Dicks sporting goods will make it right, I only bought it six days ago and if they make me send it back to Mossberg Iwill not get to go on my first dove hunt and who knows about my Turkey hunt in November?

 

[Buckles]

Well I am BUMMED, second time out with my new mossberg and the magazine spring is either broke or extremely week because it stops short of the last shell by a pinky length causing a jam unless I am racking the slide while I am pointing at the heavens! I hope Dicks sporting goods will make it right, I only bought it six days ago and if they make me send it back to Mossberg Iwill not get to go on my first dove hunt and who knows about my Turkey hunt in November?

that sucks man. hope they get it fixed for you without having to send it in.

should have bought a remington