Hunting with Mossberg 590A1

[ferris]

Just like the title says, would one be able to hunt well with the 590A1.

It'll be my first shotgun, and actually first gun. I know I could use sabot rounds in it.

The gun store owner that Ill be buying it from said its fine to hunt with but I feel as if he just wants to get a sale.

I know its got a smoothbore, no interchangeable barrels (afaik) and knowing itll be poor at distance.

[DefensiveCarry.com]

[bbqgrill]

What do you want to hunt. As far as slugs sabots are wasted on a smooth bore (they are designed to fire through a rifled barrel or ribled choke), rifled slugs will be better. The cylinder bore will make bird hunting difficult because the pattern will spread to much.

Cheers,

[ellerblr]

If you have the 18.5" model, you can use the Mossberg 835 overbored barrel, although, not for slugs, obviously.

[ferris]

Yeah I think the main thing I'd be hunting is hogs. At least for now. A friend has a lease in South Florida, and when I get my shotgun, i'd like to take it out there. The shots aren't long distance.

Yes it is the 18.5 inch model. But I don't think I'd be hunting any fowl with it.

[Superhouse 15]

For good performance from defense-type cylinder bore shotguns, do yourself a favor and try some of the Federal "Flite control" buckshot and "Truball" slugs. I have switched over all my SD ammo to these designs. The OO buck reduced reciol load will pattern the size of my hand at the back of the 60' range at work and I can easily make head shots with the slug from the defense gun we keep behind the counter. These loads actually do offer some innovation and increased performance over other brands.
Federal Premium - FLITECONTROL
Federal Premium - Slug Details

[WC145]

My 590A1 has a modified barrel. I've only shot out to 50yds with rifled slugs but it's plenty accurate for deer etc at that range and probably a ways beyond.

[ferris]

What kind of modified barrel? Custom work I'm guessing?

[dogrunner]

Usually that refers to the degree of choke, IE: full,modified,cylinder etc.

[WC145]

^^^^ Correct, modified choke, I should have been more specific. The gun itself is original, works perfectly, 100% reliable. Nothing I need to change except maybe the stock, the length of pull is a bit long for me.

I'd say that loaded with slugs it would be an excellent choice for hogs. You may want to consider a red dot sight but other than that I'd leave it the way it comes from the factory.

[ferris]

I thought you could not put a choke on this M590A1 because of its barrel? Or at least this is what I was told.

[WC145]

The barrel was made as a modified choke barrel, there is no external or screw in choke.

You may not be aware but shotgun barrels are made with a "built-in" (for lack of a better term) choke, where the barrel is either cylinder, improved cylinder, modified, or full choke to control the shot pattern. A cylinder choke gives a very wide dispersal of the shot at a short distance while a full choke helps to keep the shot bunched together for longer distance shooting, the others fall in between. These days you can get many shotguns with screw-in chokes so you can easily switch from one to another. A while back they made the poly-choke, which went on the end of the barrel and you could change the choke by turning it.

It'll say what the choke is right on the barrel of the gun you're looking at.

[hogdaddy]

[QUOTE=WC145The barrel was made as a modified choke barrel, A while back they made the poly-choke, which went on the end of the barrel and you could change the choke by turning it. Yes Sir I had one on a 16 Ga that I would tighten all the way & shot Buck shot only