Update on my Mossberg 500 build and my first 20!

A quick recap, after borrowing a gun to shoot my first 2 rounds of trap I purchased a bone stock Mossberg 500 in a private sale. It had a 28" barrel with a low rib. I shot it like that for 9 rounds. I did some research and ended up finding a Simmons high rib barrel made in the 80's for a trap model they produced, came with 4 Carlson chokes. I also purchased a Boyd's Sterling thumb hole stock with a raised cheek rest. Lastly I read that people's biggest complaint with the 500 for competitive shooting was the trigger. Stock is usually over a 9lb pull. I installed an mcarbo spring kit that brought the pull down to a little over 4lbs.

I've shot it in this configuration for the last 11 rounds. I've been quite happy with it. The first 7 rounds I hit 15-16-15-15-17-15-16. That was over 2 days and both days it was quite windy and cold (I'm in Maine). Today it was in the low 30's and a bit breezy, but not bad. I shot 4 rounds hitting 16-20-16-18! Funny coincidence, I hit my first 20 was on my 20th round of trap.

So one thing I think I noticed is I need to work on my 5 stand. On the round I hit 20 I started on stand 2, hitting 5-5-4-2-4. And when I hit 18 I started on stand 2 again hitting 4-4-4-2-4. The pattern being I only hit 2 at stand 5 both times. I had taken Whiz White's advice and watched "Trapshooting with the Remington Pros" before shooting today and reflecting on that, I think on the extreme right flying birds I don't lead them enough and end up shooting behind them.

 

Looks like your bad post is 5. Where the targets hard rights? Also is post 5 this way all the time? post 5 is hard for a lot of shooters. Don't let it get to you. It can be handled.

 

They did seem to be mostly hard/extreme right birds that I had trouble with. I think I was not leading them enough, so I was missing behind them.

 

Don't think for a minute you learn this game in a few rounds, its a lifetime experience so don't beat yourself up over it ... It appears that you are doing rather well actually, all things considered ... Relax and have fun, that's, what its all about ... Have you watched one of the Pro videos yet, you may pick up a few pointers if you invest the time ... Good Luck ... WPT ... (YAC) ...

 

I'm not that naive I don't expect to be hitting 25 over night. I do find that when I have a strong start I tend to get my nerves worked up thinking about finishing strong. I just try to take a breath and keep shooting like I was.

 

Take one target at a time, don't think about how many you are going to break or miss for that matter, keep breathing and try to relax ... I watched a shooter hyperventilate when he got to his last target, took a second and got it together and broke it for his first 25 straight ... You'll get it not to worry ... WPT ... (YAC) ...

 

Easier said than done DON'T KEEP SCORE IN YOUR HEAD. Just shoot them one at a time.

 

Thanks for the up date, post 5 can be hard for me sometimes. And I have shot a lot of trap targets. On post 5 right hand corner of the trap house is where I place the shotgun barrel, 2 feet over and one foot up. One of the guys I shoot with, instead of one foot up, goes one foot down, He said he shoots post 5 better that way. What ever works for you.
Also very good shooting for some one that just started. Do carry your shotgun shells in a pouch or do you have a shooting vest. I have a shooting coat for winter and a vest for summer. Also gloves are need for winter.

 

I have tried not to countil them, sometimes the scorer calls them out each station change though. But I've taken a deep breath before a shot when I feel my nerves and it definitely helps.

I'll keep that in mind for station 5. Obviously more practice will help. The only equipment I have is one of those box carriers I put on my belt. It fits one box of shells and has a couple elastic loops for spare shells. With my pump, I just eject the shell into the bucket. Some gloves would have been nice, but it's warming up here, I'll worry about that next year.

I thought I was doing pretty well. Someone asked me when I started shooting and was surprised when I said a few weeks ago.

 

All in all you are doing very well. Just keep at it. It is a fun sport but most of all it is filled with GREAT people. Have FUN !!!

 

Pick up Phil Kiner's Trapshooting Clinic DVD....lots of good info and well worth the money. Your doing good for just starting, shoot one bird at a time and relax. I tend to stand favoring the hard rights to make an easier swing in that direction.

 

Doesn't username Phil Kiner belong to a person that was on the site using homo-phobe and gay slurs on the site? If I remember that user was not too fond of us being here. Not sure.......but glad to see someone with an interest in making their own stocks.

I wouldn't buy an ounce of gold from that username Phil guy for a dollar. jmho of course.

 

I seem to recall something on that order Smithy, being as I was banned I had to rely on a friend who passed it along ... I lost a loot of respect for Phil Kiner if that is true, used to consider him to be a friend but it seemed to be very fragile any way being as I voiced my opinion on a few occasions that he didn't agree with ... WPT ... (YAC) ...

 

This post ???? http://www.americantrapshooter.com/...cap-and-shootoff-rules.1340/page-3#post-14246 ..... post #208

"Put the money on the line and the trap "boys" will take it.
I don't know where you guys got the delusion that Harlan, Matt, Ricky et al are pussies but it is probably
Like Isaiah Thomas when he told Michael Jordan when the Bad Boys from Detroit had their way with Chicago the first year Jordan was a pro He said come back and we will Butt Fu@$ everyone of you -- all he did was wake up the Giant-and he got bent over and over and over again to the tune of 6 rings so threaten all you want but be sure to put some $$ up and the 27 Yard guys will take it all home even though you think they cannot hold a candle to your paper tigers
this site is the most pathetic thing I have ever seen"

He "ranks" right up there with my opinion of "Harlan" .....

 

SockMonkey, If you would, take something like a "yard-stick" and put it on top of the "rib", and measure the "distance" to the "top" of your stock.

I am just curious how that stock matches that height rib.

 

Will do when I get home

 

It's 1 1/2" near the front and 1 3/4" near the back of the cheek rest. As you'd expect it's 1 5/8" in the middle. Sorry I didn't take pictures.

 

Thanks ..... If around 1 5/8" seems to fit you, that would be something to look for in a different non-adjustable stock shotgun, if you purchase on in the future.

Did you know how that stock and barrel would work out prior to putting them together ????

 

Not really. From comparing pictures I knew the boyds stock had a higher cheek rest, but I didn't know how much higher than stock. So I kind of took a gamble, but so far I am happy with the fit. With the more I shoot and fine tune my stance, etc., we'll see how I feel about it.

 

Good luck with shooting it.

The "boyds stock" must be made for scope applications to work out with that type of rib. It's good to know if others care to build one like yours. Thanks

 

Thanks! And yeah, I figured it was meant for scope applications. Though in their youtube video for it, they specifically mention it's use for trap shooting. But I couldn't imagine trying to aim down the stock low rib barrel after installing it.

 

mportant Tip for Mossberg 500 Owners


The Mossberg 500 slide-action shotgun has sold over 10 million units since Introduced in 1961, it has long been the fastest selling shotgun in history and is now poised to become the top-selling shotgun of all time, exceeding the Remington 870 that was introduced in 1951.


According to a fellow that goes by the name of GrizG, who lives close to Numrich Gun Parts, their top selling part is the “Ejector, 12, 16 & 20 Ga.” https://www.gunpartscorp.com/Products/53450A.htm for the Mossberg and the associated screw: https://www.gunpartscorp.com/Products/53360A.htm .



Apparently, the ejector screw loosens and allows movement of the ejector, which hogs out the the hole in the ejector. An ounce of prevention seems to be all that is needed: one drop of Loctite #242 “Service Grade Removable” is all that is needed, often referred to as “Blue Loctite.” It is actually a lot less than an ounce of prevention, but it can prevent wear down the road. If you have a Mossberg pump, it is an easy thing to address.