What’s the best ammo for the Mossberg Maverick 88 defense shotgun (Mossberg 500)?
January 29th, 2010 by eranio
18 1/2inch barrel
Maximum shell size 3inch, non-toxic, non-Slug.
Brand and type please.
oops, It can be toxic lead pellets…I was mixed up from reading the manual about chocke tubes that require steel shot.
Posted in mossberg shotguns
January 29th, 2010 at 3:05 am
This is up to you entirely. I use Only two companies exclusively. The First is Federal and there Buckshot- Vital shock stuff is no joke. I have only 2 3/4" shotguns and the #4 Buckshot and the 000 buck are my favorites. Stay away from slugs in defensive shotguns as they go through walls/ doors/ frames etc like a hot knife through butter and you don’t want to kill someone other then an intended target/ intruder. The second is Remington’s Express 12 ga 2 3/4" 000 buckshot and has an 8 pellet count. These loads are all I recommend and you can’t go wrong with buckshot, if you miss it just screws up a wall a stops instead of keep going.
January 29th, 2010 at 3:05 am
Use 2 3/4 inch 8 or 9 pellet buckshot only…. Avoid 3 inch — the recoil is too much.
I use Wolf Performance Power Buckshot…..
http://www.wolfammo.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=18&Itemid=32
The best way to know what works is use it yourself…. Set up a larger 2 feet by 3 feet sheet of paper on plywood at 20 feet, 40 feet, 60 feet and 100 feet…. Take shots at it with various brands of buckshot…. That way you can see the actual patterns at what distance… This way you will know how your shotgun performs…
I like Wolf…. I have also used Federal, and Remington buckshot with good results….. The Wolf is a decent price, the recoils not bad and has consistent patterns…. Of course try a few brands and see what works for you…. Not every brand is available everywhere…. See whats on your sportshop shelf and try it… I havent had a single reliability problem with any brand of shotgun ammo I have purchased so In my experience this isnt a problem…. Gets what available and try it….
January 29th, 2010 at 3:05 am
any brand of #4 buck, 2 3/4th 12 guage shells for home defense, but nothing wrong with these
http://www.midwayusa.com/eproductpage.exe/showproduct?saleitemid=821306
You can use slugs if you desire, like if you would ever be in bear country
Also, I suspect you want non-non-toxic. Nontoxic is generally only used if you are hunting ducks and such, and uses much smaller pellets than buckshot…pellets too small to give adequate penetration unless the person is close enough to spit on.
January 29th, 2010 at 3:05 am
What do you want to use it for? Target practice or home defense. Go to walmart buy a freaking case of the cheapest birdshot, and use that to practice. You need to learn how to manipulate the gun, aim it and reload it. Thousands and thousands of rounds of birdshot will get you muscle memory on how to do it.
Get some federal 00 buck and federal slugs. Check and see how they pattern at different distances.
January 29th, 2010 at 3:05 am
The average deadly force encounter in the United States is within 5 yards. This includes Police Shootings.
If the gun is used for defense of your home, I would say that the shot will be close, within the national average.
I assume that you don’t want to hurt a neighbor should you shoot in your home.
That said, a slug is out of the question. I will tell you that there have been studies that prove that the best home defense load is a 2 3/4 inch bird shot shell. Within 5 yards, the shot will be so close together, that it acts much like a slug and tear anyone up.
I never really believed this, until I saw this 7 years ago.
I am a Police Officer in a very urban environment. I have been on the midnight shift for 10 years and still love it. 7 years ago, a homeowner in my city, shot an intruder with a 20 gauge loaded with 1 oz bird shot(no7.5). The intruder was holding a small pry bar in his left hand, and as often happens, the homeowner focused on the weapon in the bad guys hand; this causes people to actually shoot at the weapon. The intruder was hit in the left arm, in the area of the elbow.
The bad guy ran from the home, and the homeowner phoned police. We followed a blood trail, that disappeared at a nearby road. The bad man did show up at a local hospital with his left arm held on buy only a little flesh. The arm was amputated, and he was sent to prison for his burglary.
My point is, that this was a 20 gauge loaded with no 7.5 bird shot, and it had tremendouse affect. I truly believe that had the shot hit him in the torso, the suspect would not have survived the encounter.
Now you bought a 12 gauge, and you need a good load. I would say that a 2 3/4 inch 7.5, 1 and 1/8 oz birdshot shell will be devastating. If you miss, you stand less a chance of going through the sheetrock and killing a famely member or a neighbor in an ajoining apartment/condo. Any major brand will do. I always buy winchester because the hulls are 1 piece, and can be reloaded. If you don’t reload, then Remington, Fiocci, Federal or Winchester will do fine.
If you still think you need more, try number 5 shot or a 3 inch Turkey load in 5 shot.
If collateral damage is not a factor, then buy a tachtical double O buck shot from Hornady or Federal. These shells shoot 8 pellets faster than the 9 pellet average, with reduced recoil. This is more of a Law Enforcement application shell.
Good Luck
January 29th, 2010 at 3:05 am
Any Brand number 4 bird shot is all you need for the task.*