newhunter35

Yesterday I went to my local pawn shop and found a mossberg 695 bolt action deer slug gun with a rifled barrel in 12 guage. One it was a leopold variable scope 1 x 4 power and talk about crystal clear. After looking at the gun, looking down the barrel and playing with the bolt I decided to purchase this well used gun for 200.00. I know that's a good deal on the gun and scope--shoot the scope alone is worth that. What I was wondering is what can I expect from this gun. I see that Mossberg discontinued this gun from their 2004 lineup, but that doesn't make it an obsolute gun. I remember as a kid I shoot a mossberg goose gun in 20g and I loved it. That was about 25 or so years ago, but I still remember how sweet the bolt action shotgun was.

Paul

sam 444

I have a 695 and it shoots great with lightfield 2 3/4 inch sabots.

jcchartboy

Couple things to think about. 1st Does it have a muzzle brake? If so, do everything you can to wear hearing protection when firing. The muzzle blast will cause permanent hearing damage to you and especially anyone that might be alongside you. Obviosly when you are hunting this might not be possible, but at least you are behind the gun not to the sides. 2nd Many bolt action shotgun stocks are too low for a proper sight picture. If you find yourself lifting your cheek up off the stock while aiming, consider a comb raising kit. (@20$ bear tooth products). 3rd Make sure the trigger works well, if not have it reworked or get an aftermarket drop in trigger.
Once these little tweaks are done, but before you hit the range to sight in, there is the most important question to ask. How far are you realistically going to shoot?.... 50-75 yrds...any current Sabot slug will work...75 to 100 yrd....now you must choose between Sabots that are accurate in your gun, versus your ability to judge range and drop. For example some might shoot tight groups but have a terrible trajectory...125-150 yrds...until recently an ureasonable expectation for most. But now a real possibilty, with one choice of sabot. The Remington Core Lokt Ultra, sighted in 1.8in high at 50yrd, its 2.8 high at 100yds, and dead on at 150!
Hope this helps....BTW I own the Savage 210, 12ga w/ a comb kit, and leupold 1x4 vxII, (upgrading to the 2-7X33 and having a Timney drop in trigger installed this weekend). With my current set up and a target rest, I get 2in groups at 100yrds with Core Lokt's. In fact the Core Lokt shoot the best groups out of my gun. (Lightfields also shoot very well but the trajectory is no comparison)

newhunter35

JCChartboy,

Thanks for all the info. When I shoulder the gun I am able to look directly into the scope with no problem so I doubt I'll need a rest adjustment, but I'll keep it in mind. This shotgun really fits me well--it is like we were made for each other.[:-] The scope is a Leupold VX II 1-4x20mm. If the trigger has not been reworked to 3.5 lbs then I'll have a gun smith do it. For 200.00 I could not pass this weapon up and I'll work with it. Where I hunt I will only be able to shoot at the most 75 yards, but I have no problems shooting out to distances of 100+ yards. Marine Corps trained me very well.[:@][&:]

newhunter35

ttt

UncleNorby

If you really bought that gun and scope for 200.00, I would go there every day. Either they just couldn't move that gun, or they don't know what they're doing.

Make sure the barrel is free of lead. Some knuckleheads will shoot rifled slugs out of rifled barrels. Shoot the gun, see what it will do. My guess is that for your yardage requirements (75 yds) you will find satisfactory or better accuracy out of just about any of the sabot slugs out there. I would try a "fast" slug (2000 fps) a medium (1500 - 1600) and a slow slug (1300-1400) and se what your gun likes.

newhunter35

Just to let you know that I did "really" buy the gun and scope for 200.00. I had come into the pawn shop 10 days prior and my buddy told me to hold off until the 11th of January when they had some guns coming out. My buddy doesn't hunt--he fishes, but he knew that I was looking for a slug gun with a nice scope. He told me that he had a nich gun coming out with a great scope. Price on the gun was more than the 200.00 I paid, but he sold it to me for 200.00. I can guarantee (almost) that he didn't pay that much of the gun. It pays to have friends in places like this.

Paul

Bulzeye

While I don't have experience with the model gun you've got, it should be plenty accurate since it has a rifled barrel and a bolt-type action. With a solid platform like that, it should be fine as long as the barrel is in decent condition and it has a good trigger.

I have a new Rem 870 pump with rifled barrel that LOVES the new Rem Core Lokt Ultras that JCC mentioned above.
It'll keep them inside 3 inches at 100yards (off the bench) with a 2-4x scope. That's where I zero for the dense woods I hunt, and they are never more than 3 inches high at any point midrange. Good stuff at 1900 fps. Your gun should do as well.

Just for fun, last Fall I shot at some 1/16th inch thick steel plates, and those Rems punched right through one making a perfectly round 0.50" hole, and then through 2 with a slightly larger hole. Never even moved tha plates, just went through like it was paper.
A 10" watermelon also met an untimely demise at the hands of my 870 using the same ammo. Shot from 50 yards, all that remained was a cloud of pink mist about 15 feet in diameter, and scattered pieces of rind, many of which were found 30 feet away. Lots of power there. Makes you wonder how deer run away after having an explosion like that happen inside their chest.

Good luck with your new gun.
Post how it shoots once you try it out.

newhunter35

Thanks--I'll post how this combination that I got shoots as soon as it warms up.

Paul