Hunting With The Mossberg

The Mossberg Goes Dove Hunting With dove coming up I needed a shotgun for this season. A fire claimed my other shotguns a few months ago. I have been wanting to test the Mossberg model 930 semi-auto for some time so this was my chance. I contacted Linda Powell from Mossberg and she sent me one for testing and evaluation.

Mossberg is at home in the dove fields One refreshing thing right off hand is it has a wood stock as opposed to the composites found on many guns made today. Yes, I know that composites are durable but they are ugly. The wood along with the nice bluing job makes it a handsome gun to look at. Like many shotguns made today it has the screw in chokes. Among it other desirable features is the barrel is ported and it has a raised ventilated rib. It is also drilled and tapped for a scope and it has swivels for slings. In other words it is ready to go on a hunting trip for a verity of game. I browsed through their website and am amazed in the verity of shotguns they have. If you can’t find something there that you like then you didn’t really want a shotgun as the selection is that varied. The prices are very reasonable considering what you get. I have used Mossberg shotguns for many years and they always served the purpose and didn’t break. In fact my first shotgun was a Mossberg bolt action 12 gauge. My previous favorite dove gun was a model 500 in 20 gauge. Its light weight and feel enabled me to harvest many doves not to mention various squirrels and rabbits. I had a couple of 12 gauges in the model 500 which always served me well. For info on Mossberg’s extensive line of products you can go to http://www.ableammo.com/catalog/mossberg-shotguns-sale-online-from-mossberg-firearms-guns-sale-c-9935_13769_13821.html They have been around since 1919 and with their fine products I expect that they will be around for many years. Based on my rather extensive experience with Mossberg products I can highly recommend them.

Mossberg comes with three chokes I picked up some Federal loads that were 1 & 1/8 oz. of 7 & ½ shot which is ideal for doves in my opinion. Anyway I wanted to try out the new gun to see if there were going to be any issues with it. Functioning was perfect and balance and trigger pull were superior. My shooting buddy and fellow gun writer also was favorably impressed with it. I am anxious to try it on some doves. Dove season opened and the 930 did its job even if I didn’t. The gun swings well and if I did my part so did the shotgun. It has there chokes an improved cylinder, modified and full. A wrench is provided and is easy to use. I went with the improved for the hunt which was a good choice. Later in the season I will go to a modified as the doves will be more wary and shots may have to be taken at longer ranges. You can select the choke to suit your needs. Since they take up very little space you can bring them along in case you want to change in the field. There were no jams but the safety was difficult to release though a little working back and forth cured the problem. Due to it’s light weight and balance it should prove to be a good quail gun when the season opens. The 930 has 2 & 2/4 and 3” chambers which also enhances it’s utility.

Guns and ammo used for dove hunt Anyone who has hunted doves has gotten a lesson in humility. They fly at 30 MPH or so and are good at dodging especially when they get educated. More often then not you shoot behind them. The season starts in Arizona on Sept 1 which is still hot in this part of the country. Early morning isn’t too bad but once the sun comes up it can get brutal. Water and shade are tow of your best friends. However if you have a good spot and can shoot you should have your limit by 7 Am or so. There are some large dairy farms in this area and they attract the doves in droves. Water holes are also good places to hunt though the trees might be a problem. They will roost in them and if you shoot a bird and it falls in the trees that might turn out to be an issue as they can be lost. The water stinks so you want to avoid dropping them there if possible. The best times to hunt them is in the morning and late afternoon. If you find a good place to hunt chances are there will be some other hunters in the area. If everyone is courteous and safe all participants will have a good time and harvest some birds. You need to be aware where everyone is and never shoot horizontally as that can injure some that may be some distance away. Even at 75 to 100 yards a horizontal flying pellet can put out an eye. You should shoot over the treetops to avoid injuring someone. If the pellets fall in a vertical trajectory they don’t have enough energy to hurt someone except in a rare instance when you might be looking up. Glasses will prevent that. Anytime firearms are involved safety is always first and foremost. A bird just isn’t worth someone getting hurt. If you are new to dove hunting be sure to study the regulations in regards to the seasons and species limits. There are various species and in some areas there are limits on which type you can take and how many. Having a game warden explain that could be a costly mistake. Dove hunting is a fun and challenging sport and I would encourage everyone to try it. You will find out how good a shot you are. After spending some time afield with the Mossberg 930 I can give it a two thumbs up.

Dove hunting