Box Call

OK guys and gals, I can use some help. While hunting in Pa. my cousin loaned me his Mossberg 835, 3 1/2" Ulti Mag, 12 gauge which I smoked a turkey with last Sat. I liked the gun so much I went out and bought one this week. The one I bought has the white front bead with the brass colored bead that you line up when aiming. I would much rather add the fiber optic sights, so I purchased the Truglo Magnum Gobble Dot Xtreme shotgun sights. Now I have a question: Where exactly do I mount the sights on my gun? You can't really mount the front sight where the original is because the new one is a lot longer, and I'm not sure exactly where to mount the rear sight. I think if I put it where the brass bead is it would be too close to the front sight? Has anyone done this already that can tell me the solution or is it a trial and error thing until I get it shooting right.

Also, what would be a good starting point as far as load and choke to get this gun patterned? I got the X-full turkey choke that came with the gun and tried 3 1/2", Double X Magnum, 2 1/4 oz., 5 shot, which is the load my cousin uses. I fired some shots at 20, 30, and 40 yards and at 30 yards the pattern was spreading out quite a bit already. This thing really packs a whallop, so if I could get some hints about a good setup it might save me some shock to my shoulder. I know different guns will pattern differently, but I would just like a starting point. I heard the HS Strut Undertaker choke mentioned a lot on this site. Would that be a good choice? I will be trying different loads with the choke that came with the gun, but if not successful I'd like to try the next best one.

As always, thanks for any help you can give!

wacker

Winchester high velosity #6 have always patterned good for me

Antler Eater

I also have the Tru-glo sight on my rig. Mount the front sight behind your bead. Not only is it longer but it will stick up higher than your front bead, anyway mine did. I mounted my rear sight as far back on my shotgun's rib as I could. It works good, but you will still have to shoot it to see where impact is.

Can't be of any help with the loads as I shoot a different setup.

Good luck.

Turkeydude

My son has a 835 it came with the tru glo sights unscrew the white bead sight and brass sight put your front sight even with the rail then measure back from back of front sight about 14in or so you don't want to go to far back because your rail will start to go down the father back you go you will see the holes in the rail get smaller meaning you are going down some. We found you couldn't get a good hold with them so we went to Red Dots they work great for us
also 3 1/2 winchester supremes high velocity's #6 shout great in his gun he uses a comp n choke tube also..His Turkey he got this year at 53 paces dropped
in his tracks. Hope this helps, anymore questions let me know I'll try and help Good Luck

Box Call

Turkeydude,

I was out shooting my new 835 today before I read your reply to my post. I bought an Undertaker choke for it and wanted to try a couple different shells to see what would happen. I just put the tru glo front site on just behind the front bead temporarily and had the rear site about where the word Warning is located on the barrel. I tried Winchester, 3 1/2", 2 oz., #5s and #6s. I started with the Undertaker choke and fired 1 of each shell at 20 yds. I was just shooting at a white target with a 10" circle in the middle to see if I would hit where I was aiming. Both the 5s and 6s shot a good pattern at 20 yds. but the center of the pattern was about 2 inches above my aiming point. I moved back to 30 yds and again got a good pattern which hit more where I was aiming. I put app. 120 pellets in the 10 inch circle with the #6s and app. 70 of the #5s in the 10 inch circle. At 40 yds., I still had about 40 of the #6s in the 10" circle and about 30 of the #5s.

At this point, I changed to the X full turkey choke that came with the gun and fired 1 of each shell at 20 yds. With the #5 shell I put the bulk of the pattern in the 10 inch circle and the pattern seemed to be centered in the circle. With the #6 shell, I got a really tight pattern, but it was centered about 2" high again. I think at this point I was beginning to flinch because my shoulder was hurting, so I stopped for the day.

After I read your post, I removed the front bead and anchored the front tru glo site like you said to do. I will try the rear site at 14" back, but I'm not going to anchor that one down until I can try shooting it again.

Thanks to all for your suggestions and overall I'm already very happy with the results I'm getting. With a little more tinkering, I think I'll really have a turkey slayer in my hands. All I have to do next year is get the turkeys to cooperate!!

Thanks again, and if anyone else has any suggestions please feel free to give them. I can use all the help I can get.

Deleted User

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Mr. Longbeard

Try the Win HV #4's. They seem to pattern well in my friends 835...