Mossberg 835 Ulti-Mag Cartridge Advice

[ChrisPCarter]

I've recently picked up a used 835 pump action which is basically a 3.5" 12 gauge with a barrel bored out to near 10 gauge.

I've since been told that using anything but big loads in it will just result in a pop and nothing much happening due to 12ga wads not sealing in the larger barrel.

I've not had chance to shoot the gun yet so does anyone have any experience of this?

I read a lot of reviews and this wasn't mentioned in any of them but I guess it's understandable. Maybe they were making the assumption that's all this gun will be used for.

At the same time I don't really see how the wad of a heavier cartridge is going to do a much better job of sealing than that of a lighter load. I was also told a fibre wad would be of no use at all as it has no chance of sealing.

It's not particularly a problem as I got the gun for some big wildfowl cartridges and it was cheap but I wouldn't mind using it on pigeons and other pests occasionally. I do have a few other guns.

I'm basically wondering if it's a heavy plastic cartridge only gun?

 

It only came with two chokes, quarter and full - both suitable for steel.

Would I be better with a half choke for inland ducks and geese when using 3" steel, say 36g 1's and 3's?

I've got some big 3.5" 42g ones to try when I fancy a bit of punishment.

Edited January 16, 2017 by ChrisPCarter

[dodeer]

Use a fibre cartridge and shoot it at a pattern plate to see if it blows the wad

[ChrisPCarter]

I'm going to try that when I get chance but it probably won't be for a couple of weeks.

Just wondered if anyone had one and had any experience of them.

[defender]

Mine seems ok I have a skeet choke in it and I use it on clays with 28g 70mm fibers, never patterned it though.

Short carts seem to get caught in the lifter

[6.5x55SE]

[quote name="ChrisPCarter" post="3198462" timestamp="1484526089"

I've since been told that using anything but big loads in it will just result in a pop and nothing much happening due to 12ga wads not sealing in the larger barrel.

 

100% complete and utter BULLPOOP.

I had one for years in fact when we had a choice to use Non Toxic Shot or Lead before it became illegal to use lead on Wildfowl.

I used every from 1oz lead to 2oz lead 1-1/8oz Steel to 1-9/16oz Steel all shot very very good with a factory 1/2 choke in fact I'll be brave and say the best killing gun I've ever owned. If they ever made a SbS with the same barrels and bore for me it would be the perfect gun

[ChrisPCarter]

Cheers, that's what I was hoping to hear

I did wonder why anyone would bother buying one if they were pretty much useless for anything but the heavy stuff.

Hopefully I'll get chance to give it a go this week or next.

[casts_by_fly]

you'll lose a bit of speed on the fiber wads, but they will still shoot. I had the 935 semi auto version of that gun and did some pattern and speed work as we were shooting fiber wad steel. For plastic there is no speed dropoff even with 29g loads. In fiber I was seeing up to a 400 fps dropoff from a fixed breech/12b diameter gun. Since I could only shoot fiber at waterfowl I sold the gun.

 

thanks,

rick

[motty]

Amazing some of the bull that some folk spout.

[ChrisPCarter]

He was a young lad who worked in a shop so you kind of expect they might know a bit about it.

I can usually smell BS but I've never come across a 12ga gun with a 10ga barrel before so it's all new to me.

It's something unusual for the collection anyway.

I'll take it out pigeon shooting next time I go and see how it gets on with some plastic and fibre 30 & 32g cartridges.

I won't be shooting clays with it, it's built like a tank.