Moss 835

jman841 · March 18, 2009, 04:52 PM

Hey guys, i am fairly new to shotguns and i bought a Mossberg 835 ulti-mag the other day from a gunshow for 209 dollars. It is in good condition however i did no realize at the time that it was overbored and can not fire slugs. What are your opinions on this shotgun? I took it to the range yesterday and put about 100 rounds through it without a problem. Shot great.

Also, how do the chokes on these things work? the choke in there right now says its a Modified choke but when the guy i bought it from used the choke gauge to measure it, it read much larger than a modified choke is supposed to be. Is it designed to be like this because of the overbored barrel?

Also, How does the performance of this gun compare to that of a regular barrel in terms of spread and power down range with different shells?

I only shot remington Gun club ammo through it which is a number 8 shot and looses energy very quickly. At 50 yards the pellets would barley pierce both sides of a soda bottle. is that normal?

hogdogs · March 18, 2009, 04:55 PM

Slug barrels are available for the 835...
The rest I cannot answer as I have done no more than dream of an 835...
Brent

Doyle · March 18, 2009, 06:54 PM

You cannot use a standard choke gauge to measure degree of choke on an overbored barrel. It just won't give an accurate measurement. The only way to know for shure how any choke will perform is to pattern the gun on paper. I don't have a pattern reference handy but I'm sure you can find one on the internet. A pattern reference chart shows what percentage of the shot charge falls within a 30" circle at a given distance.

TxGun · March 18, 2009, 07:26 PM

The 835 is a very good shotgun. I have the 20" Grand Slam Turkey model. It is basically a Model 500 lengthened to accept 3 1/2" shells. As you noted, you cannot shoot slugs in an overbored barrel (buck is OK), but as was also noted by hogdogs, slug barrels are available. #8 shot at 50 yds.? Not much energy left there, so yes, that part is 'normal'. I'm almost surprised it penetrated both sides of a soda bottle at that range with a Mod. (or less) choke.

hogdogs · March 18, 2009, 07:31 PM

txgun, The 835 is far and away more gun than the 500... It is specifically designed for the 3.5 round... What you are thinking of is the 535 model...
Brent

TxGun · March 19, 2009, 12:31 AM

No, I was referring to the basic design. The 835 is basically still a 500 Model, made long enough to handle 3 1/2" shells. Same general receiver design as the 500. I'm looking at them side-by-side right now. Sure there are minor differences to account for the longer 3 1/2" shell case, and a different mag tube set-up, plus overbored barrels, but the receivers, bolts and internal designs pretty much mirror each other. And, of course, the 535 is also in the 500 family. Mossberg did not really come up with a brand new gun for the 835, they just mildly re-engineered what they knew so well. (Yeah, I know. Specifically designed for the 3 1/2" shotshell. That's marketing talk. Translated it means "we stretched the 500 a bit and fiddled with a few details so you'd think we started with a clean slate and we could justify charging a little more").

hogdogs · March 19, 2009, 12:35 AM

The 535 is a "stretched" 500. the 835 is a widened beffed up stretched 500. The 535 is rated for occasional use with 3.5's but the 835 is capable of a lifetime with 3.5's... Check the weight of the 3...
Brent

TxGun · March 19, 2009, 01:06 AM

OK. Whatever. It's still a 500 in wolf's clothing. They did not develop a new gun design for the 835. They simply put a little more aluminum on the 500, i.e. "beefed it up", as you said.

NYPD13 · March 19, 2009, 02:09 AM

Mossberg makes a 24" rifled barrel with an intergral scope base. Bought one for my wetlands 835. Man do 3 1/2" Lightfield slugs punish the shoulder!
MOSSBERG 835 WATERFOWLER.jpg

MOSSBERG 12 GAUGE.jpg

MOSSBERG 835 SLUG BARREL.jpg

wyobohunter · March 19, 2009, 01:09 PM

I had an 835. The function was very good. I liked the safety position and it seemed like a solidly built gun to me. I sold it because it didn't fit me and (as the O.P. mentioned) it can't fire slugs...Two reasons why I shouldn't have bought it in the first place (it was an impulse buy).

If yours fits you and you don't mind buying the rifled slug bbl you've made a good purchase. I just needed a gun that could fire bird shot and slugs out of the same bbl (bird hunt in bear country). I went w/the BPS Upland Special.

jman841 · March 19, 2009, 03:26 PM

Yea i kinda wish i could fire slugs in the same barrel. I am kind of thinking about selling it and getting a Remmy 870. But it is a very nice shotgun and in very good condition, i think i could easily get what i payed for it back.

But overall happy with it, fire's whatever i put in it quite well

Old Guard Dog · March 19, 2009, 07:45 PM

The choke dimensions are the size restriction down from the actual bore size. The US normal restrictions are:
Full choke- .035"
Modified- .020"
Imp. Cyl- .010"
Skeet- .005"

If you measure the bore, and use these numbers, that is the choke size. However, what matters is how the gun patterns with a particular load.

wyobohunter · March 19, 2009, 09:34 PM

What region do you live in? The reason I ask is if you have no need to carry slugs while bird hunting (for defense against big critters) and just want to use the gun as a slugster for Deer etc. as well as a bird gun... And especially if the gun fits you. I'd just buy the slug bbl and be happy with the extremely versatile combo you picked up for a good price.

rantingredneck · March 19, 2009, 09:44 PM

Good gun.

Mine has rolled a lot of deer in their tracks and dropped a couple of turkeys. It even does fairly well in a dove field, though I've moved to other guns for that purpose that swing a little better.

I've got slug barrels on 4 other guns so I haven't bought a slug barrel for my 835 yet. I wish they would make one that was 20 or 22 inches, preferably with screw in accuchoke II's. The 24" ones are just a little longer than I'd like and are either fully rifled or fixed cylinder bore. I've considered buying a 24" smoothbore and having it trimmed down 4" and tapped for chokes. The expense just isn't worth it for my purposes though.

Still, good gun. I've considered selling mine a few times but always end up putting it back in the safe. I haven't actually hunted with it myself in about 3 years. One of my nephews loves it though.

I make him buy his own ammo now. Those 3.5" shells are a bit steep for the way he shoots

.

March 18, 2009, 04:52 PM	#1
jman841 Senior Member Join Date: March 18, 2009 Posts: 715	Moss 835 Hey guys, i am fairly new to shotguns and i bought a Mossberg 835 ulti-mag the other day from a gunshow for 209 dollars. It is in good condition however i did no realize at the time that it was overbored and can not fire slugs. What are your opinions on this shotgun? I took it to the range yesterday and put about 100 rounds through it without a problem. Shot great. Also, how do the chokes on these things work? the choke in there right now says its a Modified choke but when the guy i bought it from used the choke gauge to measure it, it read much larger than a modified choke is supposed to be. Is it designed to be like this because of the overbored barrel? Also, How does the performance of this gun compare to that of a regular barrel in terms of spread and power down range with different shells? I only shot remington Gun club ammo through it which is a number 8 shot and looses energy very quickly. At 50 yards the pellets would barley pierce both sides of a soda bottle. is that normal?

March 18, 2009, 07:26 PM	#4
TxGun Senior Member Join Date: April 14, 2008 Location: Family ranch - Central TX. Posts: 467	The 835 is a very good shotgun. I have the 20" Grand Slam Turkey model. It is basically a Model 500 lengthened to accept 3 1/2" shells. As you noted, you cannot shoot slugs in an overbored barrel (buck is OK), but as was also noted by hogdogs, slug barrels are available. #8 shot at 50 yds.? Not much energy left there, so yes, that part is 'normal'. I'm almost surprised it penetrated both sides of a soda bottle at that range with a Mod. (or less) choke. Last edited by TxGun; March 18, 2009 at 07:33 PM.

March 19, 2009, 12:31 AM	#6
TxGun Senior Member Join Date: April 14, 2008 Location: Family ranch - Central TX. Posts: 467	No, I was referring to the basic design. The 835 is basically still a 500 Model, made long enough to handle 3 1/2" shells. Same general receiver design as the 500. I'm looking at them side-by-side right now. Sure there are minor differences to account for the longer 3 1/2" shell case, and a different mag tube set-up, plus overbored barrels, but the receivers, bolts and internal designs pretty much mirror each other. And, of course, the 535 is also in the 500 family. Mossberg did not really come up with a brand new gun for the 835, they just mildly re-engineered what they knew so well. (Yeah, I know. Specifically designed for the 3 1/2" shotshell. That's marketing talk. Translated it means "we stretched the 500 a bit and fiddled with a few details so you'd think we started with a clean slate and we could justify charging a little more"). Last edited by TxGun; March 19, 2009 at 01:04 AM.

March 19, 2009, 02:09 AM	#9
NYPD13 Senior Member Join Date: September 10, 2008 Posts: 370	Mossberg makes a 24" rifled barrel with an intergral scope base. Bought one for my wetlands 835. Man do 3 1/2" Lightfield slugs punish the shoulder! MOSSBERG 835 WATERFOWLER.jpg MOSSBERG 12 GAUGE.jpg MOSSBERG 835 SLUG BARREL.jpg __________________ "THE CONSTITUTION ONLY GIVES PEOPLE THE RIGHT TO PURSUE HAPPINESS, YOU HAVE TO CATCH IT YOURSELF." ~BENJAMIN FRANKLIN.

March 19, 2009, 09:34 PM	#13
wyobohunter Senior Member Join Date: August 21, 2008 Location: Back in Wyoming Posts: 1,125	jman What region do you live in? The reason I ask is if you have no need to carry slugs while bird hunting (for defense against big critters) and just want to use the gun as a slugster for Deer etc. as well as a bird gun... And especially if the gun fits you. I'd just buy the slug bbl and be happy with the extremely versatile combo you picked up for a good price.

March 18, 2009, 04:55 PM	#2
hogdogs Staff In Memoriam Join Date: October 31, 2007 Location: Western Florida panhandle Posts: 11,069	Slug barrels are available for the 835... The rest I cannot answer as I have done no more than dream of an 835... Brent

March 18, 2009, 06:54 PM	#3
Doyle Senior Member Join Date: June 20, 2007 Location: Rainbow City, Alabama Posts: 7,167	You cannot use a standard choke gauge to measure degree of choke on an overbored barrel. It just won't give an accurate measurement. The only way to know for shure how any choke will perform is to pattern the gun on paper. I don't have a pattern reference handy but I'm sure you can find one on the internet. A pattern reference chart shows what percentage of the shot charge falls within a 30" circle at a given distance.

March 18, 2009, 07:31 PM	#5
hogdogs Staff In Memoriam Join Date: October 31, 2007 Location: Western Florida panhandle Posts: 11,069	txgun, The 835 is far and away more gun than the 500... It is specifically designed for the 3.5 round... What you are thinking of is the 535 model... Brent

March 19, 2009, 12:35 AM	#7
hogdogs Staff In Memoriam Join Date: October 31, 2007 Location: Western Florida panhandle Posts: 11,069	The 535 is a "stretched" 500. the 835 is a widened beffed up stretched 500. The 535 is rated for occasional use with 3.5's but the 835 is capable of a lifetime with 3.5's... Check the weight of the 3... Brent

March 19, 2009, 01:06 AM	#8
TxGun Senior Member Join Date: April 14, 2008 Location: Family ranch - Central TX. Posts: 467	OK. Whatever. It's still a 500 in wolf's clothing. They did not develop a new gun design for the 835. They simply put a little more aluminum on the 500, i.e. "beefed it up", as you said. Last edited by TxGun; March 19, 2009 at 01:17 AM.

March 19, 2009, 01:09 PM	#10
wyobohunter Senior Member Join Date: August 21, 2008 Location: Back in Wyoming Posts: 1,125	I had an 835. The function was very good. I liked the safety position and it seemed like a solidly built gun to me. I sold it because it didn't fit me and (as the O.P. mentioned) it can't fire slugs...Two reasons why I shouldn't have bought it in the first place (it was an impulse buy). If yours fits you and you don't mind buying the rifled slug bbl you've made a good purchase. I just needed a gun that could fire bird shot and slugs out of the same bbl (bird hunt in bear country). I went w/the BPS Upland Special.

March 19, 2009, 03:26 PM	#11
jman841 Senior Member Join Date: March 18, 2009 Posts: 715	Yea i kinda wish i could fire slugs in the same barrel. I am kind of thinking about selling it and getting a Remmy 870. But it is a very nice shotgun and in very good condition, i think i could easily get what i payed for it back. But overall happy with it, fire's whatever i put in it quite well

March 19, 2009, 07:45 PM	#12
Old Guard Dog Senior Member Join Date: December 23, 2008 Location: SE PA Posts: 101	The choke dimensions are the size restriction down from the actual bore size. The US normal restrictions are: Full choke- .035" Modified- .020" Imp. Cyl- .010" Skeet- .005" If you measure the bore, and use these numbers, that is the choke size. However, what matters is how the gun patterns with a particular load.

March 19, 2009, 09:44 PM	#14
rantingredneck Senior Member Join Date: January 12, 2007 Location: North Carolina Posts: 4,728	Good gun. Mine has rolled a lot of deer in their tracks and dropped a couple of turkeys. It even does fairly well in a dove field, though I've moved to other guns for that purpose that swing a little better. I've got slug barrels on 4 other guns so I haven't bought a slug barrel for my 835 yet. I wish they would make one that was 20 or 22 inches, preferably with screw in accuchoke II's. The 24" ones are just a little longer than I'd like and are either fully rifled or fixed cylinder bore. I've considered buying a 24" smoothbore and having it trimmed down 4" and tapped for chokes. The expense just isn't worth it for my purposes though. Still, good gun. I've considered selling mine a few times but always end up putting it back in the safe. I haven't actually hunted with it myself in about 3 years. One of my nephews loves it though. I make him buy his own ammo now. Those 3.5" shells are a bit steep for the way he shoots . __________________ NRA Member NC Hunter's Education Instructor PCCA Member (What's PCCA you ask? <- Check the link)