Mossberg 930

ghostriderftl · February 20, 2011, 11:08 AM

Hello all,

I am looking at getting a second shotgun to go along with my Winchester defend.

Since I can’t afford a Saiga, magazines and upgrades to make it compliant I have decide to go with the Mossberg 930 semi-auto.

How is this shotgun and is it worth getting?

Are there any problems with it?

Is it particular to any specific type of ammo?

Please give me the low down etc…….

jmortimer · February 20, 2011, 11:40 AM

It is as reliable as any semi-auto shotgun made. I would for sure rather have it for self-defense than a stock Saiga. For the $$$ there is no better deal.

The Real Wyatt · February 20, 2011, 12:39 PM

First let me say that I do not own a Mossberg 530. I do own a Saiga-12.

Unbiased reviews seem to indicate that the 530 is totally unsuitable for self defense:
http://www.m4carbine.net/archive/index.php/t-10049.html

As far as a Saiga being "compliant" it is compliant as it comes out of the box. Load it up with the Russian 5 round magazine and you're good to go. Some, not all, require a break-in period, after they're 100% reliable and can be trusted with your life. They don't need to be "converted" to be made reliable; first you make sure they're reliable then, if desired, you convert them. Conversion is NOT necessary, many satisfied Saiga-12 owners leave their guns as they come from Izhmash.

922r only comes into play when you choose to alter your IZ-109 from it's original configuration. It is then that you must meet the no-more-than-10 foreign parts rule. The IZ-109, according to the BATFE contains a total of 14 "parts" for 922r consideration. If all you wanted to do was to use USA made high-capacity magazines then you could simply replace the Flash-hider with a USA part and add the magazine/drum of your choice and you'd be good to go.
The Flash-hider (muzzle device) is considered 1 922r part and the Magazine/Drum counts as 3 922r parts. So replacing a total of 4 foreign parts with USA made 922r parts brings you into the no-more-than-10 foreign parts count and you're perfectly legal in all respects.

Of course, the gun would become illegal if you put the original Russian 5 round magazine back in. Makes sense, doesn't it.

Bottom line is, in my opinion, you cannot own a more reliable "trust your life with it", personal defense shotgun than the Saiga-12.

zippy13 · February 20, 2011, 02:45 PM

In support of his Saiga-12, The Real Wyatt opines, "Some, not all, require a break-in period, after they're 100% reliable and can be trusted with your life."
Think about that comment, it could apply to almost any shotgun: Your shotgun failed to fire at a critical moment -- sorry, it seems you didn't break-it-in properly.
Q.: How do I know if my shotgun isn't broken-in properly?
A.: If it fails to fire, then it wasn't broken-in properly.
I'm guessing most folks want a gun that's reliable right out of the box after the initial cleaning and lubrication. I don't want to worry about how much breaking-in is required before the gun is reliable.

About his, "Bottom line is, in my opinion, you cannot own a more reliable 'trust your life with it', personal defense shotgun than the Saiga-12." IMHO, the most reliable shotgun is the simplest to operate: the single or double barreled break-open. If you decide to go with a repeater, then you are trading reliability for magazine capacity. Obviously, based on the sales of HD pump guns, many folks select capacity over reliability. How many times have we read threads about a M-500 or R-870 that won't function because of this, or that problem?

I'm not finding fault with Wyatt nor his Saiga-12, I'm sure he's well satisfied with his purchase. But, when discussing overall shotgun reliability let's not forget the autoloader is typically considered the least reliable. This is not to say that there are not those who select an auto-loader as their go-to gun for HD. Personally, I've got many thousands of rounds experience with break-open and auto-loaders in training and competition. For HD, the auto-loading shotgun is not my go-to gun.

ghostriderftl,
What's wrong with your Winchester? You can use only one HD gun at a time. If you're looking at another gun to have HD guns stashed in multiple locations, or as a back-up gun, then it makes sense to have identical guns. If you're anticipating alternate HD situations, then you might consider augmenting your shotgun with a handgun and/or a rifle/carbine. Good luck with your selection, it's not a simple decision.

The Real Wyatt · February 20, 2011, 07:32 PM

I suppose I didn't define "reliability". I consider a self-loader to be 100% reliable when it'll fire 2,500 rounds with no failures of any sort. At that point, I trust it.

No that it proves anything at all, but I once put 1,100 rounds through my Saiga without ever cleraning it. Just took it to the range, shot the devil outta it and threw it in the trunk till next time. I finally felt sorry for it and let it out of the trunk for a good cleaning at just over 1,100 rounds.

jmortimer · February 20, 2011, 09:04 PM

Just Google Saiga 12 guage and jamming - no one should expect a stock Saiga to outperform a Benelli M4 or FN SLP or the Mossberg 930 for that matter. The Saigas are second tier and the others are first tier.

thinktwice · February 21, 2011, 02:22 AM

I have a 930 that will shoot anything you put through it. From reduced recoil shells to three inch buckshot. No problems so far, and have around 875 shells through it. It will shoot as fast as you can pull the trigger.

Smitty in CT · February 21, 2011, 03:46 PM

Are you looking to get the 28" feild version or one of the security versions??

The Mossberg 930 is by far the best value of any autoloader on the market right now.... They can still be found for less than $500 and as long as they are cleaned and well lubed, they're as reliable as any shotgun costing several hundreds more...

The Mossberg is much more vesitile than a lot of other guns simply because of the availability of additional barrels, you can get 18-1/2", 24" smooth or rifled bores, with or without sights, and 28" Vent ribbed barrels. Price spare barrels for any of the other shotguns out there, it makes the Mossberg seem even more affordable.

The best "value" right now is the "Security / Field" combo, you get an 18-1/2" barrel and a 28" barrel for under $600....

Bud's currently has the above combo for $525, with free shipping....
http://www.budsgunshop.com/catalog/p...ducts_id/49886

February 20, 2011, 11:08 AM	#1
ghostriderftl Member Join Date: January 8, 2009 Posts: 71	Mossberg 930 Hello all, I am looking at getting a second shotgun to go along with my Winchester defend. Since I can’t afford a Saiga, magazines and upgrades to make it compliant I have decide to go with the Mossberg 930 semi-auto. How is this shotgun and is it worth getting? Are there any problems with it? Is it particular to any specific type of ammo? Please give me the low down etc…….

February 20, 2011, 09:04 PM	#6
jmortimer Junior member Join Date: January 24, 2010 Location: South West Riverside County California Posts: 2,763	Just Google Saiga 12 guage and jamming - no one should expect a stock Saiga to outperform a Benelli M4 or FN SLP or the Mossberg 930 for that matter. The Saigas are second tier and the others are first tier. Last edited by jmortimer; February 20, 2011 at 09:09 PM.

February 21, 2011, 03:46 PM	#8
Smitty in CT Senior Member Join Date: August 30, 2006 Location: Moodus, CT Posts: 590	Are you looking to get the 28" feild version or one of the security versions?? The Mossberg 930 is by far the best value of any autoloader on the market right now.... They can still be found for less than $500 and as long as they are cleaned and well lubed, they're as reliable as any shotgun costing several hundreds more... The Mossberg is much more vesitile than a lot of other guns simply because of the availability of additional barrels, you can get 18-1/2", 24" smooth or rifled bores, with or without sights, and 28" Vent ribbed barrels. Price spare barrels for any of the other shotguns out there, it makes the Mossberg seem even more affordable. The best "value" right now is the "Security / Field" combo, you get an 18-1/2" barrel and a 28" barrel for under $600.... Bud's currently has the above combo for $525, with free shipping.... http://www.budsgunshop.com/catalog/p...ducts_id/49886 __________________ Smitty "The object of war is not to die for your country, but to make the other bastard die for his." -- Gen. George Patton

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February 20, 2011, 11:40 AM	#2
jmortimer Junior member Join Date: January 24, 2010 Location: South West Riverside County California Posts: 2,763	It is as reliable as any semi-auto shotgun made. I would for sure rather have it for self-defense than a stock Saiga. For the $$$ there is no better deal.

February 20, 2011, 12:39 PM	#3
The Real Wyatt Senior Member Join Date: July 10, 2006 Location: South Central KY Posts: 339	First let me say that I do not own a Mossberg 530. I do own a Saiga-12. Unbiased reviews seem to indicate that the 530 is totally unsuitable for self defense: http://www.m4carbine.net/archive/index.php/t-10049.html As far as a Saiga being "compliant" it is compliant as it comes out of the box. Load it up with the Russian 5 round magazine and you're good to go. Some, not all, require a break-in period, after they're 100% reliable and can be trusted with your life. They don't need to be "converted" to be made reliable; first you make sure they're reliable then, if desired, you convert them. Conversion is NOT necessary, many satisfied Saiga-12 owners leave their guns as they come from Izhmash. 922r only comes into play when you choose to alter your IZ-109 from it's original configuration. It is then that you must meet the no-more-than-10 foreign parts rule. The IZ-109, according to the BATFE contains a total of 14 "parts" for 922r consideration. If all you wanted to do was to use USA made high-capacity magazines then you could simply replace the Flash-hider with a USA part and add the magazine/drum of your choice and you'd be good to go. The Flash-hider (muzzle device) is considered 1 922r part and the Magazine/Drum counts as 3 922r parts. So replacing a total of 4 foreign parts with USA made 922r parts brings you into the no-more-than-10 foreign parts count and you're perfectly legal in all respects. Of course, the gun would become illegal if you put the original Russian 5 round magazine back in. Makes sense, doesn't it. Bottom line is, in my opinion, you cannot own a more reliable "trust your life with it", personal defense shotgun than the Saiga-12.

February 20, 2011, 02:45 PM	#4
zippy13 Senior Member Join Date: August 23, 2008 Location: SoCal Posts: 6,442	In support of his Saiga-12, The Real Wyatt opines, "Some, not all, require a break-in period, after they're 100% reliable and can be trusted with your life." Think about that comment, it could apply to almost any shotgun: Your shotgun failed to fire at a critical moment -- sorry, it seems you didn't break-it-in properly. Q.: How do I know if my shotgun isn't broken-in properly? A.: If it fails to fire, then it wasn't broken-in properly. I'm guessing most folks want a gun that's reliable right out of the box after the initial cleaning and lubrication. I don't want to worry about how much breaking-in is required before the gun is reliable. About his, "Bottom line is, in my opinion, you cannot own a more reliable 'trust your life with it', personal defense shotgun than the Saiga-12." IMHO, the most reliable shotgun is the simplest to operate: the single or double barreled break-open. If you decide to go with a repeater, then you are trading reliability for magazine capacity. Obviously, based on the sales of HD pump guns, many folks select capacity over reliability. How many times have we read threads about a M-500 or R-870 that won't function because of this, or that problem? I'm not finding fault with Wyatt nor his Saiga-12, I'm sure he's well satisfied with his purchase. But, when discussing overall shotgun reliability let's not forget the autoloader is typically considered the least reliable. This is not to say that there are not those who select an auto-loader as their go-to gun for HD. Personally, I've got many thousands of rounds experience with break-open and auto-loaders in training and competition. For HD, the auto-loading shotgun is not my go-to gun. ghostriderftl, What's wrong with your Winchester? You can use only one HD gun at a time. If you're looking at another gun to have HD guns stashed in multiple locations, or as a back-up gun, then it makes sense to have identical guns. If you're anticipating alternate HD situations, then you might consider augmenting your shotgun with a handgun and/or a rifle/carbine. Good luck with your selection, it's not a simple decision.

February 20, 2011, 07:32 PM	#5
The Real Wyatt Senior Member Join Date: July 10, 2006 Location: South Central KY Posts: 339	I suppose I didn't define "reliability". I consider a self-loader to be 100% reliable when it'll fire 2,500 rounds with no failures of any sort. At that point, I trust it. No that it proves anything at all, but I once put 1,100 rounds through my Saiga without ever cleraning it. Just took it to the range, shot the devil outta it and threw it in the trunk till next time. I finally felt sorry for it and let it out of the trunk for a good cleaning at just over 1,100 rounds.

February 21, 2011, 02:22 AM	#7
thinktwice Senior Member Join Date: August 22, 2007 Posts: 293	I have a 930 that will shoot anything you put through it. From reduced recoil shells to three inch buckshot. No problems so far, and have around 875 shells through it. It will shoot as fast as you can pull the trigger.