Had to buy a new gun.............

[jaycee2004]

Well with the new procurement of a hunting license I realized, I don't have a shotgun to hunt with. The tactical 870 will not suffice this time. I went to Peninsula Pawn in Cambridge and there were two almost new if not new Mossberg Maverick 88's. It is a synthetic stock and forearm version with a 28" barrel. Total price out the door, $185 tax included. I believe I did pretty good. Today we went to the Mountain and I got me a set of waders. Man, this hunting stuff is getting expensive lol

I'm hoping to get out next weekend to shoot it and try to see what kind of pattern I can get out of it

 

[jimbobborg]

Not a bad price. Is the barrel ribbed? Did they include the plug?

 

[jaycee2004]

Ribbed barrel yes, plug, not sure if it's in there or not. I need to pull it apart to find out if its installed

 

[fabsroman]

Ribbed barrel yes, plug, not sure if it's in there or not. I need to pull it apart to find out if its installed

Another one of these. Just see if you can put more than two shells in the tube magazine. If you can put more than two, then the plug is not there and you are not legal to waterfowl.

Hunting can be as expensive as you want it to be. Luckily, I spent tons one it when I was single. I have a couple hundred decoys, clothing for pretty much any situation, dog, training collar, truck, etc. Now, I need to buy a farm or two.

With that said, you can do plenty of hunting on the cheap too. $180 for a shotgun it pretty cheap. Ammo can get expensive, especially if you miss a lot.

 

[jaycee2004]

Well yea I could just stick two shells in there of course. I want to pull it down before using it, just like all my other guns.

 

[amoebicmagician]

I don't trust the Mavericks

Then again, I didn't trust the IAC Hawk rem 870 until we put more than a year of hard use on an acquaintance's gun with no issues.

 

[jaycee2004]

So it looks like I will be making a trip to Lowes to get a dowel tomorrow
Oh well, it'll be ok. Tonight is the first time I have gotten to handle the damn thing since I bought it yesterday. I bought it and then had to rush to work. This is also the first shotgun I have owned that requires a choke. My 870 has a imp cylinder barrel so I have never have had to fool around with a choke.

 

[fabsroman]

So it looks like I will be making a trip to Lowes to get a dowel tomorrow
Oh well, it'll be ok. Tonight is the first time I have gotten to handle the damn thing since I bought it yesterday. I bought it and then had to rush to work. This is also the first shotgun I have owned that requires a choke. My 870 has a imp cylinder barrel so I have never have had to fool around with a choke.

Cheaper than the related fine. Cambridge has some nice places to duck hunt over there. I am somewhat jealous.

 

[jaycee2004]

I got my "plug" all made up. At least Mossberg made it very cheap to fix the mag limit on these things. All it cost me was .57 cents. Anywho, we will be hunting in Vienna. I have never been hunting before, other than bird hunting with bb guns when we were younger. I am excited

 

[fabsroman]

I got my "plug" all made up. At least Mossberg made it very cheap to fix the mag limit on these things. All it cost me was .57 cents. Anywho, we will be hunting in Vienna. I have never been hunting before, other than bird hunting with bb guns when we were younger. I am excited

At first I thought you meant Vienna, Virginia and figured you were going to end up getting arrested over there. Quick google and it appears there is a Vienna, Maryland too and it is right on the river. I need to find a good spot for ducks myself. Hoping to get out on Friday or Saturday to goose hunt and then make some goose jerky on Sunday. Lots of stars need to align for me though.

Hope you have a great time. Hunting is a ton of fun. Just remember to be safe out there and to lead those ducks a bunch.

 

[jimbobborg]

Have fun with those high brass shells.

 

[fabsroman]

Have fun with those high brass shells.

You hardly notice the recoil when you are swinging on some fast moving ducks. Heck, I don't even notice the recoil of 3 1/2" shells when I am shooting at geese.

Now, set up a can and it feels like my back is breaking as it absorbs the recoil.

 

[jaycee2004]

So we went hunting Saturday afternoon. It was foggy as all get out. First shot out of a gun I had never fired before netted me my first kill. My second shot was at a duck flying over but completely missed that one. I was still excited. We also went out this morning. I shot a couple teal as did the other guys that took me out. I need to hit DSC to practice on shooting some clays. My moving shot needs to be improved on. All in all, I had a blast!

 

[campns]

http://www.fieldandstream.com/articles/guns/shotguns/shooting-tips/2010/03/plug-recoil

Try and see if this will work with your maverick, it's worth a shot and it should help balance out and stifle the high brass 12's your going to be running in it.

 

[jaycee2004]

I never have even noticed recoil while shooting honestly. These bird loads are nothing compared to the slugs I fire out of my 870

 

[jmiller320]

I was phesant hunting in PA about 30 years ago. We were hunting on a big farm and there was another group of hunters in the field across the road. We all parked near the barn. Both groups were together talking when the game warden stopped by. He asked to check the guns and when he tried to push a thirs shell into one of the other groups shotguns there was a little resistance and then the shell went in as did a forth. Turns out the guy plugged his gun with a plastic fountain pen and because it was cold it crumbled under the force of the wardens thumb. He got off with a warning and a shortened hunt.

 

[fabsroman]

So we went hunting Saturday afternoon. It was foggy as all get out. First shot out of a gun I had never fired before netted me my first kill. My second shot was at a duck flying over but completely missed that one. I was still excited. We also went out this morning. I shot a couple teal as did the other guys that took me out. I need to hit DSC to practice on shooting some clays. My moving shot needs to be improved on. All in all, I had a blast!

Sounds like one heck of a good time. Really glad to hear that you got some good shooting in as a newb. It makes it that much easier to keep coming back.

If you are hitting teal at full speed you are doing great. Waterfowl offer a variety of different shots. There can be the incomers with cupped wings that are pretty easy and there can be the crossing shots on teal, bufflehead, and wood ducks that are the Indy cars of the waterfowl world. Then, there is the cupped and committed goose at 20 yards. Kind of like shooting down a 747 with a heat seeking rocket launcher as it is committed to the runway.