New 3G Shotgun, questions...

[muddywings]

I was looking for Mossberg 930 JM to get into 3G with but good luck finding one.
I did find, through another board a Mossberg 930 SPX Blackwater that someone converted into a 3G style and for the price couldn't pass it up. The only negative is the barrel is just a bit short (as if that will make any difference with my crappy shooting). The positive was the lifter was already welded, and the port beveled (just a bit). I also replaced the stock safety with a bigger one that I believe comes with the JM model. I bought two and replaced my 500 as well.
I do have some questions for the semi-auto newbie that I am.
First the pics, then the questions:

http://i.imgur.com/Cx9G5.jpg?1



http://i.imgur.com/RCYbt.jpg?1

http://i.imgur.com/7qEDG.jpg?1

http://i.imgur.com/FAUqh.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/UHcwX.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/rqIxm.jpg

First off, after disassemble, familiarization, cleaning I moved the magazine/barrel clamp further forward than where it was originally.
Question on chokes-I believe I have a light modified installed but no other came with it. I believe it is Briley and I looked them up but if anybody has a vector on what I should get: http://www.briley.com/12gaugethinwallchokes.aspx ?? of if there is a better place to get them from and what would be good for 3G.
Also, some plates came with it (last picture). I haven't broken the package on them yet-any ideas?

Hopefully I can test run it this Sunday.

[patrick0685]

the plates are shims for the stock to make it fit you better

[Fromk]

The plates are to change the angle of the stock. They fit in between the stock and the reciever. You want to be able to shoulder it and look level down the barrel.

A modified choke will work just fine. You won't have to worry about that for a long time if ever.

Eventually you may want a longer barrel but, again, you'll get by. There are a lot of things that won't make much of a difference until you reach the skill and competition level where you're shaving fractions of seconds. You'll just need to scrape some carbon and crap off the tube every once in a while until then.

Looks like you're got a good gun to get you started. I've been running a 930 in 3-gun for over 2 years and I don't think I'll be changing it out any time soon.

As a general note for the gun, you'll want to get some silicon spray if you don't have some already. The gas system uses some plastic parts to seal it up and normal cleaners can erode it over time.

[muddywings]

The plates are to change the angle of the stock. They fit in between the stock and the reciever. You want to be able to shoulder it and look level down the barrel.

A modified choke will work just fine. You won't have to worry about that for a long time if ever.

Eventually you may want a longer barrel but, again, you'll get by. There are a lot of things that won't make much of a difference until you reach the skill and competition level where you're shaving fractions of seconds. You'll just need to scrape some carbon and crap off the tube every once in a while until then.

Looks like you're got a good gun to get you started. I've been running a 930 in 3-gun for over 2 years and I don't think I'll be changing it out any time soon.

As a general note for the gun, you'll want to get some silicon spray if you don't have some already. The gas system uses some plastic parts to seal it up and normal cleaners can erode it over time.

Thanks (both), I figured they were to shim the stock. My HD mossy has and adjustable along with my AR so I'll probably need to play with it (STS).

I won't be shaving seconds--maybe minutes someday so I didn't worry about the barrel to much. I was just glad the lifter was already welded.

Thanks for the tip on the silicon spray.

[laportecharlie]

The choke in your pics is a light Mod and it looks like it might be a Briley. Another good choke supplier is Carlson which is a bit cheaper than Briley. I don't shoot three gun but I do a lot of clay target shooting and I think you should find a range that has a pattern board and find out where the gun shoots relative to where you are looking. Then the stock adjusting shims come into play. If the shims won't get the gun to shoot where you are looking a good stock fitter might be your next move. It doesn't matter much how well the gun functions if it doesn't shoot where you are looking.
Charlie

[muddywings]

The choke in your pics is a light Mod and it looks like it might be a Briley. Another good choke supplier is Carlson which is a bit cheaper than Briley. I don't shoot three gun but I do a lot of clay target shooting and I think you should find a range that has a pattern board and find out where the gun shoots relative to where you are looking. Then the stock adjusting shims come into play. If the shims won't get the gun to shoot where you are looking a good stock fitter might be your next move. It doesn't matter much how well the gun functions if it doesn't shoot where you are looking.
Charlie

good point. Need to get a manual to figure how to swap the out.

[Fromk]

good point. Need to get a manual to figure how to swap the out.

Unscrew the two screws in buttplate/pad and remove it. Unscrew the nut inside and it will come out with a spacer plate. The stock will slide off. Slide a shim on, restack everything to try it out, re-assemble.

[muddywings]

Unscrew the two screws in buttplate/pad and remove it. Unscrew the nut inside and it will come out with a spacer plate. The stock will slide off. Slide a shim on, restack everything to try it out, re-assemble.

where's my "that was easy" button???

[muddywings]

if anybody is still reading this thread-
I've read up a bit on chokes and would like to get one more on top of the LM that came with it. More for gee-wiz learning and seeing how the different chokes affect the spread (seeing is believing). In reading up on it I have seen a lot of, "I use an LM choke for 90% of my shooting" and "I use IC choke for 90% of my shooting" and then I see a mixture where people swap them out. That being said, I would like to get just one more and was thinking IC but would like opinions on what would be a good complement to my LM choke that would give me the most flexibility for 3G.

Thanks....

[laportecharlie]

A improved cylinder (IC) is just one step more open than a light mod (LM) Since a LM is pretty much right in the middle of the choke spectrum, to see much difference you should try either a open choke (cylinder) or a tight choke (IM or full) As I don't shoot 3 gun I can't advise as to which choke is best. The standard range of chokes from open to tight is: Cylinder, Skeet, Improved Cylinder, Light Mod, Mod, Improved Mod & Full. If I had to choose just one choke for everything I shoot it would probably be a Light Mod.
Charlie

[MarkCO]

To LM, I would add Skeet and then full.