[tdd]

I bought a used Mossberg 695 back in the fall, and finally got it to the range.

Seems Remington Copper Solids are the front runner for accuracy, which is fine. I shot some Lightfields, and HOLY COW do they kick! I shot the 3", 1 1/4oz slugs, and I've never experienced recoil like that. I've shot M1903 Springfields and M1 Garands for long afternoons, shooting over a hundred rounds at a session, and had no issues. 5 Lightfields were all I could take!

Anyway, I noticed that some of the slugs had very hard bolt lift after firing. Anyone else having this issue with a Mossberg 695? I was shooting Copper Solids, Lightfield Hybrid EXP's, and Hornady SST's (and the Hornady slugs were not impressive in accuracy, either).

 

[hunt/fish365]

I would think the bolt lift issue is the product of too high of chamber pressure.

BTW, I NEVER shoot 3" slugs. They normally don't shoot as good, kick way harder, cost more money, and only shoot about 100fps more.

The 2.75" slugs kick bad enough.

 

[tdd]

I had read an article from the guys at Tar-Hunt that recommended 3" slugs for improved accuracy, so that's why I tried them. The recoil was nuts, though.....and the 2 3/4" Copper Solids shot as well (or possibly better) for much less recoil. Those weren't bad at all.

It wasn't necessarily the 3" shells, though, that were sticky to extract. The Hornadys and Remingtons did it, too (both 2 3/4 shells). I can't imagine a 2 3/4 Copper Solid is developing too much chamber pressure? I thought of that, but just seems odd for that to be the case.

I had cleaned the bolt when I got the gun and lightly oiled it. Perhaps just a good "once over" on the bore and chamber are in order.

The Lightfields shot a 3-shot, 100 yard group at 1.89" center-to-center, and I only had 3 Copper Solids, one of which was a sighter. The other two shot for a "group" measured 0.89" center-to-center.

The Hornadys were awful for accuracy. I didn't measure, but probably an 8" (or more) "group" at 100 yards.

Kind of the odd thing is that the 3" shells feed better because of the added weight and length. They eject worse because of the length (the ejection port is juuuuuuuust long enough for them), and the 2 3/4's eject easy and clean.

A couple guys I hunt with use Federal slugs (the ones with the Barnes "expander" rounds in them) and find the accuracy excellent and the recoil mild (relatively speaking), so maybe I'll try them along with a few more of the Copper Solids to see what it does.

 

[hunt/fish365]

Your shoulder has got to be close to mush by now

 

[SgtUSMC]

Funny cause I had mine out on the range on Sunday sighting in a new scope. Which by the way was a horrible decision, being that I had to get a UHAUL and move my furniture the next day.
Man did my shoulder take a beating!!!! I shot some of the el cheapo rifled sluggers first to get on paper and do some dialing. Then gave the barrel a quick run through and started to group. I am shooting the Hastings Laser Accurate slugs out of my 695. The hit your shoulder reaaaallly hard. They shoot the same POI as the Lightfield at less cost.
I should go out and try the Copper solids just to see their accuracy.
A couple of my 2 3/4 shells also had some issues ejecting and the bolt actually semi-locked up on one of the sluggers.
My shoulder still hurts by the way.

 

[tdd]

Your shoulder has got to be close to mush by now

Shot 5 Lightfields, 5 Hornadys, and 3 Remingtons.

I also shot most of a box of .30-06 through my M1 and half a box of Swiss 7.5x55. Of course, those were pretty tame compared to the beast the 695 was with the Lightfields.

My shoulder was red and purple in places by the time I got home from the range, and the range is 4 miles from my house. Once I settle on a slug and such, I think I'm going to hand the gun to a local smith and have him do two things.... (1) Install either a LimbSaver or a Decelerator pad on the stock, and (2) take the creep out of the trigger (if possible).

SgtUSMC, your bolt gets a little tough to run with those slugs, too? Maybe it's just how the gun is machined. It's a lot like a Mosin-Nagant bolt. It's not a problem to function it, but I'm guessing I can't keep it mounted on my shoulder and crank the bolt like I do with my rifles. If I dismount it and work it, that shouldn't be a problem. Just can't be as fast on it as I am with my Model 70.

 

[rifleman #62]

I own one it started going off, by itself. After the chamber was tight from shooting remington slugs. I found out many were under recall, that is why many guys sold them.
http://www.mossberg.com/content.asp?id=558

 

[tdd]

I've checked that out. Mine does not fall within the serial numbers listed.

 

[john z]

I have one of the 695 also. I've tried several brands of ammo, and the winchester supreme partition golds shot very well out of it. I also only shoot the 2 3/4" shells, 385 grain if memory serves me correct. I've been very happy with the results of the deer I've harvested.

 

[hunt/fish365]

I use those slugs too out of my mossberg 500. They are devistating on deer. At first it didn't seem bad, but once I got the skin off the entire offside rib cage was bloodshot. That was after traveling 102 yards loosing energy.

 

[tdd]

Hmmm...might have to try some of the Winchester, then, too. Are they significantly different than the Platinum Tip slugs?

 

[hunt/fish365]

IDK. I use the 385 grain hollow point partitions.

 

[SgtUSMC]

TDD - Let me know if you can get the creep out of the trigger. Mine feels like dragging a cincer block through sand hitting a few speed bumps along the way.

 

[tdd]

LOL....yeah, it's about the same on mine. What surprises me is that there kind of is a 2-stage trigger to it, with a relatively slack first stage followed by a 2nd stage you've describe very well. I'm not sure if that's intentional or just a byproduct. Either way, I'm going to eventually see if anyone relatively close by will work on it, and if it can be made a bit cleaner. If not, I can still shoot it as it is. I've shot worse triggers.

 

[hunt/fish365]

I've shot worse triggers.

I haven't. It's probably the same crappy one they use on the 500. You pull and pull waiting on the pounding that's coming. Not Sure about the 695, but the 500 has a modular assembly.

 

[tdd]

Try a Mosin-Nagant trigger sometime. On the one I got, you can feel the sear moving across the mortise where it engages the c0cking piece on the bolt.

If it's modular, I wonder if there's a drop-in replacement?