# Mossberg 835 ulti-shoulder killer!



## gsubo (Jan 14, 2006)

I've been shooting a Mossberg 835 ultimag for the last 3 years for turkey hunting..24 inch barrel, hardwoods camo, nice fiber optic sights, undertaker choke tube..love the gun and have killed 3 gobblers with it but good lord this thing kicks worse than any gun I've ever shot.  I know turkey loads kick more than other types of shells, but do all guns kick as bad as this one with 3 1/2 inch shells.  I've heard some say this gun is one of the worse as far as recoil goes. I dont mind it when im hunting because i really dont realize the recoil when im hunting but when im patterning my gun this thing kicks so bad my shoulders blue and i have a head ache after 4 or 5 shots. Is there any way to kill some of this recoil at all besides down grading shell size(which i might do). I've heard the Sims recoil pad works well also.  Any ideas?  thanks.


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## Wetzel (Jan 14, 2006)

Try a Caldwell Lead Sled.  Suppose to take away all felt recoil.  Of course its a lot to spend just to shoot 3 or 4 rounds out of a shotgun every spring.


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## spraggins (Jan 14, 2006)

after comparing the one i had w/ several 3'' guns and a ten gauge, i sold it before it knocked all my teeth loose.


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## Thunder Head (Jan 14, 2006)

I could not stand to shoot 3" out of mine. I was afraid my teeth were going to fall out. Got rid of mine!!!


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## Buckbuster (Jan 14, 2006)

I have a Sims pad that slips on my 835 and it helps reduce the pain a lot. I used my 835 with a slug barrel for when I hunted in Illinois and shot a good many rounds at the range with and without the recoil pad. It defintly made a difference.


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## Jody Hawk (Jan 14, 2006)

I had one of those kicking mules and got rid of it. That thing would jar your tooth fillings loose with a 3 1/2" shell. Got a Benelli SBE with a Simms recoil pad now and 3 1/2" shells are like shooting field loads !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


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## gobblergitter (Jan 14, 2006)

I had one of those kicking things. I had to get rid of it. I literally could not stand to shoot it. Even with 3" shells it was too much for me. I'm no wuss. I've shot 7 mags for years and they don't hold a candle to this thing. I'm 6' 3" and 270 lbs and I just can't stand it. I went back to my old trusty 870. After all, how dead is dead? One of my turkey hunting mentors to this day still shoots 2 3/4" shells and kills just as many turkeys as anyone else.


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## Timbo (Jan 14, 2006)

gsubo,I hunt the same gun.mine is a pump.Until I can afford another I will be using it this year


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## gobblingghost (Jan 14, 2006)

According to a recent article in Turkey Call. The 835 has about 60 lbs per sq in. and an elephant gun they tested had about 45 lbs per sq in. I still have mine but I'm setting up backup/hunting partner gun . So if I take someone with this yea that is starting out they get to shoot that beast.


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## beginnersluck (Jan 14, 2006)

Timbo said:
			
		

> gsubo,I hunt the same gun.mine is a pump.Until I can afford another I will be using it this year


I hear you!!  But, C'mon sometimes you gotta just be a man and take the pain!  Really, mine gives me no problems.  It kicks good, but I like it!


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## bull0ne (Jan 15, 2006)

I would drop back to 3'' Nitros or Remington hevi-shot with a limbsaver pad before you start flinching.......3 1/2'' shells are overkill in most cases.

All the firepower in the world is useless when you start the flinching & miss the ''gimme shots''

Just my .02 worth.


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## Torupduck (Jan 15, 2006)

Sell it and buy an auto loader.  I bought a beretta extrema and it is amazing what they have done to eliminate recoil!


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## spraggins (Jan 15, 2006)

if i was forced to hunt w/ another 835, i would do some pattern testing and try to get a good pattern w/ a 1.5 oz. 2 and 3/4'' # 4. i have a gun that shoots win xx 2 and 3/4'' #4's in a wad at 35 yds. you really have to aim w/ it! the loads are faster than any other at 1400 plus fps, and they will kill just as far, maybe farther. good luck w/ the kickingberg!


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## tr21 (Jan 15, 2006)

beginnersluck said:
			
		

> I hear you!!  But, C'mon sometimes you gotta just be a man and take the pain!  Really, mine gives me no problems.  It kicks good, but I like it!


amen begginner, but for you ladies try placing one of those pad (maxi) things or your purse between you and the gun.or maybe get ya a 410 or 28 ga so it wont hurt so bad.


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## dixie (Jan 15, 2006)

tr21 said:
			
		

> amen begginner, but for you ladies try placing one of those pad (maxi) things or your purse between you and the gun.or maybe get ya a 410 or 28 ga so it wont hurt so bad.


ROFL ROFL, I use the 835 ultra mag pump and while it has a kick to it, it's not that bad!! Maybe a different choke and a slip on recoil pad would tame yours down, I use a old hastings choke that shoots as tight a group as any of the "high dollar" ones do


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## Timbo (Jan 15, 2006)

Man,a pad I never thought of that...........................NOT.

You see I'm recovering from a shoulder surgery and I will be shooting left handed.So not only am I doing the shooting from the wrong arm I now have to deal with the kick.

I just thought I would let you REAL MEN know its going to difficult now.But if any one wonts to trade just let me know


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## Brent (Jan 15, 2006)

Thanks for this thread men. I was thinking about getting a 835 just to be able to shoot 3 1/2's. I think I'll stick with my old 1300 NWTF, I dont really want to pattern another turkey gun. Yall brought back some real memories...watering eyes, bruised cheekbone, sore shoulder!!!


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## whitetailfreak (Jan 15, 2006)

don't overlook the 20 gauges!


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## gsubo (Jan 15, 2006)

I think I will try that Sims recoil pad and if that aint enough i'll drop down to 3 inch.  Its not that i cant handle it cuz i have shot it for 3 years but like someone else said i think i'd probably enjoy shooting it a little better without all of that kick.That ought to help with some of the flinching when im patterning the gun before turkey season opens.  You definately dont want to squeeze that trigger like a rifle and let it surprise you because if you aint ready for it your in for a surprise when it fire. My buddy almost broke his nose first time he shot a 3 1/2 inch shell outta it..propped up on the hood of his truck and swhen he shot his thumb came off the handle and caught him on th ebridge of his nose.  His eyes watered for 20 minutes after that. This gun aint no joke.


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## Dudley Do-Wrong (Jan 15, 2006)

I have one and have shot it 4 times.  The first 3 times I was patterning the gun, the 4th time I shot a good bird.  I had downsized to 3" hevi-shot and still couldn't take it, but I have bone spurs in my shooting shoulder.  I have never shot any gun that kicks anything like an 835.  I bought me a Rem 1100 20 ga for this year


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## Possum (Jan 15, 2006)

beginnersluck said:
			
		

> I hear you!!  But, C'mon sometimes you gotta just be a man and take the pain!  Really, mine gives me no problems.  It kicks good, but I like it!



Ill second that.


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## alex30808 (Jan 15, 2006)

I also have an 835 and yes...with the factory choke....the frist bird I took with it brused my cheek, shoulder and the brusing went into my chest....I shot a 3 1/2" #4 Winchester Supreme....Now...I shoot the same exact 835 and the only thing I did was switch to a Comp-N-Choke 
.665 and a 3 1/2" feels like a 2 3/4" dove load!!!!  I'll never give up my 835!~


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## gobble79 (Jan 16, 2006)

I have the 835 & 500.  I shoot 3" out of both.  No reason to shoot 3 1/2".   Luv it!!!!!!


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## hambone44 (Jan 16, 2006)

I bought an Ulti-Mag last year, sighted it in and shot 2 nice gobblers with it. I haven't experienced any real issues in the shoulder area (of course i have some extra fat padding), but it has knocked the devil out of my jaw a few times.


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## Limbshaker (Jan 16, 2006)

My partner has one, "Ultra Mag"...........after seeing how it kix  him............I'll stick with something a little less "shocking"



git'r


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## Unicoidawg (Jan 17, 2006)

Aww....come on....it isn't that bad   I have had one since 92 when I was highschool. It's one of the original's that was not ported like the new ones are.  They kick pretty bad, but not that bad. I had the forcing cone opened up and a custom choke made for it and it will kill out to 60 yards. I am not saying I shoot them that far, but it will do it. You also gotta aim on the close ones, hence a red dot scope.  I love mine it's a great gun, very light for those long hikes and quite a few turkeys have been undertook by it's spell  O yea, the best load I've found for mine is the Remington hevi-shot # 6's. 
835 Ulti-mag & Hevi-shot a lethal combination.
Unicoidawg


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## danmc (Jan 18, 2006)

With all this talk of injuries from recoil, anyone ever put their thumb behind the latch which lets you break an old stevens single shot?  The one person I know who did that will never make that mistake again.

-Dan


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## Hogtown (Jan 18, 2006)

Like many others on this thread - I got rid of my Ulti-Mag. The first time I shot it with a 3 1/2" load, the knuckle of my right thumb hit me in the cheek and knocked me silly. In any event, I used it for about 2 seasons and never shot the 3 1/2" again - I used 3" and it worked fine. Another poster referenced that the recoil was similar to an elephant gun - I read the article he is referring to. The article I read indicated that the 7 1/2 lb Ulti-Mag with a 3 1/2" load has a recoil level slightly exceeding that of a 416 Rigby in a 9 lb rifle.  I remember it well because I had shot a 416 Rigby just a few weeks before and I thought the Ulti-Mag was WAY worse in the recoil dept.


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## tr21 (Jan 18, 2006)

well i had time to go test out the trigger job on mine today.it was much lighter but the first time i pulled it the recoil almost made me    NOT...actually those rhino/nitro patterns made me  .come on ladie sometimes you gota grow a pair......


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## treedawg (Jan 19, 2006)

You can keep your 835's and I'll stick with my old tried and true NWTF Win 1300 and 3" shells.

I guess you could call me lucky but I've never missed a bird with it. My calling has screwed up many a hunt, but the gun has never failed me if I pulled the trigger.

TD


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