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Scorpio64

The Shockwave Honeymoon is Over

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Now that I've spent some time with the Shockwave (a little over 3 months), I'm starting to notice some of the flaws.  I wouldn't say any of the flaws are major, but just the same, Mossberg could have done better. 

First is the finish.  Racking the slide has scraped the very thin finish, which Mossberg calls a "matte blued" finish, off a number of contact surfaces.  The barrel and the mag tube are the most visible areas and will require extra attention to keep rust at bay.  The receiver scratches pretty easily too.

Compared to my early 90's 870, the Mossberg action seems sticky.  One may attribute that to it being a new gun but I've racked it at least 500 times (OCD) and it is still sticky on the pull back.  Maybe it will mellow out after a couple thousand rounds, who knows.  One of these days I'm going to do a full disassembly and see if I can't slick up some of the internal friction surfaces with a Dremel. What could possibly go wrong.

The inside of the barrel (ie, the bore) is horrible.  When I first got mine I looked down the bore and saw a black sooty finish.  I dunno if Mossberg "matte blued" the bore too, but it looked terrible.  I cleaned it before I shot it, cleaned it again after I shot it, cleaned it again after I shot it again and still the bore looked dull.  I considered buying a pricey barrel polisher but came up with a cheapskate alternative.  Using my cleaning rod and a brass bore brush wrapped in gauze, I doused the gauze in Hoppe's and had at it with my cordless drill.  The bore came out a bit better than it was, but still a long way from bright and shiny.  I guess I'll have to buy that bore polishing thingy after all.  A slick bore and chamber isn't just about beauty.  When the bore and chamber are polished, it reduces drag on the shot cup, facilitates smoother feeding and extraction, and makes cleaning easier too.

The front sight is a joke.  It's not like it's super functional to begin with, but did they really have to drill and tap the barrel clean all the way through?  That little hole is a shit pocket for crap to accumulate, and it's like super hard to get the shit out of the recess.  This method of attaching the front sight is the epitome of a "Bubba" job.  I mean, I have actually seen Bubbas on youtube exactly like it.  What is broadly mocked on gun forums has become a manufacturing method at Mossy.  If it was not for the fact it collects gack and the gack sticks out in the bore like a sore thumb, I probably would not care one way or another.

Like I said, no major flaws but I'll tell ya what, no gun of this quality would have rolled off the line at Mossberg or Remington 20 years ago.  It still functions as advertised, will still keep the home secure, be a blast at the range, will still be reliable and last a long time as long as it is well maintained.  I think another $30.00 in manufacturing costs for fit and finish would have made this "firearm" just about right. 

<sigh>  I guess I'm just a little sad the honeymoon is over.  She looked a lot purdier in the pictures and with all her makeup on.  But I'll keep her just the same.  She's still a ton of fun, does things for me the other guns won't do, and after all....looks aren't everything.

 

 

 

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2 hours ago, Scorpio64 said:

 

 I may not have a giant throbbing boner for my Shockwave, but I certainly do not hate it.

 

22 minutes ago, Ray Ray said:
2 hours ago, Scorpio64 said:

I have a giant throbbing boner.

Pics?

For that YUGE misquote, you'll have to bend over and activate the rear mounted camera Ray!

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9 hours ago, Parker said:

The Mossberg they make today is not the same gun they introduced in 1961. "Utilitarian" is the nicest word I can use to describe a Mossberg made today. 

 

 

Agreed - To put things in prospective... They are domestically made and too a price point. Just like the 870 Express.  They work, are a little rough but cheap and made in The States.

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I’m still liking the TAC-14, but will add that Remington finish is BS, as well. I’m not sticking with it.

I have a vent rib barrel, but had to go back to S/I to have the extractor cut modified. Guess they use Chinese barrels, and the extractor met the lower edge of the cut. Once that is done, might send the original barrel to have the chamber polished (see if I want a two barrel gun), and considering options on the sights for the vent rib. Either considering a night sight bead, or a mid bead with a larger white bead. Once all that is finished, going for NP3 Plus (unsure if I’ll do the both, or sell off the OEM one).

Going to update in that other Shockwave thread... whenever I move forward.

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7 minutes ago, Screwball said:

Either considering a night sight bead, or a mid bead with a larger white bead.

I think for these kind of firearms a bright green laser is a good option.  Shotguns are more of a point and click device.

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12 hours ago, Scorpio64 said:

I think for these kind of firearms a bright green laser is a good option.  Shotguns are more of a point and click device.

In the area of home defense, that is my plan.  given the floor plan of my house, there's really only 1 narrow corridor where you'd be able to shoot clear through the 40' length.  everything else is 10' to 15'. honestly probably don't even need the dot.

 

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I think for these kind of firearms a bright green laser is a good option.  Shotguns are more of a point and click device.


Not a fan of lasers in that role...

Being in Florida, I have two handguns with me... both with CT lasers. Only thing is that I only put a few rounds at the range with it on. Do that for two reasons; make sure it still works, and confirm zero. 99% of the time, I use them for dry fire practice. Most of my live fire practice is using sights. If I use the laser, in a defensive situation... great, but not my go-to sighting option.

For me, I’m not a big fan of lasers on guns other than handguns. I do have one on my CX4, but was young when I set that up... and just never had the desire to pull it off (the red dot has an EOTech-like reticule, and the LaserMax unit pulsates a dot right in the center). The only laser setup I’d be interested in is an IR laser... but that will be a purchase when I’m out of NJ for good.

I’m sure that some people like a laser on a Shockwave/TAC-14, but do I really want to be searching for it? I’ll just hold the gun out like most people do... sort of like there were a stock. Have sights to use, and picked up the vent rib barrel so if something happened to a bead, I’d have a straight plane to use, as well.

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2 hours ago, RecessedFilter said:

When the frustration overcomes the enjoyment, let me know. I'll be glad to take it off your hands!

 

2 hours ago, sota said:

:werd:

if people start suddenly selling the things for < $200 used, I'd buy a couple more just because.

Meet the ultimate NY RELOAD!

I plan on getting the all black one to offset my mariner version.

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I have a Mossberg 500 that back in 2010 I completely coated and slopped the entire action with brake caliper grease. I have not cleaned it one time since and probably never will. Works smooth as butter, fires great. 

I guess what I'm trying to say here is that the Shockwave isn't a pretty gun. Who cares there's a tiny little pocket of goop the size of a sesame seed inside the barrel and some scratches on the side. It will blast the cheapest 00 buck Serbia ever exported into a nice 8"+ group at 5 yards. That's what it was designed to do.

Oh and you can keep it under your car seat if you ever don't live in NJ, that's always a plus. 

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