I’m a fan of mini shotgun shells just like the Aguila Mini Shells and Federal Shorty Shells. I notice they’ve their limitations regarding vary and energy stage in comparison with full-sized shells, however I feel they’re nonetheless a viable possibility should you maintain these issues in thoughts. The most important drawback with mini shells is that they gained’t cycle a semi-automatic shotgun, and plenty of pump shotguns don’t feed them effectively both. Mossberg’s new 590S collection shotguns are designed with a lifter meeting in order that they feed minis proper from the manufacturing facility. The good factor is that they nonetheless feed 2 3/4- and 3-inch shells as effectively with no modification. Should you’re shopping for a brand new gun, that’s nice. However, should you’re one of many tens of millions of people that already has a Mossberg, there’s an alternative choice. Defender Tactical has made a drop-in Common Mini Shell Adapter that converts you’re present gun to feed minis for years. I’ve them put in in my Mossberg 590A1 and Mossberg Shockwave the truth is. Now, they only dropped a extra complete conversion referred to as the Mini-Professional Lifter and Cartridge Arrestor System.
Whereas the Mini Shell Adapter was simply that, an add-on half that allowed the Mossberg to feed mini shells reliably, the brand new Professional Lifter and Meeting system is an OEM-like resolution. It makes use of a hardened metal lifter, a vulcanized rubber cartridge arrestor and a crimson anodized 6061-T6 billet aluminum follower. This basically converts your present gun right into a system just like the manufacturing facility 590S. It would work on any Mossberg 500, 590 or Maverick 88 pump-action 12 gauge that has machined grooves within the receiver.
I’ve had excellent luck with the Common Mini Shell Adapter already, and the brand new Mini Professional Lifter and Cartridge Arrestor System is much more bombproof. Being able to run minis, normal 2 3/4-inch shells and 3-inch shells with no modification to your gun, and even mixing and matching rounds within the tube, is fairly darn versatile. Mini shells are decrease recoil, will be nice for coaching and add fairly a bit to capability. You may get 9 mini shells in a six-shot journal tube, and a whopping 13 in a nine-shot tube. Whereas mini shell buck doesn’t have the identical efficiency as full-power buck, that’s nonetheless a hefty quantity of lead you’re placing out from a low-recoil platform. Should you aren’t certain in regards to the buck, there’s all the time the choice of utilizing mini shell slugs as effectively. A 7/8-ounce, .73-caliber lead slug at 1,300 fps is nothing to scoff at!
The Defender Tactical Mini Professional Lifter and Cartridge Arrestor System sells for $65 and is a fairly affordable solution to improve your present Mossberg or Maverick 12-gauge shotgun with out dropping the flexibility to nonetheless run conventional shells.
