Can a cylinder bore short barrel shotgun be used for squirrel hunting?

I have a self defense Mossberg 500, cylinder bore, 18.5'; barrel. I'd hate to buy a new shotgun just for my first season hunting, and a new barrel costs as much as a new .22, which I could just as easily use for squirrel hunting. With the right load, could I use this shotgun for squirrel hunting, or am I better off finding a longer barrel shotgun with interchangeable chokes?Can a cylinder bore short barrel shotgun be used for squirrel hunting?
I would suggest that you obtain another shotgun or at least buy a new barrel. As a Dealer and a Gunsmith I can tell you that your Mossberg Cylinder bore shotgun was designed primarily for Rifled Slugs and #00 Buckshot. It wouldn't work as an effective squirrel gun unless you were very ,very close.


The Mossberg 500 is a real versatile gun and you could easily and inexpensively buy an additional barrel that would fit it for squirrel hunting. Mossberg barrels run about ($60 at Wal- Mart) and I doubt if you could get a decent .22 for that cheap price. If you bought a modified barrel you could use it for hunting other animals, Rabbits,Pheasants,Quail and Squirrels.


If you don't want to spend the additional money, I would tell you to follow your own idea and try and find another shotgun with a modified barrel or with an adjustable choke to borrow or buy for your use. Either way you would be more successful using another barrel or gun altogether. Good Luck!Can a cylinder bore short barrel shotgun be used for squirrel hunting?
yes you can (close range), I've got the same shot gun. You can get different barrels for your shotgun (rifled barrel 24'; or an interchangeable choke barrel 28';)
I think that your gun would require short distance shooting and the squirrel may not be compliant.
Get a new shot gun. i'd get 20 ga or 410 ga. very versital for all small game.
Check out Sportsman's Guide's online catalog. You can often find a 28'; barrel for a Mossberg M-500 pretty cheap. I got one several years ago for under $100.00.





That riot gun barrel is really too open to make a good squirrel gun.





Personally, my squirrel gun is a Marling Golden Model 29-A .22 LR lever-action rifle.





Doc
Your going to need to be pretty close.The maximum effective range for a cylinder bore is ill say around 25 meters in a long barrel yours in much shorter then a normal one and your pattern will open up way to quick to ensure clean kills every time of ranges past 25 meters





I suggest a gun with a longer barrel (preferably double barrel) With interchangeable chokes.
YES, you can!





The overall effect of using a cylinder bore shotgun will be a larger pattern at a given distance than you get at the same distance with a tighter choke. So this will limit the distance at which your pattern will be dense enough to reliably kill a squirrel. With some research and field testing you can determine the ranges and loads at which you can reliably harvest a squirrel.





Take your shotgun, and several different types of shotgun ammo, Remington, Federal, Winchester, whatever in both shot sizes #4 and #6. Set up a target stand with a single dot in the center of a large sheet of paper. Shoot one round at each sheet of paper. Mark the type of round and the distance at which you shoot. Try each of the brands and each of the shot sizes and multiple rounds from each type at different distances.





What you are looking for is how the shot ';patterns'; on the paper. You want a good spread with an even pattern, no holes or areas where not enough pellets hit to kill a squirrel.


You will see that at different ranges the shot pattern grows too big and is not dense enough to reliably kill a squirrel. Pick a maximum distance where you know the pattern is dense enough to kill a squirrel. Do not shoot at a squirrel further than this distance. You will also see a distance which is obviously to close a distance to shoot a squirrel due to the concentration of the shot and the immense amount of damage that would be inflicted.





Some loads will shoot better than others. Some loads of the same type will group differently with each round. Pick the one that has the best pattern as an average and you will be fine.





Next season buy a barrel with interchangeable chokes. There are a lot of other seasons to enjoy... Dove season, quail season, duck season, pheasant season, turkey season, deer season.....
The mossberg you have is pure rubish for hunting. Its good for what you use it for home defence. Load it with buckshot and when the bad guys come pull the trigger and it goes bang.





You can get a good pump shotgun with a standad 28 inch barrel with multi chokes for about $100-$150 used if you look around some. THis will give you some versatility latter on when you want to hunt different game.





If not and your not sure about hunting then use #4 or #6 shot in your mossberg and get real close to the Squirell like 25 feet. You will kill somthing, I just to not know how efective it will be. Good luck