Mossberg is an American manufacturer, ingrained in the culture of our brothers and sisters across the pond, but not so well-known over here. I'm familiar with Mossberg guns, having lived (in the words of Kenny Everitt), in the Good Old U S of A for some time and used them both in the field and, occasionally, on clays. So, when the team at Viking Arms asked me to rattle the 940 PRO Field through the mill, I kind of had an idea what was coming my way.
My face must have said it all because, when removed from its packaging and finally assembled, my American wife, proud as punch because I had a native to her country in my hand, turned to me and said, "really, it's that bad"? Now, if the 940 Pro were to be in a beauty competition, it would come second, and first place would go to a pig with a wig. It's not Mossberg’s fault though; I find most American-designed shotguns as dull as an English November morning… they just are! However, the stars and stripes folk always value reliability and performance above aesthetics, and this ethos is precisely what makes this gun an all-out right-hand man workhorse of a thing, and then some!
This thing is designed to be fastened to the side of a horse and taken across the great open wilderness of Montana; to be racked onto a snowmobile and still function in the artic conditions of Alaska. It’s made to be bundled into boats in the swamps of Louisiana, cope with the tropics of Florida, repel the wind and rain of Illinois, be chucked in and out of an F150 pickup by millions of rednecks on the wetlands of Pennsylvania, handle the toughest breed of cowboys from Texas and conquer the hottest place on earth in July – Death Valley in the Mojave Desert. So, looks are a mere distraction, considering what this gun will cope with. But does that fit into the UK market? In my best American redneck voice: "Well, hell to the hell yeah, it sure does!" If it works in those conditions, the weather and climates of the UK are child’s play compared to what the land of the free and the brave serves up in its 50 states.
So, who's it going to suit over here, and why? Well, just about every gamekeeper in the country needs a no-nonsense, bombproof gun that can be chucked in and out of a Land Rover or fastened to a quad bike, or that will work in all weathers from the Highlands of Scotland to the hills and valleys of Wales. Similarly, it would suit any rough shooter who enjoys getting out on the pigeons or corvids, safe in the knowledge that cleaning the Mossberg 940 Pro can be done next week… or whenever. Because of its synthetic stock and fore-end, it's also ideal for the wildfowler, especially as it is bored with 3" chambers (76mm) and will take high-performance ammo. More to the point, it would suit someone that wants to do a little bit of all of the above. Let’s take a closer look at some of its features.
Gas-operated system
This seimi-autto has a gas-operated system that, according to Mossberg, doesn't need cleaning for at least 1,500 rounds, which suits someone like me. Various corrosion-resistant internal parts and finishes allow the working parts to operate faultlessly in extreme weather conditions.
Stock & fore-end
An adjustable stock by way of shims, and as easy to do as age 5+ Lego. The cast can be set to right- or left-handed. The length of pull can be lengthened or shortened by a simple, yet very effective, shim system. Both the stock and streamlined fore-end include Mossberg's distinctive texturing for a tight grip, which works like Gorilla glue when wet or cold.
Safety catch
This brings a smile to my face. It reminds me of the game Tin Can Alley. It's almost toy-like, but very cowboyish, and it is extremely functional. The placement alongside the heavy grooving allows its operation to be manageable in any condition, with or without gloves. It's one of the best in terms of operations on a semi-auto designed for field use.
Barrel
I do have to get this one off my chest. I love the thought patterns of the Americans; they think of things that would never cross the minds of us Britonians. So, what have Mossberg done? Well, they've made a barrel that, should you find yourself confronted by a grizzly bear and clean out of ammo, you could use as a bludgeon in a life and death battle with said bear. Made from properties not on our periodic table, it's heavy as a London Bus. However, when assembled as a whole gun, its weight is remarkable and gives birth to a pointable shotgun. Indeed, when shooting, it soaks recoil up like white bread does gravy. The multi-choke system allows any shooter to select a choke for any form of field use, or even for use on the clay line.
Bolt handle & release
An oversized handle with a rubberised coating, allowing a viper-like grip when operating it. It is no-nonsense, straight to the point and very functional.
The release is oversized to allow easier use to operate the bolt – plus, it also doubles up to release the cartridges from the magazine tube, which saves having to operate the action. I found this to be a bit of a faff, and operating the working parts with the oversized bolt handle unloaded the Mossberg 940 Pro in the blink of an eye anyway.
What's it like to shoot?
While no gun is perfect, the Mossberg 940 Pro works and shoots well. I borderline abused the thing to see if it lived up to the claims made by Viking Arms of it being virtually indestructible. Of course, you could break it if you tried hard enough; anything is breakable. But I used it on hot, cold, and rainy days; I even ran 100 rounds through as fast as I could, which got it up to a temperature you could light a cigar off, and it still worked faultlessly.
I put a range of cartridges through it from 24g up to 36g, including 3" (76mm) high-performance steel loads, and it never jammed once. I only wiped the excess water off when it rained, and left it at that. It's not been cleaned and has been in and out of my motors, into the field on various quarry, and also out on the clays… and it’s still going!
So, if you're looking for a no-frills, virtually indestructible, reliable semi-auto that will make you feel like Buffalo Bill, this is a gun you should buy.
Tech specs
Type: Gas-operated semi-automatic shotgun
Gauge: 12-bore
Chamber length: 3" (76mm)
Magazine: 3-round capacity (2 + 1)
Sights: Front fibre optic hi-viz bead
Stock: Synthetic adjustable stock with adjustable length of pull, cast & drop
Length of pull: Adjustable 13-14.25"
Barrel length: 28" vented rib barrel
Weight: 7lb 12oz
Barrel Finish: Matte blue
Chokes: Interchangeable Accu-Set chokes (full, modified, & improved cylinder choke tubes)
RRP: £1,025
Contact: Viking Arms