MOSSBERG 940 JM PRO CAMO - Ready to go

Here we have a very interesting and nice looking semi-automatic 12-gauge shotgun that is a competition-type gun that also lends itself to being a very useful field gun. Mossberg is imported by Viking Arms, and this new 940 JM Pro Camo version has all the hallmarks of being a very good gas-operated semi. Designed in conjunction with World Champion shooter, Jerry Miculek, the new 940 JM Pro is competitive, fast-operating, and reliable.
Viking is only supplying FAC-rated versions, which feature an extended magazine, giving a seven-shot capacity. However, the test gun is the show gun and has been restricted to three shots. You have a tough anodized aluminium receiver and a polymer stock with a dark camouflage pattern. The extended controls, such as the bolt handle and bolt release, greatly improve manipulation. Plus, the enlarged, bevelled loading port built for quad-loading allows speedy reloading. Priced at £1400, you get a lot for your money.

The details

The 940’s gas-operated system has been designed to prevent fouling build-up, ensuring increased reliability. You can use 2 ¾” or 3” shells with ease and 1500 rounds can be shot between cleaning sessions, rather than the normal 500. This is achieved by the ported barrel gases operating the sliding piston and the vented piston spacer that has a gold anodised finish. It literally stops fouling, moisture, or crud from building up. The twin operating arms push on the bolt, which is blacked and shows a single side-mounted claw extractor and a non-rotating head. The cylindrical bolt handle is enlarged and grooved for extra grip. The bolt release button on the right-hand side of the receiver is also oversized, with good grip texturing too. The inside of the action is super-slick due to the action internals all being nickel-boron coated. The receiver is aluminium and also black anodised, with the provision for a scope mount.
At the rear is Mossberg’s typical tang-mounted safety catch. It rests just where your thumb lies, making it very convenient to use and easy to operate right or left-handed. The trigger was very good and broke at around 4.5 lbs, making it both safe and predictable. Interestingly, there is a small pin inside the rounded trigger guard that acts as a visible and tactile cocked action indicator.

Loading and the barrel

To make things easier during a competition or whilst vermin shooting, the loading port has a bevelled edge and the shell elevator has been configured for quick reloads, including quad loads. The extended magazine tube is made of aluminium and features a knurled nut that connects it to the existing internal magazine. Be careful when taking it off, as the spring is very long!
The barrel measures 24” in length and is manufactured using a new process that has been developed by Mossberg, assuring excellent shot placement. The vented rib eases heat haze and there is a good Hi-Viz Tri Comp fibre optic front sight. The user can choose between the triangular green sight that’s installed or swap it out for a red, green, or opaque white sight.
Briley extended chokes that fit the Mossberg’s Accu-Choke threaded muzzle are supplied (Cyl, ¼, and ½), and these are all you need for competition use and close-range vermin.

Furniture

The stock is an injection moulded polymer version featuring a green and black camo pattern. It is quite subtle and works well, as it’s not too tactical. The forend and pistol grip feature moulded in chequering, and the former shows a generous and easily gripped gait.
The comfortable butt shows a drop at the comb of 1.35” and a drop at the heel of 2.15”. You can also adjust the cast by using the large selection of spacers that fit between the stock and the rear end of the action. Not only that but spacers can be added behind the soft rubber recoil pad to adjust the length of pull from 13” to 14.25”. This is still a tad short, but it is an American gun! Overall, it’s very good to have all this adjustment range, as you may fit a red dot sight, want a longer LOP, or want to get the JM Pro to fit just right for sustained fire! In fact, that soft, textured rubber recoil pad subdues recoil very well, even while using buck and slug loads.

Field test

Handling-wise, the JM Pro looks very simple and as such belies its really instinctive handling qualities. A lot of thought, inside and out, has gone into this JM Pro. I took advantage of the scope mounting stem and fitted a Picatinny rail and an excellent Aimpoint H2 2 MOA red dot sight. For the test, I decided to shoot some buckshot, some bigger lead shot, some rifled slug, and a pigeon load.
First up were the Gamebore Pigeon Extreme, and with the cylinder choke fitted, and while shooting at a pattern board 30 yards away, we achieved a wide spread, as expected. We counted 121 hits in total within the 30” board and there was a high bias. This was due to the Aimpoint fitted, as I sighted in with slugs at 100 yards. My fault!
I was after some Eley Alpha Elite, which are the cartridges for practical shooting, but I could not source any. Maybe next time. Anyway, on to the buckshot, and I like the Geco Coated Competition cartridges. They have been specially developed for IPSC matches, which include mandatory buckshot stages. Inside are nine nickel-plated pellets, each with a diameter of 8mm. With the cylinder choke fitted, the spread was a consistent 16” x 16”, with six pellets total. The pattern was a tad high, again. With the ½ choke fitted, all nine pellets hit, and they were centrally placed, with a tighter spread of 14” x 13” (height x width). Again, nice, and consistent.
Moving on to the BB shot from Eley’s Alphamax, we had an OK pattern. There were 53 pellet strikes within a 20” radius (½ choke), with the pattern showing a few holes. Still, from a vermin shooter’s point of view, a nice close-range fox load.
Moving onto Gamebore’s Buffalo loading with the AAA shot on ½ choke, we had a really concentric pattern. There was a small gap but otherwise a very even spread, with a total of 36 pellets within a 17” x 24” area.
Finally, some slug loads, which I always like! Geco’s Red 28 slug has a red PTFE (Teflon) coating, and these competition slugs are really nice, shoot well, and are quite economical too. At 30 yards only, a bit close with the Aimpoint H2 2 MOA dot sight, we had a 3.5” grouping. I was shooting off my knees, so groups could be tightened from a bench for sure.
Winchester’s Foster-type 1 oz slugs move at 1600 fps and always shoot well. On test, I managed some lovely 1.5” c-t-c groups! Overall, very impressive, however, the recoil was noticeable.
The Rottweil Brenneke is a chunky slug with a felt wad attached at the rear. This load shot 3” three-shot groups and you could hear the slugs really pounding the backstop, but not my shoulder.
Finally, a sabot slug load from Lightfield. These are superbly accurate in my fully rifled Savage slug gun, but alas, the JM shot 5” groups with them. This is fine, as sabots are very barrel-sensitive, so this is not surprising.

Conclusion

The Mossberg 940 JM Pro is a 12-gauge semi-auto that’s competition-ready straight from the box, and it comes with features to ensure a smooth, reliable, and accurate shooting platform. I like the easy handling and light recoil, plus it is fast to reload. It also produced some good patterns and performance on the boards. All in all, an affordable competition gun that won’t let you down.