[newbie4help]

http://www.policelink.com/products/products/449-moosberg-500-tactical-6-shot#

I got a quote from a local dealer for #379. That's a good deal, right? And I am going to take everyone's advice - I'll probably buy 50 rounds and go to the range to practice with it.

[Calhoun]

It's a great gun. Go buy a metric ton of ammo and shoot it

[tallpaul]

depends on what ya want to do with it... for a starter I'd personally recomend any decent 12 ga pump with an interchangable barrel capability. A slug or short barell and a longer one with a choke tube and a regular stock. They are really versitle that way. There is nothin wrong with the one you looked at if ya just want a HD starter gun only. I feel the stock will limit you but you can ger longer and sighted barells if ya want for it- I believe so anyhow regular mosberg 500's can swap barells anyhow.

[newbie4help]

Thanks for input. I'm wanting it mostly for HD and just recreatoin at the range, and the price is so good. How do you feel the stock will limit me? In terms of hunting and things like that? I've never hunted just so you know.

[Bill2e]

What are you going to do with it?

The that configuration it is only a combat/defensive shot gun. That stock hurts to shoot & the barrel is to short to shoot clays with. Besides if you take a tactical SG to a trap shoot you may not be invited back.

You can find a Mossberg 500A with both a 28 inch field/trap barrel & shorter barrel for less money. That's my two cent's, in the end the choice is yours, good luck.

[newbie4help]

Yeh, I'm not planning to shoot skeet with it. I'm mostly just for home defense purposes, and maybe water melons when we're out at the range :p

[Bill2e]

Sounds like you made your decision, enjoy, be safe and get some HD SG training.

[Hokkmike]

this weapon packs a serious punch exspecially when raiding a house


This from the reviews says a lot. I think it is a cool gun but with somewhat limited application. I don't know that I would buy it for my first shotgun. I do think it would be great for HD and busting watermelons though.

[newbie4help]

Well, I'm about to get off. I don't plan on raiding houses anytime soon as I'm not a cop or in the army :p But I think it is great for HD especially given the price tag and 18.5" barrel makes it easier to maneuver.

ANY RECOMMENDATIONS on what kind of shells to get? Are certain types "bad" for this shotgun? I want to get a few birdshot packs to practice shooting it for sure, but what else?

I've seen a lot of these comments like this shouldn't be my first gun. I want to be very clear - this is basically ONLY for home defense/end of the world scenarios. I don't want to take my son out to bond, or shoot animals with it, or clay.

[XavierBreath]

I'd recommend low recoil buckshot. Several ammunition manufacturers make it.

For a home defense I would consider a less tactical look. By definition, a HD shotgun is one that may place you in a criminal trial or a civil suit if it is used for it's intended purpose. Having a gun ignorant jury looking at an attorney holding up old Bess the wood stocked duck gun vs an attorney holding up an evil black satanic Rambo gun can make the difference in what they think about your motivations. Their thoughts on your motivations can play a huge role in whether you retain your previous lifestyle. I used to enjoy the black heat shielded tactical look. When I saw that old Bess could do the same thing and better in the hands of a competent shotgunner, I got experienced HD shotgun instruction, ditched the black plastic on most of my HD shotguns, screwed on wood, and decreased my risk. It ain't the arrow, it's the indian.

More thoughts on home defense shotgunning. (http://xavierthoughts.blogspot.com/2005/09/home-defense-shotguns.html)

[zinj]

The Mossberg 500 is a good shotgun. I would save your money and get a conventional stock, however. That pistol grip may look cool, but all it will do is increase recoil and make the gun unpleasant to shoot.

[Winchester 73]

Excellent choice for Home Defense.
Congratulations and practice,practice.

[biggiesmalls]

i think if you go play with some remington and winchester pumps that you'll find that they are much smoother.

[Ed Ames]

I'm not sure I'd choose that shotgun for home defense. Unless I was in cowtown maybe. Moosberg? I think I'd prefer a Mooseberg actually. Moose are big strong virile animals and their bugling is far more impressive.

Which would you rather face, this sound (http://www.gomoose.com/moose.wma), or "moo"?

I know which I'd want when something went bump in the night.

[strat81]

Not sure about your price. http://www.classicarms.us/ has something that looks similar for $270.

[classic095]

Shooting water mellons with a shotgun, now thats a novel Idea..After all can you miss? try getting a shot gun that will fullfill all the needs like Trap and Skeet, and maybe bird hunting.. Home defense doesnt require a shotgun that shoots umpteen rounds and is useless for anything else. other than putting a bunch of holes in a target..

[Robert Hairless]

It ain't the arrow, it's the indian.

Nice. So is that entire message.

[sm]

It ain't the arrow, it's the indian.


Nice. So is that entire message.

Agree with both posts.

[Kind of Blued]

Shooting water mellons with a shotgun, now thats a novel Idea..After all can you miss? try getting a shot gun that will fullfill all the needs like Trap and Skeet, and maybe bird hunting.. Home defense doesnt require a shotgun that shoots umpteen rounds and is useless for anything else. other than putting a bunch of holes in a target..

Out of all of the shotgun-related activities which you called "needs", I'm quite certain that home defense is the only one that could reasonably be called a "need".

It would be different if the guy was looking to shoot more than bad guys and watermelons or bad guys with watermelons or bad watermelons, but he made it pretty clear that his intentions are precisely to put "a bunch of holes in a target".

[Todd A]

Good gun.

Not everyone who owns a shotgun hunts or shoots trap or skeet. I dont.

Just practice ,practice,and then practice some more. Any cheap bulk game or field load will work to learn how to operate your gun until it becomes second nature.

Make your own choice as to buckshot by buying packs of as many types and brands as you can find. Then pattern them,YOUR shotgun will show you which is the best for YOU.

Like you my 500 is evil and black, I don't worry about looking good to a jury.
Where I live simply busting in my door is grounds for lethal force by what ever I choose to use. A total non-issue here.

[owlhoot]

I haven't heard one valid reason why this shotgun would not be perfect for what Newbie4help has in mind. I don't care for the pistol grip personally, but it does have one advantage. It makes the gun easier to carry with one hand with the stock tucked under the arm. There are times when this is very important such as when you need to open a door or scope out an area with a light in the weak hand.

Newbie, the low recoil 00 buck is a good thing, but for your purpose #4 buck would probably be better. 00 buck is great for LE where you may need to penetrate automobiles or other barricades. But inside the home you're likely to be better off with a higher pellet count and less penetration.

You need to know that at across the room distances, your gun's pattern is still going to be quite tight. The first thing you need to do when you take it to the range is to fire at a fairly large target at five yards then at ten yards and then at fifteen yards so you can see just what kind of shot dispersal you get at the three ranges. Use a fresh target for each shot. Save your empty milk jugs. They may splendid SG targets.

Initially, spend a lot of time just working the action on your new shotgun. And I do mean a lot of time. Or if you are handy you can polish the contact areas and remove burrs and it will make a great difference in the smoothness of the gun. Enjoy.

[Snarlingiron]

I'll probabably buy 50 rounds and go to the range to practice with it.

Not enough. Not nearly enough. 50 rounds will not even get the gun near broken in. I would plan on at least 100 - 150 for my first range session, and plan on that for each session thereafter.

I know it is not cheap, I know because I have paid for several sessions, but get some training if you are serious about defensive shotgon.

The gun is fine. In spite of what you see posted here about "you should get this or that", you should get a "Binford 2000 Espress", or whatever, you have bought a fine gun, and the fact is that when "push comes to shove", it ain't the gun, but the operator. You have to learn to be the "operator" of whatever the gun is. Almost quality shotgun will get the job done if you know how to use it.

[plumberroy]

If you like it and it does what you want then it is good. Buy a bunch of ammo and go have some fun:neener:And don't worry about what others say "you should have got"

[Fred Fuller]

"Experience is the worst teacher; it gives the test before presenting the lesson." - Vernon Law

Yet some will have their lessons no other way.

Stay Safe,

lpl/nc

[Dgreno]

Great gun, i have that exact one,$350 is a little high though imo. BTW, be careful with the plastic safety selector, they are not too sturdy. I recently invested in a metal switch.

[The Silver Bullet 1719]

$379 is too high. I saw the same model at a local shop for $320 NIB.