How to install a pistol grip forearm to a Mossberg 500?

[Lightsped]

How exactly are the aftermarket pistol grip forearms installed onto a Mossberg 500?

Is one brand of pistol grip prefered or are they all about the same as far as durabilty goes?

[RandKL]

If it's a true 500-style forearm, the current forearm furniture be it wood or plastic is actually slid down onto a steel "action slide tube" and secured via that two notch nut at the front of the forearm. To change it, strip your gun down and remove the forearm and action slide tube from the gun. You can then use any butter knife etc to remove the two notch nut and slip the forearm wood/plastic off. If you have a proper forearm wrench, you can remove it without removing the forearm slide tube from the gun, just remove the barrel first.

If it's a Maverick 88-style forearm....and I say this because we've had brand new Mossies through our shop here this past year that had Mav 88 forearms....the forearm furniture, synthetic/plastic, is actually riveted to the action bars and it can't be removed from the gun by iteslf. Those are called "one piece" forearms. In that case, you'll need to buy a Mossy action slide tube assembly and replace your current one piece. They're common on gunbroker and can be had in the $20 range. To install one, just strip your gun down to the step where you remove the bolt carrier and slip the Mav 88 action slide (forearm) off the gun. Install the Mossy action slide tube and reassemble. It takes literally five minutes and requires no real tools.

Durability-wise, they're pretty much all the same. I've never seen *any* break. ATI's AR-type pistol grip and foregrip are smaller profiled and fit the hand better, but for folks with large hands, myself included, most prefer the older ATI Thompson sub-gun grips. They're comfortable.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=120421259106 The ATI AR-style grips.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=170334423476 The old Thompson submachinegun-type grips.

If you need anything else, feel free to ask.

rich

[chiefrcd]

Rich,
I'm also trying to replace the Maverick style forearm on my 500. Does the action slide just slip over the magazine tube? I just ordered the action slide and nut but was wondering how it actually fit on the weapon.

Thanks much.

[RandKL]

Chief, you'll just need to strip your gun down to the point where you remove the bolt carrier. The bolt carrier is in the receiver and that's what those action bars lock onto. With the carrier out, the forearm slips right off the mag tube.

Here's a fine video on stripping your gun....

Stripping a Mossberg 500 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S9qfF3mvWRI)

The carrier comes out at approx 1 minute 30 seconds into the video.

When you reassemble it, just use the Mossy slide tube. It's a drop in fit.

The best way I've found to strip a Mossy....or pretty much any gun for that matter, is in my lap with the barrel facing to the left. Get into a habit and the parts get to be second nature. Also, when you put the stop and interrupter back in just before the trigger group, get the back ends in place in their slots as the video guy says and then slowly ease the trigger group down into it. Front edge of the trigger group first....it hooks onto the receiver edge....and then slip the back down. If it won't go in, the stop and interrupter are tilted just a bit.

richard