[JamisJockey]

Okay I've got a semi-tacticoolized 500A. I like the ergonomics of the AR stock before anyone gets started on that. I've got short fingers and thumbs, so its hard to hit the slide release or the safety anyways. I got a screeching deal on it, and it shoots well enough.
Anyways, it came with the factory slide fore-pistol grip. I :cuss:ing hate the factory pistol grip front. Too big for my little hands, and I'd rather have a foreend I can mount a light on anyways.
But, it appears that this foreend slide is one piece. Which means I need a new slide for it.

But I'm not sure what slide to get. I have a foreend for it.
I looked at midwayusa, etc, and found slides for it. Again, not sure what the right slide is.
SN is K4122xx if that helps.

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y88/Atc1man/Guns/PA180026.jpg

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y88/Atc1man/Guns/PA180027.jpg

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y88/Atc1man/Guns/PA180027.jpg

I'd also like some ideas for mounting a rail. Should I just get the receiver tapped, or is there a bolt on option I should look at. I'd like to mount a red dot on it eventually.

And if I don't bugger up the front pistol grip, it and the rear pistol grip will be for sale after I get 'er fixed up.:D

[dak0ta]

I would not post your SN if I were you.

[JamisJockey]

Why not? What is someone going to do with my SN?

[RandKL]

That front isn't a factory grip. Mossberg doesn't make a front pistol grip. Yours is a Tacstar grip. It's preferred by a lot of older folks (me for one) because it's arthritus friendly, being large and all. It's based on the old Thompson sub gun and is probably the first aftermarket grip ever made for the Mossy.

You already have the slide tube. Yours is all set to go. That metal base where the bars attach and the front nut with the two notches is the good one, not the bad one.

Do you know how to strip it, yet? If not, head to youtube and search on "stripping a mossberg 500". You need to get to the stage where you pull the bolt carrier out of the receiver. It's the bolt carrier that connects the action bars to the bolt inside the gun. With the bolt carrier out, the forearm/action slide tube will come completely off the mag tube. With it removed, you can use any flat metal item like the back of a butter knife etc to unscrew the action slide tube nut holding the grip on.

Your tube, with that front grip, is a 7 5/8" length. It's the standard for most, probably 90% of, aftermarket Mossy forearm furniture. More modern stuff is aimed at the newer 6 1/2", but yours is still the standard. If you find one in a catalog and it doesn't say it's 6 1/2", it's most probably 7 5/8". You should be good to go as is. You probably won't have to change anything to change forearms.

richard

[JamisJockey]

Okay thanks :)
I'll go through the full disassembly this week, then, and try and swap the grip out. I've got short arms and little hands, so that pistol grip is too far forward for me and too big. I love the short LOP on the 6 position stock i put on it. After some range time with this gun, it became my go to HD gun and has a nice warm place near my bed.

[RandKL]

The smaller a grip is, the more force gets put onto the meat of your hand during firing. Also, the more you have to clench your hand, the more stress you get on the forearm/wrist/and fingers. That's why tennis elbow happens. Those large front grips are comfortable as heck even though they do look a bit weird. You still see them in all sorts of movies, though. The lead guy, Mathew McConawhatever had that same grip in Reign of Fire that I just saw today on Tivo.

For a sight rail, you have a few options. You can go rail-integral to the barrel ie a cantilever barrel mount....expensive. You can go clamshell mount ie it bolts to the ejector and trigger pin takedown holes on both sides of the receiver....not expensive but it cuts your use of a sidesaddle and has to be removed every time you strip to clean. You can go one side mounting plate ie, again, it bolts to the ejector and takedown pin holes on the left receiver side....cheap, but still stops your sidesaddle and has to be removed to strip/clean. The clamshell is mainly good for hunting as is the cantilever and the one side mount. You can go tapped receiver....not expensive and probably your best bet. For front rails, you can go rails directly on the forearm....more expensive than they're worth. You can go magazine/barrel clamp....cheap and works good, but they can slide and they get heavy. You can go barrel or mag tube clamp for one short rail etc.

One of my fav light mounting methods is taking a cheap Mav 88 one piece forearm (yours isn't lol yours is the good Mossy 500 type) and simply flattening a slot with my drill press/mill for a single rail. Cut it and mount it forward and you get an almost factory made fit and function. Keeps the rail forward and your hand comfortable back.

If you really need short and small, though, you might think about a railed forearm with a grip mounted rearward. Sec and I'll see if I can find one.

http://imagehost.vendio.com/a/12301129/aview/MOSSBERG-N8_2.jpg Attach the grip as far to the rear on the railed forearm as you can and you get short and small.

rich

[chuckusaret]

I have the Choate grips on both ends of my 500, they work well....

[Friendly, Don't Fire!]

A vertical pistol type grip on the front may require a special ATF Stamp.

[JamisJockey]

Inspector:
Huh what? Where did you get that from?

RandKL:
I'm actually not going to use a forward vert. grip at all. I like the regular slides.

[RandKL]

Understood, JJ. I like the old corncob ribbed type, too. I don't mind those integral bars Mav forearms like most folks do since I like the forearm anyway.

Stay away from that forearm in that pic I posted. I bought one for a customer a couple of months back. He couldn't get it to fit and it took me close to an hour to. Bastage is huge, too. I mean it's BIG in the hand....and the integral rails really chew your hand up on recoil. I ended up buying it back and cutting it to pieces for the rails.

If you go forearm mounted rails, just be sure they're far enough forward that you don't have to grip them. Rail covers don't work on single rails, either.

A few years back....read that as before some of the folks in this group were born (lol), we used to use thick walled PVC pipe for forearms. Turn it on a lathe and cut some small grooves, slice it down the side and mill it to fit the slide tube. Fast and easy project and everyone loved them. I think I need to make a trip to Lowe's this week.

Btw, I forgot to say it but that's a nice Persuader you got there. It'll serve you for a long time.

Remember, too, that if you ever want to convert it for hunting, all it takes is a new short mag tube and spring and a six shot barrel.

richard

[oneounceload]

Here's a site that makes clamps:

http://www.candewman.com/

[JamisJockey]

Okay I'm kinda stuck on the grip. It doesn't want to come off the action slide.
Help!!!!

[JamisJockey]

Okay nevermind, a few swift hits with the rubber mallet got it loose.

[JamisJockey]

SUCCESS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y88/Atc1man/Guns/PA190001.jpg

What's a fair price for a set of used tacstar grips? :D

[JamisJockey]

PS:

As for hunting, I've already got a Winchester 1300 with two barrels. One 28" ribbed gold bead threaded for chokes, and one 22" slug barrel :D
It even has wood furniture.
:neener:
I wanted this mossberg to be my super uber tacticool HD/SHTF/OMG ZOMBIES!!!!11ONE! gun.
3 point sling
light
optics, maybe....maybe.

[RandKL]

Nice Persuader! Love the corncob! Best all around forearm there ever was.

rich