Requesting opinions on Mossberg 500 combo

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Smaug

Smaug

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I'm in the market for a shotgun. It will be my only one.

Since they are The Ultimate Home Defense Weapon, I'd like it to be able to fill that duty.

I also have some friends who shoot trap, so if it would do that too, it would be great. (but I don't want to spend a lot of money on a dedicated shotgun for that. They all have these fancy, multi-thousand dollar double break-barrel shotties)

I saw that Mossy makes a combo for around $550 that includes a long, ventilated rib barrel for birds and a short home defense barrel.

Some questions:
  1. Is this a decent quality rig?
  2. Is it reliable?
  3. Can I fit the rifled slug barrel later, if I want to?
  4. Does the vented rib barrel take choke tubes?
  5. Will it hold up to steel shot?
  6. What choke does the short home defense barrel just have? I guess it's suitable for buckshot?
  7. I see it has a 3" chamber. I guess that is only good for small birds and skeet, and I'd need one that would take 3.5" if I wanted to go goose hunting?
I saw another combo where they sell a rifled barrel with cantilevered scope rail for deer hunting with slugs. Maybe I'd add that later.

Anything else I should consider?

Thanks!
 
I have a 500 that I originally bought with the 18" barrel which is cylinder bore intended primarily for buck and slugs. Later I bought a vent rib barrel for it and a set of choke tubes which are rated for steel shot. My kid used it to shoot trap at our gun club and never had any issues with reliability. To the best of my knowledge, these models are highly regarded within their price range. I got mine sometime in the 90's so can't attest to how they're being built today, but if they're anything like the 500's of yore they are a good value.
 
Mossberg 500’s:
Are decent quality
Reliable
Will accept a rifled slug barrel
The field barrel(ventilated rib) accepts choke tubes.
Modern shotgun barrels are rated for steel shot. Modern choke tubes as a rule accept steel shot from cylinder to modified. Any tighter constriction is verboten. And since steel shoots tighter than lead, steel from a modified choke will pattern like lead from a full choke(as a rule). There is one manufacturer I’m aware of that rates all their chokes for steel. FABARM. You can buy 3 Mossberg 500’s for the cost of the lowest price FABARM which is what I have it wasn’t a deciding factor-steel rating-in my purchase.
The HD barrel will have cylinder constriction which is the most open made, you can even say the short 500 barrel was designed to shoot buckshot.

The 500 shoots 2.75 and 3 inch shells. 3” shells are way overkill for small birds and skeet. Shooting a round of skeet with 3” inch shells would be down right brutal on your shoulder. Skeet is shot with light 2.75” loads.
Many people, myself included feel 3.5” shells are not needed for geese and cause more issues than they solve.
You only need to buy a rifled slug barrel, not another shotgun.
 
If you decide to stick with skeet, the chances are great you’ll buy a semi or O/U. You can get a decent semi for well under $1k. An O/U of the same quality will start at $2k.
 
  1. Is this a decent quality rig? Yes
  2. Is it reliable? Mine is.
  3. Can I fit the rifled slug barrel later, if I want to? I did.
  4. Does the vented rib barrel take choke tubes? Yes.
  5. Will it hold up to steel shot? Mossberg said-
    Can I shoot steel shot through all barrels?
    No, not all barrels. Barrels with an interchangeable Accu-Choke™ or Accu-Mag™ choke tube system, yes (with proper tubes installed.) However, steel shot is not recommended for older "C-Lect Choke®" or fixed-choke barrels.

  6. What choke does the short home defense barrel just have? I guess it's suitable for buckshot? FIXED I/C. Yes, buckshot ok.
  7. I see it has a 3" chamber. I guess that is only good for small birds and skeet, and I'd need one that would take 3.5" if I wanted to go goose hunting? Only 3" needed. Shoot 2 3/4 shells for trap/skeet.
 
Mossberg 500's are great guns. I have some expensive shotguns and often grab one of my 500 series when I want to hunt hard and not worry about the gun. Being a lefty, I love the safety. I also use an 835 for coyotes and a 590 for home protection. In addition to hunting and shooting them for years I sold tons of them when I worked in a gun store years ago. Customers were happy, the guns worked, and they allowed folks to have a reliable home defense gun at a reasonable price. We sold tons! The combo's are nice but like was mentioned above you want to make sure that you can shoot steel out of your particular example.
 
I have the "Trophy Slugster" model, a 28" vent rib barrel plus a 24" slug barrel.

I picked it up at a Wal-Mart back in the mid-'90s, and I have to say, it's been a great shotgun. Looks good, reliable, accurate and the (unrifled) slug barrel shoots 00 fine for home defense, was my HD shotgun until I picked up a 590A1 Blackwater model. We used 'em in the military for years, I went to a department after the military that issued Rem. 870s but converted to 590s, I am a fan and a big reason is the sensible location of the safety (tang) and action-bar release (behind, not forward of the trigger guard as on the 870).

If they're making 'em now with a 18 or 20 inch barrel for HD rather than a slug barrel, that's a good call on Mossberg's part.
 
If it comes with screw in choke ability for the long barrel, it should fit all of your needs just fine. Yes, you can put a fully rifled barrel on it later if you want. The 3 1/2" chamber is a relatively new thing- 3" is adequate for waterfowl and turkeys. I only use 3" for ducks and turkeys- 2 3/4" for everything else. Plenty of waterfowl and turkeys have fallen over decades with standard 2 3/4" rounds before 3" was a thing. The short barrel will be cylinder bore, it will be at its best 25 yards and under in most cases (depending on ammo selected).
 
Mossberg 500 is a good, reliable pump action. I've had one since the mid-1980's and have lost count of the rounds through it. Mine has a basic 20" vent-rib barrel with screw-in chokes, and I learned to shoot skeet with it, (and taught my daughter basic shotgun use and safety) have gone dove hunting with it, and practiced point defense with it. The long barrel will work for trap on a fun basis and you may get pretty good at hitting clays with it, but the more serious shooters with actual "trap guns" will probably score better. As an "all-around" shotgun, it can serve the purpose. Three barrels will give you everything you'd need a shotgun for. 1)- 18" slug barrel (rifled, with a front sight), 2)- 20" smoothbore with adjustable chokes, 3)- 28" or 30" smoothbore with adjustable chokes. I'd go with the medium 20" and long 30" first, add the rifled barrel later, you can shoot slugs from the short smoothbore just fine, use a cylinder or improved cylinder choke preferably.

DSC07705.JPG
 
I'm still using my 410 Model 500 that I bought in 1985 and it has had a lot of shells fired over the years. It has always been my goto shotgun for small game and turkey. I've owned/used the 12 gauge 500 for waterfowl over the years without any issues either. I have also used Mossberg shotguns while in the Army and never an issue there.

Before this turns into a debate on Mossberg vs Remington, I have owned both and still own my Mossberg shotguns. The Mossberg's are more ambidextrous and the big thing for me is that they do not pinch me when loading the tube like a Remington does.
 
Smaug

I have the Maverick 88 version of the Mossberg 500 combo package. Started with just the standard model with an 18" barrel and added a vent rib 20" barrel with three Accu-Choke tubes, mainly for hunting upland game. I no longer hunt waterfowl and have another dedicated shotgun for turkeys. I also don't shoot trap anymore so I really don't have a pressing need for a 28" barrel.

These days I keep the Maverick around in home defense mode, with the 18" barrel, a shotshell cuff on the buttstock, and a Limbsaver Slip-On recoil pad. Have found the Maverick 88/Mossberg 500 to be a solid, reliable shotgun that won't break the bank in terms of the shotgun itself or with parts and accessories for it.
Xa93004.jpg
 
Smaug said:
  1. Is this a decent quality rig?
  2. Is it reliable?
  3. Can I fit the rifled slug barrel later, if I want to?
  4. Does the vented rib barrel take choke tubes?
  5. Will it hold up to steel shot?
  6. What choke does the short home defense barrel just have? I guess it's suitable for buckshot?
  7. I see it has a 3" chamber. I guess that is only good for small birds and skeet, and I'd need one that would take 3.5" if I wanted to go goose hunting?
Click to expand...
1. Mossberg 500s are decent quality pumps for the price. They are usually a bit stiff when new, but smooth out with a bit of use.
2. Yes
3. Yes
4. Yes
5. Yes, with a MOD or more open choke.
6. The HD barrel will be cylinder choke. That's all you need for HD.
7. No. A 3" 12 ga will do just about anything that needs doing. If I were shopping for a dedicated goose gun, I'd consider a 3.5, but for all around use a 3" is fine. I'd advise shooting a 3.5" goose load before you think about buying one.
 
Mossberg 500s work.
They are thick wristed though.
I find them clunky and utilitarian.

3.5" steel goose loads are not bad.
3.5" lead turkey loads are.

M500 recoils pads were more ornamental than useful back in the day.
Remington vented pads worked well on 870s and 1100s.
 
e rex said:
There has been an awful lot of Mossberg 500s sold over the years, I had one in 20 gauge that I wish I still had.
Click to expand...

I received a 26" fixed, modified choke 20ga " youth" model for Christmas back in '84.

IIRC it had a stock with a 9" LOP and came with a coupon to get a full size stock (13" LOP) for $9.99.

I never ordered the full sized stock because it was just sooo handy in the brush for rabbits just the way it was.

About 15 or so years ago I decided I wanted a short, 18" cylinder choke barrel and spoke to a Mossberg rep at the NRA show in Pittsburgh.

He said it wasn't a regular stocked item but gave me a # to call .

Called the # and a nice lady on the line said "sure we'll make you one.
You'll have it in 2-3 weeks"

Couple weeks and less than $70 later I had a great HD shotgun.
With the little barrel and short stock it's a breeze going through doorways practicing clearing drills.
 
cdb1 said:
I totally do not understand this post.
Click to expand...

If you think you can only have one shotgun then your fooling yourself.
I started decades ago with a 12ga Mossberg 835, it had a vent rib, 3-1/2" chamber and 5 chokes plus a 24" rifled slug barrel with iron sights, a great shotgun. You could do anything with it.

Then an 18", 20ga Stoeger Coach Gun caught my eye, I shoot Skeet with it and do as well as most other shooters. It's light, quick handling and just plain fun to shoot.

Then I got to thinking that I might need a dedicated zombie home defence gun so I found a 20" 12ga Mossberg 500 with a full length ammo tube. I added a OPSOL adapter so I could reliably use 1-3/4" Mini Shells in it, it now holds 12 + 1.

Yeah, they can tend to grow on you.
So, you think you want just one..............
Ha, ha, ha, ha,
 
If one needs a top/tang safety for ambi usage in the hunting field......Id get a BPS.
Had an Upland Special 20 ga I proly should have kept.
Only reason I let it go.....had an 870 Special Field before that and liked it a little better.
 
bannockburn said:
Smaug

I have the Maverick 88 version of the Mossberg 500 combo package. Started with just the standard model with an 18" barrel and added a vent rib 20" barrel with three Accu-Choke tubes, mainly for hunting upland game. I no longer hunt waterfowl and have another dedicated shotgun for turkeys. I also don't shoot trap anymore so I really don't have a pressing need for a 28" barrel.

These days I keep the Maverick around in home defense mode, with the 18" barrel, a shotshell cuff on the buttstock, and a Limbsaver Slip-On recoil pad. Have found the Maverick 88/Mossberg 500 to be a solid, reliable shotgun that won't break the bank in terms of the shotgun itself or with parts and accessories for it.
View attachment 1087018
Click to expand...

TFB TV did a burn down test on the Mav 88. It passed.
Recoil was on the heavy side.

 
Y-T71 said:
I received a 26" fixed, modified choke 20ga " youth" model for Christmas back in '84.

IIRC it had a stock with a 9" LOP and came with a coupon to get a full size stock (13" LOP) for $9.99.

I never ordered the full sized stock because it was just sooo handy in the brush for rabbits just the way it was.

About 15 or so years ago I decided I wanted a short, 18" cylinder choke barrel and spoke to a Mossberg rep at the NRA show in Pittsburgh.

He said it wasn't a regular stocked item but gave me a # to call .

Called the # and a nice lady on the line said "sure we'll make you one.
You'll have it in 2-3 weeks"

Couple weeks and less than $70 later I had a great HD shotgun.
With the little barrel and short stock it's a breeze going through doorways practicing clearing drills.
Click to expand...
They must have liked the idea, because they now have a 20 ga 18.5 barrel listed.
Of couse, like all their HD barrels, it's out of stock. :(
 
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