Mossberg 500: accessories and upgrades

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Autodidactic

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Hello folks, I got a Mossberg 500 recently. My uses are home defense and hunting. I have a short and long barrel respectively.

Mine is a plain Jane synthetic stock. I’m thinking upgrading the stock, forehandle, equipping a side shell holder on top maybe with picatinny rail, and attaching a light. I have a stock shell holder already and a recoil pad added on to the stock one.

What are the best upgrades? Slings input desired.
 
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I am biased…I like getting the ‘Vang’ treatment, and a Surefire fore ends….A lot of bucks for both, and then you end up with a dedicated HD gun…maybe not in your cards….something to consider, replacing the safety. The Mossberg safety is plastic, and will break over time.

https://www.vangcomp.com/
https://www.vangcomp.com/product/full-tactical-upgrade-service/
https://www.surefire.com/products/illumination/weapon-lights/623lmg-b/
https://www.vangcomp.com/product/vcs-mossberg-big-speed-safety/
 
I am biased…I like getting the ‘Vang’ treatment, and a Surefire fore ends….A lot of bucks for both, and then you end up with a dedicated HD gun…maybe not in your cards….something to consider, replacing the safety. The Mossberg safety is plastic, and will break over time.

https://www.vangcomp.com/
https://www.vangcomp.com/product/full-tactical-upgrade-service/
https://www.surefire.com/products/illumination/weapon-lights/623lmg-b/
https://www.vangcomp.com/product/vcs-mossberg-big-speed-safety/
Wow, look sweet. The tactical upgrade costs 2x what I paid for the 500, and the surefire more as well.
 
I've never had any problems with the factory plastic safety on any of my Mossberg 500's. My .410 Model 500 has been used and abused since 1985 for all of my small game hunting and skeet shooting, and my 12 gauge Model 500 has bounced around in boats and duck blinds since the late 90's.

As far as accessories go, it depends on what you want and also how much money you want to spend.
 
But then you need a breecher barrel as well!

View attachment 1098040

That tri-rail is a good option though. I have one on my (rather new) 590S. It takes a TLR-1 and a sling mount, no problem. The sling mount is to one side so the sling does not interfer with the light, which is at the bottom. Those are all the mods I made to that shotgun.
 
Not cool if it doesn't have a heat shield!

View attachment 1098039

I've always thought the heat shields were kind of silly. But almost every time I go out and play with one of my shotguns, I accidentally grab a hot barrel. Still doesn't make me want to put it back on the 20" 590 it came on. But I understand why someone shooting large volumes in a stressful situation might want one.
 
I've always thought the heat shields were kind of silly. But almost every time I go out and play with one of my shotguns, I accidentally grab a hot barrel. Still doesn't make me want to put it back on the 20" 590 it came on. But I understand why someone shooting large volumes in a stressful situation might want one.

It's all about the "tactical" look!:)
 
Big arguments on slings on “social” shotguns.

Some dislike them for fear they will get snagged during movement.

Some dislike them because they can swing about and “destroy accuracy”

Some even fear that they can interfere with the gun’s operation.

Then there are those of us that recognize that there may be times that having one or both hands tied up holding a shotgun is not optimal and train to control a sling when it is not in use.

I really like what Bill Jeans used to teach. Thought it silly until I tried it.

Some folks just need to hear “Well at GunSite when the Colonel was in charge….” and that is enough. Well Jeans was his Shotgun Guy.

He convinced me to put a sling swivel on the grip toe or cap of my Mossberg 500 and use it as the rear sling swivel with the normal front swivel in place.

When transitioning to side arm or working with your hands on something you sling muzzle down on the off shoulder. I found that with a 18.5 inch barrel I had no problem taking a kneel with the muzzle down.

Simply slapping the off hand onto the fore stock and a quick shrug and you can twist the gun up amazingly quickly.

Yes the butt stock sticks up over your head, But other than weird looks from folks not trained that way, so what?

For me it was a “Duooh!” moment as for years my .223 of choice was an AR-180 and the rear sling swivel on those is on the pistol grip….why did I not see how handy that would be on a “smactical” pump?????

As for the type of sling…. I would sooner try to tell women friends what sort of purse to chose. Whatever you find does the job while getting in the way the least.

When shouldering the gun Use your non firing hand to find the sling and as you grasp the shucker so no slack is between that hand and the rear swivel. All slack will then be forward of that hand and predictable and controllable.

-kBob
 
Just one option for a setup:
IMG_20220822_170542284.jpg

The fanny pack is set with the belt loop long enough to be thrown over the neck and one shoulder. There's your spare ammo, easy to reach and hanging on whichever side you prefer.

The sling is minimal, but present. So the gun can be slung African style on the non-dominant side easily. Though in the picture the sling is not extended much, it typically would be. It's stiff, but not heavy so it can't carry momentum easily and throw off aim.

IMG_20220822_170558074_HDR.jpg

Here is the same tri-rail as seem earlier. Sling is out of the way of the light. The light can be toggled from the end of the foregrip. Not perfect, but good enough.
 
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I'm tempted by tacticool, but have very carefully avoided most of it.

The OEM stock and foregrip work fine for me. A light strikes me as a good idea on a shotgun, and I've gone back and forth on buying a Surefire fore end for years. So far, the cost has kept me away, and I hope I don't come to regret it.

I'm terrible with a bead, so use a ghost ring and a blade.

I use a four round "sidesaddle" ammunition carrier.

The standard safety has never let me down.

I think a sling is a great idea for some applications, and useless at best for others. I'm not going to be transitioning to a handgun while defending my home with a shotgun, so have left the sling off.

I love the look of the heat shield and am tempted to by another 500 just so I can put on wood furniture, a heat shield, and a bayonet. But if, while defending my home, I fire my shotgun enough to get the barrel truly hot, I'll have worse troubles than just a singed finger, so that's another thing I've left off.

And of course, unless you're on the SWAT team or Facebook, things like breaching muzzles, chainsaws, flechette loads, etc. are all nonsense.

"KISS" for me, is the short version.
 
I'm tempted by tacticool, but have very carefully avoided most of it.

The OEM stock and foregrip work fine for me. A light strikes me as a good idea on a shotgun, and I've gone back and forth on buying a Surefire fore end for years.

I went down the tacticool route with my 20". Got a 6 shell side saddle, surefire foregrip, Magpul buttstock that has a spacers system. I even tried a long sling on it, for cross body carry.

Now that I have a shorter and more streamlined option, I'm about ready to take that 20" 590 back to stock (save for the heat shield) and just keep it as a beater. All the tacticool stuff made it slow and awkward, and rather un-tactical.

You can learn from the mistakes of others, or you can learn from your own. I typically take the second path, despite knowing better.
 
I do't have a sling on my 410 Mossberg 500 but do have one on my 410 Mossberg Shockwave and on my 12 gauge Mossberg 500. A sling definitely comes in handy when sloshing through the swamps and creeks when duck and goose hunting. And I have my Shockwave setup similarly to how we had the short shotguns setup in the military. We used them for door breeching so having a sling was essential. We could swing the shotgun out of the way and grab our rifle.
 
Just one option for a setup:
View attachment 1098508

The fanny pack is set with the belt loop long enough to be thrown over the neck and one shoulder. There's your spare ammo, easy to reach and hanging on whichever side you prefer.

The sling is minimal, but present. So the gun can be slung African style on the non-dominant side easily. Though in the picture the sling is not extended much, it typically would be. It's stiff, but not heavy so can carry momentum easily and throw off aim.

View attachment 1098510

Here is the same tri-rail as seem earlier. Sling is out of the way of the light. The light can be toggled from the end of the foregrip. Not perfect, but good enough.
How you like the S, you think it's worth the extra money over the 590.
 
How you like the S, you think it's worth the extra money over the 590.

Actually, no. I bought the S because it was what was available. It actually wouldn't cycle 3" magnum slugs at all, and had trouble with 3" 00 buck. I found it had a strange triangular rubber wedge on the action, and dislodged it (mostly accidentally). Now it cycles 3" 00 buck fine. I haven't checked the 3" magnum slugs because they hurt too much for me to care.

I haven't tried any mini shot shells, and probably never will. The only other difference I can see is that the elevator has a longer center prong than the standard 500/590.
 
Actually, no. I bought the S because it was what was available. It actually wouldn't cycle 3" magnum slugs at all, and had trouble with 3" 00 buck. I found it had a strange triangular rubber wedge on the action, and dislodged it (mostly accidentally). Now it cycles 3" 00 buck fine. I haven't checked the 3" magnum slugs because they hurt too much for me to care.

I haven't tried any mini shot shells, and probably never will. The only other difference I can see is that the elevator has a longer center prong than the standard 500/590.
Ok good to know, I don't really ever use 3" it seems to be a extra $ 100 or more for the S. I'd really like a 590a1 of I can save up enough. Looked at the full tube maverick 88 and thought it was built well, better then the older ones for sure and even as good as some of the older 500's I've seen. I can reload 2 3/4 so I'd stick to that.
 
What are the best upgrades? Slings input desired.
As has been said. . .

Don't change the stock unless the current stock is broken. Don't change the barrel. Don't change the forearm, unless the current forearm is broken (or you're adding a light). Don't change the sights; if you need ghost ring sights on your HD weapon, get a carbine. It's a tool, not a Mr. Potato Head.
 
HD, you probably don't need a sling. I have opinions, but really you aren't going great distances, aren't manhandling people etc.

If it came with sights: good. Not missing is good. If it didn't: dance with the one you brung or go buy another gun. Not worth the hassle-cost of upgrading.

You NEED a light. Don't shoot the neighbor or family. Lots of options, this is a reasonable cost, performance, ease of use:
https://www.amazon.com/Streamlight-69600-TL-Racker-Lithium-Batteries/dp/B07P9RSS32

Get this (or similar):
https://sjhardware.us/product/type-1-follower-and-magazine-spring-package/
Safe, more reliable, etc. Bright is nice, but mostly it's plastic and has a different shape. Nub in the middle confirms it's the follower, not a shell. Plastic slides smoother, and factory Mossy springs aren't super strong, all replacements are better.

Put velcro on the side of the receiver. Buy these:
https://skdtac.com/esstac-shotgun-card/
Or similar. Chinese knockoffs abound on Amazon, eBay, etc. Velcro makes them easy to replace when they wear out, AND you can have a few spares in the place the shotgun lives, slap new ones on to "reload" the gun.

Learn how to run it. Practice. Learn how to unload without running shells through the action (you can!), etc.

Buy some dummies. If you can't get to the range enough for shooting, at least very triple check unload it, then practice unloading, loading, etc. Even if you have a range, unlikely to let you shoot at night so (carefully, very empty, no one at home) move through the house at night using the ambient light and the forearm light only, at least once a year to get used to how it works, what you can see, what you cannot.

Get a flashlight. Keep with the gun and ammo. Put in your pocket so you can light up stuff without pointing a gun at it. Worried about no pockets? Get a neck-size lanyard or make it a headlamp.

Lock it up. Do no not hide it. Forget kids, thieves know all the tricks for hiding. Find a way to secure it for quick access. I like pushbutton mechanicals. I like this:
https://www.amazon.com/V-Line-Quick-Access-Keyless-Shotgun/dp/B000T24OGA
 
DE19439F-3250-4FB2-AEE9-09222B76044D.jpeg
20 yards, slugs with 18.5 inch barrel.
I've never had any problems with the factory plastic safety on any of my Mossberg 500's. My .410 Model 500 has been used and abused since 1985 for all of my small game hunting and skeet shooting, and my 12 gauge Model 500 has bounced around in boats and duck blinds since the late 90's.

As far as accessories go, it depends on what you want and also how much money you want to spend.
I want to keep it simple. A good sling, educate me folks. What’s the main diff between a one point or two point sling? Any suggestions for brands or models compatible with a 500?
Not cool if it doesn't have a heat shield!

View attachment 1098039

But then you need a breecher barrel as well!

View attachment 1098040
Haha I saw those online.
That tri-rail is a good option though. I have one on my (rather new) 590S. It takes a TLR-1 and a sling mount, no problem. The sling mount is to one side so the sling does not interfer with the light, which is at the bottom. Those are all the mods I made to that shotgun.
Nice.
Big arguments on slings on “social” shotguns.

Some dislike them for fear they will get snagged during movement.

Some dislike them because they can swing about and “destroy accuracy”

Some even fear that they can interfere with the gun’s operation.

Then there are those of us that recognize that there may be times that having one or both hands tied up holding a shotgun is not optimal and train to control a sling when it is not in use.

I really like what Bill Jeans used to teach. Thought it silly until I tried it.

Some folks just need to hear “Well at GunSite when the Colonel was in charge….” and that is enough. Well Jeans was his Shotgun Guy.

He convinced me to put a sling swivel on the grip toe or cap of my Mossberg 500 and use it as the rear sling swivel with the normal front swivel in place.

When transitioning to side arm or working with your hands on something you sling muzzle down on the off shoulder. I found that with a 18.5 inch barrel I had no problem taking a kneel with the muzzle down.

Simply slapping the off hand onto the fore stock and a quick shrug and you can twist the gun up amazingly quickly.

Yes the butt stock sticks up over your head, But other than weird looks from folks not trained that way, so what?

For me it was a “Duooh!” moment as for years my .223 of choice was an AR-180 and the rear sling swivel on those is on the pistol grip….why did I not see how handy that would be on a “smactical” pump?????

As for the type of sling…. I would sooner try to tell women friends what sort of purse to chose. Whatever you find does the job while getting in the way the least.

When shouldering the gun Use your non firing hand to find the sling and as you grasp the shucker so no slack is between that hand and the rear swivel. All slack will then be forward of that hand and predictable and controllable.

-kBob
For a shotgun beginner, do you have some sling suggestions that are compatible with the 500? I’m all ears.
Just one option for a setup:
View attachment 1098508

The fanny pack is set with the belt loop long enough to be thrown over the neck and one shoulder. There's your spare ammo, easy to reach and hanging on whichever side you prefer.

The sling is minimal, but present. So the gun can be slung African style on the non-dominant side easily. Though in the picture the sling is not extended much, it typically would be. It's stiff, but not heavy so it can't carry momentum easily and throw off aim.

View attachment 1098510

Here is the same tri-rail as seem earlier. Sling is out of the way of the light. The light can be toggled from the end of the foregrip. Not perfect, but good enough.
Very cool, thanks
I'm tempted by tacticool, but have very carefully avoided most of it.

The OEM stock and foregrip work fine for me. A light strikes me as a good idea on a shotgun, and I've gone back and forth on buying a Surefire fore end for years. So far, the cost has kept me away, and I hope I don't come to regret it.

I'm terrible with a bead, so use a ghost ring and a blade.

I use a four round "sidesaddle" ammunition carrier.

The standard safety has never let me down.

I think a sling is a great idea for some applications, and useless at best for others. I'm not going to be transitioning to a handgun while defending my home with a shotgun, so have left the sling off.

I love the look of the heat shield and am tempted to by another 500 just so I can put on wood furniture, a heat shield, and a bayonet. But if, while defending my home, I fire my shotgun enough to get the barrel truly hot, I'll have worse troubles than just a singed finger, so that's another thing I've left off.

And of course, unless you're on the SWAT team or Facebook, things like breaching muzzles, chainsaws, flechette loads, etc. are all nonsense.

"KISS" for me, is the short version.
I would like wood furniture just for looks, but it’s not a high priority in the short term.

I also had trouble shooting with bead sites at about 60 feet on Monday. I was using the 18.5 inch barrel shooting slugs and I was shooting high. Maybe I just am aiming it wrong.


I went down the tacticool route with my 20". Got a 6 shell side saddle, surefire foregrip, Magpul buttstock that has a spacers system. I even tried a long sling on it, for cross body carry.

Now that I have a shorter and more streamlined option, I'm about ready to take that 20" 590 back to stock (save for the heat shield) and just keep it as a beater. All the tacticool stuff made it slow and awkward, and rather un-tactical.

You can learn from the mistakes of others, or you can learn from your own. I typically take the second path, despite knowing better.

I do't have a sling on my 410 Mossberg 500 but do have one on my 410 Mossberg Shockwave and on my 12 gauge Mossberg 500. A sling definitely comes in handy when sloshing through the swamps and creeks when duck and goose hunting. And I have my Shockwave setup similarly to how we had the short shotguns setup in the military. We used them for door breeching so having a sling was essential. We could swing the shotgun out of the way and grab our rifle.

As has been said. . .

Don't change the stock unless the current stock is broken. Don't change the barrel. Don't change the forearm, unless the current forearm is broken (or you're adding a light). Don't change the sights; if you need ghost ring sights on your HD weapon, get a carbine. It's a tool, not a Mr. Potato Head.
I would like a light at some point.
 
I also had trouble shooting with bead sites at about 60 feet on Monday. I was using the 18.5 inch barrel shooting slugs and I was shooting high. Maybe I just am aiming it wrong.

You just have to figure out a consistent sight picture, and where point of impact is with that sight picture. It's both the blessing and curse of only having a bead; there's nothing to zero, but you have to learn where POA and POI work with different ammo types and distances.

The good news is, if you can put a slug somewhere in the torso, it will ruin a BGs day. Small groups don't matter, just solid center of mass hits.
 
HD, you probably don't need a sling. I have opinions, but really you aren't going great distances, aren't manhandling people etc.

If it came with sights: good. Not missing is good. If it didn't: dance with the one you brung or go buy another gun. Not worth the hassle-cost of upgrading.

You NEED a light. Don't shoot the neighbor or family. Lots of options, this is a reasonable cost, performance, ease of use:
https://www.amazon.com/Streamlight-69600-TL-Racker-Lithium-Batteries/dp/B07P9RSS32

Get this (or similar):
https://sjhardware.us/product/type-1-follower-and-magazine-spring-package/
Safe, more reliable, etc. Bright is nice, but mostly it's plastic and has a different shape. Nub in the middle confirms it's the follower, not a shell. Plastic slides smoother, and factory Mossy springs aren't super strong, all replacements are better.

Put velcro on the side of the receiver. Buy these:
https://skdtac.com/esstac-shotgun-card/
Or similar. Chinese knockoffs abound on Amazon, eBay, etc. Velcro makes them easy to replace when they wear out, AND you can have a few spares in the place the shotgun lives, slap new ones on to "reload" the gun.

Learn how to run it. Practice. Learn how to unload without running shells through the action (you can!), etc.

Buy some dummies. If you can't get to the range enough for shooting, at least very triple check unload it, then practice unloading, loading, etc. Even if you have a range, unlikely to let you shoot at night so (carefully, very empty, no one at home) move through the house at night using the ambient light and the forearm light only, at least once a year to get used to how it works, what you can see, what you cannot.

Get a flashlight. Keep with the gun and ammo. Put in your pocket so you can light up stuff without pointing a gun at it. Worried about no pockets? Get a neck-size lanyard or make it a headlamp.

Lock it up. Do no not hide it. Forget kids, thieves know all the tricks for hiding. Find a way to secure it for quick access. I like pushbutton mechanicals. I like this:
https://www.amazon.com/V-Line-Quick-Access-Keyless-Shotgun/dp/B000T24OGA
Great input. That streamlight I saved on my Amazon account after you posted it. Thanks. I do need to practice with it. I plan to take a shotgun course too.
 
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