Accu-choke and ported barrel in Moss 500

[JW in Ohio]

Stopped in the local pawn shop and found a "like new" Mossberg 500 12 ga. with a 28" ported accu-choke barrel for $145. I have never used a ported barrel or the accu-choke system before. My use will be mostly for clay birds and small game. I'll get a rifled slug barrel for deer season later. Aside from looking a bit funky with the knurled end, what are the pros and cons of this choke system and porting? Increased noise? Reduced recoil? Should I just get a standard ribbed barrel with imp cylinder or modified choke?
I tried the search for this topic but didn't find much.
Thanks.

 

[thefivespeeder]

i have a mossberg 500 w/ 24" slugster and 28" accuchoke, I got it 3 or 4 years ago when i turned 16 or 17, but I think I only paid 2-- something for it all at k-mart lol, the choking i believe is suppose to help recoil and shot pattern i believe, dont know if it helps at all that much, but if your asking about the choke system, you can easly change your chokes with these, mine came with 3 and the wrench, then you can even pick up clay chokes and such. but then i have the 24" slugster that has rifle sights for rifled slugs, you should look into buyin the same package I had if it only comes to 2-- somthing, then you'll have everything you need

 

[Wannagohunting]

I am a little confused by your post. Do you have an accu-choke or c-lect
choke ? C-lect chokes are changed by turning the knob on the end to line up
with Full/Modified/Imp. Accu-chokes use removable tubes that generally fit flush with the barrel, UNLESS you use the older style WINCHOKES that
screw in with a knurled end protruding from the barrel.
Let me know what exactly you have and I will answer your questions.

 

[JW in Ohio]

Wannago,
Thanks for the reply. I haven't bought the gun yet, only looked it over in the shop, that's why I posted about opinions. The barrel only said Accu-choke on it, that's why I figured it was not factory, but some aftermarket deal, and that is why I questioned it. It did have approx a half inch knurled end, which you indicate might be the Winchoke system and may not even be the right barrel or insert for this gun. The knurled end did not seem to want to move with normal hand twisting, but I got the impression it could be screwed out and replaced. The barrel was also ported which I don't have experience with. The gun had very little use and looked new, but it could have been put together with pieces and parts.

 

[Onmilo]

Mossberg porting actually works quite well in keeping the muzzle down and improves the felt recoil characteristics.
I think the ports look goofy but work they do, Mossbergs with the porting are way more comfortable to shoot compared to a similar Remington or Winchester without porting.

Accuchoke tubes pattern well and are durable but I would recommend one of the extended special purpose tubes for shooting steel shot.

The choke tube you describe that is in the gun now sounds like a Winchester 'Win-choke' tube.

Mossberg, Browning, and Winchester all use the same type of threading and the choke tubes will interchange between these guns.HTH

 

[Mikeo]

Earlier Mossbergs, I had one from the mid-eighties, had the accu-choke system, which had the knurled end. Some years later, they came out with the accu-choke II which was completely contained in the barrel. Factory ported barrels came out after the change to accu-choke II, so, it is probably not the correct choke installed. Not to say that the thread pattern isn't the same. I believe that when the accu-choke II system came out, it would have worked in my gun, but that was a long time ago, and I'm old.
I do remember that there was an accu-steel choke that extended farther out the barrel for steel shot. The regular accu-choke tube was NOT steel approved.
Mike

 

[Wannagohunting]

Accu-Choke is what Mossberg uses. All current guns use flush fitting choke tubes and a key wrench to install and remove them. They used to use the winchoke tubes that have the knurled end, which I use today on all my Mossberg 500's as I can change them quickly and generally by hand. They do have a spanner type wrench to remove and snug them. You can get Mossberg barrels with fixed chokes, but you are stuck with that pattern.
It is much better to have a barrel with changeable chokes to change your
pattern for different situations.

I use, buy, sell, trade Mossberg 500's I have had dozens of them. You can
swap many parts and stocks etc. from old ones to new ones. I like to put the older, nicer wood on the new guns, as I do not like the wood they use now.
I would buy it for $145.00 in a heartbeat. Any more questions re: Mossberg 500's ? Just ask. I can completely disassemble one in 30 seconds flat and put it back together in 65 seconds flat. (remove barrel, remove trigger group, remove both cartridge stops, remove bolt carrier,remove bolt, remove elevator)