Ricky B
Member
Actually, a regular pencil won't necessarily work in Mossberg 500, at least in my test. Not that it won't fit; it will. It's just too short with 2-3/4" shells. I was able to load 3 shells with a standard, unsharpened pencil.
The length of the magazine tube on the 5-round Mossberg 500 is 14-3/4" from the back of the follower to the top of the tube. The end of the tube is around 5/8" thick. So the internal length of the magazine tube is 14-3/4" - 5/8", or about 14-1/8".
An unfired 2-3/4" shotgun shell is about 2.3" in length (2-3/4" is the unfolded, fired length). Two unfired shells come to 4.6", or, say, 4-5/8" in length.
Subtracting 4-5/8" from 14-1/8" leaves 9-1/2". A hunter would want to be able to push the shell in a bit beyond the shell stop. Thus, a plug no longer than 9-1/4" would needed.
So Megiddo's recommendation is spot on. A 1/4" dowel with a length of 9" should be just fine for any Mossberg 500 with a standard 5-round magazine tube. You can fit a 3/8" dowel in the hole, but getting it out might be trickier.
The length of the magazine tube on the 5-round Mossberg 500 is 14-3/4" from the back of the follower to the top of the tube. The end of the tube is around 5/8" thick. So the internal length of the magazine tube is 14-3/4" - 5/8", or about 14-1/8".
An unfired 2-3/4" shotgun shell is about 2.3" in length (2-3/4" is the unfolded, fired length). Two unfired shells come to 4.6", or, say, 4-5/8" in length.
Subtracting 4-5/8" from 14-1/8" leaves 9-1/2". A hunter would want to be able to push the shell in a bit beyond the shell stop. Thus, a plug no longer than 9-1/4" would needed.
So Megiddo's recommendation is spot on. A 1/4" dowel with a length of 9" should be just fine for any Mossberg 500 with a standard 5-round magazine tube. You can fit a 3/8" dowel in the hole, but getting it out might be trickier.