Jack of All Trades Shotgun

[ChileRelleno]

My newest shotgun.
I received a generous Christmas Bonus from my employer and went straight to the the store.
I decided on a Mossy500 Field & Deer combo, with dual comb.
Thought it would be a great start to my new Jack of All Trades shotgun.

I've been wanting a shotgun that I could do almost anything with.
Skeet/Trap & other range fun, hunting feathers-n-fur and Home Defense.
To do this I was going to choose between the Mossberg 500 & Remington 870, both excellent shotguns.
The Mossberg 500 won out.
Cost was one factor as I could buy a combo and add another barrel, cheaper than I could with the Remington.
Ergonomics also came into play, I like the 500's safety better, much more natural to me, and the slide release on the 500 is much easier too.
The Mossberg being lighter was also a Pro.

28" ported smoothbore, VR, dual bead sight and it came with 3 accu-chokes, skeet/mod/full.


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24" rifled with porting and cantilever scope mount.


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I also want my new Jack of All Trades, as my bedside boomstick.
So I ordered a Security barrel, 18.5" cylinder bore with brass bead sight.



Not being happy with just the 18.5" barrel, I felt I needed to take the bedside boomstick to the next level, and bought a few upgrades.

Meprolight Tritium Tru-Dot to go on the 18.5" Security barrel.
Had to make a shim in order to get it to index, bit of a PITA.
But once done it is very satisfactory, nice white dot in full light and bright green in low/dark light.

Get one!



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Vang Comp oversized safety button.
I like it a lot... Easy to install, looks and feels good.
Really smoothed out the safety and provides a very positive tactile feel.

Get one!



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Orange anodized aluminum mag follower.
Meh... I was hoping it would be brighter/glossier than pictured, but it was almost exactly as pictured.
A bit of buyers remorse, wish it was cheaper, but I'm satisfied overall.

Could live without it.


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Next up may be a heat shield for the 18.5" barrel.
Pics when I get it... If I get it.

 

[Old Unc']

Have fun with it...

 

[Fred Fuller]

So far you've done well, far as I can tell. The outside of that magazine tube still looks awfully fresh though - needs wear marks .

Only reason to add a heat shield is to tack on a bit more weight, which might help with recoil. Makes it a pain to keep the barrel clean on the outside. And they can interfere with the functioning of the gun, if they move around. If you shoot it a lot, it may well wander. On the GI guns with heat shields (and bayonet lugs), things were tied down to notches in the barrel (or magazine tube extension, on 870 Mk 1s). On Mossbergs, the heat shields just clamp on around the barrel with no notches for the screws to anchor into.

 

[Onmilo]

I have a Maverick 88 with a 24" rifled and cantilevered barrel for slug shooting and a 20" Accu Choke tubed barrel for shooting critters in the woods.
I don't do the duck and goose thing anymore since I almost lost my life during a boat capsize so this gun and my two single shots serve me well for hunting shotguns.

 

[Ghost Tracker]

Most devices meant to perform a wide variety of tasks usually do them at the expense of performing any ONE task EXTREMELY well. Your Mossy looks to be a fine exception to that rule-of-thumb. WELL done!

 

[Sheepdog1968]

Congrats. I've been using Mossberg 500s for over 20 years and I've no desire to switch. It's a great price point (how can you beat the two barrel price packages) and a reliable weapon system.

 

[Sheepdog1968]

Personally, I'd pass on the heat shield. For social shooting I've never felt the need for it and I have likley shoot more rounds quickly through it there than I would in a self defense situation. Also, the weapon is heavy as it is and I see no need to add weight.

 

[jpwilly]

Nice combo, I just did the same thing HD and Field Mossy 500 combo for the same reasons. At the time I have no need the 24" rifled slug barrel so the 18.5" and the 28" bbl combo was good enough for my double duty.

I slicked up the action bars by sanding down the flashing. Racked the snot out of it for a hour and cleaned and lubed it up with gun grease on the worn areas. Now I just need to shoot a few 1K rounds through it.

 

[Bud Tugly]

Those combo packages certainly are a great answer to the "one gun to do everything" question, but I see a serious problem. Now that you've got everything covered, what excuse are you going to use when you want to buy more guns?

 

[oneounceload]

Believe me, that one gun does all, typically means it does everything somewhat OK, but does not excel at a whole lot.

Big bead on a HD gun? Personally, i don't even see the bead.

Fancy Vang safety - I do not use a safety on my gun in any case, field, target or HD

Fancy mag follower - what was wrong with the original?

It's your money, but I see no benefit from any of those items compared to spending the money on lessons, ammo, and targets...

to each his own

 

[cleardiddion]

Very nice setup!

 

[jon86]

Very nice, practical, and pretty too! Now shoot the everliving crap out of it. O and get a sling!

 

[ChileRelleno]

Believe me, that one gun does all, typically means it does everything somewhat OK, but does not excel at a whole lot.

Well, no **** Sherlock.
It'll do all three jobs just as well as any other mass produced commercial pump action.
While it will never measure up to a specialty trap/skeet/fowling piece, it'll do quite well in my hands.
As for throwing slugs/buck at four & two legged critters it'll excel at it.

Big bead on a HD gun? Personally, i don't even see the bead.

Well good for you, I'm glad you're so Billy Badboy as to never need to aim.
I personally want to see my sight, especially at night.

Fancy Vang safety - I do not use a safety on my gun in any case, field, target or HD

Again... Good for you, and I'll pray for others around you.

Fancy mag follower - what was wrong with the original?

Nothing, I simply wanted a high-vis follower.
Stepping off the line on the Skeet range? No matter the situation, no missing whether or not your mag is clear or not.

It's your money, but I see no benefit from any of those items compared to spending the money on lessons, ammo, and targets...

to each his own

So happy that you can pop into my thread and be so... Constructive... Condescending... And negative.
You have no clue as to any of my training or lack there of, or anything else for that matter.
Please, in the future, feel free to bypass any thread with myself as the OP.

My buddy Oddball has a message for you.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KuStsFW4EmQ

 

[ChileRelleno]

Have fun with it...

Guaranteed!

So far you've done well, far as I can tell. The outside of that magazine tube still looks awfully fresh though - needs wear marks .

Only reason to add a heat shield is to tack on a bit more weight, which might help with recoil. Makes it a pain to keep the barrel clean on the outside. And they can interfere with the functioning of the gun, if they move around. If you shoot it a lot, it may well wander. On the GI guns with heat shields (and bayonet lugs), things were tied down to notches in the barrel (or magazine tube extension, on 870 Mk 1s). On Mossbergs, the heat shields just clamp on around the barrel with no notches for the screws to anchor into.

Thanks.
Indeed, yes it does, only 40rds through it so far, just to check it's functionality.

The HS is a "If".

Most devices meant to perform a wide variety of tasks usually do them at the expense of performing any ONE task EXTREMELY well. Your Mossy looks to be a fine exception to that rule-of-thumb. WELL done!

Thank you, the whole idea with this one was to K.I.S.S.

Congrats. I've been using Mossberg 500s for over 20 years and I've no desire to switch. It's a great price point (how can you beat the two barrel price packages) and a reliable weapon system.

Thanks.
Yep, priced right is a great incentive to buy.
Specialized toys are worth every penny too, e.g. the Remington 700 LTR in .308win, that I've my eye on.

... but I see a serious problem. Now that you've got everything covered, what excuse are you going to use when you want to buy more guns?

OH, I'll think of something
I have a rather long 'Short List'... LOL!

Very nice setup!

Thanks

Very nice, practical, and pretty too! Now shoot the everliving crap out of it. O and get a sling!

Thanks.

Budgets must be met before toys are bought
Just sold a Tac-47 auto plug (Saiga 12 accessory) on another board, so a decent sling is on the short list.

 

[Whacked]

NICE!
I love my mossy 500. dont have the 24 rifled barrel....yet

mine came with the synthetic furniture. I'd really like to go wood but have yet to see pieces that look good. its a "someday" thing like I was toying with the idea of etching the sides too