Mods for a Mossberg 500

[nemoaz]

Got some spending money and I'm thinking of modding my 500. What I'm considering:

1. Night sights. So far, I've only seen the front post. I'd like a rear ghost ring also with tritium, or must I just settle for the a standard ring?

2. Greater magazine capacity. I know I'll probably have to buy both the barrel (which I was going to do anyway). Does the 590 barrel interchange? Will I only have to get the longer magazine tube?

 

[sm]

I do not recommend any mods until...
Gun fit has been done, correct basic fundamentals learned, lessons from a pattern board, and lot and lots of rounds fired starting with light targets loads have been fired.

Once all this done, make arrangements to take a defensive shotgun class with that bone stock shotgun that fits you, and is becoming an extension of you.

Arrive at this class with a willing attitude , notebook, and pen.

The instructor will understand you have a gun, gun fitted to you , you know 4 rules of safety, and really have put in the time and effort and range time to get to know this gun.

Instructor will ask about YOUR defensive situation, and from assessment, be able to recommend for YOU , YOUR environment, what would work best for as for as any mods, if any at all.

If...If any mods are suggested, instructor will make recommendations as to specific items that work.

One big thing is, often time measurements are tweaked even more, and suggestions of getting a second gun, with these measurements are made and any mods that might be suggested be done with the second gun.

The first gun you have [taking a class with] is now not only a backup, also one for general use, like hunting, clay games...etc.

Aside-
Many folks here set up the home gun, as per instructors suggestion, for the smaller person in the house, like the wife.
Bigger person can shoot a smaller gun - a smaller person cannot always effectively use a bigger gun.
Like the LOP (length of pull) being too long.

Oh, FWIW, the best kept secret is a bone stock semi auto 20 ga shotgun.
Like an 1100, Beretta 303, 390, Win 1400...
Deal is, these owners have lots of trigger time, and lots of hours of mindset.

 

[nemoaz]

Thanks, but partner there are precious few courses in the country that would be an improvement on the training I have already. I've been doing this sorta thing for a few decades now. While your advise could be helpful to many, I don't think you need to assume that everyone here is a newbie. I'd just like to find some parts and setup my shotgun mas o menos like the ones we have at work (sans the 14" barrel, of course). I already have a 12" LOP stock and the wife shoots it fine. But I don't know which parts are available, where to get them, or which ones are quality.

 

[Fred Fuller]

Just trade the 500 in on a 590 rather than swapping out barrels and mag tubes on the 500. Or buy 590 components for the swap, IF they'll swap- I ain't no Mossberg guru, I'm afraid, and I don't know if the parts are interchangeable. Personally I'd be less than willing to undertake that particular mod at home, what with potential issues of headspace and the other things that come into the equation with changing out the parts you have to change. But YMMV. Me, I'd just buy the 590 to start with and put the sights i wanted on it.

You'll get a better design as far as magazine maintenance is concerned (the 590 lets you clean out the mag tube straight through as per the military contract). And you won't have to learn new 'chops' on the 590 since the control layout is the same as with the 500.

As to tritium, IMO it's a great idea for the front sight, but a bad one for the rear. The glow that close to your eye will 'wash out' the front sight and make it harder to pick up on. Just stick to tritium in the front sight and let it go at that, it's easy enough to find the front sight through a plain ghost ring at night without tritium in the rear sight to distract you.

As to your wife handling the gun, you might find it may be more of a problem for her with the added weight from the longer mag tube out front. My wife handles a 12 ga. 870 just fine, but hates having magazine extensions on them- the extra weight in front of the support hand is just to much for her to deal with easily. So the house guns here have short stocks, 18" barrels and no magazine extensions, just to suit her. I can get by with that easier than she can handle 'my' 870s with magazine extensions. Again, YMMV. Or rather, HMMV (her mileage may vary) 8^).

Good luck with it no matter what you decide,

lpl/nc

 

[Zach S]

Not much you can do for added capacity on a 500 or a 590. I dont know if mossberg still sells the 18.5" 590, but the only place I know of to get a one round extension (bringing it to 6+1) is Vang, and its 75 clams.

If you step up to a 20" 590 you get 8+1, and no extensions. You may be able to use the Vang one round extension, but I'd be afraid of hitting it with birdshot (plated buckshot patterns exceptionally well IME, with LE133 00 being the best, commercial H132 00 patterns well too - I wouldnt worry too much about them hitting it).

I think you'd be better off trading your 590 in, or getting yourself a 590 and letting the wife lay claim to the 500. But, if you insist on changing the barrel, I've always been told that the barrels do interchange, as long its the same gauge and a matching mag tube is used.

Lee mad a good point about the tritium rear. Havent tried them on a scattergun, but have on an AR15. It washes out for me.

12" LOP? Did you cut your stock down, or go with a houge? I cut mine down to about 12.5.

 

[nemoaz]

I should have specified that I currently have the 24" rifle-sighted barrel, so I'm going to an 18" or 20" no matter what. I cannot help but notice that the 18" is much cheaper, so maybe a 20" with an 8 shot tube isn't worth the money. I could probably buy a second 8 shot 500 for that price. I didn't mean 590, but rather the 8 shot tube. I forget what they are called, perhaps Persuader. I actually prefer the 500 to the 590 (and 870) due to the lighter weight. I'll probably just go with an 18" and maybe add a tritium front sight.

My stock is cut-down. It came out much better than I had imagined. A Hogue would be nice though.