Mossberg 500 Muzzle loader barrel

[USAF_Vet]

Don't know if this should go in Shotguns or Black Powder, so i'll put it in general and lets the mods hack it out.

As the title references, I'm interested in the Muzzle loading barrel for the Mossberg 500.

I own and (rarely) use a Traditions percussion camp muzzle loader, and while fun, it's accuracy leave a lot to be desired.

I'd like to get the Mossberg muzzle loader barrel for ML season, but before I drop a wad of cash on it (I could save up for a decent inline for not much more) I'd like to get some firsthand opinions on it from someone who has used it.

A few of the questions I have are... How does it actually work?

Is it rifled?

Is it 12 gauge or are they available in .50 (or otherwise) caliber?

Do they operate along the same lines as an inline ML?

Is the firing pin prone to damaging the cap?

Are they worth it?

Recoil. How does it compare to a 1 oz 2 3/4 slug?

Pellets or powder?

thanks

 

[USAF_Vet]

found a couple of the easy answers. It's a .50 cal rifled barrel.

 

[arcticap]

There haven't been too many reports about using it.

http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=305529&highlight=mossberg

IIRC it doesn't have a removable breech plug for cleaning like most inlines.
The primary benefit is that it converts a shotgun to a muzzle loader without paying a high price.
Perhaps more 1st hand info. can be found using Google.

 

[HiWayMan]

Dad had one for years and retired it for the newer Savage that could run smokeless powder.

It is a .50 cal rifled barrel. Uses a 209 shotshell primer for ignition (no harm to firing pin). Was pretty accurate but shot high with our loads. We ran out of rear sight notch when filing it deeper. Had to use Kentucky elevation to get it right on. Loads were 90 gr. Pyrodex RS loose and 370gr Maxi-Balls. To clean it we put the breech in a sink of near boiling water and pumped water through the barrel with a jag and tight patch. Cleaned up quicker than my inline as the take down and reassembly time was seconds. No dicking with greasing breech plug and nipple threads. And it is impervious to the elements as the action is fully enclosed.

Used to take a primer box and put a rubber band around it. Would place one primer in each row. Made dispensing primers a breeze.