SoCalShooter
Member
I picked up a Mossberg 500a with a 26in vent ribbed barrel. It has a 2 3/4 in to 3in chamber. It currently has the wood furniture on it but I wanted to turn it into a HD shotgun. Anyone have any suggestions?
Mossberg 500a
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Regolith
Member
Leave the wood furniture. It looks better than plastic anyway, and buying a new stock isn't cheap.
Buy a Mossberg replacement barrel in 18" or so and put it on the shotgun. Either Improved Cylinder or Cylinder bore. That's about all you need. You could put a flashlight on it, too, but that isn't necessary. Then used the money you saved by not buying a bunch of tacticool gadgets to buy lots of ammo and practice, practice, practice.
Buy a Mossberg replacement barrel in 18" or so and put it on the shotgun. Either Improved Cylinder or Cylinder bore. That's about all you need. You could put a flashlight on it, too, but that isn't necessary. Then used the money you saved by not buying a bunch of tacticool gadgets to buy lots of ammo and practice, practice, practice.
Regolith has it right. Just buy the {MSRP} $74 cylinder bore 18-1/2" barrel from Mossberg, install, and you are ready, hardware wise.
Use the money saved for ammo/range time/instruction. As our resident 870 guru, Dave McCracken states: BA/UU/R...Buy Ammo/Use Up/Repeat.
My primary HomeLand Security shotgun is the Maverick 88 with the short cylinder-bore barrel. I have shot a bushel basket or 2 of ammo through it, so I KNOW where my shots are going, whether buckshot or slug. And I have put a couple of Bambis in the freezer with this combo.
Use the money saved for ammo/range time/instruction. As our resident 870 guru, Dave McCracken states: BA/UU/R...Buy Ammo/Use Up/Repeat.
My primary HomeLand Security shotgun is the Maverick 88 with the short cylinder-bore barrel. I have shot a bushel basket or 2 of ammo through it, so I KNOW where my shots are going, whether buckshot or slug. And I have put a couple of Bambis in the freezer with this combo.
Legionnaire
Contributing Member
Ditto. Keep the wood, buy the security barrel. For a little more, you could buy the barrel with rifle sights. You might consider installing a set of ghost ring sights eventually, but that wouldn't be necessary in the short term.
NCLivingBrit
Member
I've already got the cylinder bore barrel (and a sore shoulder from putting a mag of slugs through it)..... can you add the Mossberg rifle/glow dot sights to the 500a receiver without a lot of hacking?
I've got a yellow fibre-optic pipe on the front, but the lack of a rear sight is making me crazy when I try and aim. I haven't shot any sort of shotgun in a couple of decades until a couple of weeks ago and the only thing I shot then was #4 trap loads from a Beretta over/under.
I've got a yellow fibre-optic pipe on the front, but the lack of a rear sight is making me crazy when I try and aim. I haven't shot any sort of shotgun in a couple of decades until a couple of weeks ago and the only thing I shot then was #4 trap loads from a Beretta over/under.
SoCalShooter
Member
Ok sounds good guys I do like the wood furniture was thinking about a collapsable stock and pistol grip. I also was looking at getting the ghost ring sights or adding a holo sight to it what do you guys think?
Also what do you think about getting a 20in and extending the magazine tube?
Also what do you think about getting a 20in and extending the magazine tube?
I think that anything that can be called "home defense" can be handled better with a bead.
A little practice, and you'll shoot quicker with a bead. Rifle-style sights are a handicap, not a help. There's a reason that hunters and clay shooters, who shoot fast-moving small targets with a shotgun, don't use them.
The extension of that is that, to shoot a shotgun effectively and quickly, without having it slam your cheek hard, it has to fit you, and you need to shoulder it consistently in the same way. A collapsible stock tends to offer a poor cheek weld and an inconsistent fit.
Skip the tacticool crap. Save your money. Put an 18.5" barrel on the gun, go practice, and THEN consider what accessories you really want.
The stuff that works well on a no-recoil gun like an AR carbine isn't necessarily what you want on a 12 Gauge.
A little practice, and you'll shoot quicker with a bead. Rifle-style sights are a handicap, not a help. There's a reason that hunters and clay shooters, who shoot fast-moving small targets with a shotgun, don't use them.
The extension of that is that, to shoot a shotgun effectively and quickly, without having it slam your cheek hard, it has to fit you, and you need to shoulder it consistently in the same way. A collapsible stock tends to offer a poor cheek weld and an inconsistent fit.
Skip the tacticool crap. Save your money. Put an 18.5" barrel on the gun, go practice, and THEN consider what accessories you really want.
The stuff that works well on a no-recoil gun like an AR carbine isn't necessarily what you want on a 12 Gauge.
axeman_g
Member
NCLivingBrit.... you dont need a rear sight with a shotgun because you POINT a shotgun, not aim. In effect, your eye becomes the rear aim point, aligning down the top of the receiver/barrel view to the front post. This is all the mechanism you need, allowing full field of vision with propert depth perception. Just work at it and you will be amazed when you hit target at 100 yds with just a bead sight or such. I still am when I clang the 100yd plate with an old Sweet Sixteen and slug.
SoCal... leave it be. First, buy all the ammo you can and start shooting it. Do that again. Take it trap shooting and get used to the load sequence as much as possible. The 20" barrel for HD is a good choice, I prefer the 20" over a shorter barrel, but I am strange like that. If you can find the ext mag for cheap do it... but it is not necessary. Your shottie probably holds 5+1... if your issue aint over after 6 rds of 00, then you might want to reconsider your tactics or flight plan. Practice your reload...
SoCal... leave it be. First, buy all the ammo you can and start shooting it. Do that again. Take it trap shooting and get used to the load sequence as much as possible. The 20" barrel for HD is a good choice, I prefer the 20" over a shorter barrel, but I am strange like that. If you can find the ext mag for cheap do it... but it is not necessary. Your shottie probably holds 5+1... if your issue aint over after 6 rds of 00, then you might want to reconsider your tactics or flight plan. Practice your reload...
SoCalShooter
Member
Roger I will practice!! and not go all tacticool Thanks guys.
Any suggestions on the barrel? Such as where to get it from?
Any suggestions on the barrel? Such as where to get it from?
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ewb45acp
Member
I just ordered a 18.5" mossberg barrel from midway. It's on sale for $64
WuzYoungOnceToo
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Good price. How much was shipping?
As for the "don't go all tacticool" admonishment, I generally agree...but don't be silly about it either. There are accessories like the Knoxx SpecOps stock that, while they may give your gun the "Johnny Commando" look, offer very practical functional benefits. The look is a poor justification for deciding for OR against an accessory.
True re the "look."
Like I said, shoot it as-is. Learn to shoot it well. THEN consider what you want to put on it.
Otherwise, you end up making your decision based on, "Well, that looks like it could work", without any real basis for the decision. WRT recoil, I'll take a simple, solid stock that FITS and a Limbsaver over something that moves any day.
If your cheek hurts when you shoot, the gun doesn't fit. And the Limbsaver takes care of the shoulder extremely well, if you mount the gun correctly.
But that's me. I only know what I like because I have practiced. A lot of it's personal preference. The temptation with a defensive gun, though, seems to be to load it up with doohickeys before learning to shoot it. I'd caution against that.
Like I said, shoot it as-is. Learn to shoot it well. THEN consider what you want to put on it.
Otherwise, you end up making your decision based on, "Well, that looks like it could work", without any real basis for the decision. WRT recoil, I'll take a simple, solid stock that FITS and a Limbsaver over something that moves any day.
If your cheek hurts when you shoot, the gun doesn't fit. And the Limbsaver takes care of the shoulder extremely well, if you mount the gun correctly.
But that's me. I only know what I like because I have practiced. A lot of it's personal preference. The temptation with a defensive gun, though, seems to be to load it up with doohickeys before learning to shoot it. I'd caution against that.
SoCalShooter
Member
That is a sweet deal on a barrel. Thanks for the info again guys. I was gonna just keep the bead on it but get one of those flouresent kind.
Why?
If you're looking at the target with both eyes open, as you should, the bead is a distraction. The idea with shotgunning is to focus on the target, unlike rifle shooting, where you (might) focus on the front sight. A gun that fits you, with some practice, will be pointed at the target without you spending time looking at the gun.
I've never missed the target because I couldn't see the bead. I have missed targets because my eye shifted focus to a big bright bead instead of the target, at the wrong time. I've known very good trap shooters who TAKE OFF the beads on their guns, because they find them to be more of a problem than a help, even.
Save your money. Shoot it first. I have one gun that came with a fiber bead. I'm tossing it, when I find a replacement that fits the rib.
Fiber sights are great for turkey hunting in the near darkness. That's a different kind of shooting, akin to rifle shooting, even if it's done with a shotgun.
If you're looking at the target with both eyes open, as you should, the bead is a distraction. The idea with shotgunning is to focus on the target, unlike rifle shooting, where you (might) focus on the front sight. A gun that fits you, with some practice, will be pointed at the target without you spending time looking at the gun.
I've never missed the target because I couldn't see the bead. I have missed targets because my eye shifted focus to a big bright bead instead of the target, at the wrong time. I've known very good trap shooters who TAKE OFF the beads on their guns, because they find them to be more of a problem than a help, even.
Save your money. Shoot it first. I have one gun that came with a fiber bead. I'm tossing it, when I find a replacement that fits the rib.
Fiber sights are great for turkey hunting in the near darkness. That's a different kind of shooting, akin to rifle shooting, even if it's done with a shotgun.
WuzYoungOnceToo
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No argument with any (or at least most) of that, except that there is more benefit to be had from the stock I mentioned (and have on many occasions, I know) than just recoil-reduction. Since my shotgun pulls double-duty as a HD and hunting firearm, I also like the fact that I can adjust the length so that the gun is as compact as possible when in HD mode, but expand it to it's longer length, and a better fit for hunting. Plus, if you prefer a pistol-grip (and I do) then that's another benefit.
SoCalShooter
Member
You can tell I need to do some more shotgun practice...have shot clay birds and killed 11 in a row and I shot 8 doves when we went hunting. But Apparently I still have a lot of practice. Thanks!
Were you using a holographic sight when you shot those doves?
Why would you need one to hit a slower, much larger object at closer range?
Sounds like you can hit something with a shotgun. Good enough.
Please pardon the fact that a few of us thought you were a rifle-only guy. Rifle shooters are usually the only ones who are eager to put rifle sights on shotguns, so it was an honest mistake.
(Not counting guns that are intended for slug hunting or turkey, of course. Rifle sights are popular and of course they're effective, even required, when you're using a shotgun like a rifle.)
Why would you need one to hit a slower, much larger object at closer range?
Sounds like you can hit something with a shotgun. Good enough.
Please pardon the fact that a few of us thought you were a rifle-only guy. Rifle shooters are usually the only ones who are eager to put rifle sights on shotguns, so it was an honest mistake.
(Not counting guns that are intended for slug hunting or turkey, of course. Rifle sights are popular and of course they're effective, even required, when you're using a shotgun like a rifle.)
SoCalShooter
Member
I have some experience but not in customizing them...most of the time i have borrowed others shotguns...I just bought an Ithaca 37a, benelli nova and the mossberg 500 so I am finally getting into it more but most of my experience is with pistols and rifles.
Smitty in CT
Member
www.havlinsales.com has "heavy-walled" 18.5" Model 500 barrels set-up with chokes for $69.99.
Click on "CLOSE-OUT BARRELS"
Click on "CLOSE-OUT BARRELS"
SoCalShooter
Member
Sweet thanks for the linkage.BTW what does heavy-walled mean?
WuzYoungOnceToo
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Uh...Havlin is wrong. The 18.5" Mossberg 500 barrel is a smooth-bore cylinder. It doesn't come with (nor will it accept) any chokes, "set-up" or otherwise.
SoCalShooter
Member
that site is awesome!! the stock I have (having re-read teh description from auction) states that the buttstock is cracked but I am not sure how much...could not notice it when I went to DROS it.
Smitty in CT
Member
WuzYoungOnceToo said:
Spoke with Vic Havlin about these, he says:
Havlins sells stocks, too
SoCalShooter
Member
Can someone explain heavy walled? i am assuming its kinda like a bull barrel for a rifle or pistol?
Smitty in CT
Member
The "military version" of the 500 is called the 590A1, one of the things that the military required was a barrel that you could basically beat a door down with and not damage it, so, the way they strengthened the barrel was to increase the wall thickness....thus "heavy-wall"...SoCalShooter said:
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