Mossberg 5500 MKII

[cameron.personal]

When I first arrived in the United States I was unable to purchase a firearm from a dealer as I could not prove residency in the state... so I decided to purchase one from a private party. A few well placed questions, and a quick trip to a shoe repair store and some high pressure negotiating, and I was walking down the street $100 lighter and had a semi-auto shotgun broken down in a couple of paper bags.

Putting the shotgun together at home showed me I had bought a very nice Mossberg 5500 MKII 12gauge. I test fired it in no short order and then it stood guard duty loaded with bird & buck shot by my bed until, residency could be proved, and other firearms started to arrive.

Here is an old article I found about this model from 1989.
Mossberg 5500 MKII

Also new for '89 is Mossberg's Model 5500 MKII 12-gauge autoloader which will henceforth be known as a complete or total "shooting system". That is the Model 5500 MKII will be offered as a package with two barrels -- one barrel for non-magnum 2-3/4-inch 12-gauge loads only and the other barrel for 2-3/4-and 3-inch magnum 12-gauge loads.

"A larger gas port in the non-magnum barrel insures reliable extraction and ejection with even the lightest target or field loads," Pelton said. "The fast swinging 26-inch non-magnum barrel is ideal for close cover upland hunting and comes equipped with three ACCU-II choke tubes (improved cylinder, modified and full) for lead shot use.

"On the other hand, the 28-inch magnum barrel has a smaller gas port, designed to regulate the speed of the bolt and tame the recoil of heavy hunting loads. The magnum barrel provides the balance and longer sighting plane, preferred by waterfowl hunters. It comes equipped with two ACCU-STEEL (modified and full) choke tubes for maximum durability and optimum patterns with steel shot," Pelton added.

Mossberg's Model 5500 MKII autoloader has a five-shot capacity and boasts a high strength aluminum alloy receiver for balance and fast handling in the field and with its two barrel combination should make a perfect all-around hunting arm for the upland/waterfowl hunter seeking quality at a respectably reasonable price.

It certainly sounded like the "Total Shooting System" back in 1989. Unfortunately mine only came with one barrel, but since I purchased this shotgun in mid 1998 I have fed it every make of 12gauge 2 3/4" non magnum load I could find. It has taken small game, and birds in Colorado, and deer in Michigan... it was last out in God's Garden fighting against the Chi Com Pheasants here on Colorado's eastern plains.

Some problems in the 8 years I have owned it;
While practicing the rubber gas 'O' ring perished and broke and made the gun inoperable... understandable a rubber O ring wont last for ever.
On the trap range it broke the firing pin and became inoperable...(a web searched showed this may have been a common problem with this gun). I had to finish using my 18" cycl bore Winchester Defender...
It was lent up against the back of a truck and fell over and completely split the forearm... (my wife knows not to do that again) I replaced it for about $20.

All in all it has been a reasonable shotgun, it handles and swings well for me. I usually shoot a lot of rounds through my guns and while this shotgun isn't even close to my Winchester Defender for round count it has definitely not stood idle.



I may start looking around for the second barrel it should have had...

Regards,
Cameron

 

[scout26]

http://www.havlinsales.com/

Get 'em before their gone. I have a 9200 and barrels are somewhat hard to come by. If I were you, I'd buy a couple (heck there $85 a piece and if you going to pay for shipping you might as well get your money's worth.)

Sorry to hear about your firing pin. So far the only thing that's gone bad on my 9200 is the O-ring. I need to get a couple of spares to keep around.

 

[stiletto raggio]

One night, after getting lost going a different route to visit my grandparents, I stopped at a gun store to ask directions. I ended up walking out with a 5500, a gun I purchased for the specific reason of cutting it down.

I cut the barrel to minimum length and the stock to a pistol grip (the limiting factor is the relatively short recoil spring rod) and took it to the range. The guy who sold it said to only use light loads in it (it was the 2-3/4" barrel) so I stuck to birdshot. I was disappointed to find that it was not very reliable. I chalked it up as a loss until a few weeks ago when I took it out on a whim and, loaded with brenneke type slugs, had a great time with it. Now I keep it stoked with #4 buck, well hidden but within easy reach.