My Mossberg Epiphany

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guyfromohio

guyfromohio

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I love shotguns. My first gun was a Wingmaster given to me by my late father when I was 16. Having no particular love for guns, my dad would go with me trap shooting at the Isaac Walton on Sunday’s taking his old H&R Topper 20. My love grew into adulthood where my collection grew.... Benelli...More Remingtons...Berettas...and my favorite Browning Citori. I have several classics from each. All along, I dismissed Mossberg as cheap junk. A snob, I am. When it came time to buy my pre-teen boys their first guns though, Mossberg was really the only one to fit the youth bill. I was looking for something inexpensive, small, and somewhat disposable knowing that they will grow out of them quickly. Bantams in 20. After a few years of hard use and adolescent growth, I promised my boys that once they completed their hunting safety course, they could choose a new shotgun. My older son at 14 chose a Browning Cynergy CX in 12. He’s taken to it well and is crushing clays. My other son (13)...5’10”...175... refused. “I like my gun”. He continues to hit as many clays as we do with our fancy guns.

I decided to sell off a few guns this past winter. I sold my Benelli M2 Tactical and my Beretta 1301 tactical. After a few months, I decided that I needed a tactical shotgun. I looked over my son’s Mossberg and thought...”yes, it’s loose...but it shoots”. I bought a Mossberg 590a1 with 8 round tube and “speed feed” stock. Wow! I’ve shot the heck out of it. This thing is solid!

I’ve since purchased a 590 Shockwave in 20....haven’t shot it though.

I’ve changed my tune. Mossberg isn’t junk.
 
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I was never impressed with Mossberg, as most of my experience was with the 590's issued in the military. Then I had the opportunity to use (and own) 2 930's- a JM PRO I used in 3 gun, and another "regular" model I have used for dove, duck, and turkey hunting. Not to mention, a thunder ranch 223 MVP. Totally satisfied with all of my Mossbergs.
 
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May be more expensive guns out there. May be prettier. But I don’t think you will find a better shotgun for working. I’ve never had a 500 fail me. Even the maverick 88 is pretty fair for the money. I like them much better than 870. Maybe one day I’d have a benelli. But I’m 39 and I don’t think that day will be anytime soon.
 
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Sons’s first shotgun was a bantam, zero issues. I bought a 930 combo rifled slug and field barrel in 2011. The only reason I don’t still have is because I was offered quite a bit more than what I paid for it during the Sandy Hook firearms scare. If the only shotgun I had was a Mossberg I wouldn’t feel disadvantaged in any way.
 
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Blue Brick said:
I like the safety forward of the trigger guard. Easy transition for me.
Click to expand...
I agree when it comes to cross-bolt safeties. Better on the front than on the rear of the trigger guard for the reason you said. I do prefer a safety mounted on the tang, though, over any cross-bolt safety. My favorite location, however, is located at the rear and behind the trigger guard as evidenced by the Browning Double-Auto shotgun.
 
I purchased the Mossberg 500 Combo unit about 15 years ago. It came with a 18.5" barrel and the 28" choked vent rib barrel. For what I paid for it 15 years ago,I didnt expect it to last as long as it has. For the first half of its life, it was used on turkey hunts, and I've taken a few gobblers with it. For the 2nd half of its life, with the shorter 18" barrel its been relegated as the primary HD shotgun for the house. Every once and a while I take it clay shooting with my son in law, this gun has never let me down and it has always worked as it should.

Its a double duty shotgun and its definitely a best buy of the shotgun world. He liked it so much that he purchased one about 3 years ago and I immediately noticed some differences that I did not point out to him. My older combo seems to be a little better quality with an action slide tube at the forend, his didn't, and the fit was looser on his. The butt stock & forend on my older 500 seems to be a little thicker (more heavy duty) compared to his newer one. Either way, he's as happy with his as I have been with mine and they both function as they should, honestly thats all that counts.
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Ive always been a 500 over pretty much every other pump, if for no other reason than because of the safety location.
I prefer 88s when using a full pistol grip stock, the forward position of the safety is right where my finger rests before hitting the trigger.

That said I dont shoot a 500 anymore. I prefer my Citori, or the new akdas semi i picked up.
 
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About 20 years ago my pump shotgun selection consisted of a High Standard Flite King and an 870 slug gun. Then I picked up a used camo Mossberg 500A with screw in chokes as my dedicated turkey gun. That was my Mossberg epiphany. Love it. Has none of that "snob appeal" that many shotguns strive for. Just plain works without a lot of flashy distraction. Then last summer I was purchasing an old double barrel I had been looking for and the owner offered me a package deal if I also took a Mossberg 500C 20 ga. as part of the deal. It was immediately jumped on. That one is a joy, as I'm accustomed to 12 ga. stuff. This one also has what Mossberg called a " C-Lect Choke" which is their version of adjustable choke, like the old Poly Chokes. My only concern now is that while it's in excellent condition it's one of the older Model 500's with a single action bar. I've heard that those aren't as rugged as the dual action bar design that Mossberg eventually switched to; and that the single action bar sometimes broke. Anyone have any experience with older single action bar Mossberg 500's?
 
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Still have both of my Mossberg 12 gauge shotguns: a Maverick 88 and a Mossberg 9200. The 88 was a PGO model when I bought it as it was less expensive than the full stock model and more readily available. Found a factory Model 500 stock that went right on, added a Limbsaver Slip-On Recoil Pad, and I was good to go. My 9200 is my dedicated turkey gun and has been 100% reliable with any and all shotgun shells that I have run through it.
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My first shotgun was a Mossberg 600ct. It May be a new haven by Mossberg, but either way it’s basically a 500 20 ga with adjustable chokes and a plain smooth barrel. I shoot a ribbed gun better, but this one was my granddaddy’s and I worked my butt off for it. I mowed his 1 acre yard about 30 times to get it, and it was worth about $100 then. He got his money’s worth in labor and then some, but it was my first gun that I got by my own sweat and blood. I have 3 other shotguns in my safe, only 1 of which I actually own. A single shot 16 I bought on a whim, a 870 12 that is my father in laws, and a Mossberg 410 bolt action that was my grandmothers that my sister inherited. A couple more years and that gun goes to its rightful future owner, my nephew, sisters son. While I am curator of that piece of family history, I am doing my best to break anything in it that will break so that he will never have issue with it once he gets it because he isn’t being taught much in the line of performing repairs...
 
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I'm not crazy about the Mossberg 500, but it ain't a bad gun at all. The 590 addresses some of the 500's shortcomings and if looking for a defensive shotgun it is a solid choice, maybe the best choice. I like "tang" safeties, but the Mossberg safety is on top of the action where it is in the way, and they do get broken off from time to time. That to me is the biggest negative to even the 590.

Any of the 3 types of safety can be operated quickly and easily with proper technique. I still prefer behind the trigger guard like used by Remington and Benelli

As a right handed shooter I place my finger alongside the trigger guard and simply press down with the 2nd pad on my trigger finger to move the safety to the "fire" position then move my finger to the trigger.
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To move the safety button to the "safe" position simply reach behind the trigger guard with the middle finger. If anyone can learn to play a guitar, anyone can use this type of safety with ease.

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My brother who shoots left handed simply reverses the procedure..

The safety button in front of the trigger guard is pretty fast to disengage for right handed shooters, but takes longer to engage. And is harder for lefty's to use.
 
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Always love a 500.

Just about everyone I hunt with uses a 500, we all have nicer guns but they're the work horses. A 500 12ga with either a 18.5" with a bead sight or 20" and rifle sights barrel comprises 75% of the guns at deer camp every year.

Always figured the safety location, and light weight aluminum reciever were features not detriments. With all the driving we do, weight and compactness are prized attributes.

The 870s are held in high regard, but heavy and more expensive. The 1100's even moreso.
 
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