pawn shop mossberg 500

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MinnesotaFats

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my local pawn shop has a used 12 ga mossberg 500 all purpose field model that looks brand new cosmetically. thier return policy is "bring it home for a day or two, look it over, shoot it, if you dont like it after two days bring it back. you go over two days and its yours.." my question is, what should i check / do with the gun over a two day period to decide its a good gun? im not experienced with pumps so any help would be appreciated.. thanks.
 
It's really easy all you need is a nail. Not that I know of I haven't come across any that didn't work unless they were dirty. The safety switch if plastic is prone to break. Just see if it has chokes or is a fixed barrel.
 
If it looks fairly clean, make sure the choke tube in the end of the barrel is screwed in snug, look down the barrel with the action open to make SURE it's clear, and then just shoot it. Odds are 99.99% it works. You take it apart and run into a problem putting it back together and you two days could get used up trying to get it together. One key, if you are doing something correctly, you will NOT have to apply a lot of force. If something is not quite right and you apply too much force you can bend something.
Do NOT use the super cheap shells for your test. The silver base Winchester Universals are about the worst. Many shotguns have problems extracting and ejecting those. If you get the gun and then run into that issue, we can tell you how to address that.
 
Same as post #7.

Make sure the safety functions smoothly and does in fact work. Rack the slide a dozen times to make sure it is smooth and not binding someplace. Buy a box of good shells and blast away.

A Mossburg in the condition you describe should be good to go and is probably in the pawn shop because someone needed the quick cash more than an unused shotgun sitting in the closet.
 
Picked up a 535 Mossberg in VERY good shape a year ago at a pawn shop for 170 bucks. I just couldn't leave it there for that price. :D Turned out to shoot very well when I tried it last dove season. I adjusted drop on the stock, now it fits me well, too. I plan to use it quite a bit this coming duck season and if it patterns 3.5" steel T shot, might use it on geese, too, though I really like my 10 gauge for that.

Deals can be found on Mossies and they're very good shooters.
 
I don't think, if it functions well, that a newbie should undertake a complete disassembly of a gun he is not familiar with - you tube video or not. Pull the barrel, MAYBE take out the trigger group for cleaning; otherwise, shoot it to see if it works properly. IF there is a problem, I would take it back and have them show you before your two days runs out
 
There is also a 'sticky' at the top of this forum about disassembly of a Mossberg 500.

I have 2 Mossberg shotguns. A Maverick 88 branded that is my HomeLand Security Shotgun, and an OLD 500 that is my Woods-n-Water gun.

Don't take it apart any father than you are comfortable in doing, but if it shoots well for you...

Ta Da...good shotgun for a less that new price.
 
It really isn't that hard to do, I did it without issue when I bought a Maverick 88 a few years ago and it was my first shotgun. I recommend taking it apart so you can ensure it is clean and lubed before shooting it. Call me crazy but I clean every firearm I purchase before shooting it. Just take your time and remember where everything goes.
 
"Mossberg" doesn't automatically mean "bad shotgun". I once owned a pawn shop Mossberg that turned out to be one of the best shotguns I ever owned. I only got rid of it because I wanted something else ...;)
 
Your correct I had an old pre 500 Mossie auto that was great . I traded it with a guy who had one but lost it in a house fire . Dad let me trade is since the man offered a Browning BPS vent rib 3 inch mag .
 
If you don't want to break it down completely, you could always just pull out the trigger group to have a quick peak inside. I'm betting it won't make it back to the pawn shop. I know I like my 500.
 
Showman said:
"Mossberg" doesn't automatically mean "bad shotgun". I once owned a pawn shop Mossberg that turned out to be one of the best shotguns I ever owned. I only got rid of it because I wanted something else ...;)
Click to expand...
I don't think it means that at all or is even interpreted as that by anyone who knows anything about pump shotguns. Mossberg seems to be a pretty respected brand for utility pumps for the working class and even among police forces.

Back on track: My dad's Mossberg 500 works great and my Maverick 88 works very well too so I have just as much respect for the Mossy as the Remington 870.
 
One of the really nice things about THR is the amount of free and useful information available ( another is that few complain about my creative spelling and word usage)

The Shotgun board for instance has "stickies" at the beginning of the listins which has useful posts on permanent display.

For instance the "Mini Me" Mossberg 500 disassembly and reassembly sticky......

I have run a 500 through a shotgun course with folks with all manner of more expensive pumps and autos, including some paid for with your tax dollars, and held my own with it. Do not try to bolt one of those saddle saddle ammo carriers on a 500 though......

-kBob
 
Over tightening or tourquing can cause problem for cycling the action. Actually the instructions for one I bought warned of this.

I did see a Mossberg so bound up in a class and I saw these sidesaddle things fail by either the plastic portion separating from the metal mounting plate or the metal mounting plate having one or more of the bolts holding it on fall off. I saw several times shells being dropped from the carrier during movement. I know others have used them for years or "never" seen one fail in anyway.

I will not put one on my Mossberg 500.

-kBob
 
Here's a test I would suggest.

After taking it home do a basic visual inspection to see its overall physical condition. Do not take it apart just yet; rack the action a few times to make sure it is smooth. Pull the trigger (on empty of course) and see how the trigger is. From my own Mossberg 500 the trigger is very light around 5lbs +/- . Check the safety and slide safety that they function properly without binding.

I would not disassemble it when you first take it home if you are not familiar with shotguns. you may inadvertantly put something incorrectly when assembling it back together.

Now engage the safety on and load the shotgun to capacity. Be very careful with this step of course, as with any firearm. Keep Racking the slide until empty and make sure all rounds eject without issue.

Take it to the range and shoot at least 50rds of mixed ammo. If it shoots flawlessly you should be good, if you have issues then you might have to take it home and disassemble it.


Finally the price. It should be less than a new shotgun of course. Good luck!
 
I can't imagine how bad a Mossberg would have to be treated to not work. I've got one that I've had for about 35 years that I have done almost nothing to, and it just keeps right on working. I'll admit that it hasn't been fired a lot, but that's just because it's my buckshot/deer hunting gun, so it's not like something you'd hunt doves with. What has been done with it is fire nothing but 3" buckshot shells, drag it through every kind of weather, toss it in the back of a pickup truck or a Jeep and drive down dry dusty dirt roads, or wet muddy ones. Clean it every once in a while. l think I've disassembled it once or maybe twice since I've had it. And I painted it camo. That gun just keeps on working. Best $100.00 I ever spent I suppose.

I might dig it out of the safe later and give it a good cleaing.

It'll probably mess up then. :D
 
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