Question about Mossberg 500A 12Ga

[Dorrin79]

Hi everybody! Longtime TFL lurker here.

Have a question for anyone who can help me figure out this weird Mossberg I bought a couple months back.

I wanted a cheap beater shotgun for blasting targets and secondary home defense (I'm more of a handgun person) so I took myself down to Academy and looked at their selection. After passing on the "Maverick" Mossy spin-off (it felt cheap, even if the price was right) I had resigned myself to shelling out 250-300 for a no-frills Remington 870 when the guy behind the counter pulled this big black pump action off the back of the rack and handed it to me. It was on sale for $159.00 (marked down from $229.00), and has the following characteristics:

26in vented barrel with Mossy screw-in Accuchoke
5-shot tube, takes 2&3/4 or 3in 12 ga.
grey composite stock with sling swivels
double bead sights
Says "Mossberg 500A 12GA" on the bottom of the receiver near the loading slot.

I can't find any reference to this model on Mossberg's website, and I've been told by a couple of my gun afficianado friends that it doesn't exist. (e.g. that Mossy doesn't make a model with the above specs)

I've shot it a couple of times, and it's not bad (although it kicks much harder than other, heavier 12 ga's I've fired)

Anybody know what my gun is, or do I have some sort of non-production model?

 

[Peetmoss]

Well I searched all over and couldn't find info on that vairant of the 500 series. All I could find was people selling them. May I suggest if you don't get any better help then I can offer give Mossie a call or email them with your serial # and they will probably be able to tell you anything you ever wanted to know about that shotgun. Email and Phone as follows phone (800) 363-3555 or E-mail [email protected]

 

[Dave McCracken]

I don't know beans about the various 500 models, but I do know this. 500s are good shotguns and that's a very good price. Buy it....

 

[Jagermeister]

Mossberg made a 500 USA model that fits your description.

It is similar to the military model, parkerized finish, heavy duty sling swivals,. The stock is black synthetic and a mag capacity of 6 rnds.

JM

 

[Poodleshooter]

Actually, what most of us consider to be the Mdl 500, if it was built in the last 20 years, is usually a Model 500A. I believe the designation was changed in the early '80's. I'm not sure what the parts changes were, but there are very few of them, as the older barrels interchange, and Gun Parts Corporation records almost all of the parts as being identical.
I have a Mdl500 that is marked "A" in the documentation. It was bought sometime in the late '80's,IIRC.
There's a Mossberg collectors association that could set you straight on the whole deal.
Bottomline, you have a 500-all of the 500 accessories will fit!

 

[ARGarrison]

I'm not sure, but you may have a shotgun from what Mossberg called thier Viking line. They made 500s, 835s, and 9200 in the Viking line. If I remember right the Vikings came with a gray synthetic stock. Will look further.

 

[enfwago]

I have the same thing on my shotgun, but with a black synthetic stock. I bought it about 3 years ago.

 

[Dorrin79]

I appreciate all the replies. I'm going to email the Mossy people and see if they know about it. It doesn't really matter - I got a good price and I'm happy with it; I just wanted to figure out exactly what it is...

 

[enfwago]

If you don't mind me asking, what all did you get with it? When I bought mine, I got the 26" barrel, a smooth bore slug barrel, 2 chokes and a gun lock.

 

[major 98]

Just to bring this back up I also have a 500A with the 26" vent rib barrel. I always understood the the 500A stood for mossberg 500 Accuchoke model. Be careful what parts you get for it because some of the standard 500 stuff will not work completly right. if you can find applications for the 500A. dont worry they are listed i currently bought a 18" barrel same as 500 and rear full stock with pistolgrip and the foreend was a 500A part. A gunsmith told me the cuts inside the foregrip are a little different between the two models but you can make it work. Hope that helped some. By the way i think mossberg is still selling the accuchoke barrels so out of curiosity you may want to see if they are marked 500A. Major

 

[3 gun]

Was it a used gun? At $159 it was priced like one. Could be an after market stock set.

 

[whiskey]

The Viking model has green stocks and 24" barrel in 12ga, 500A.

 

[cgarman]

Hello all,

New to this forum, but I saw the posting on the Mossberg. I too have a Mossberg and bought it for the same reason, home defense and ability to hold several shells.

With the recent threat of hurricane Rita in the Gulf Coast, many people were scarmbling for supplies. When I went to pull my shotgun to prep myself I tried to load several rounds, but it would only hold 2.

Anyone have any ideas how to adjust the spring to load all 7 roads?

Thx.

 

[foghornl]

The Mossbergs & Mavericks come with a magazine plug installed to reduce mag capacity to 2 shells, to comply with the Federal Migratory Game Bird/Waterfowl laws.

Make SURE the shotgun is empty, then remove the barrel following the instructions in the manual. Tilt the gun down, shake gently and the plug should come out the front of the magazine. Volia...instant full capacity. Replace barrel, and you are ready.

If you don't have the owners manual, it can be downloaded from Mossberg in Adobe.pdf format.

WWW.Mossberg.com

Look for the link under Customer Support about manuals, catalogs & service.

 

[mosinjoe]

I know what you have...

It is a Mossberg "Special Hunter" which is a 500A with synthetic black stock and parkerized finish. It is an excellent shotgun and pretty much is "dishwasher" safe with the stock and furniture configuration.They made the Viking series in the 90's and I thought that it was a very good hunting shotgun. The "Special Hunter" series was made to withstand the elements and should last a long time.Good choice and the price was more than right.

 

[BryanP]

cgarman,

It should be in your manual. If you can't find it here's a PDF you can download:

http://www.again.net/~steve/pdf/mossberg_500.pdf

The appropriate sections from that for the 500 are on page 4

To comply with U.S. migratory bird laws, six shot models are shipped with a wooden dowel inserted in the magazine tube which limits magazine capacity to two (2) shells.

500® Model: To remove the dowel, first remove shake it back and forth lightly takedown screw hole in the end ring on the dowel prevents it from dowel and pull it completely out.

 

[scout26]

cgarman,

Sounds like once you get that plug out, you need to BA/UU/R.

 

[scott.cr]

FWIW, I paid $120 for my 500A about three years ago. It was new in the box. So far as I can tell it's a finely made weapon for the money. Anodized aluminum receiver and mag tube and nicely blued 18" plain barrel with a dumb bead sight. The bolt machine work looks a little sloppy, but only sloppy in places where it doesn't count.

 

[goon]

Can't help with specific info on the gun either. I bought a 500A last week with a 18" ported barrel and a wood stock. Mine was used, but only slightly judging from the lack of any finish wear on the inside of the gun or where the slide moves. It cost me $139. For only $20 more you wound up with a new gun. Sounds like you did OK to me.

BTW - The easiest way I have found to remove the mag plug is to take the mag cap off and then stick three shells in the tube. The end of the plug will the be pushed out of the mag and all you have to do is grab hold and pull it out.

 

[scout26]

IIRC,

500A = 12 ga
500B = 20 ga
500C = .410

 

[Blue Jays]

Hi All-

What does "BA/UU/R" stand for?

~ Blue Jays ~

 

[wdlsguy]

Buy ammo / use up / repeat.

 

[Kamicosmos]

Since we're talking about obscure Mossy model designations, anyone know what mine might be?

It's a 500AT 12 ga, per normal A coding. 20" bbl, 7 round ext. mag.

I know it came with the pistol grip, so only thing I can figure is maybe the T is for tacticool or something. I will say that my example is pretty old, might be a police trade in job. It's one of the older ones with the metal safety. And, the Serial number starts with a G and is under 243,xxx.

 

[NMshooter]

Sounds normal to me Kamicosmos, Mossberg labeled the 18-20" shotguns AT6 and AT8 IIRC, do not know what that stands for though.

Only collectable Mossberg 500s I know of are the bullpup models, and those were a bit awkward, probably why they were discontinued. They did look cool...

 

[pauli]

IIRC,

500A = 12 ga
500B = 20 ga
500C = .410

hey! some jerk at mossberg stamped 500c on my 20ga!