Question on loading a Mossberg 500

[MichaelJay]

Question on loading a Mossberg 500

I purchased a M500 Persuader 20" that is supposed to hold 8 x 2.75" rounds according to CDNN.* Simple math says 8 x 2.75 = 22 inches. If you place the first round in the chamber, then 7x2.75 = 19.25 leaving .75 or less for the entire spring works, etc.

I however can only get 4 rounds in and trying to place the 5th one in causes the 4th to move about 1/8 to ¼ inch and then stop – like the stack is hitting something fixed.

Help a blithering idiot out – what am I doing wrong or what did they leave out of the fine print?

*From their catalog CDNN2003-3.pdf, page 25, 12Ga, 20" barrel, 8 shot capacity, 2.75 or 3 inch.

Thanks,
Michael.

 

[3 gun]

First 2 3/4" shells are shorter than that unfired. So you'll really have more than 3/4" left after loading. An Estate target load is 2 1/4", S&B 00 buck 2 1/2" unfired. Both are listed as 2 3/4" loads. The difference is in the crimp, a star crimp for the target loads, a roll crimp for the 00. Many models will hold 1 less 3" shell than the listed max.

My guess is you have a "plug" in the mag tube to restrict capacity. I'm not sure how you'd remove it on this model. A guess would be to remove the barrel which may reveal an opening at the end of the mag tube. Pointing the gun down may/should cause the plug the become exposed. The other possibility is after removing the barrel you may have to unscrew the mag tube to remove the plug. If your gun didn't come with a manual Mossberg will send you one free of charge. Removing the plug should be covered.

 

[Andrew Wyatt]

mossbergs are shipped with the plug installed.
remove barrel. tilt tube downwards, pull plug out.

 

[MichaelJay]

Thanks guys!

I carefully spent some time this morning and found the nine inch wooden dowel and ended up breaking the shotgun completely down to get it out. (Just couldn't get it to line up with the bolt hole in the end of the magazine.) Yes indeed it holds 8+1 now.

Thanks again for all of the help. I will be sending for an owners manual. I just guessed (incorrectly) that most shotguns are simple to operate and so they didn't ship them with instructions any longer.

Michael.

 

[Ricky B]

Download the manual

Try this link:

http://www.mossberg.com/selectmanuals.htm

--Rick