18.5" vs. 20" Mossberg 500 for HD Shotgun?

[SKILCZ]

I'm considering an 18.5" or 20" Mossberg 500 for HD duty. The pragmatist in me thinks I should get the 20" for the extra two round capacity at the cost of 1.5" of extra barrel length. That said, I suspect the 18.5" would swing more quickly as it's shorter and lighter.

I also wonder whether the added weight of the 20" barrel and +2 rds would benefit my wife when shooting in terms of more mass to absorb the recoil or whether she'd feel better with a lighter, easier maneuvering 18.5" barrel. I don't know anyone who has both to compare.

To me, for an HD shotgun, it seems odd to not have the magazine flush with the muzzle. It seems like wasted space that could hold another round or two. Obviously, it's likely to be a moot point as it's unlikely that any of us will need our HD shotgun or need to empty the magazine if we do. It's more of a hypothetical argument, I guess.

My other question is, how easy is it to find longer barrels for the 7-rd mag Mossberg 500? I'm not sure I've ever seen one.

 

[dak0ta]

The 18.5" would be handier and more balanced, but the 20" may swing a little better. It probably will depend on your preference as the shotguns fit each person differently. The extra rounds aren't probably necessary. Also, I believe with the stock 18.5" barrel, you can put on other barrels without any modifications. With the 20", you'll need to find a regular 5 round mag tube and replace it with the 7 round mag tube to put on longer standard barrels. Hope that helps.

 

[Al LaVodka]

I love 'em all. But... The basic 500 in 18.5 w/5-round tube is sweet: reliable, inexpensive, ergonomic, powerful. I also fancy the 20" ones. I commend the Persuader and the original 590's. But, the coolest may be a 590 A1 in 18.5 with its 5-round tube and a two-round extension. Still hefty and manageable with 7+1. Vang Comp makes a single and our own site's Max100 manufactures the double -- he can get ya a picture...

The bigger, heavier, ones are not for your wife IMO. She will want a smaller, lighter, gun so manage the recoil with the ammo or put her on steroids please. U, personally, may want a 20 ga.

Al

 

[StorkPatrol]

I voted for the 18.5" just because it feels handier to me. Although in a home defense situation, if you do the smart thing and barricade yourself in your bedroom, the 20" has the advantage. --Stork

 

[shockwave]

The 18.5 got my vote - and I own one. Put a side saddle on the gun and you've got extra rounds handy, in the absolutely unlikely event that one or two shots don't end whatever problems you're dealing with.

 

[Grunt]

I went with the 20" since the 590 is what I was issued years ago and what I still own today. I like the extra capacity ready to fire versus reloading as the shotgun isn't a high capacity weapon in most any guise in the first place. Also, clearing a house in a team is dangerous enough and if you are trying to clear it on your own, it's pretty much asking to get shot so my belief is barricading yourself ready to blast the first bad guy coming through the door is always going to be the safer and wiser move.

 

[bigalexe]

20" gets my vote because 1.5" inches of barrel isn't much and so they will probably handle very similar (Disclaimer: Shortest barrel I own is 24" on my M500). Given that fact I would prefer the 20 because it gives a little extra muzzle velocity and that may help if you decide you want to try and bust clays or do something else with the gun besides leave it in the corner collecting dust.

 

[lobo9er]

i doubt theres much of a difference at all. I read one guys thread on another site he was from canada and was showing off some of his deer he had gotten with his 14 inch 870. (legal in cananda) It didnt look like the deer knew the difference and the effects were the same as my 24" deer slayer. i believe he had a black bear photo too, same result.

 

[shockwave]

Given that fact I would prefer the 20 because it gives a little extra muzzle velocity and that may help if you decide you want to try and bust clays or do something else with the gun besides leave it in the corner collecting dust.

I shoot my 18.5 all the time. Ain't collecting dust. If I want a longer barrel for sporting purposes, easy enough to buy one - or just get another shotgun.

 

[contender]

barrel selections for the 18.5" (std mag versions) are generous in choices.......and to be honest, i'm not sure they are offering different barrels for the extended mag 500 any more. They used to but ain't seem them in a while.

personal preference......the 5 rounder......with low recoil buck.

 

[Visionairy]

18.5 for sure, mag extensions are about $40 from choate I believe. That should put you up to 8 or 9 rounds or so.

May I suggest, if you've got an extra few bucks, a Home security 930 Auto? Some people may have something to say about reliability etc, but I've put over a thousand slugs/buckshot/low recoil etc through it with ZERO malfunctions (with the exception of bunny fart target loads, but they work fine when it's squeaky clean). Something about being able to unload 5-8 rounds of 00 buck in 3 seconds just screams effectiveness to me. Plus it is fun for shooting clays. Just make sure it's clean for those wussy target loads, remington STS worked best for me, federals were jam-o-matics.

 

[Dr. Tad Hussein Winslow]

Shorter is better - less for the enemy to grab onto to take away from you.

 

[throdgrain]

I can't imagine there'd be much difference

 

[SKILCZ]

Interesting results. I was originally thinking of using it double duty for HD and sporting clays, but I'm thinking of going with a 20" and then later getting another used gun for clays since the non-HD models seem to be cheaper and a dime a dozen.

 

[okc-zee]

The 18.5 got my vote - and I own one.

I do too...That's my favorite...

 

[Mags]

Had both kept the 20 incher just liked the extra mag capacity more. The extra 1.5 inches didn't effect handling or weight to any noticable difference in the 18.5 inch barrel.

 

[Al LaVodka]

The...;

I don't necessarily agree. Not only is the shorter gun handier (especially in and around the house), but in the original light barreled guns that extra 1 1/2 inches with three extra rounds underneath is noticeably different than the very-fast 5-rnd original 500, albeit fine.

However, in the 590 A1's I personally decided that the extra 1 1/2 heavy-barrel (see pic) inches and just one extra round was a tradeoff that went beyond what was as long and front-heavy as I personally thought was warranted. I "Max"ed out my gun (play on words as I put a 2-rnd Max100 extension on it) but wanted to keep as much of the compacter (word?), maneuverable, "tactical" short 590 A1 as possible.

That 20" A1 is way cool but just that much more of a honker to me -- "fast" is a word I'd question w/my 18 1/2" and forget with the 20" altogether. And imagine if they didn't have aluminum alloy receivers!

Al

 

[DaleCooper51]

I just went through this decision, albeit with the less expensive Maverick 88. Either gun will do fine, as long as you put the time in to practice with it. I was originally looking for the 18" 5 shot version as field barrels are more common. However, I came across a a 20" 7 shot version first at a price to good to pass up. I have other shotguns, and really wanted just a house gun so I wasn't as concerned with a longer field barrel. My normal skeet gun is a 30" over under that weighs in over 9 lbs. Throwing the 20" gun around is no problem. Shot 4 rounds of skeet with it today and had a riot. Honestly there isn't much difference.

Just get the one that feels better to you and run a bunch of shells through it. Owning a shotgun, doesn't make you a shot-gunner, just like owning a guitar doesn't make you Jimi Hendrix.

 

[INMY01TA]

I went threw this with my Maverick also. Went with the 18.5 cause I knew it had barrel options. Bought a 28' vent ribbed accuchoke field barrel for it for sporting purposes. Found out later Mossberg makes the same 28' barrel for the 7 shot. Ohh well, I still love the manuverability and compactness of the 18.5, bout as short as allowed by law. If I could do it over I'd go 7 shot.

 

[.45Heater]

Mine 500 is far from tactical. Stock and sawed off to a legal 18.25". Just a home defense tool. Cheap, practical and VERY effective if I need it.

 

[Al LaVodka]

You sawed off a quarter of an inch of a barrel -- how come?
Al

 

[ishida]

You can purchase extra barrels for the 7-rounder through Maverick, including a 28" vent-rib accuchoke barrel.

 

[ronto]

First of all, 1 1/2" won't make a bit of differece if you're concerned about "barrel grab".

In a dark house, I'd go for my 357 Magnum revolver. Any BG close enough to grab that barrel will have an unpleasant experience comming his way long before the option of grabbing enters his mind.

The 20" 500 along with a cell phone resides in the locked from the inside "safe room" where "barrel grab" is not an issue.

 

[Beaux Nehr]

For some reason, all of the velocity graphs I've seen with 20" mossbergs in 12 ga. showed a mysterious drop in velocities. 18 and 21 both consistently show higher velocities than the 20" barrel, for some odd reason.


Whether or not this is relevant for Home defense.. is another question entirely.

 

[Sheepdog1968]

Both are good choices. Unless I need to go round up family members, my plan is to stay put for home defense and not move around and wait for the cops to show up. As such, I'd rather go with a slightly longer barrel for the extra rounds. If I need to move about, I'm not sure either shotgun is going to work well. I'd likely be in a situation where I need to round up kids, etc. At that point, I want something I can work one handed and that likely means a pistol. I see the moving about situations in which one hand is busy holding, dragging, carry kids, etc. Also, will possibly need to open doors etc.