Can you take the rail off a Mossberg 510 bantam?

[FireInCairo]

I was checking out the Mossberg 510 Bantam 20 gauge for my wife, but it's front heavy (which she may find uncomfortable) because it has this rail running along the top of the barrel. I see it has a midpoint sight, but could that thing still be taken off? It would make it even more balanced and comfortable for her. Here is a picture of it:

http://www.mossberg.com/images/Mossberg_Guns/930/New/50485.jpg

 

[highorder]

Removing the rib will subtract almost no weight, and they don't come off easily.
You would save more by downloading one shell. I wouldn't do that either.

Get her hands on a few different shotguns and let her tell you what works and what doesn't.

 

[rcmodel]

It would make it even more balanced and comfortable for her.

I doubt it.
Less weight = More recoil.

The 510 Bantom is getting awful light for a 20 ga already at 5 pounds.

It will bust her chops as is with the vent rib on it.

rc

 

[FireInCairo]

thanks, I will look into something else for her.

 

[One_Jackal]

You would be better served by finding a short barrel without a ventilated rib. Mossberg makes nice barrels. If cash is an issue you can use a maverick barrel. Walmart has the Pardner 20 inch tacticool model for $159.

 

[Sam1911]

I've not looked inside, but what about adding a bit of weight (lead) in the butt to improve the balance? At that weight (5 lbs?), it could only help, and folks usually are more bothered by poor balance than the actual total weight of a long-gun anyway.

 

[Carl N. Brown]

I suspect any sensation of muzzle heaviness with the Bantam is caused more by the short butt than by the ventilated rib.

 

[FireInCairo]

Yes, Carl, you're correct. I just discovered this doing some research on mossberg's site.

The length of pull on these 510s is only 10-1/2 to 11-1/2 inches. That's too short to give a 18 1/2 inch barrel real balance. It's also too short for even my wife.

It does, however, make this gun a possibility as I plan to buy a pistol-grip buttstock for my 500 persuader. I could take the original buttstock off that, which has a shorter 13" length of pull, and throw that onto this 510 making it more balanced and comfortable to handle.

 

[rcmodel]

I don't think it will fit.

The 510 Bantoms receiver is a tiny tiny thing compared to your 500 receiver.

rc