but what would people say if they saw a short black plastic stocked pump shotgun with Ghost Ring sights in the hunting field?
Mossberg 500s attach the barrel to the mag tube with a large machine screw. It threads into a "nut" permanently attached to the end of the magazine that also acts as the magazine spring retainer. No clip is needed. As stated, once the barrel screw is out of the way, the dowel can be shaken out.^^^^^ Not sure on a Mossberg but there may be a spring/cap retainer in there you have to pop out like on a 870.