Mossberg 500 question.

[t16sugarbabe]

How long can I expect my new 500 to last? How many rounds? From what I read most people have thousands of rounds through theirs and there still going strong. However I have read the 500 breaks quite easily for some folks. People say they don't last long in the field or at the skeet and trap range. I read this on this forum as a matter of fact. Is this true? I bought the 500 field security combo.

 

[Virginian]

With halfway decent care it should outlive you. Easily. And I am not a Mossberg fan.

 

[Sam1911]

By the time you break that gun, you'll have spent probably 1,000 times its worth in ammo and range fees. Not a worry! Remember, the military picked a version of the 500 as its primary shotgun. It is at least as good as an 870. Or vice versa.

 

[sappyg]

How long can I expect my new 500 to last? How many rounds? :

Good question. It reminds me of a commercial about Tootsie roll lollipops. 'How many licks does it take to get to the center of a tootsie roll lollipop?'.... 3

I haven't heard of anyone shooting one to absolute irreparable failure. I don't think you'll put that many shells through one in your lifetime.

 

[Kachok]

I abused my Mossberg with magnum slugs/buckshot and it never showed a hint of failure, with normal game loads it should outlast your grandchildren.Very dependable gun, it cycles smoother then the 870s I use at work.

 

[gamestalker]

I've owned 2 of them, but I don't think they are nearly as robust as my 870's which have never had a failure. Would I buy another 500, probably not.

I also had a friend that had an older one, on that one the weld on the magazine to barrel joint broke.

On the 2 I had, the plastic safety broke off. The other one experienced a broken firing pin.

All in all, my experience with them hasn't been terrible, both repairs to mine were very inexpensive. The friend with the weld that failed, well, who knows what he may have done to maybe cause that, some people don't know how to properly take care of, or treat a firearm.

GS

 

[rszwieg]

I've got a M500/M550 that's over 30 years old and has thousands of rounds through it. The only problem I had was the shell stop wasn't adjusted properly and that's an easy fix. It also has the original plastic safety switch.

It should last a long time.

 

[Beam]

If it kicks like my 500 slug gun, the question is how long can you last! Lol
Mine is brutal!

 

[t16sugarbabe]

Thanks for the replies. I'm not real worried about recoil. I shot my buddies Winchester sxp and it was alright. Their about the same weight. I feel I made the right choice. I wanted something at a good price and American made. I like Remington but I like Mossberg even more.

 

[Ed Ames]

The plastic foreend on my cheapest-available big5 field/security combo cracked the first time I took it shooting...maybe the first shot but certainly within the first 100. I replaced it with a "John Masen" from Midway for about $12.

I replaced the plastic safety with a metal part (another $15) because I had heard of failures.

Beyond that..goes boom every time.

Overall it is a "take care of it and it'll last forever*" item.

*Assuming it didn't have hidden defects from the factory.

 

[rule303]

I sell and work on guns for a living. I would rate the 500 and the 870 equally trouble free. They both have their quirks and occasional failures, but overall will last a lifetime. The Mossbergs do seem to be less finicky with what ammo they will cycle.

 

[HRnightmare]

With halfway decent care it should outlive you. Easily. And I am not a Mossberg fan.

I am also NOT a Mossbnerg fan. I have a 930 sitting in my safe thats been back to Mossberg multiple times and still works maybe 1/3 of the time.

Anyway...I had a 500 that was built in the 80's. It had been well used and owned by a range officer for a PD. Even the gun shop owner told me, it looks like it had 1000's through it. I functioned fine and I had it for about 1000 rds. Mossberg was soo terrible with my 930 I sold it for an 870...

 

[t16sugarbabe]

Yeah I heard Mossberg's customer service stinks but I have heard that almost all gun companies customer service is terrible. The only company I heard of that gives a darn is Ruger. I have a good gunsmith near by that I can take it to if it needs work. I am going to send it to aimpro tactical for an action job.

 

[Sheepdog1968]

I bought one a few years ago just like the one you got. I started shooting it regularly in a trap league last year. Have about 6,000 rounds through it and it runs just fine. No breakage and nothing that concerns me. If anything, it is getting better and smoother with use. Mossberg has a 10 year warranty as well. Enjoy.

 

[HRnightmare]

Yeah I heard Mossberg's customer service stinks but I have heard that almost all gun companies customer service is terrible. The only company I heard of that gives a darn is Ruger.

Had a Kimber FTF 2x in 10,000 rds. (no exaggeration). Kimber sent me a brand new mag, slide stop and springs. Said, find what the problem is, fix it and keep the other items as our gift. - BEST customer service EVER.

Mossberg 930 had about 6 jams in 250 rds, sent it back...nothing, shows up at my door one day. no explanation as to the issue. Still jams about 3 times in 100 rds, sent it back...comes back, about 3 jams per 150 rds....I called and they barely speak English AND act as if you are bothering them...LITERALLY had a guy who yelled in spanish in the background over my call as I spoke. They are in a bordertown (Eagle pass) After that BS, I sold ALL of my Mossberg's except this garbage 930 no one wants. - CS ABSOLUTELY TERRIBLE. Last Mossberg I will EVER own.

Sig - had a P238 that the grip screw was stripped from factory. They took it back, could NOT get them to tell me when I would get a replacement. I had the gun for about 10 days and it was send back less than 2 weeks after buying it new...8 weeks before I got a replacement. They LITERALLY told me they decide which model to make day by day and cant provide an estimate when they would create a new one of my particular model. Once day it was made and they sent a free mag and cheap holster as a "Sorry". CS- mediocre.

I emailed Glock because I had 3-4 FTF's in about 500 rds. They told me to send them the bad mags and they would replace. I had the replacements no question asked in about 5 days. _ Pleased with their CS

Diamondback Firearms - Had a DB9 that would NOT fire with steel cased ammo, reliable with HP and would NOT feed with 1 handed firing.. Called their facility. (I live 6 miles from the plant) I got some call center with a guy that had NO idea about guns. I told him I was experiencing FTE's and FTF's and he literally said "so the upper half isn't working with the lower half" and gave me the address to ship it to. I told him I wa sliterally within 3/4 of a mile of the facility and could drop it off. He said "no, you have to ship it"Hr was OBVIOUSLY from a 3rd party call center. I later asked to buy replacement recoil springs, etc and was told you have to send the gun in and pay a $50 gunsmith fee to determine the problem and then the amount to fix the problem. I eventually got a hold of an awesome guy at the facility who took the gun in person and turned it around in one day...unfortunately it still DID NOT fire 1 handed. as a CCW thats a no-go for me and I dumped it.

Kel Tec - Also right down the road. I walk in all the time to upgrade parts, buy accessories, shoot the S. I once wanted to have my Sub2k threaded . I was told it would be $40 to tear it down. I brought it by and the LEAD engineer came out and told me all about what needed to occur and blah blah blah. He handed me my gun in pieces and 2 weeks later I brought it back, was advised it would be $40 to reassemble it...about 40 minutes later the lead engineer came back out, never charged me a dime and explained that since I may be shooting it suppressed he recommended certain upgraded to the parts AND that he already installed those upgraded as no charge... Customer service BEYOND EXCELLENT

Kahr CM9 - Brand new mag was sticking in gun. Emailed KArh and about 2 days later had an addres to send it to. I was annoyed that I had to pay for a faully mag but sent it and got a replacement in about a week.CS - Pretty good

Springfield Armory - Hesitantly bought a new SA xd 45 and the mag release was very stiff. Emailed them..had a response within 48 hrs explaining a possible fix and aveneue of follow up. I filled out the form for the 3 free mags and was told it would take 8-12 weeks. I received in in 8 days TOTAL. - CS EXCELLENT

I have dealt with RRA, CMMG and received a quick and excellent response. Olympic Arms was quick but often times a "blow off" of a response. Palmetto State Armory almost never responds UNLESS you email a specific person, I believe he is their promotions guys. But when you email him, it gets fixed quickly...the general email often gets ignored.... Overall satisfaction VERY GOOD


Accessories -

Emailed Magpul about bad magpul rail cover and they sent me an entire package to make up for it.
Eotech - emailed them about a failed EoTech, received multiple excuses how it was't their problem

 

[t16sugarbabe]

I can understand being upset with mossbergs customer service but why would you sell all your mossbergs? Don't you have a competent gunsmith near you that can work on your mossbergs for you? I have one the next town over who can fix anything on my 500 should anything arise. I never understood that when folks would have issues with sending guns back to the factories for repairs why they just wouldn't take their guns to a qualified gunsmith instead of selling them. I know that if a gun has a warranty the factory should fix the gun like they obligated to, but if all else fails there is always your local gunsmith. Also to retract my earlier statement it appears mossbergs CS has been really good for most people. I read a lot of posts on forums that state that mossberg was quick to answer their calls and emails and quick to fix their problems. It appears that that crappy CS has only been of late. A lot of people attribute this bad CS do to such a high demand right now for their guns. People claim they are just swamped. This still is no excuse for crappy CS, but it might explain their lack of attention to peoples needs.

 

[loose noose]

Recently bought a new Mossberg 500 in .410 bore. Excellent little gun especially for skeet. Called their CS for a slug barrel and got a nice intelligent gentleman that took my credit card and I got the barrel in less than a week. Now ya can't beat that, and the price was very reasonable.

 

[M100C]

I've a few Mossberg 500s as far back as the early 60s. I have them in 12, 20 and .410. I also had a 16 that I wish I still had ...

Here is my opinion:

As others have said, the plastic safety button on newer models is reported to break off, but is very easy to replace. Older units have steel buttons, and there are steel button replacements ... no issue.

Older guns have a single action arm, and this made these more prone to forearm torsion and possibly breaking the arm/forearm tube spot weld. Newer guns have two arms and are a good bit less prone to forearm torsion issues.

The bolt/barrel lockup is every bit as good as any I've seen. It is a very robust and serviceable design. Sometimes ... after many, many cycles ... I see the locking lug pin/bore in the bolt get a little sloppy.

In my opinion, they are very reliable guns. Many worry about the aluminum receiver (versus steel found in other pumps), but from a engineering and wear perspective, the bolt and carrier just slide back and forth. The receiver itself does not see recoil from the bolt directly, or chamber pressure. The bolt transfers recoil energy through the locking lug to the barrel, and the broader bearing surface of the barrel transfers energy to the receiver, to the stock, and to your shoulder.

I also have Winchester and Remington pumps, and they are fine guns. My go-to gun is a Mossberg, and I really like carrying them more. I used to take the Remington deer hunting (because it has a much quieter forearm when gun is in battery), but today, the best slug gun is none of these, but instead a Savage 220F bolt-action shotgun which affords rifle-like accuracy out to 200 yds, and an Accu-Trigger.

For home defense...

(really folks ... does any other pump have a scarier sounding action? My Ithaca 37 is soooo smooth, it doesn't sound scary ... , but I digress)​

... small game, upland and waterfowl ... I pick a Mossberg 500 hands-down.

 

[t16sugarbabe]

I picked up my new 500 this past friday and I must say I am very impressed. You get one hell of a gun for $375. I read that the wood for the stock and for-end looked and felt cheap but I can't agree with that. I know it's not walnut but the wood feels solid and looks really nice. The checkering is top notch. I was surprised to see that they polished or chromed the bolt as well. The plastic trigger looks solid. Looks to be just as strong as the 870's trigger assembly. I haven't fired it yet but I ran some dummy rounds through it and it functioned like it should. I'm going to send it to Aimpro Tactical for an action job and have them slick up the barrel. All in all I am very happy with my purchase and I will recommend the Mossberg to any one who asks.

 

[javjacob]

Where can I get the metal replacement safety switch to replace the plastic piece? I just hate plastic on a firearm. Also is there a metal trigger guard made for them?...Out of curiosity?
I have a 500 12ga and it has been flawless for me BTW.

 

[Ed Ames]

Withdrawn.

 

[PBR Streetgang]

I have a 500 that's been seriously used and abused since 1974....other than the finish taking a beating,I've had no problems other than replacing a magazine tube spring..... (y)

 

[4v50 Gary]

I recently fixed a .410 Mossberg that wouldn't lock up. With the action closed, you could pump it open without first having to hit the slide release button. The cause was traced to the bolt slide that was poorly casted and offered no bearing surface against which the slide release could hold it closed. The design is sound. The execution (fabrication of that part) was bad. Mossberg to its credit replaced the part free.

 

[rodinal220]

The only thing that broke on a Mossberg 500 of mine was the plastic safety. I replace them with a metal one when I find 500s on the cheap. Otherwise they are GTG as a working mans pump gun.

 

[rcmodel]

Mossberg 500 metal safety's.
http://www.brownells.com/search/index.htm?k=mossberg+500+safety&ksubmit=y

Mossberg 500 metal trigger guard (out of stock)
http://www.brownells.com/shotgun-pa...ards/mossberg-trigger-assembly-prod24369.aspx

rc