Mossberg 500 shotgun muzzle loader conversion

[someguy2800]

Hey guys. Posting this to see if anyone has any information about these or experience with them. My father in law has been mentioning for a few years that he wants to sell this mossberg 500 for a few years and I thought of it today and bought it from him. He says he bought the shotgun in 1978 and added the smooth bore slug barrel in the mid 80’s and this muzzle loader barrel in around 1990.

It’s a factory mossberg conversion barrel and he said he bought it new in the package at a gun show. I have never seen or heard of anything like it, and when I searched a few years ago I found basically no information about it.

Anyone ever had one?

 

[LightninST]

My first question would be WHY ? Does the s/gun shell primer set it off ?

 

[someguy2800]

My first question would be WHY ? Does the s/gun shell primer set it off ?

It’s a 50 caliber inline muzzle loader, you just put a 209 primer in the back of the barrel and fire it

 

[arcticap]

Hey guys. Posting this to see if anyone has any information about these or experience with them.

Midway still has a product page for it with some very thorough & informative reviews. --->>> https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1003736236

They weren't hugely popular but a few folks asked about them and/or mentioned having them years ago.
The reason why it was discontinued was probably because it was a way to get into the sport until one could decide if they wanted to get a dedicated muzzle loader or not.
H&R was another company that sold inexpensive muzzle loader barrels for their single shot shotguns.
Folks needed to send in their shotgun to have the barrel fitted.
But AFAIK Mossberg was the only company offering and off the shelf ML barrel to convert a pump shotgun.
Today gun adapters dot com offers ML adapters for different gauges of break open shotguns, but they're intended only for use with lead shot. --->>> https://www.gunadapters.com/209-muzzle-loading-adapters/
H&R also stopped offering ML barrels before going out of business.
The reviews gave it high marks for accuracy, but most said that it was tougher to clean the receiver than if it were a standard muzzle loader, and the barrel doesn't have a removable breech plug.
Now that Black Horn 209 powder is on the market, the receiver should be a lot easier to clean.
But if using BH 209 or any other powder, make sure to clean it promptly because humidity can still cause corrosion.

 

[someguy2800]

Anybody else ever owned one of these?

 

[arcticap]

Anybody else ever owned one of these?

HiWayMan posted that he had one: SEE POST #2--->>>https://www.thehighroad.org/index.php?threads/mossberg-500-blackpowder-conversion-barrel.93991/

"I've used one for primitive deer season in Ohio for about 6 years now. I shoot a 270 gr. Maxi-ball over 90 gr. Pyrodex RS. I get good 50yd open sight accuracy of about 2". The point of impact on mine is high by about six inches, but I have run out of rear sight and am not looking to add onto the front sight. All in all I'd say it is a good deal. Another thing is that the increased weight minimizes the felt recoil extensively versus my Knight Wolverine."

 

[arcticap]

HiWayMan also posted this: SEE POST #4--->>> https://www.thehighroad.org/index.php?threads/mossberg-500-muzzle-loader-barrel.614310/

"Dad had one for years and retired it for the newer Savage that could run smokeless powder.

It is a .50 cal rifled barrel. Uses a 209 shotshell primer for ignition (no harm to firing pin). Was pretty accurate but shot high with our loads. We ran out of rear sight notch when filing it deeper. Had to use Kentucky elevation to get it right on. Loads were 90 gr. Pyrodex RS loose and 370gr Maxi-Balls. To clean it we put the breech in a sink of near boiling water and pumped water through the barrel with a jag and tight patch. Cleaned up quicker than my inline as the take down and reassembly time was seconds. No dicking with greasing breech plug and nipple threads. And it is impervious to the elements as the action is fully enclosed.

Used to take a primer box and put a rubber band around it. Would place one primer in each row. Made dispensing primers a breeze."

 

[arcticap]

Matt-J2 posted this: SEE POST #2--->>> https://www.thehighroad.org/index.php?threads/mossberg-muzzle-loading-barrel.401514/

"I had one, never shot it, but my FiL has one and takes it out every year. I have shot that one a bit.

1. Seemed accurate enough. I didn't have time to test out various loads with it or anything, so who knows where it could have gotten. Been awhile, but IIRC it was 2-2.5" groups at roughly 100yds. He's happy with it and is confident in it enough to take it out for whitetail, so I reckon that's all that matters.
2. Not sure what you're going for, not many parts to it. Certainly didn't seem like it was going to fall apart anytime soon, and the finish on it was just fine. The ramrod seemed like pretty cheap plastic though, so he got a new one.
3. Pull off the barrel, stick the breech end in a bucket of soapy water, and use a patch jag and patch to pull water in and out of the barrel.
4. Easy as pie. Loading is odd, you slide the action open and put in the primer through the ejection port. One of those primer loading tools would be ideal here. Otherwise, there's sights on it, work ok(he added ghost ring sights), you attach it the same as any other shotgun barrel they offer."

 

[Dustbowl]

Sounds like a great idea for shotgun only states. You can hunt regular and muzzleloader season with one gun. I kind of want one now.....

Also sounds like a great way to start conversations with game warden’s when they see you carrying a pump gun during muzzleloader!

 

[Ironhand54]

When they were available there was a lot of talk about blow by from the nipple rusting the pump action.

Never had one so I don't know but that was the rumor.

Ironhand

 

[Pocket]

I like the adapter idea, just for an alternative....