mossberg 5500 mk II

[hightower]

I was in a local pawn shop with a co worker who I introduced to the joy of shotgunning. Well there I was minding my own business when this pristine mossberg jumped out at me. The tag said $225, I asked "the counter what's your best cash price?" He replied "$200 and tax" Deal! I have been looking for a semi auto 12 for the girlfriend and I shoot at clays.

I haven't found much about this gun, a handful of internet responses are 50-50, I've pulled it apart and cleaned it. Everything seems in order and good shape.

Does anybody have any first hand experience with this, tips tricks?
It only came with the 2 3/4 barrel, I'm going to assume it would handle 2 3/4 high brass loads for pheasant and or turkey, but i figured i should ask first.

On a side note on the 12 ga i have a brass mid bead and a higher fiber optic front bead, it works phenominally for me and I can't for the life of me find a front sight to add to the other two guns, anybody have a lead?

 

[hightower]

pics or it never happened right?

 

[Slugthrower]

The Mossberg 5500 MkII was originally sold with two barrels in the late 80s. One was a 3 inch chamber meant to use high brass heavy field loads and could also be used for 2 3/4ths high brass loads. The second barrel was sprung with a lighter action spring to allow it to feed light skeet and trap loads and is most likely the 2 3/4ths barrel you have.

It isn't recommended to fire heavy loads from that barrel and recoil spring combination as it will be abusive to the action and reciever of the shotgun. You should search out the 3 inch chambered barrel for the 5500 MkII if you are wanting to shoot heavy loads. Be sure that it is the MkII barrel. The Mossberg 5500 barrel without the MkII designation isn't the same barrel and spring action as the MkII variant and will not work in the MkII.