My mossberg 500a

T

tnxdshooter

Moderator
My Mossberg 500a with the following parts installed.

18.5" barrel with front and rear ghost ring sights
Choate black synthetic forend
Tacstar 6 shot side saddle
Vang Comp Systems Metal safety
John Masen Polymer Heatshield
Blackhawk Spec Ops Knoxx stock with limbsaver butt pad
Blackhawk powerpak with low cheek piece and shell carrier
Hogue hand all grip
Quake Industries "The Claw" OD green sling

M500tacstarsidesaddlepic.jpg


IMAG0008.jpg


M500blackhawkspecopsstock2.jpg


Sent from Droid Incredible on Verizon Wireless
 
Welcome to the forum.

I suggest you take that gun to a quality tactical class before you put it into use as a self-defense gun, because I think you will discover there are limitations to the choices you have made.

First, you will find that the Mossberg safety and a pistol grip are irreconcilable. You cannot work that safety without completely removing your trigger hand from the grip. That is suboptimal, and one reason that I suggest standard stocks for Mossberg shotguns. Personally I don't like pistol grips on any shotgun, but they work far better on 870s than on 500/590 series because of the safety location.

Second, the shell carrier on the stock will significantly impair your ability to shoot from the left shoulder, and while the chances of you having to do that might seem slim, should you ever need to do it, you will really, really need to do it. It's hard enough to go offside as it is, adding complications is maybe not worth the benefit of additional ammunition on the gun.

Third, you have added considerable weight to the gun with two ammunition carriers on board. It might not seem like much, but the balance of the gun is different and not better set up as you have it. Run that gun with the ammo carriers loaded up through some drills, then run a gun with less stuff on it and see which one points more quickly and accurately; I expect you'll find that the lighter gun works better.

Fourth, a two point sling on a pump shotgun is a great way to carry the gun when you are walking around and a not so good thing to have when it comes time to use the gun. The front attachment point for a two point sling can impair the ability to rack the slide, and with a pistol grip to boot you are inviting tangles. Consider a single point sling; it doesn't work as well for marching around, but it works far better when the time comes for actually shooting. I don't know how or when you plan to use this gun, but I'll make that trade every day.

Unless you sometimes wear armor and sometimes don't, or unless this gun is assigned to users of substantially different dimensions, I'm not sure what good an adjustable stock does for you, but if you like it, rock on.

Now, all that said you have a great shotgun there and I really like the color. If you can make it work like that, drive on, everyone gets to pick what works for them.
 
^^^
I've noticed you post comments like that on a regular basis.

Do you feel that some people spend too much time bolting things on their shotgun to fill a need that never arose?
 
If you're asking me, then yes, if we are talking about home defense/self defense shotguns, I think people put way too many doobers and widgets on them.

Here's what you need on a HD/SD shotgun:

1. A light, and not a cheap one, but one that works and is easily manipulated while deploying the weapon, and I've found nothing better than a Surefire for end light. Bolting a light up front can be done cheaper, but if it doesn't allow you to go on/off while manipulating the slide, it is not as good a solution. Still, in my opinion a light is a must, so do what you must to get one.

Here's what you can add without unduly compromising utility:

1. A sling, and in my opinion it should be a single point sling;
2. A reliable side saddle.

After that, you are just buying crap to dress up your shotgun like an AR: ghost rings, red dot sights, adjustable stocks. These things do nothing to make a shotgun better at being a shotgun. Yeah, I said it, I've said it before. If it offends anyone, sorry, but I hate it when the same guy takes his AK and tries to make it an AR, too. Please, don't do that.

Note that I make an exception where the law disallows the owner from having a proper fighting rifle and the shotgun has to be pressed into service as an inferior substitute. Otherwise, your shotgun should be a shotgun and your rifle should be a rifle.

^One man's opinion and worth what you paid for it.^​
 
I have ghost rings on mine, which came with the shotgun. You feel a bead is superior?

The post was meant for Dave, who I believe would agree with you.

I'm Tim, and it's nice to meet you.
 
Ok, sorry to jump in on a question not meant for me.

I find a bead to be fast and sufficient for the use to which I put a shotgun. In my view, ghost rings are not inferior, and they can serve a real use when shooting slugs at distances greater than, say, 50 yards. I've practiced with my beads enough to make the hits out to 100 yards with a slug if I need to, but I really hope I never need to do that.

If your gun came with ghost rings, run 'em unless you hate 'em. My beef is with guys who put everything EXCEPT a light on a shotgun and could have, and should have, put the same money into a light before accessorizing the shotgun like an imitation AR.

Rant off, I'm going back to my dark place on the inter webs now.
 
I'll disagree on the light - that would depend on each person's home -it becomes one more weight to upset balance. In MY home, there is enough ambient light from street lights and internals glow worms, no light is needed.
And I'll disagree about a sling - all THAT will do is get caught somewhere at the wrong time - no need to spoon-feed Mr. Murphy
 
I'm with Dave, Looks nice....

...but would also like to see a lot of wear on the slide and a range report too.

Which I'm sure we will see.



Welcome to TFL, tnxdshooter
 
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If it is truly a dedicated HD gun, then true enough, a sling is unnecessary.

It is also true that the circumstances of every individual dictates his needs, so a it is possible that a light would be less important to some. However, I maintain that a light on a HD weapon is a necessity; better to have light and not need it than to need it and not have it. God forbid the gun be needed during a circumstance when the power has failed. That posits a bunch of bad **** vectoring in on you all at once, but it happens.

I can absolutely vouch for the fact that a light adds considerable weight, however, so I train with my lights on the guns, even in daylight.
 
Tim, I believe that too many people spend more on addons/boltons than ammo,and that's not a good choice.

Like Lee Lapin says....

"Mindset, Skillset, then Toolset"....

A box stock 870,500, 1300 or 37 is an awesome CQB weapon as is, provided the operator has the two "Sets" above down.

Accessories vary from nigh essential to the equivalent of fuzzy dice, spinner rims and curb feelers.

Unfortunately, many folks prefer bling to effectiveness.

My advice, oft repeated here and elsewhere, is to run your shotgun until you know it like your tongue knows your teeth, THEN decide what is needed to improve effectiveness and comfort.

Also, there's three 870s here kept ready. Two have mag extensions, peeps, one has a side saddle. Curb weight's over 8 lbs on the one, 9 on t'other.

Both were shot extensively before adding anything other than wear marks.

The third is known as Frankenstein. With a nominal 21" barrel and no addons, it comes in around 7 lbs and has a bead.

It's noticeably faster than the others. Snake fast, in fact.

That's the tradeoff.

As for the rest, beads vs peep, mag extensions vs none, boxers vs briefs, Capulets vs Montagues, once you've run a few hundred shells through your shotgun, add anything you like and I'll care not a whit.

But shoot it first.

Lots......
 
Yepper... Dave and I feel similar about folks buying farkle over function and ammo...

I am down to under a hundred rounds of shotgun per year and haven't shot my .22 rifle in over a year.

But you can bet cash money that I need no warming up with either.

I am no comp shooter... just a redneck that knows my guns like my booger hooks know my nostrils...

If I need to use it I know that from point blank out to 35yards with shot or 65 yards with slug, I am hitting my target the first time... EVERYTIME!

I am not at this point due to the wanton spending on doo-dads...

I got here with the liberal but judicious ammo purchasing and practice drills as well as day to day critter killin'...

BA/UU/R (Dave McC's sig line) is far easier to type than tellin' folks they need to turn cash into piles of empty hulls knee deep...

Wear Marks are a beautiful thing and a sign of a serious tool in the hands of a serious man.

Brent
 
I agree that sometimes there is no substitute for experience.

I'll admit that I don't have thousands of rounds through my shotgun, and that I could stand more practice.
 
redstategunnut said:
Welcome to the forum.

I suggest you take that gun to a quality tactical class before you put it into use as a self-defense gun, because I think you will discover there are limitations to the choices you have made.

First, you will find that the Mossberg safety and a pistol grip are irreconcilable. You cannot work that safety without completely removing your trigger hand from the grip. That is suboptimal, and one reason that I suggest standard stocks for Mossberg shotguns. Personally I don't like pistol grips on any shotgun, but they work far better on 870s than on 500/590 series because of the safety location.

Second, the shell carrier on the stock will significantly impair your ability to shoot from the left shoulder, and while the chances of you having to do that might seem slim, should you ever need to do it, you will really, really need to do it. It's hard enough to go offside as it is, adding complications is maybe not worth the benefit of additional ammunition on the gun.

Third, you have added considerable weight to the gun with two ammunition carriers on board. It might not seem like much, but the balance of the gun is different and not better set up as you have it. Run that gun with the ammo carriers loaded up through some drills, then run a gun with less stuff on it and see which one points more quickly and accurately; I expect you'll find that the lighter gun works better.

Fourth, a two point sling on a pump shotgun is a great way to carry the gun when you are walking around and a not so good thing to have when it comes time to use the gun. The front attachment point for a two point sling can impair the ability to rack the slide, and with a pistol grip to boot you are inviting tangles. Consider a single point sling; it doesn't work as well for marching around, but it works far better when the time comes for actually shooting. I don't know how or when you plan to use this gun, but I'll make that trade every day.

Unless you sometimes wear armor and sometimes don't, or unless this gun is assigned to users of substantially different dimensions, I'm not sure what good an adjustable stock does for you, but if you like it, rock on.

Now, all that said you have a great shotgun there and I really like the color. If you can make it work like that, drive on, everyone gets to pick what works for them.
Click to expand...

Already did. None of that stuff you mentioned happened. I do have a hogue short lop for it if need be.


Sent from Droid Incredible on Verizon Wireless
 
I think alot of gents are jealous it doesnt belong to you. Also, a sling is needed in the event i need to go for my pistol and move around. I know alot of people would say just drop it and go for your pistol but i would rather have it on me then run out of ammo with the pistol and what not or have the bad guy pick it up.

Sent from Droid Incredible on Verizon Wireless
 
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