Mossberg pumps?

[His lordship.]

While killing time in my local gunshop I was inspecting the budget model of the Mossberg Maverick pump shotgun.  The NRA did a pole a few years ago and found that the Mossberg guns were second in popularity to the Remington 870s in use and purchase.

The action seems to be of good quality with lots of milled steel parts, with a nice deep groove for the bolt recess, it uses a plastic trigger guard and stock on the Maverick, but for $150.00 new it is hard to beat.  There are lots of setup options and aftermarket stuff for them.  I also am considering their heavier and more expensive model for the 3.5 magnum chambering.  The military bought a bunch of these years ago (model 500) and it is still in GI service from what I have read.

One of the guys I know has had problems with his, but he has problems with all his shotguns, I don't think he cleans them.  Would I be wasting my money on a Mossberg pump as a second shotgun?  I was disapointed with the Remington 870 that I had as the action seemed cheap.  Mossberg's web site also shows that they have a new semi-auto out now.  Do these pump actions hold up over the long run, or would I be better off looking at something else?  :?

Thanks

[Thomas Krupinski]

Chris,

I have had and still have a couple of the 500's.  They are great guns, 1950's design, but they keep on working.  They are tough.  Only problem I ever had was to finally break the plastic slide safety button on one, but super easy to obtain a replacement and even easier to put on.  The best thing I like about them is that top slide safety.  I find it more convient than the trigger guard buttons on the Remingtons.

Now I don't shoot either of mine regularly now, but I don't think I would ever trade either of them off.   I shoot Ruger and Remingtons regularly now, but for rough service and where I might take a fall, the Mossbergs are perfect.

[SBF]

Although I don't own a Mossberg 500 I have several friends that do and shoot their's quite regularly.  I wouldn't hesitate in purchasing one for myself.  I own both Remington 870's and Browning BPS's.  The olny complaint I have against the Rem is the one already mentioned, the safety location down by the trigger guard.  I much prefer the tang safety, seems quicker and more natural to me anyways.

IIRC the Maverick is Mossbergs value line.  I believe they only have 1 action bar instead of the usual two on the Mossbergs.  I may be wrong though or they might have changed them in the few years since I last handled one.

[Thomas Krupinski]

Another note on the 500's, replacement and auxillary barrels are very economical.  One of the best I have run across in years past is their barrels with their C-lect choke.  I don't believe they make them anymore, but if you can find a used one, it's a good deal.

It is an adjustable choke similar to the old PolyChoke but it is machined into the barrel.  I have had pretty good luck with them in the past.  The last one of them I had, my son now has and it is still going strong.

[Hound_Dog55]

Had a quail hunting buddy with a 500. Shot hundreds of rounds without a problem. He was hard on the gun, never cleaned it at all, but he would give it a shot of WD-40 every now and then. Has to be one of the toughest guns I have ever seen.

[Sheriff Bart]

The Mossberg Maverik and the 500 are two different guns.  The maverik has the action bars cast into plastic foreend.  In cold weather a hard pump will break these out of the plastic.  I have replaced 6 in the last 4 years.  The 500 has a forend that goes around a metal tube and they never break.  Most of the Maveriks that breal I just replace with the 500 foreend and that cures the problem.  I still shoot a Remington 31, the predecessor to the 500.  50 years old and still working, no repairs just keep it clean.

[VanL6]

I have a couple of Winchester pumps. What do you guys think of those?

Hey cknight, Can you tell me about the Remingtons you got from your Grandfather?

[His lordship.]

I would like to thank you guys for the input on the Mossbergs.  I sent an E-mail to Benelli concerning questions on the accessories for the Nova pump action many weeks ago and I never heard from them.  The Benelli catalog shows items to add on, but no prices.  Benelli really screwed up!!  Mossberg shotguns have numerous sources for goodys to change the appearence, features, and yes the cost of them!  

One of the GB contributors had also noted alot of slop in the action of the Benelli Nova as he pumped the forend.  He was concerned about the noise when shucking the action during a hunt.  So, I guess it will be a Mossberg in a few months for next year's hunting.

VanL6...One of the guys at my gun club had the action bars on his Winchester pump action break twice.  Those are the twin bars that are pushed/pulled when you work the forend stock to chamber another round.  When it broke the first time he welded it, then it broke again.  I don't know what he did after that.  I was thinking about a Winchester as they have that rotary bolt design, claiming it is supposed to be fast.  Otherwise I don't know much about their pump action shotguns, but man, breaking one of those action bars, twice?!

[dukkillr]

VanL6 wrote:
I have a couple of Winchester pumps. What do you guys think of those?

Hey cknight, Can you tell me about the Remingtons you got from your Grandfather?

I absolutely love my winchesters, but mine are the old Model 12s and 97s.  I have dealt with the newer 1200 and have been very unimpressed.  The gun I shot was very very picky about feeding shells.  The newer winchesters simply aren't the quality product that the older one are.  I've also owned and shot two remington 870s.  I would say they fall inbetween the browning BPS and the Winchester 1200 in terms of quality mass-production pump shotguns.  I shoot left handed and have had a lot of trouble with debris from the action ending up in my eyes with the 870s.  I also like the standard top mounted trigger on the BPS.  I've shot the Nova a handful of times and would consider it to be on par with the 870 in quality although it's looks turn off people who like traditional looking guns (such as myself).

[prairiedog555]

I have owned a lot of shotguns and wing shoot alot.  The pump gun champ is the 870.  and the express model that my kid shoots has killed a lot of game with no problems.  I am not a gun snob, but the mossberg just seems very chezzy. 

[myronman3]

i have a model 500 i was given when i was 14.  i think i have cleaned this gun maybe 5 times.  i have put thousands of rounds through this gun.   it has gotten to the point where i dont clean it anymore, i want to see how far it will go.  it is by far the toughest gun design i have ever seen.   takes a licking and keeps on ticking.  and i have killed more stuff with that gun than all the others i own combined. 

[dukkillr]

Guided a guy on tuesday with a mossberg.  Broke down twice during a 3 hour hunt.  I actually cringe when a guy brings one of those things to the blind.

[lil_hunter12]

i used to have the mossberg 835 kicked like a mule but it never got cleaned the 15 years my dad kept it. now i have a maverick 88 and its by far the best shotgun ive ever shot it kicks like a mule with turkey loads or slugs but thats something u have to deal with ive owned it for about 3 years and ive not cleaned it but 1 time and its got nothing wrong so far.and the maverick has dual bars and the safety on the trigger guard.its taken most of the game ive killed this year except 2 or 3 squirrels.

[gdolby]

Good day Gentleman and Merry Christmas, I have a 500 with the short barrell it is my p/u gun. It never gets cleaned maybe 3 shots of WD a year and it is the toughest gun I have owned. In a pinch it has killed snakes being used like a club. I treat it like a tool and not like I do my other guns.It does not have much blueing left and there is some slop in the forearm now But I cant even start to guess the rounds that have went thru it. I myself am looking to own a 935 pretty soon and I have an 870 I just dont think it would have stood up to what I have put that mossberg thru. Have a good day....Bill

[jmckinley]

I maybe a little late but I add my 2 pennies just because...I have shot Mossbergs for 40+ years. I recently sold my 500 nd 835 like a DUMB A.... and went to the Super Nova for the 3 1/2 shell. That was a mistake for sure, kicks like a PO'd mule and is about as smooth a steel wool. Sold that firearm for an 870 16ga. I love the 16ga and traded even up. So much for that. I have to agree about the toughness of the Mossy I have had only 2 problems with them. One was a 500 that u could hardly pump, sent to Mossberg and the send it slicked up and smooth as a babies bottom. The other was my old 835 that broke a stock, Mossberg replaced it free of charge. 835 kicked your filling loose but it sure knocked down a load of Geese for me. I once took 15 doves with 17 shots out of my 500. The feel like an ole chair leg but they just fit me. To shorten this a bit my next 12ga will be the new 835 Waterfowl addition and the 500 in the same series. Then i'll get a 500 in 20ga. Bottom line the 870 Wingmaster looks better but it isn't any tougher than a Mossy. I think the 500 is the  best value on the shotgun market.   Jess