Were Mossberg Model 500 ever made w/2 3/4" only receivers??

[perklo]

 

I have a Model 500 12 ga. that has an ejection port that is a quarter-inch shorter (horizontally) than my other two similar guns. I bought it used at a pawn shop and found that while it had a 28" bbl that chambered 3" shells, it would not EJECT the shells after firing due to the fact that the open crimp made the shells too long to clear the port.

Also, this gun had been home camo painted, but when stripped the original receiver color was a matte black. It is marked in front of the bottom feed port as a 500A.

Were some of these guns made in the past where they were sold with 2 3/4 only chambered barrels? All other things about this receiver, including the plastic trigger guard and plastic top tang safety button are the same as current production guns...

Thanks for any help - perklo

[jvs]

I couldn't find anything on the net about whether Mossberg ever made a 500 that is 2 3/4 only.

However, I doubt that they did.

What your problem may be, is that you are not using enough force to open the action.  A new Mossberg is stiff, and you might have to cycle the action a few times before things work properly.  Shells exit the receiver rear-end first, and rotate.  So, the slot doesn't have to be the same size or bigger than a spent shell.   

While your shotgun may have Extractor and stiffness issues, it sounds about right to me.

You could also try to remove the paint on the left side of the barrel.  Mossberg prints what shells can be used in their shotguns on the left side of the barrel.   

Since the 500 was made since 1961, it is hard for me to believe it doesn't take 3 inch shells.   Mossberg would gain nothing by producing a 2 3/4  500.   Even back then.

I did find out that the 500A was any 12 Gauge, the 500B is 16 Gauge, the 500C is 20 Gauge, and the 500D is .410.

Don't baby it.  Rack the shells hard a few times, it'll loosen up.

[Ranger J]

My mid 60s 500 came with a smooth bore deer barrel that was 2 3/4 only but when I got a 30" full choke it was 3" and fit the receiver.

RJ

[gdolby]

good day to all, I have a 500A and all it will take is a 2 3/4. It only has the 18 1/2 barrel on it and thought about another barrel for a bird gun but due its limitations use it only as a truck gun. It is a well used and slightly abused gun so am fairly sure its not a case of the action being stiff. You all have a goodun.......Bill

[robert4570]

I bought a new 500 in 1981 and it had  a 3" chamber back then.
So I'd guess if a 2-3/4 was made then had to have been in the 1970's and earlier.

[ruffhunter]

I came across an old 500 or 600 with plain barrel and it was only a 12 ga 2 3/4 a year ago.

[cybin]

The first 500 12ga. I ever saw back around 1967 or so was 2 3/4 inch only. My father bought it for the princely sum of $45.00 from a guy he worked with.

cybin

[MGMorden]

I'm guessing that they did.  It's not all that uncommon for 2 3/4" only shotguns to be able to chamber and fire 3" rounds - afterall as you note an unfired 3" shell is about the size of a fired 2 3/4" shell. It's just the ejection part where they get hung up.  My dad's old Rem 870 is 2.75" only but does the same thing - 3" fires fine but snags on the eject.