Help Customizing my 500

[THE BIG SITT]

So I'm looking to customize my Mossberg 500 with a few accessories. The gun will be used 99% for HD, the other 1% coming from be going to the range to practice for HD. This is how she sits now:

Heres what I'm considering:

1. Adding a flashlight to the magazine tube somehow. It seems to me like theres hardly any space for this on the 18.5" barrel.

2. Updating the sights somehow. I have no need or desire for a red dot sight. However, I wouldn't mind replacing the stock bead.

3. POSSIBLY doing one of the reduced recoil stocks. This would have to be a Christmas present, but I would still like it.

4. Anything else you guys might think is worthwhile!

 

[davedolli]

Mine looks about like yours, I have a Knoxx recoil reducing stock, 6 round receiver mounted shell carrier, 18" barrel. It shoots great.

Dave

 

[finnegan]

Add #4 Shot to tube.
Done.


That being said, I use an Centerpoint (gasp!) flashlight/ dot combo setup on mine. It fits on the tube for the 18.5 just fine. No need for the recoil stock in my opinion. The Mossberg 500 is on helluva shotgun in its own right. You should be fine.
CenterPoint Flashlight / Laser Combo

 

[Kirk Freeman]

1. Sights. Maybe ghostrings, but the big bead from XS is cool.

2. Sling. Got to have a sling on a long gun.

3. I don't know about that loop thingy on the foreend, but if you like it, OK.

4. I don't like that stock, but that's me. Have seen those stocks cut guys up in class.

5. You need a light. Lots of good options now.


Have you had a class yet? Gun does not matter, the person behind the gun does.

 

[THE BIG SITT]

Mine looks about like yours, I have a Knoxx recoil reducing stock, 6 round receiver mounted shell carrier, 18" barrel. It shoots great.

Dave

How do you like the stock? Any noticeable difference versus the stock… stock?

Add #4 Shot to tube.
Done.


That being said, I use an Centerpoint (gasp!) flashlight/ dot combo setup on mine. It fits on the tube for the 18.5 just fine. No need for the recoil stock in my opinion. The Mossberg 500 is on helluva shotgun in its own right. You should be fine.
CenterPoint Flashlight / Laser Combo

NEWB QUESTION ALERT! What is a #4 shot tube? As for the stock, its mostly so I can get my fiance to shoot more than 5 rounds through it while at the range. She can deal with it, but she'd rather it didn't kick as much. Lastly, the Centerpoint looks awesome. Easy to install? Any reason I shouldn't buy it right now?

1. Sights. Maybe ghostrings, but the big bead from XS is cool.

2. Sling. Got to have a sling on a long gun.

3. I don't know about that loop thingy on the foreend, but if you like it, OK.

4. I don't like that stock, but that's me. Have seen those stocks cut guys up in class.

5. You need a light. Lots of good options now.


Have you had a class yet? Gun does not matter, the person behind the gun does.

1. What do you mean by "the big bead"? Any brand of the ghost rings you'd recommend?

2. I don't think I have anywhere to attach one…

3. Came with it, I'm still up in the air.

4. See above

5. What do you have/recommend?

As for a class, I'd love to do one with me and my fiance sometime soon. Know of any around the central Indy area?



Thanks for your help guys!

 

[Mr.Lubie]

I have a Elzetta light mount on my 870 tactical holding a streamlight polytac light and love it

 

[davedolli]

The Blackhawk Knoxx SpecOps stock I have works great to reduce the recoil. I have read where some people experience cheek slap, but I have not. I once shot around 40 deer slugs threw my shotgun when testing it, and was amazed how it cut down on the recoil. I have a BlackHawk Knoxx Comp Stock on another Mossberg 500 with the same results. On either stock you have to get use to your right hand moving back toward your face as the stock moves with the recoil.

Dave

 

[CPT Nervous]

#4 shot is the size of the shot in the shells. #00 is too much for HD, #7 is not enough.

You should have sling attachment points. You need to get sling swivels.

I would suggest mounting the light to the forend, but that's my preference.

 

[THE BIG SITT]

Do the forend lights replace the entire forend? And to add to by OP, I'm doing this on a budget

 

[Excalibur]

Get a different front sight, maybe ghost rings. A rail pump to add grip or lights

 

[TwinSix]

HD Set-Up

Don't do it all at once... be patient and become familiar with the weapon.

I added to my set up as I could afford them... I did them in this order (from a Stock Remmy 870)

1) 18.5" Barrell
2) Surefire Fore End (found on sale in a NWOB sale and got a great deal)
3) Sling
4) Stock and shell carrier
5) Next is Ghost Ring sights
6) Then mag tube follower/spring upgrade
7) Lastly an extended mag tube

then hope I never have to use my now $1000+ Rem 870.

 

[tradertator]

Don't do it all at once... be patient and become familiar with the weapon.

I added to my set up as I could afford them... I did them in this order (from a Stock Remmy 870)

1) 18.5" Barrell
2) Surefire Fore End (found on sale in a NWOB sale and got a great deal)
3) Sling
4) Stock and shell carrier
5) Next is Ghost Ring sights
6) Then mag tube follower/spring upgrade
7) Lastly an extended mag tube

then hope I never have to use my now $1000+ Rem 870.

Exactly. If you can't afford to put quality parts on it, save your money. Cheap lights are going to fail with the abusive recoil of a shotgun. Ammo carriers are nice, due to the low capacity of the magazine. A laser is pointless. Optics can be helpful, but once again, don't go cheap. A 12 gauge will destroy them.

 

[tradertator]

Do the forend lights replace the entire forend? And to add to by OP, I'm doing this on a budget

Yes. There should be a spanner nut holding the forearm on, and is easy to remove.

 

[THE BIG SITT]

Exactly. If you can't afford to put quality parts on it, save your money. Cheap lights are going to fail with the abusive recoil of a shotgun. Ammo carriers are nice, due to the low capacity of the magazine. A laser is pointless. Optics can be helpful, but once again, don't go cheap. A 12 gauge will destroy them.

That sounds like very sound advice. So that forces me to prioritize my desires and go from there. I think the first thing I would like to change would be the sights. Obviously, I don't need a scope for a HD weapon. Also, I don't see the need for a red dot (unless you guys can convince me otherwise), because it seems like overkill. So I'd like some kind of fixed (correct term?) sights. I'd also like to be able to see them in the dark.

What are your suggestions?

 

[THE BIG SITT]

After having said that, I did a little research and found Fleabay sells reflex sights for roughly the same price as a te ghost rings. Are they normally under $100? Or is that eBay selling cheap products for a low price?

 

[tradertator]

Don't buy a cheap reflex sight. It's not going to hold zero, especially under 12 gauge recoil. Your best bet is to find a quality one used. Also, beware of Ebay. Lots of knock off crap on there branded as something else. Your also going to want something that mounts low, due to nature of the weapons line of sight.

I like night sights on a shotgun. The easiest to instal is going to be a tritium bead sight since your firearms is already threaded for it.
http://www.brownells.com/.aspx/pid=40133/Product/MOSSBERG-SHOTGUN-TRU-DOT-reg-NIGHT-SIGHT
Otherwise your looking at soldering on a ghost ring front site, and drill / tapping for the rear on the receiver.