Muzzleloading Barrels

June 30, 2001, 03:50 AM

I was at the Mossberg website today. I have thought for a while now about how a shotgun is a "do all" firearm. Tonight I came accross something that put the icing on the cake. Mossberg is offering 24" 50 caliber rifled muzzleloading barrels that fit their 12ga, 6 shot, 500 series shotguns. Now, I am not up on every accessory out there. Most of my focus has actually been in handguns. I know that Thompson/Center Arms offers this for their Encore rifle, but this is the first I have heard of it for a shotgun.

Here come the questions.

How long have they been doing this? Is it something new or was I just not being attentive enough? Do any other shotgun manufacturers offer this? Has anyone used such a thing? What are your opinions on this? Do I need to get out more?

As some of you know from a previous thread of mine, my fiance is planning on getting a Mossberg 500, mostly for home defense. Part of why this excites me so much is knowing that that frame can expand and do so much more than I thought it would. She can have an 18½" defense barrel. She can have a 28" hunting barrel. And now, she can have a 26" muzzleloading barrel as well. She isn't really into hunting yet (standard or black powder) but the way I see it, once she gets used to her shotgun, it will be easier to expand what she does if she can use the same gun in which she is familiar with all of the functions and controls.

http://www.mossberg.com/pcatalog/muzzleload.htm

For those that may be interested, Mossberg lists the price at $142 with rifle sights or $173 with fiber optic sights. I have found that just about every store sells just about every firearm well below MSRP.

Oh, thanks for listening to another long post about my love, yet lack of experience, with shotguns.

I really appreciate how knowledgable you guys/gals are about these fine firearms.

Hal · June 30, 2001, 05:23 AM

PF,
I had an old H&R muzzle loader. It was basicly a top break single shot shotgun H&R put a .58 cal rifled barrel on and used a solid breech plug to hold the percussion cap. It was so-so in just about every respect. Kicked real hard, was only fair in accuracy and looked like,,,well,,it looked like exactly what it was,, a shot gun with a trick barrel. The Mossy sounds a lot like the same thing only different. If the price was right, and like here in Ohio, you can take a deer with a shotgun AND another one with a muzzleloader, it might be a good idea.
If I had a Mossy, and the price of the conversion wasn't that bad, I'd definatly get one just for the "I did it cause it was offered" thing. 'course I have more money to throw at unusual guns/accessories than most folks.YMMV.

Oops, just read the price part. $142.00 isn't too unreasonable, but it's a big chunk of what a Hawken would run. Definatly flip a coin time to decide on this one for me.

biganimal · June 30, 2001, 06:51 AM

mossy has been selling the muzzle loader barrel for some time now, and they work great! I bought my son one last year for his model 500 and it's as good as my T/C when it comes to accuracy and he loves it.

Dave McC · June 30, 2001, 07:07 AM

PF, I love the shotguns's versatility, but....

Grunge from modern ammo is maybe 10% as corrosive as that from black powder. While there's Pyrodex out there,and some other substitutes, none I've tried gives good groups with the projectiles I use. I can see a bit of BP ash doing a real number on a trigger group, and boiling it out means no rust protection at all.

Decent 50 cal trad style MLs are not that expensive.

RAE, I had one of those H&R MLs for a while. Load of choice was the first Butler Creek sabot. This was different from the present ones, being an egg cup type thing. The round ball went in either end, the other cup was filled with my lube of choice, and on top of 80 gr FFF it shot better than most. Cleaning was a breeze, and the round ball worked well on Md deer at reasonable ranges. But....

During a range session, the thing fired as I closed the action. It turns out that if the cap is not down tightly on the nipple, it could spark as it dragged across the standing breech.Sold it not long after.

rugerfreak · June 30, 2001, 08:10 AM

It seems like I've seen those barrels being sold for $99. Bass Pro Shop----maybe???

Just checked -------$119.99

BigG · June 30, 2001, 01:31 PM

If you do decide to go with a BP kit, make sure to email Mike Irwin. Mike has a great product called "Wonder Wash" to dissolve all that corrosive crud from your bbl. I think it's $5.95 for six ounces or $69.95 for a gallon, plus shipping. Check with Mike for current pricing. I use the product on all BP/corrosive guns and highly endorse it.

June 30, 2001, 03:50 AM	#1
PreserveFreedom Guest Posts: n/a	Muzzleloading Barrels I was at the Mossberg website today. I have thought for a while now about how a shotgun is a "do all" firearm. Tonight I came accross something that put the icing on the cake. Mossberg is offering 24" 50 caliber rifled muzzleloading barrels that fit their 12ga, 6 shot, 500 series shotguns. Now, I am not up on every accessory out there. Most of my focus has actually been in handguns. I know that Thompson/Center Arms offers this for their Encore rifle, but this is the first I have heard of it for a shotgun. Here come the questions. How long have they been doing this? Is it something new or was I just not being attentive enough? Do any other shotgun manufacturers offer this? Has anyone used such a thing? What are your opinions on this? Do I need to get out more? As some of you know from a previous thread of mine, my fiance is planning on getting a Mossberg 500, mostly for home defense. Part of why this excites me so much is knowing that that frame can expand and do so much more than I thought it would. She can have an 18½" defense barrel. She can have a 28" hunting barrel. And now, she can have a 26" muzzleloading barrel as well. She isn't really into hunting yet (standard or black powder) but the way I see it, once she gets used to her shotgun, it will be easier to expand what she does if she can use the same gun in which she is familiar with all of the functions and controls. http://www.mossberg.com/pcatalog/muzzleload.htm For those that may be interested, Mossberg lists the price at $142 with rifle sights or $173 with fiber optic sights. I have found that just about every store sells just about every firearm well below MSRP. Oh, thanks for listening to another long post about my love, yet lack of experience, with shotguns. I really appreciate how knowledgable you guys/gals are about these fine firearms.

June 30, 2001, 06:51 AM	#3
biganimal Senior Member Join Date: March 5, 2001 Location: south carolina Posts: 435	mossy has been selling the muzzle loader barrel for some time now, and they work great! I bought my son one last year for his model 500 and it's as good as my T/C when it comes to accuracy and he loves it. __________________ Other than That, Mrs Lincoln, How was the play?

June 30, 2001, 01:31 PM	#6
BigG Senior Member Join Date: May 19, 1999 Location: Atlanta, GA Posts: 4,334	If you do decide to go with a BP kit, make sure to email Mike Irwin. Mike has a great product called "Wonder Wash" to dissolve all that corrosive crud from your bbl. I think it's $5.95 for six ounces or $69.95 for a gallon, plus shipping. Check with Mike for current pricing. I use the product on all BP/corrosive guns and highly endorse it. __________________ o "The Earth is degenerating today. Bribery and corruption abound. Children no longer obey their parents, every man wants to write a book, and it is evident that the end of the world is fast approaching." Assyrian tablet, c. 2800 BC o "In the beginning of a change, the patriot is a scarce man brave, hated, and scorned. When his cause succeeds, however, the timid join him, for then it costs nothing to be a patriot." Mark Twain o "They have gun control in Cuba. They have universal health care in Cuba. So why do they want to come here?" Paul Harvey o TODAY WE CARVE OUT OUR OWN OMENS! Leonidas, Thermopylae, 480 BC

June 30, 2001, 05:23 AM	#2
Hal Senior Member Join Date: October 9, 1998 Location: Ohio USA Posts: 8,563	PF, I had an old H&R muzzle loader. It was basicly a top break single shot shotgun H&R put a .58 cal rifled barrel on and used a solid breech plug to hold the percussion cap. It was so-so in just about every respect. Kicked real hard, was only fair in accuracy and looked like,,,well,,it looked like exactly what it was,, a shot gun with a trick barrel. The Mossy sounds a lot like the same thing only different. If the price was right, and like here in Ohio, you can take a deer with a shotgun AND another one with a muzzleloader, it might be a good idea. If I had a Mossy, and the price of the conversion wasn't that bad, I'd definatly get one just for the "I did it cause it was offered" thing. 'course I have more money to throw at unusual guns/accessories than most folks.YMMV. Oops, just read the price part. $142.00 isn't too unreasonable, but it's a big chunk of what a Hawken would run. Definatly flip a coin time to decide on this one for me.

June 30, 2001, 07:07 AM	#4
Dave McC Staff In Memoriam Join Date: October 13, 1999 Location: Columbia, Md, USA Posts: 8,811	PF, I love the shotguns's versatility, but.... Grunge from modern ammo is maybe 10% as corrosive as that from black powder. While there's Pyrodex out there,and some other substitutes, none I've tried gives good groups with the projectiles I use. I can see a bit of BP ash doing a real number on a trigger group, and boiling it out means no rust protection at all. Decent 50 cal trad style MLs are not that expensive. RAE, I had one of those H&R MLs for a while. Load of choice was the first Butler Creek sabot. This was different from the present ones, being an egg cup type thing. The round ball went in either end, the other cup was filled with my lube of choice, and on top of 80 gr FFF it shot better than most. Cleaning was a breeze, and the round ball worked well on Md deer at reasonable ranges. But.... During a range session, the thing fired as I closed the action. It turns out that if the cap is not down tightly on the nipple, it could spark as it dragged across the standing breech.Sold it not long after.

June 30, 2001, 08:10 AM	#5
rugerfreak Senior Member Join Date: March 26, 2001 Posts: 819	It seems like I've seen those barrels being sold for $99. Bass Pro Shop----maybe??? Just checked -------$119.99