MOssberg 500, 18" bbl and rifle sights?

bamaranger · October 19, 2019, 01:38 AM

I saw an older Mossberg 500 in a shop the other day with an 18 or 18.5" bbl and RIFLE sights, much like what Mossberg put on the "Slugster" back in the day. But I never saw a Slugster with athat short a tube, though all of them were 24" guns.

The rear was a folding leaf dovetailed into the barrel, the front blade on a raised ramp, all very neat and tidy. I did not find any choke markings on the barrel to indicate it had been cut and the sights installed later. The appearance was that it was a factory job, but of course, I sure could be wrong.

Anybody seen a vintage, wood stocked Mossberg 500 with 18" RS barrel before???

treg · October 20, 2019, 07:15 PM

I have an OEM 18" RS slug barrel that screws right on to my WS circa 1982 M500.

Auto5 · October 21, 2019, 09:05 PM

I have one on my 500 when it's in home defense mode. I picked it up a few years back on sale from one of the big parts houses. It has a matte finish. It's a smooth slug barrel with rifle sights. Mine came with the dovetail cut, but I added the folding leaf.

bamaranger · October 22, 2019, 03:11 AM

OK, so Mossberg DID make factory RS equipped short, 18" or so bbl. I'd never seen one before. I need to swing back by that shop and make the guy an offer.

bamaranger · October 23, 2019, 12:39 AM

What is WS??????

Doyle · October 23, 2019, 08:09 AM

Ranger, I think that is the kind of barrel I mentioned in an earlier thread as being the basis of a good turkey barrel. It would need to be smooth bore and not rifled. It would also need to have enough meat in the barrel wall thickness at the muzzle to be tapped for a choke tube.

treg · October 27, 2019, 07:20 PM

WS =Wood Stock

bamaranger · October 28, 2019, 11:47 AM

OK, wood stock...check.

Doyle, my main turkey shotgun is indeed a short barreled, rifle sighted pump. Quite a few years ago, (at least 20) I put a 20" rifle sighted, smooth bored slug barrel on my Rem 870, and then screwed in a Rem turkey choke. It has been a fine performer over many years. The gun is lighter, and shorter, handy in a blind and easy in the hand when holding for a bord. The only problem these days is my plus 60 yr old eyes will not run the bead and notch sights so well, so I have experimented with other sight options.

My interest in the rifle sighted Mossberg is two fold. One; I'd never seen a factory 18" tube with RS from that company, but it appears one indeed was manufactured in years past. Two; the Mossberg (?) sights on that gun had a very broad and open sight blade/post pattern that I could manage a bit better than a bead and notch. I'd use it as SD/truck/trunk/boat gun with buckshot.

I'll add for conversations sake, that Remington made a rifle sighted 18" barrel in their LE line that may or may not be available to the commercial market. The 'Trace had several.

T. O'Heir · October 28, 2019, 12:47 PM

"...an 18 or 18.5" bbl and RIFLE sights..." A Parkerized, 18.5", Heavy-Walled, Security barrel with three-dot sights runs $275.00. That's just the barrel. Might be one of 'em.
They made a 20", 8 round, riot gun that would take an M-15 bayonet, long ago, too.

AK103K · October 28, 2019, 06:33 PM

I have one I bought back in the late 70's. I think the barrel is 20" though. It holds 8.

Its a Mod. 500 ATP. Gun is parked with an oiled wood stock and forearm. Rifle sights as described. Ive actually had to replace the folding rear leaf a couple of times over the years as they are fairly fragile and break pretty easy. The barrel is a smooth bore with OC choke.

I paid around $150 for it new back then and its bounced around in most all of my work and play trucks over the years and hunted with a good bit. Generally used, abused, and mistreated, and always seemed to shrug it off. Right now, its sorta retired and been sitting in a closet next to me for a little over a decade. Still there and always ready.

bamaranger · October 29, 2019, 01:30 AM

The Mossberg I saw was an 18" or 18.5 barrel for certain, 5+1, with wood stock and forearm. It may have been hardware store marked and could very well have been from the 70's.

AK103K · October 29, 2019, 07:54 AM

This is mine (on top). I just measured the barrel, and its 20.5".

This is what it looked like before I painted it.

bamaranger · October 29, 2019, 11:36 PM

I see the empty dovetail slot. Front sight looks the same. Supposed to rain for the next two days, I hope to swing by that shop and make them an offer.

For some reason I have been all about stubby shotguns lately.

AK103K · October 30, 2019, 08:23 AM

Yea, the rear sight was gone in that pic. Its since been replaced. They are actually pretty flimsy and they could have done better there.

Ive owned a number of Mossbergs over the years, and their shotguns seem to be their niche. Good, solid workhorses and usually at reasonable prices.

Not a fan of their current rifles so much, but their older .22 target rifles were good shooters. Had a few of them as well over the years.

If what youre looking at doesn't pan out, I recently picked up a Lynx-12 AK shotgun. Its a keeper, and quickly becoming my favorite of the shotguns I have of the type. Mag fed, fast and easy shooting, whats not to like?

bamaranger · November 5, 2019, 01:58 AM

I swung by the shop, the shotgun had been moved from a rack deep in the shop to a rack up front to enhance the chance of a sale I reckon. Some banter with the owner, he offered $168 out the door. Add a 25 ct box of 12 pellet /00 buck, $180 bucks. I believe I did OK.

Checked zero of the rifle sights with slugs.... centered on a paper plate at 50 yds no adjustments necessary. Off bags from a rest, with full power slugs the gun is a kicker ,no recoil pad. I likely will not add one either as I like the trim looks, and the LOP seems about right for me. There is no provision for a rear sling shackle, there is a threaded hole up on the ring of the mag tube for a shackle up front, but none present. The forearm and wrist of the butt stock have a diamond pattern pressed checkering, the wood is a darkly stained birch (I think). The safety button is metal, with a bit of a swell forward to catch the thumb and a nice touch, ahead of the plastic number on today's Mossbergs.
I like the little gun very much.

hdbiker · November 5, 2019, 10:29 AM

I bought a Mossberg 500 in woodland camo, 24 inch ported, vent rib,multiple choke barrel for turkey, small game hunting years ago. I put fiber optic sights on the rib. With the modified choke it shoot slugs very good too. hdbiker

bamaranger · November 16, 2019, 01:59 AM

I took the recently acquired Mossberg w/ its stubby barrel and shot some more slugs, and it was not as "on" as I first stated. In fact, it shot about 6" high and right from point of aim at 50 yds. Not sure why I thought it was zeroed, and glad I didn't shoot at anything that needed shot, as I very likely would not have hit where I aimed.

There was no down adjustment left in the rear sight, the tiny screw and slot adjusted leaf in the rear sight assembly was as low as it would go. I removed the complete leaf, leaving only the wings of of the sight, and simply held with the front blade centered on the sight base. Much to my delight, that shot landed with correct elevation at 50. But I still had a windage problem.

Out comes the brass hammer and punch. I don't suppose that sight has moved in its dovetail in 40 years or more. Some penetrating oil, and some serious punch action, and it finally nudged over, thankfully w/o marring the barrel. Shoot again, and of course, it's a wee bit TOO FAR left now. I tapped it back some, but did not shoot again. Why you might ask??????

'Cause at that point, I'd had enough. I'd shot 8 rds, good squeezes. I had two decent 3 shot groups, and two rounds I'd shot off hand to dispense with some old ammo. And my shoulder was killing me. Big 'ol hairy chested me, experienced shooter and big guy, is not gonna shoot that stubby, light, alloy framed pump with full house slugs until it gets a proper recoil pad!!!
absolutely vicious, and it stung me more than anything else I've ever shot!!! I've shot a lot of slugs over the years in short Remington pumps for LE quals, nothing ever rocked me like this Mossberg.

The gun has a simple butt plate, and closer inspection yields that plate is not factory OEM, somebody doubtless has removed the pad and screwed on the plate, which is a close match. I prefer the tad shorter length of pull the plate offers, what is likely going to happen is the stock will get docked a bit and a good Kick-eeze pad installed, thus keeping the length of pull the same.

I've considered shooting reduced recoil slugs, but how do you explain that to my real man buddies?

AK103K · November 16, 2019, 07:59 AM

The first thing I do with any of the newer guns is take those stupid recoil pads off and put a plate on it. It seems to be all the post 80's guns have to have a pad, rifle or shotgun.

Now that "manperiod" commercial theyve been playing recently is starting to make a lot of sense! Must be a generational thing.

If they insist on putting them on, then at least cut the stocks to the proper LOP, just dont add another inch! Jeez.

I always take more of a beating from the guns with the pads, because they dont shoulder right.

bamaranger · November 17, 2019, 01:04 AM

I agree that often times factory pads are not the way to go. I've removed the squishy space pad on both my Savage Hog rifles because they created far to much LOP. The .308 was snagging in my hunting coats, and in the .223, it just wasn't necessary. Replacing those pads with plates took the LOP to 13.5" which is what I prefer on most of my long guns.

I've never been professionally fitted for a shotgun, but the old Rem 870 that I've shot for 40 years had a factory LOP of 13.5" w/ the pad and seems right, and I am very accustomed to that length. Interestingly, the wood stocked Mossberg 500 in question, has a LOP of 14" w/ a simple plate. Two other other synthetic stocked Mossberg 500's in the armory with pads measure 14.5". Factory LOP for the Mossbergs is a full inch longer than my "standard".

We can fix that. I'll have my stock guy dock the wood stocked demon and add a pad, to bring the overall LOP to 13.5". The Kick-eeze pads have done very well for me on other guns, including a Moss 835 with 3" turkey loads and the old 870 with the same. Shortening the stock a tad, and a proper pad, should tame this slug gun in question.

RMcL · November 17, 2019, 03:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bamaranger

Quite a few years ago, (at least 20) I put a 20" rifle sighted, smooth bored slug barrel on my Rem 870, and then screwed in a Rem turkey choke. It has been a fine performer over many years. The gun is lighter, and shorter, handy in a blind and easy in the hand when holding for a bord. The only problem these days is my plus 60 yr old eyes will not run the bead and notch sights so well, so I have experimented with other sight options.

I have experienced the same problem with Remington slug sights and this was the open sight replacement solution that worked for me:

TFX Pro- Remington sight. Patridge sight picture and low light illumination. Easy replacement for factory open sights.

The rear sight is sufficiently wide for a quick sight picture with a postiive index of elevation.

https://www.truglo.com/firearms-tact...gun-sights.asp

bamaranger · November 18, 2019, 02:57 AM

That sight combo looks interesting, thanks. Personal Message headed your way.

bamaranger · November 25, 2019, 11:37 PM

Take your reading glasses to the gunshop!

After creating this post, and spending some more time with the rifle sighted short Mossberg, I take the time to look it over closely wearing my reading glasses.

There on the barrel, for all the world to see (except me w/o readers) is
" 12 GA, 18-1/2 IN. SLUGSTER"

Silly boy! In my defense, I have never seen a real one, nor a pic of an 18-1/2 in. Slugster.

October 19, 2019, 01:38 AM	#1
bamaranger Senior Member Join Date: October 9, 2009 Location: North Alabama Posts: 8,300	MOssberg 500, 18" bbl and rifle sights? I saw an older Mossberg 500 in a shop the other day with an 18 or 18.5" bbl and RIFLE sights, much like what Mossberg put on the "Slugster" back in the day. But I never saw a Slugster with athat short a tube, though all of them were 24" guns. The rear was a folding leaf dovetailed into the barrel, the front blade on a raised ramp, all very neat and tidy. I did not find any choke markings on the barrel to indicate it had been cut and the sights installed later. The appearance was that it was a factory job, but of course, I sure could be wrong. Anybody seen a vintage, wood stocked Mossberg 500 with 18" RS barrel before???

October 20, 2019, 07:15 PM	#2
treg Senior Member Join Date: November 26, 2006 Posts: 1,102	I have an OEM 18" RS slug barrel that screws right on to my WS circa 1982 M500. __________________ .44 Special: For those who get it, no explanation is necessary. For those who don't, no explanation is possible.

October 21, 2019, 09:05 PM	#3
Auto5 Senior Member Join Date: March 18, 2013 Location: Chicago suburbs Posts: 662	I have one on my 500 when it's in home defense mode. I picked it up a few years back on sale from one of the big parts houses. It has a matte finish. It's a smooth slug barrel with rifle sights. Mine came with the dovetail cut, but I added the folding leaf. __________________ At the young age of five, a bear told me that I was the only person who could prevent forest fires. Why I was chosen, I'll never know.

October 22, 2019, 03:11 AM	#4
bamaranger Senior Member Join Date: October 9, 2009 Location: North Alabama Posts: 8,300	so..... OK, so Mossberg DID make factory RS equipped short, 18" or so bbl. I'd never seen one before. I need to swing back by that shop and make the guy an offer.

October 23, 2019, 12:39 AM	#5
bamaranger Senior Member Join Date: October 9, 2009 Location: North Alabama Posts: 8,300	WS?????? What is WS??????

October 23, 2019, 08:09 AM	#6
Doyle Senior Member Join Date: June 20, 2007 Location: Rainbow City, Alabama Posts: 7,167	Ranger, I think that is the kind of barrel I mentioned in an earlier thread as being the basis of a good turkey barrel. It would need to be smooth bore and not rifled. It would also need to have enough meat in the barrel wall thickness at the muzzle to be tapped for a choke tube.

October 27, 2019, 07:20 PM	#7
treg Senior Member Join Date: November 26, 2006 Posts: 1,102	WS =Wood Stock __________________ .44 Special: For those who get it, no explanation is necessary. For those who don't, no explanation is possible.

October 28, 2019, 11:47 AM	#8
bamaranger Senior Member Join Date: October 9, 2009 Location: North Alabama Posts: 8,300	got it OK, wood stock...check. Doyle, my main turkey shotgun is indeed a short barreled, rifle sighted pump. Quite a few years ago, (at least 20) I put a 20" rifle sighted, smooth bored slug barrel on my Rem 870, and then screwed in a Rem turkey choke. It has been a fine performer over many years. The gun is lighter, and shorter, handy in a blind and easy in the hand when holding for a bord. The only problem these days is my plus 60 yr old eyes will not run the bead and notch sights so well, so I have experimented with other sight options. My interest in the rifle sighted Mossberg is two fold. One; I'd never seen a factory 18" tube with RS from that company, but it appears one indeed was manufactured in years past. Two; the Mossberg (?) sights on that gun had a very broad and open sight blade/post pattern that I could manage a bit better than a bead and notch. I'd use it as SD/truck/trunk/boat gun with buckshot. I'll add for conversations sake, that Remington made a rifle sighted 18" barrel in their LE line that may or may not be available to the commercial market. The 'Trace had several.

October 28, 2019, 12:47 PM	#9
T. O'Heir Senior Member Join Date: February 13, 2002 Location: Canada Posts: 12,453	"...an 18 or 18.5" bbl and RIFLE sights..." A Parkerized, 18.5", Heavy-Walled, Security barrel with three-dot sights runs $275.00. That's just the barrel. Might be one of 'em. They made a 20", 8 round, riot gun that would take an M-15 bayonet, long ago, too. __________________ Spelling and grammar count!

October 28, 2019, 06:33 PM	#10
AK103K Senior Member Join Date: May 1, 2001 Posts: 10,223	I have one I bought back in the late 70's. I think the barrel is 20" though. It holds 8. Its a Mod. 500 ATP. Gun is parked with an oiled wood stock and forearm. Rifle sights as described. Ive actually had to replace the folding rear leaf a couple of times over the years as they are fairly fragile and break pretty easy. The barrel is a smooth bore with OC choke. I paid around $150 for it new back then and its bounced around in most all of my work and play trucks over the years and hunted with a good bit. Generally used, abused, and mistreated, and always seemed to shrug it off. Right now, its sorta retired and been sitting in a closet next to me for a little over a decade. Still there and always ready.

October 29, 2019, 01:30 AM	#11
bamaranger Senior Member Join Date: October 9, 2009 Location: North Alabama Posts: 8,300	more The Mossberg I saw was an 18" or 18.5 barrel for certain, 5+1, with wood stock and forearm. It may have been hardware store marked and could very well have been from the 70's.

October 29, 2019, 07:54 AM	#12
AK103K Senior Member Join Date: May 1, 2001 Posts: 10,223	This is mine (on top). I just measured the barrel, and its 20.5". This is what it looked like before I painted it.

October 29, 2019, 11:36 PM	#13
bamaranger Senior Member Join Date: October 9, 2009 Location: North Alabama Posts: 8,300	slot I see the empty dovetail slot. Front sight looks the same. Supposed to rain for the next two days, I hope to swing by that shop and make them an offer. For some reason I have been all about stubby shotguns lately.

October 30, 2019, 08:23 AM	#14
AK103K Senior Member Join Date: May 1, 2001 Posts: 10,223	Yea, the rear sight was gone in that pic. Its since been replaced. They are actually pretty flimsy and they could have done better there. Ive owned a number of Mossbergs over the years, and their shotguns seem to be their niche. Good, solid workhorses and usually at reasonable prices. Not a fan of their current rifles so much, but their older .22 target rifles were good shooters. Had a few of them as well over the years. If what youre looking at doesn't pan out, I recently picked up a Lynx-12 AK shotgun. Its a keeper, and quickly becoming my favorite of the shotguns I have of the type. Mag fed, fast and easy shooting, whats not to like?

November 5, 2019, 01:58 AM	#15
bamaranger Senior Member Join Date: October 9, 2009 Location: North Alabama Posts: 8,300	got it I swung by the shop, the shotgun had been moved from a rack deep in the shop to a rack up front to enhance the chance of a sale I reckon. Some banter with the owner, he offered $168 out the door. Add a 25 ct box of 12 pellet /00 buck, $180 bucks. I believe I did OK. Checked zero of the rifle sights with slugs.... centered on a paper plate at 50 yds no adjustments necessary. Off bags from a rest, with full power slugs the gun is a kicker ,no recoil pad. I likely will not add one either as I like the trim looks, and the LOP seems about right for me. There is no provision for a rear sling shackle, there is a threaded hole up on the ring of the mag tube for a shackle up front, but none present. The forearm and wrist of the butt stock have a diamond pattern pressed checkering, the wood is a darkly stained birch (I think). The safety button is metal, with a bit of a swell forward to catch the thumb and a nice touch, ahead of the plastic number on today's Mossbergs. I like the little gun very much.

November 5, 2019, 10:29 AM	#16
hdbiker Senior Member Join Date: December 19, 2012 Posts: 297	I bought a Mossberg 500 in woodland camo, 24 inch ported, vent rib,multiple choke barrel for turkey, small game hunting years ago. I put fiber optic sights on the rib. With the modified choke it shoot slugs very good too. hdbiker

November 16, 2019, 01:59 AM	#17
bamaranger Senior Member Join Date: October 9, 2009 Location: North Alabama Posts: 8,300	sights and it's a KICKER I took the recently acquired Mossberg w/ its stubby barrel and shot some more slugs, and it was not as "on" as I first stated. In fact, it shot about 6" high and right from point of aim at 50 yds. Not sure why I thought it was zeroed, and glad I didn't shoot at anything that needed shot, as I very likely would not have hit where I aimed. There was no down adjustment left in the rear sight, the tiny screw and slot adjusted leaf in the rear sight assembly was as low as it would go. I removed the complete leaf, leaving only the wings of of the sight, and simply held with the front blade centered on the sight base. Much to my delight, that shot landed with correct elevation at 50. But I still had a windage problem. Out comes the brass hammer and punch. I don't suppose that sight has moved in its dovetail in 40 years or more. Some penetrating oil, and some serious punch action, and it finally nudged over, thankfully w/o marring the barrel. Shoot again, and of course, it's a wee bit TOO FAR left now. I tapped it back some, but did not shoot again. Why you might ask?????? 'Cause at that point, I'd had enough. I'd shot 8 rds, good squeezes. I had two decent 3 shot groups, and two rounds I'd shot off hand to dispense with some old ammo. And my shoulder was killing me. Big 'ol hairy chested me, experienced shooter and big guy, is not gonna shoot that stubby, light, alloy framed pump with full house slugs until it gets a proper recoil pad!!! absolutely vicious, and it stung me more than anything else I've ever shot!!! I've shot a lot of slugs over the years in short Remington pumps for LE quals, nothing ever rocked me like this Mossberg. The gun has a simple butt plate, and closer inspection yields that plate is not factory OEM, somebody doubtless has removed the pad and screwed on the plate, which is a close match. I prefer the tad shorter length of pull the plate offers, what is likely going to happen is the stock will get docked a bit and a good Kick-eeze pad installed, thus keeping the length of pull the same. I've considered shooting reduced recoil slugs, but how do you explain that to my real man buddies?

November 16, 2019, 07:59 AM	#18
AK103K Senior Member Join Date: May 1, 2001 Posts: 10,223	The first thing I do with any of the newer guns is take those stupid recoil pads off and put a plate on it. It seems to be all the post 80's guns have to have a pad, rifle or shotgun. Now that "manperiod" commercial theyve been playing recently is starting to make a lot of sense! Must be a generational thing. If they insist on putting them on, then at least cut the stocks to the proper LOP, just dont add another inch! Jeez. I always take more of a beating from the guns with the pads, because they dont shoulder right.

November 17, 2019, 01:04 AM	#19
bamaranger Senior Member Join Date: October 9, 2009 Location: North Alabama Posts: 8,300	length of pull I agree that often times factory pads are not the way to go. I've removed the squishy space pad on both my Savage Hog rifles because they created far to much LOP. The .308 was snagging in my hunting coats, and in the .223, it just wasn't necessary. Replacing those pads with plates took the LOP to 13.5" which is what I prefer on most of my long guns. I've never been professionally fitted for a shotgun, but the old Rem 870 that I've shot for 40 years had a factory LOP of 13.5" w/ the pad and seems right, and I am very accustomed to that length. Interestingly, the wood stocked Mossberg 500 in question, has a LOP of 14" w/ a simple plate. Two other other synthetic stocked Mossberg 500's in the armory with pads measure 14.5". Factory LOP for the Mossbergs is a full inch longer than my "standard". We can fix that. I'll have my stock guy dock the wood stocked demon and add a pad, to bring the overall LOP to 13.5". The Kick-eeze pads have done very well for me on other guns, including a Moss 835 with 3" turkey loads and the old 870 with the same. Shortening the stock a tad, and a proper pad, should tame this slug gun in question.

November 18, 2019, 02:57 AM	#21
bamaranger Senior Member Join Date: October 9, 2009 Location: North Alabama Posts: 8,300	interesting That sight combo looks interesting, thanks. Personal Message headed your way.

November 25, 2019, 11:37 PM	#22
bamaranger Senior Member Join Date: October 9, 2009 Location: North Alabama Posts: 8,300	silly boy Take your reading glasses to the gunshop! After creating this post, and spending some more time with the rifle sighted short Mossberg, I take the time to look it over closely wearing my reading glasses. There on the barrel, for all the world to see (except me w/o readers) is " 12 GA, 18-1/2 IN. SLUGSTER" Silly boy! In my defense, I have never seen a real one, nor a pic of an 18-1/2 in. Slugster.

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