I like this shotgun, I haven't shot it yet but Im hoping it shoots as well as it looks. I only have one complaint and that is that there is no inner metal slide action. This is a new gun and according to mossberg on the new 500's they are no longer using the two peice slide (innerpart meal with action rods and outer plastic). Instead there is just one plastic piece that does the job of both. This means if you ever decide to change the forearm you will have to order the inner metal slide from mossberg for another $35.00 This one piece plastic one that comes with the gun feels flimsy in my opinion, which is why I decided to change it out for the better ribbed slide that is more commonly seen on tactical rifles. There is a big difference between the 1 piece slide and the two piece that use to come on these shotguns from the factory. Why they decided to change I don't know but I think its a bad move on mossbergs part. I bought the field combo so I guess this was there attempt to save some money with more plastic and less metal.

I have just picked up my Mossberg 3 days ago and have only put 50 rounds throught it, and with that said i can say it has hardly any kick at all. I thought the light weight design would really let you have it ( i bought the real tree camo which has the synthetic stock) but it was very easy to fire and get your next shot on target. I shot a single shot 12 ga a week before and it was night and day the recoil and ended up having a bruise for the single shot and after i shot my muzzle was in a place that it would be very hard to get another shot if it was a pump. But enough with recoil. I would suggest buying the real tree camo just for the fact that it will hold up a heck of alot longer than a blued finish. If you touch your blued gun with blood from an animal your are carrying or just shot the bluing will immediatly come off making your gun very open to the elements then thus rusting. Also i personally thought the furnature 500 would point the best and all because of the wood stock balancing it a bit more but i was wrong i hands down loved the synthetic and right when i shoulderd it the first time i knew it was for me. I was very happy with the price i walked out the door with the total at $340 including the extra 24" rifled deer barrel which also is in camo and looks awesome but i have not got to try it out i have switched the barrels back and forth once to test it out and it was as easy as unscrewing a bolt pulling the barrel off and putting the new one on and screwing in a bolt very easy. I also took out the modified choke and replaced it with the full choke cause i hunt at farly long range and it kept the pattern pretty good. I was just using cheap 7 1/2 shot so that probably effected it but i hit a 2 litre at 25 yards easily 100 hits even with my last shot a little high. But i would suggest buying a extra full turkey choke for any hunting outside of 30 yards cause i dont know how the full choke will hold its pattern past that. Other than that the only things i have had problems was getting that stupid wooden rod out to restrict the magazine capacity for state regulations, but i eventully got it out and it is alot nicer knowing i can hold those extra if need be. But that is all i have to say for now i am so happy i got this gun and i cannot wait to shoot it again, and i would definataly suggest this to a friend.

I have the mossberg 500 and a remington, both are great but if i could do it over it would be the 500. hands down shooting 600 rounds in a single day on just clays, no jams and 00 buck, birdshot, bb, slugs shot through it.....just kept going. remington does well too but i dont like the positions of the saftey and release. preference may be different but what comes out of your wallet is up to you.

i always thought of the mossberg shotgus to be entry level guns and for people who dont want to spend money on a quality gun although many people like them i favor the remington 870 20ga. because of fast pumping relieable and durable gun rather than the mosseberg which i found to have a really sticky pump and felt very lose. I use a browning citori o/u on everything thats not grouse or turkeys. my thoughts are if you want a good gun that will last you a long time spend an extra 150 dollars and by a 870 or the more expencive wingmaster.

I have been shooting a Mossberg Shotgun for over 30+ years. I was a police officer in the State of Michigan and a firearms instructor for both the State of Michigan and various local departments.

Many years ago I/We tested both the 870 and the 500 for police applications and found the 500 had a user friendly safety and slide release which made the 500 more suitable for Police work.

The 500 provided officers with a positive action, safety location and slide release that could be accessed even with winter gloves on.

The 870 on the other hand did not lend itself to the applications we needed, with the safety and slide release positioned in such a way as to make hard to use in a high stress situation.

In cold weather the 870 seemed to jam and the action slide bars twisted from side to side under heavy use!

While in the Marine Corps, our Mossberg shotguns were subjected to abuse, that most people would not ever think doing to a firearm. Our Mossbergs never failed, and as time allowed, our shotguns were treated as they should be, cleaned, oiled and inspected!

Remember! "The deadliest killing machine on the face of the earth is a Marine and his rifle" (Full Metal Jacket) Or in this case a Marine armed with a Mossberg 590!

Making a building entry, clearing a room, providing team security, or to oversee the detention of the "Bad Guys" our guns spoke volumes without saying a word (Sometimes).

The 870 is a fine field gun designed for the shooting sport, hence the name "Wingmaster" good for what it was intended!

Finally, "If your going to go to a gun fight, take a big gun" if you want something you can depend on for hunting everything from Quail, Dove, Deer, Bear or most anything a shotgun is your best choice!

When it comes down to "Getting the job done" I reach for my Mossberg 500!

P.S. The City of New York has armed it's officers with Mossberg Pump Action Shotguns after the T&E on a number of guns available, good choice!

Respectfully

R.L. Payton

Bought the 500 Grand Slam Turkey -- comes in full camo -- mine is Real Tree AP. Gun comes with tru-glow style sights and a black nylon sling. I got mine from Dicks Sporting Goods for about $280. Its supper light with an xx-ported turkey tube choke. 20" barrel, its fun to shoot but just a real nice turkey gun. Third day out this year and scored a nice bird with it. I have also shot and patterned this gun at a range and it fires a good, even pattern. I also shoot a Remington 1100 for wing and skeet. I am really impressed with the Mossberg 500. Its a log to gun for the money. Good choice for hunting.

just bought a mossberg 5oo. it has a slug barrel. i shot 8 shells through it, and hit the target all 8 shots from 40 yards. i liked the way it shot and also the light weight.

I have the money to buy the mossberg 500 12 gauge from walmart, is it a reliable deer hunting gun?

I bought a mossy 500 and a 870 express. I take good care of both guns oil and all. Ive shot over 1,000 rounds with both. To everybodies surprise who downs mossberg! let me tell you the 870 express has jammed on me since day one!! the pump always locks up on me!!! while the mossberg has never giving me a single problem! not in Florida everglades or in sand, rain or mud. Both of my duck hunting buddies have mossberg 500s and let me tell u! this guys dont take good care of there guns but they are out there shooting ducks left and right and those mossys keep on pumping them shell, like a gun with steroids!! In my opinion all you have to do is keep it clean and well oiled. but to my buddies opinion, all you have to do is keep pumping them shells and have a good time. the 870 is just a name thats all. mossberg is the right tool we all love and depend on, when we are out in the wild or in bad situations and our life or hunt depends on a good shotgun!!

I bought one of these in 20GA for my son to use for hunting pheasant, etc. Excellent gun. Light, yet sturdy, it is accurate, and it has never had a jam. For $200.00 (or less if you can catch a sale) it was a great purchase.

Great bird gun but I bought this for the slugs and bought a new scope and still can't sight it in at 50 yds.Any Ideas.Oh its brand new.

I love my mossberg 500, but recently, i have been having problems with it cycling, i just put a truglow turkey choke on, and after each shot, the action would lock closed, until you can truley ram the slide back, what worries me is that i was using a low brass squirrel load, especially when this guns primary purpose is to take turkey, which i would be using magnum rounds with high brass, pushing pressures inside the recieer even higher. has anyone else expirienced this problem, i just changed chokes back to stock, and hopefully this will change.

I have had my Mossberg 500 for about 8 years. I bought it when was in high school and really into hunting Canadian Geese, down on Long Island. The guys I hunted with all carried Browning A5's and Benelli Super Black Eagles. I could cycle just as fast and shoot just as accurately as those guys could. Now I use the gun for turkey hunting in upstate NY. I have also been known , in inclement weather, to take it out in the woods with a slug barrel for whitetails instead of by winchester 94 (30-30), Ruger No. 1 (30-06) or Savage 99 (.308). The only advise I would give to anyone looking to buy this gun for goose hunting is to keep it clean and when you clean it lube it with silicone spray, it creates a slick surface with out attracting dirt. I also found the gun really liked KENT "Faststeel."

A very solid, reliable shotty that is both smaller and faster than its primary competitor, the 870. This is excellent for self-defense, and as about as good for hunting. Easily 5 stars.

This can be a good shotgun for the beginner of home defense, is a strong shotgun but on the low end of Mossberg.

I paid about $200 at Walmart for a 20 ga. and have put over 3,000 rounds through it at the trap range and in the field without a hitch over the last two years. Mine has a plastic trigger and safety, which gave me some concern, but the lock up is steel to steel. Not a finely tuned mechanical marvel, but for a basic shotgun it is just fine. Make sure to keep it clean and take it apart and clean well every so often and it seems to work just fine. I do clean the barrel and chokes after each use, but have only disassembled the gun about 5 times so far. I have also shot about 500 rounds through the 870 wingmaster and the steel receiver and action are very well made and of fine quality. Probably a bit better than the Mossberg, but it did jam a couple of times, whereas the Mossberg has not jammed on me. But, the 870 was an older borrowed gun with a fixed full choke and so it may not be fair to compare. My advice, if you are deciding between the two, just pick the gun that feels best to you when you look down the barrel. The price difference between the 870 express and the 500 is not that much. Both guns are lower end serviceable pumps and should be viewed as such. May all your leads be true!

mossy is a great shotgun why hate on this gun 870 are old school and are great to so you guys with 870 dont hate ill put both to the test and let you guys know what i come up with ok so shut up big babys

i bought mine new and love it i think its the best gun u could have never any problems at all

Best shotgun I have ever bought. Never had a problem with it and I use it for everything from waterfowl to upland bird to small game. I highly recommend this shotgun for any serious shooter.

listen if you want an accurate, inexpensive, reliable, multipurpose shot gun, for a low price the choice is clear invest in a Mossberg 500 my father gave mine to me and it never EVER jammed in the whole 30 some years he used it and its never failed me either and we are frequent hunters deer, turkey, pheasant, grouse, duck, and goose i recently passeded it down to my 16 year old son and have yet to see the day it fails. P.S. keep it clean, keep it oiled well and it will always come through... always.

I have used Mossberg shotguns for 40+ years and only had two problems in all those years. I had a wood stock break on an old 835 I owned and just in the last two days which was my fault not the guns. I simply love these guns. i have killed sandhills, snow and Canadian gesse. ducks, quail, rabbits ..you name it with these guns. If your want a shotgun that will last a life time work like a jeweled clock and not break the bank a Mossberg 500 is the gun you need. Still the gun I use today and until I can no longer walk the game fields. Jess

I have had a 500 New Heaven for 32 years. It has the adjustable choke. I shot my first 25 straight skeet nearly 31 years ago. I just went duck hunting last week and got a nice double when my buddys Berretta jammed. The only thing that I have replaced is the safey slide. Now after 10,000 rounds it is so smooth to cycle it neary does it on it's own. Considering it cost me 135.00 new I think you can see my reason for 5 stars.

I have had my 500 for 19 years. This gun has been all over the world and in every environment you can think of. It has never jammed; even soppin wet and caked with mud it will cycle and shoot. A few years back while I was living in Alaska and returning from a bird hunt, it took a dive off my 4 wheeler at 40 MPH onto a gravel roan then off the side of a mountain. It took me some time to remove all the little rocks from places I did not even know were on that gun. My 500 looks like it has been through World War III and I need to keep it oiled good to keep from rusting now that there is only bluing here and there. I still use the thing every weekend to either hunt or shoot trapthe darn thing is still going. I would not trade it for 10 Benalli autos as I know for a true face that nothing else will out perform what I have put that Mossberg through. Bottom line is you will not find anything this rugged and reliable for way less money than any other gun out there.Wylde Bill

just bought a brand new 500 slugster in a 20g.
fully riffled with scope... i was looking for a light gun for the brush and this was it... very very happy... and a great price as well... you cant beat this gun for what its worth... 3 inch sabots at 50 to 75 yards is dead on for deer.... i see alot of not so happy people that have had these... i guess time with tell right... still this is a good gun and i look forward to buying another next year...

Great gun no issues. I use this gun for hunting in swamps and other places that are just plain rough on a gun. I have had no issues with gun and for the price it cannot be beat.

Seems like the only people who dislike this gun are 870 owners. The people who complain about them go overboard and dont really say why its a piece of _____. Everyone else loves them. The Mossberg seems like a better gun to me, I have been pondering the 870 vs 500 issue for a while. After reading hundreds of reviews, I will buy the 500. Price is about the same but the Moss has WAY fewer quality problems. I think if you buy a 870 you are paying largely for the name, not worth as much as the 500. Just my opinion(and about 300 other reviewers of the 2 guns).

I would take my Mossberg 500 against anyone with a 870 or a benelli and I will shoot just as good. I hunt with my buddy who has a 870 and his gun jams ALL thetime....all the while I'm pulling the birds out of the air. BEST shotgun for under 500.00 EVER! As far as being a "gangbanger" or poor.......well...I'm no "gangbanger", but I ain't rich either. I like getting quality for my money. If Mossberg are buy sub quality parts to make the 500.....then they can because the design of the gun is that they don't fail in the field. I've had mine for 14 years now....and NOT once has it jammed, locked up, missfired,...or basically...NEVER failed me. Rock on for the common man!!!

I have a 500 I use for turkey hunting and a 590 that I bought when I was in the Marines. Its one of the lightist pumps you can buy and you can't beat the price. I know that alot of people rating this gun haven't had much experience with it because any one that has ever owned one and had a problem will tell you that the most common problem with a 500 (that has thousands or rounds through it) is barrel warp and problems with the action bars. When I was in the military we use to shoot these guns to death and the only problems that we would ever have was when a 500 has been pumped really hard for a long period of time. This would cause sticks in the action bars and sometimes it wouldn't cycle another round. Besides if you don't take a trip to the range alot and your using it for hunting or home defense you'll probably never shoot a 500 enough to have any problem with it. Good gun if your thinking about getting one don't let bad reviews stop you.

I purchased mossberg 500 combo for deer and pheasant and i used it on the range to set scope and fired around 30 shots, the recoil is much better then 870, the feel is better, i would say its perfect for the price and the quality of the mossberg is better then Remington and benelli. I never had any problems with mossberg 500, I had Remington 870 super mag combo the problem is that Remington is not concentrating on quality of the product but they just want to sell their product without quality control and they have placed some defected products in the market as i had bad experience of ejection problem, pump getting stuck at times and the shell would be stuck in the chamber , thank god during the deer season my first shot was perfect heart shot coz when i tried to reload for followup shot the pump was jamed coz of the weather and the empty shell was stuck in the chamber.
I just hope Mossberg keeps up with the good quality and goog price.

I've owned a 500 for 6 months now, put over a thousand rounds through it skeet shooting. Very accurate and the price was unbeatable. To think people say 870s are much better quality and mossbergs are cheap is dumb. Never jammed once unlike my friends 870s in snow and variable weather conditions. Great buy all around!!!

I won this gun at my first DU banquet five years ago, and have used it every year since. It's light and easy to handle whether shooting skeet, doves, squirells, or ducks. Keep it cleaned and oiled and this gun won't let you down.

Reading the reviews, I think there must be some written by someone who has never looked at these guns. The pump shotgun today has only five designs, three began as Remingtons. The Ithaca and Browning are based on tbe old Remington bottom-eject models 10 and 17. The Mossberg is based on the Remington 31 (as was the old Marlin)it's a solid design that has great inherant safety.) The Remington 870 was a less-expensive post-war design that has stood the test of time, but has an ongoing problem of the poor design of the magazine shell stop that gums up, allowing a shell to sneak under the bolt upon recoil. The Winchester is a separate design, but has been seen for 40 years as being very sub-par. The Benelli looks promising, if a bit Buck Rogers. It works, but it sure doesn't excite me. The nicest pumps today are the BPS and Ithaca. On the used market nice ones can be found very cheaply. I recently bought a very nice BPS 20 gauge for my son for $210. As far as design goes, pumps are foolproof, if not as trendy as OU's and autos. They kick harder, but function perfectly most of the time. Mossbergs are always a good value for the money. They have a tendency to hold up, and if that's what you can afford, a good deal. If I didn't have time to shop for a deal on a BPS or Ithaca, or wanted a knock-around gun, of the other options, I'd go for a Mossberg, especially if I could find an old one with walnut. Dad said, "Stay away from cheap tools, cheap guns and cheap women; they'll all let you down when you need them the most." Mossberg isn't a cheap gun, it's a moderate gun. It will never be a classic; it won't gain in value, but if you need an honest gun at an affordable price, it will do a good job.

The Mossberg 500 was never marketed as anything but a no-nonsense, economical multiple purpose scattergun. It is reliable of cared for and very easy to shoot. Arguably not a family heirloom or competition gun, but a good value for the money. As to a home defense gun, I really don't think a burgler is going to care about how expensive the gun is when he/she hears you racking a shell into the chamber.

The gun is a great all around gun. Properly equipped as mine has a 28" vr bird barrel has proven to take out turkey in excess of 60 yrds. As well as deer with a 24" rifled barrel at nearly 200yds. The gun is also a great for upland birds as well as waterfowl

I bought mine at age 12 have 3 extra barrels for different uses still works great after thousands of shells of all kinds. If you want a gun that works buy one if you need status go elsewhere.

HAVE OWNED A MOSSBERG 500 SINCE CHRISTMAS 1987. VERY GOOD GUN. HAVE SHOT THOUSANDS OF ROUNDS AT THE TRAP RANGE. ALSO HAVE TAKEN LOTS OF GAME WITH MY 500 FROM DOVE TO DEER. THE LAST DEER TAKEN WAS AT 102YDS WITH 24" RIFLED/PORTED RIFLE SIGHT BARREL. ONLY HAD ONE PROBLEM EVER WITH THE GUN AFTER ABOUT THREE YEARS AND 500 TO 1000 ROUNDS THE VENT RIB CAME OFF, CALLED MOSSBERG & THEY SENT ME A NEW BARREL NO CHARGE WITHIN A WEEK AFTER SENDING MINE TO THEM. I AM CURRENTLY LOOKING FOR ANOTHER SHOTGUN IN AN OVER UNDER MODEL AND I AM LOOKING VERY HARD AT THE MOSSBERG SILVER RESERVE. I WILL HIGHLY RECOMMEND MOSSBERG ANY DAY !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Can be difficult to cycle the action after a shot IF you don't chamber the round forcefully. Kicks like a 12 gauge should. Very easy to shoot from the hip.

Its a very nice gun for its price. It is very accurate

Very reliable and cheap with good warantee. Comes with 3 choke tubes (mod,IC,full). A good beater gun. Would take it places my 1100 would never go. When I take a pump I still prefer my 870 Express (it looks better)but the 500 is a great Shotgun. If your going to buy your first shotgun get a 500 or an 870 can't go wrong with either.

I've had a Mossberg 500 for twelve years and have put thousands of rounds through it with just one problem when I finally wore out the bolt lock pin last year. I wan going to fix it myself but becided to send it to Mossberg instead to have them check the whole shotgun. They repaired the problem, checked and cleaned everything, and even though it was well out of warantee, charged me nothing for the work. Other than that one problem, after years and years of shooting 3 and 3 1/4 Dram 1 1/8 oz loads, the shotgun is great! No missfeeds, no jams, no failure to eject and it's quick, smooth, and reliable. I prefer the 500s action and reliability over the Remington 870 that I also have shot. I use it for skeet, trap, sporting clays and home security. Great gun and very affordable.

Mossbergs always are cheap, don't buy it, they use cheap materials, buy a 870 or if you want an auto buy a benelli

Fun to shoot, economical, easy to clean, great for house defense. If I was a master trap shooter I would want a better grade. Like an H&H. But it's hard to drink champagne on a beer budget.

Crap rattletrap. Mossy quality took a SERIOUS nosedive in the mid 80's... They brought it back up big time, but it is still markedly inferior to most every other domestic pumpgun. Why bother. Unless you are a gangbanger or broke and can't afford anything else, get an 870 or a Benelli Nova and be done with it. Mosscrap is 2nd rate garbage, and the only reason uncle sam bought it was because Moss was the lowest bidder. Any shotgun that sees combat in todays armed forces (via Marines or SEALs) is either a Benelli M3 or an 870. Trash, trash trash... And if you "don't find this comment helpful", that means you are probably already stuck with one.

I have had one and was not very happy with it. not a big fan of the dual beads. i thought it was just too loose as i would shuck another shell in. dual beads flew off the end of the barrel 2 weeks after i bought it. the service was not all that great as far as repairs. look for something else.

as far as pumps go it doesnt really matter who makes it.it just a manually cycled tube. the 500 is just that and the price is right. u need better quality for a auto.

Don't waste your money, Mossberg has always been known as a cheap shabbily made firearm, just ask any reputabile gun dealer. If your only going to put ten or twelve rounds through it then shelf it for the next twenty years, Fine then buy a Mossberg. but if your serious about shooting the damn thing, spend the extra bucks for a Winchester or other repituable firearm maker.

The Mossberg is a great gun for shooting clays or for home defense. Its light, easy to shoot, accurate, and inexpensive to purchase. Great gun for women!

I have one I've used for several years hunting ruffed grouse, pheasants and rabbits. It works like a charm. It is very reliable, light to carry, and fun to shoot. From woods to range, this shotgun can do it all.

Dingleberry is full of Buffalo Dunk,Guys! I used a Mossberg back in the Nam in 69-70 ( I was the Squads Shotgunner)...Never failed me My whole "Tour of Duty" (1 Yr.)!This Guy was Prolly just a Brown Stain back then....or is some Schoolboy,now with talk like that.Like to have him in "My Jungle"! Richard H. Suer Sr. GnySgt USMC,Ret.

One word say it all CHEAP!!