Mid 1980s Mossberg 500

[Lester Polfus]

Hey man,

I run a similarly cheap M500 as my "walking around the property" gun. My other long guns cost at least 3x as much, but it's the one I pick up the most. Go figure.

I would highly recommend replacing your magazine spring. I'm not sure if they were using loc-tite on the magazine tubes during that era, but to be safe, heat her up real good with a hair dryer and twist the mag tube out. While you're in there, you might want to spend the extra $10 or so on a polymer mag follower.

Screw it all back together, mount your XS bead and your flashlight. Done. You're ready for damn near anything.

If you want to be super high speed low drag, you could velcro a shotshell card on the side of the receiver.

[That Guy]

2. Make sights biggerer - might buy one of the XS tritium front sights that you epoxy over the bead. It's cheap ($60 shipped via amazon prime) and easy to do. If the lamp burns out I still have a way faster bead. This is not a high priority.

Hi-Viz clamp-on fiber optic bead. Best bang for the buck shotgun sight modification that I know of, and should cost considerably less than $60 in the U.S.

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[Nephrology]

Hi-Viz clamp-on fiber optic bead. Best bang for the buck shotgun sight modification that I know of, and should cost considerably less than $60 in the U.S.

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Are those durable at all?

[That Guy]

Are those durable at all?

I've been quite positively surprised by them. I set up my girlfriend's shotguns with them and while she hasn't been a very active shotgunner lately, those guns have seen easily hundreds of full power buckshot and slugs, plus a whole lot more 28 gram and heavier birdshot loads over the years and through several matches, training events, and a bunch of range trips. Never any trouble.

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[Nephrology]

Hey man,

I run a similarly cheap M500 as my "walking around the property" gun. My other long guns cost at least 3x as much, but it's the one I pick up the most. Go figure.

I would highly recommend replacing your magazine spring. I'm not sure if they were using loc-tite on the magazine tubes during that era, but to be safe, heat her up real good with a hair dryer and twist the mag tube out. While you're in there, you might want to spend the extra $10 or so on a polymer mag follower.

Screw it all back together, mount your XS bead and your flashlight. Done. You're ready for damn near anything.

If you want to be super high speed low drag, you could velcro a shotshell card on the side of the receiver.

I ordered a replacement mag spring but the job definitely looks like a PITA. Any tips to make it easier? I have a heat gun and might have a strap wrench around here somewhere...

[Lester Polfus]

I ordered a replacement mag spring but the job definitely looks like a PITA. Any tips to make it easier? I have a heat gun and might have a strap wrench around here somewhere...

I've done two of them with a hair dryer. I heated the receiver/mag tube junction up to the point is was uncomfortable to touch, and they both just screwed out at that point, no strap wrench needed. I think with a heat gun, you should be good to go. I've seen reports of people having considerable difficulties with them, but that hasn't been experience twice over.

[willie]

One suggestion--if a wrench is used, contact point must be at extreme front end at the solid threaded area. Otherwise, collapsing tube is highly likely.

[greyghost]

I ordered a replacement mag spring but the job definitely looks like a PITA. Any tips to make it easier? I have a heat gun and might have a strap wrench around here somewhere...

The older ones usually are easier to do. 90s and up 500's seem to have a heavier amount of thread locker used. I usually use a pair of Wells Lamont Latex coated gloves to give myself some extra grip when removing the tube.

You shouldn't need to use a strap wrench. Some heat and a good twist should do it.

[Nephrology]

thanks for the tips, all!

I may use his gun as bait to get my brother into the hobby... he still lives in CT and requires a purchase permit for long guns, so I may offer to ship him this shotgun if he jumps through whatever silly hoops he needs to own this back there. It's definitely a handy gun. For $156 this was a great buy.