new owner/shooter - mossberg 500

**kbcobra26** · July 5th, 2012, 09:14 AM

Originally Posted by LifeInPa

Yeah but don't the Marines use the A1 version which uses metal parts?

Yeah if there even is a 500a1..

When comparing the 590 with the 590a1 the differences are that the a1 has; an aluminum trigger guard instead of plastic, an aluminum safety switch instead of a plastic one, a heavy walled barrel, and ghost ring sights instead of the traditional bead on the end of the barrel.

So I assume that the 500 series would have like differences if there is a 500a1 version..

**LifeInPa** · July 5th, 2012, 10:03 AM

Originally Posted by kbcobra26

Yeah if there even is a 500a1..

When comparing the 590 with the 590a1 the differences are that the a1 has; an aluminum trigger guard instead of plastic, an aluminum safety switch instead of a plastic one, a heavy walled barrel, and ghost ring sights instead of the traditional bead on the end of the barrel.

So I assume that the 500 series would have like differences if there is a 500a1 version..

A thought came to mind, don't the Marines and Navy use the 590A1?

Anyway I heard the model 500A1 thrown around in the past. So I did some digging and found a thread on m4carbine.net: http://www.m4carbine.net/showthread.php?t=70109

Originally Posted by m24shooter

The 500A1 is not the civ version of the 590A1. There's no such thing. This is just another run of the 500 gun with a 17" barrel and other A1 features. They've bought this same shotgun before.

ETA: I'll check when I get home, but as I remember it the Navy requested a 500 back in the 80s that had the mag tube cleanout of the 590 series, but had a heavy wall barrel and metal trigger guard and safety and a 17" barrel. Now why they asked that this be a typed 500A1 as opposed to simply cutting an inch and a half off the barrel of a 590A1 I don't know. But hey, it is what it is. I think the original request was drawn up prior to the 590 and 590A1 actually being adopted, so that may be why it was done originally. I would guess that when they decided to order a replacement batch of these shotguns they simply resurrected the old request and changed the dates and signatures on it, which would be why Mossberg is the sole source on it due to their being the previous provider of a rather odd shotgun barrel length request. Mossberg made several productions of the 500 that had similar features to the 590, or kind of hybrid features of both at the request of various .mil agencies/services.

**kbcobra26** · July 5th, 2012, 10:47 AM

Originally Posted by LifeInPa

A thought came to mind, don't the Marines and Navy use the 590A1?

Yeah they do as far as I know, and lord only knows what other shotguns they currently have or have had contracts for.

Originally Posted by LifeInPa

Anyway I heard the model 500A1 thrown around in the past. So I did some digging and found a thread on m4carbine.net: http://www.m4carbine.net/showthread.php?t=70109

Damn.. that guy said it's pre 590 so it's definitely an old devil..

**LifeInPa** · July 5th, 2012, 11:38 AM

Originally Posted by kbcobra26

Yeah they do as far as I know, and lord only knows what other shotguns they currently have or have had contracts for.

I believe it's this and the M1014, which is an Italian semi-auto.

Damn.. that guy said it's pre 590 so it's definitely an old devil..

Yeah I found the article to be inconclusive...

**rovert97** · July 5th, 2012, 01:27 PM

My mossburg is a 500a1. Basically it's a 25 year old field and deer combo. 18" barrel and pistol grip and also has a 24 or 26" barrel and stock. Both the stock and the foreend are wood. Good looking wood I might add. As far as I can tell, the A1 designation at the time indicate that it was a 12 gauge. A2 I think was 20 gauge.

**LifeInPa** · July 5th, 2012, 01:42 PM

Thanks for clearing that up.

**mrnyman** · July 6th, 2012, 11:55 PM

Originally Posted by rovert97

My mossburg is a 500a1. Basically it's a 25 year old field and deer combo. 18" barrel and pistol grip and also has a 24 or 26" barrel and stock. Both the stock and the foreend are wood. Good looking wood I might add. As far as I can tell, the A1 designation at the time indicate that it was a 12 gauge. A2 I think was 20 gauge.

I have this same Gun, awesome Gun, with a very pretty Walnut Stock and Fore end (not many knows that Mossberg made these back then and with such pretty wood) And mine does say 500A1 so i know for sure that they exists.

**DonM55** · July 7th, 2012, 12:56 AM

Synthetic forends on new Mossberg 500A cannot be replaced because action bars are attached to the forend.

**rmagill** · July 7th, 2012, 04:19 AM

Here's my two cents...if your neighbor was just broken into, especially if it was in the SAME BUILDING, you need to seriously consider a way to securely lockup any and all firearms when you're not there. I'm not kidding. Just having them "in the closet" isn't good enough. You don't want to walk in the door one day and notice they're missing or worse - pointed at you.

This should be more important than any upgrades you make.
Again, just my .02

I tend to agree, especially since the burglary was in the same building. Having a firearm to protect yourself at home can be a great advantage - unless someone steals it when you aren't home

. My suggestion would be to find a safe/lock that allows quick access in case you need to deploy the shotgun quickly. I would personally start by looking at something like the ShotLock, located here: http://www.shotlock.com/