Mossberg 500 is a pump action shotgun. Since 1961 (date of first release), its appearance has remained virtually unchanged. The Mossberg is popular among special forces, hunters and in movies. Often used for self-defense. Mossberg is a cheaper analogue of Remington 870, but with changes made by the manufacturer by installing a modified trigger mechanism.
Mossberg 500 shotgun
Since 1979, Mossberg 500 series shotguns have been in service with the US Armed Forces, and have also been widely used by police and other law enforcement forces in the US and other countries.
The Mossberg 500 series shotguns, as well as the Remington 870 and Winchester 1300, have taken a leading place in the American pump-action shotgun market.
Shotguns in this series have been produced since 1961 by the American company OFMossberg & Sons in a wide range of options and calibers.
The Mossberg 500 is a manually loaded shotgun. Reloading is carried out using a fore-end that moves back and forth. The weapon magazine is non-replaceable, tubular, located under the barrel. The barrel is locked by a swinging cylinder installed in the bolt behind the breech. The receiver is made of aluminum alloy. The barrels are replaceable, of different lengths and drilling.
The Mossberg 500 began to be produced in a large number of versions, both hunting and intended for police and self-defense.
The gun can be equipped with barrels of various lengths and drilling, with or without interchangeable chokes, traditionally shaped wooden or polymer stocks, stocks with a pistol grip and a folding stock, or only with a rear pistol grip (these options are called Cruiser).
The movable forend can be replaced with a vertical handle or a special forend - a tactical flashlight holder.
Sights can be of different types: diopter type Ghost sight, conventional, it is possible to install mounts for optical and collimator sights.
The safety is located on top of the rear of the receiver and is equally convenient for both right-handed and left-handed people.
In the late 1980s, the Mossberg company released a version of the gun in a bullpup configuration, but this version did not gain much popularity and was soon discontinued.
Overall, the Mossberg 500 series shotguns are quite reliable and inexpensive.
Among the shortcomings, we can note mainly the presence of some backlashes in the design, leading to the appearance of a very characteristic clanging sound when the forend is distorted (reloading), however, on the other hand, these backlashes make it possible to ensure high reliability of the weapon’s operation in conditions of heavy pollution.
Mossberg 500. Why is this popular American shotgun called the "rattle gun"?
The shotgun was created as a cheaper alternative to the famous Remington 870 shotgun, which, as you know, is nothing more than a cheap conversion of the Ithaca Model 37 shotgun. Everything that could be made from cheaper materials was done.
In addition, the “selective” principle of assembling guns has been adopted: no adjustments, the weapon is assembled from standard parts on an assembly line. If a part does not fall into place, it is sent to be melted down. However, the Mossberg 500 is a rather complex pump-action shotgun to manufacture, and not the simplest Winchester Model 21 double-barreled shotgun. Therefore, the tolerances on the parts were made to the maximum. It’s actually not clear how the gun doesn’t fall apart when fired! To circumvent Remington's patent protection, the design of the firing mechanism was completely redesigned. It was at this stage that the famous Mossber fuse appeared, by which shotguns can be recognized.
The first Mossberg 500 shotgun was presented by OF Mossberg & Sons on August 21, 1961. Since then, Mossber's 500 has remained, together with the Remington 870, the world leader in the segment of inexpensive pump-action shotguns. The model has received a large number of awards at reputable exhibitions and has earned many positive reviews from experts and owners. The reliability of the gun has been confirmed by many military conflicts and police special operations. By the way, for such “work” a special military modification of the Mossberg 590 was released, where many plastic parts were replaced with steel ones, plus a different, more reliable fastening for the under-barrel magazine and barrel was used.
What can you say about the design? The Mossberg 500 is a classic pump-action shotgun with an under-barrel tubular magazine for 5-9 rounds; reloading is carried out by moving the movable fore-end back and forth. The magazine is loaded through the lower window in the receiver, and the spent cartridge is ejected through the receiver window to the right. Two rods of a movable forend. The safety on the upper rear of the receiver is operated with the thumb of the hand holding the grip. The barrel is locked by a swinging cylinder at the breech of the barrel. The receiver is made of thick aluminum.
Available in a “regular” version with a stock and in a Cruiser modification with a pistol grip. There was even a bullpup modification with a magazine behind the trigger guard! There are a total of 17 versions of this pump-action shotgun, including .410 caliber for recreational shooting.
Specifications:
Caliber: 12, 20, .410. Chamber: 76 mm (3″) Magnum and Supermagnum 89 mm (12 gauge only). Barrel length: from 355 mm to 710 mm. Weight: 3.06−3.29 kg without cartridges. Food: under-barrel tubular magazine for 5-9 rounds.
Advantages
Price!
Thoughtful ergonomics. The gun is comfortable, easy to use, and balanced.
Due to the widespread use of plastic and aluminum, the gun turned out to be lighter than its main competitor, the Remington 870.
The chamber and barrel are two different parts with different hardenings. This was done to reduce the cost of the gun, but in fact it had a better effect on reliability.
The safety position on the Mossberg 500A is more visible than on the Remington 870 and other similar guns, where the safeties are “hidden” in the trigger guard.
“Rattling”, large gaps between parts, oddly enough, increase the reliability of the gun when it is heavily soiled. The characteristic clanging sound when reloading irritates some people, but others really like it.
The 500's chambering is "less restrictive" than the Rema 870's, so bloated ammo jams are much less common. For many users, they do not occur at all, although the company’s instructions strongly advise “to use only ammunition approved by Mossberg.”
An incredible number of accessories are available for such a popular gun. Many companies produce their own versions of the Mossberg 500 and Maverick 88 shotguns. For example, Adaptive Tactical produces “five hundred” with an adapter for an additional box magazine.
Flaws
A “rattle” is just that: a rattle. Everything is loose and wobbly... Strong recoil is a consequence of the “lightness” of the weapon. Tuning a gun is very difficult. This is not a Rem 870, a real transformer! “On the Maverick 88 and Mossberg 500 (if the magazine is immediately short), you cannot install a magazine extension. Not at all. On a Remington 870 (with a short magazine), it’s difficult, but possible. Conclusion: if you decide to purchase a Mossberg 500, decide right away which store you need."
. (From the guns.ru forum. By the way, the difficulties of tuning do not stop enthusiasts.)
Using the safety with the pistol grip installed is very inconvenient. And such “military” and “polis” options are now very popular. And here the company OF Mossberg & Sons rose to the occasion, releasing a semi-pistol grip for the “five hundred”, like on an old gangster sawed-off shotgun, with the corresponding “gangster” advertising.
“This year, 2013, Mossberg celebrated a milestone with the sale of its 10 millionth Mossberg 500 Series shotgun.” (Article “10 million Mossberg 500”.) Yes, some comrades contemptuously call the Mossberg 500 a “rattle”. But the gun has much more advantages. It’s not for nothing that gun experts call it “the gun that sells faster than any in the world.” And more than 10 million Mossberg 500 shotguns sold only confirm this truth.
An excellent pump action shotgun. Classics of the genre.
Tags: history of weapons, shooting, weapons, technology, inventions
Mossberg 500 Shotgun – Instant Success
Multi-shot shotguns with an under-barrel magazine, reloaded using a movable forend (received the “popular” name of “pump action”) appeared more than a century ago. But the truly massive distribution of pump-action shotguns began in the second half of the 20th century.
In the USA, three became the most famous and popular models: Remington 870, Winchester 1200 and Mossberg 500. Moreover, if the first two samples were produced by well-known and even famous companies, until that moment it was relatively little known.
History and design
Oscar Mossberg founded the gun factory named after himself in 1919 and initially produced four-barrel pocket pistols in .22 caliber. The pistol was popular, and in the 20s, Mossberg, having built a new factory, moved on to producing small-caliber sporting rifles.
After the end of World War II, the company decided to start producing inexpensive and reliable hunting rifles. As part of this concept, a pump-action shotgun was created and put into production in 1960, which changed history.
When developing the Mossberg 500 shotgun, the goal was to create a design with a minimum number of parts, and each component should be easy to manufacture and not require manual adjustment. The receiver is made of aluminum by milling, while the barrel is locked by the protrusion of the bolt cylinder, which fits into a groove on the barrel. The load on the light alloy receiver is reduced.
Modifications
Under the general name "Mossberg 500" a whole family of shotguns is produced, differing in caliber, barrel length, finish and fittings. 12-gauge shotguns of early releases (with one rod) are indexed 500A, the later version with two rods was designated 500AB. The now discontinued 16-gauge shotguns were produced under the symbol 500B, the 20-gauge model is called 500C, and the .410 caliber is called 500E.
“Special purpose” shotguns “Mossberg 500”, having proper names “Cruiser”, “Mariner” and “Persuader” differ from hunting rifles by a shortened barrel, lack of a stock and a pistol grip.
Such models could be used as service ones, but they also went to the civilian market. Shotguns with an extended magazine (up to eight rounds) were designated 500AT and were sold only to police agencies.
In the 80s, the Mossberg 590 went into production. It differs from the “500” model in the modified design of the barrel mounting unit - the process of replacing the barrel has become more complicated, but the shotgun has become easier to disassemble and clean. The “590M” variant is distinguished by the ability to use box magazines with a capacity of up to 20 rounds - they are inserted into the lower window of the receiver.
Since the late 60s, Mossberg 500 shotguns have become widespread in the US armed forces, mainly as auxiliary weapons. As a result, the specially created modification “590A1” was officially adopted into service. The plastic safety and trigger guard were replaced with aluminum ones. A heavier barrel was installed, covered with a heat-protective casing, and a diopter sight mount for a bayonet was installed as standard. The magazine is extended, with 8 rounds.
In 1985, the production of Mossberg 500 and 590 shotguns, made according to the bullpup design, began. In addition to ready-made shotguns, conversion kits for existing examples were also offered. The gun had an unusual appearance, and was often used as a prop in science fiction action films of the 80s and 90s. Despite this, this model was not popular on the market and was discontinued.
In 2005, the “model 505” went into production, designed for teenage shooters and having reduced dimensions.
It is available only in 20 gauge and .410 variants. The Model 535, on the contrary, differs from the standard Mossberg 500 shotgun in that it has an extended chamber, allowing the use of cartridges with a case length of 89 mm. This shotgun is also offered in a "tactical" version, with a pistol grip and an adjustable stock.
Under the name "Maverick 88" a simplified and cheaper version of the "500" model is produced. One of its most important differences is the safety device, which is moved to the trigger guard.
Based on the “590” model, they also created the “Shockwave” - a shotgun with a semi-pistol grip, but without a butt (like sawed-off shotguns with a sawed-off butt) and a 360mm long barrel. Its peculiarity is that such a weapon is not considered a gun from the point of view of law, and therefore corresponding restrictions do not apply to it.
Mossberg 500 shotgun - video
Description of the Mossberg 500 shotgun
A smoothbore shotgun with a pump-action reloading principle. It has a classic under-barrel tubular magazine, into which cartridges are placed one after another, with the primer facing the breech of the barrel.
Its design is based on a Remington 870 pump-action shotgun. In order to avoid legal sanctions, the armory radically changed the trigger mechanism by installing a manual cocking lever on the buttstock neck.
Advantages and disadvantages
— Extremely simple, durable and reliable design. Mossberg 500 works in any conditions; sand, water, and swamp slurry can get into it. He will still shoot.
— Despite the fact that the manufacturer recommends using only cartridges with a paper sleeve, the Mossberg 500 can also “digest” reusable brass cartridges without any problems.
— The gun owes its unpretentiousness to the fact that during its production all measures were taken to reduce production costs and the parts have large mating tolerances. Because of this, at the slightest movement, everything that is possible and impossible in it blurts out. That's why his unofficial nickname is "Rattling".
— The noisy operation of the mechanisms, especially the forend during reloading, makes the use of the gun on running hunts problematic. Although it is quite convenient for them to fell wild boars from the storage shed.
— The weapon is light, so the recoil from it is not just harsh, but brutal.
— The fact that the manufacturer does not use precision standards in the manufacture of the Mossberg 500 does not mean that the weapon is of poor quality. The level of technical control at the enterprise corresponds to space technologies.
— The ergonomics of the gun are impeccable. The simple logic of the cocking lever makes it completely safe to use. A wooden or plastic stock is convenient for both shooting offhand and from the hip, as is often demonstrated in action films where the Mossberg 500 plays the leading roles. The Mossberg 500 butt plate is equipped with a shock-absorbing butt pad to soften recoil. Unfortunately, it is not regulated.
— Some inconvenience is caused by the fact that changing the magazine to a more capacious one does not allow the design of its attachment to the barrel.
Purpose
The gun is used by security forces and is convenient for self-defense. It can also be used for hunting in a pen or from a storage shed, when special secrecy is not required.
Varieties
The Mossberg 500 is available in several calibers.
- 12, with chamber lengths of 70, 76 and 89 mm. - 20, chamber 76 mm. - .410, chamber 70 and 76 mm.
Hunting modifications of the Mossberg 500:
— Barrels 61, 66 or 71 cm long. — Barrel narrowings of different gradations, including interchangeable nozzles. — Solid or ventilated sighting rib, optional rear sight and front sight, like a rifle. — A magazine with a capacity of five or six rounds. — Semi-pistol stock, made of solid wood or plastic, camouflage painted (Slugster model).
Security modifications:
— Barrels 36, 47 or 51 cm long. There are no narrowings (cylinder). — Sighting devices consisting of a front sight with a solid bar and (or) a dovetail mount for installing optics. — Magazines with a capacity of five to eight rounds. — The stock is half-pistol or “sawn-off” - a handle without a butt.
Design
— Mossberg 500 smoothbore pump-action shotgun, reloading is done by shifting the fore-end pad. — The magazine is under-barrel, tubular. The loading hopper window is located on the lower edge of the receiver. Capacity from five to eight (optional) cartridges. — The receiver is made of aluminum alloy, it is made from a massive blank by milling. It has very thick walls, ensuring structural strength. — A bolt with a smooth cylinder that locks the breech by moving from bottom to top and hooking onto the protrusion. Ejection of the cartridge case to the right side. — The trigger mechanism is unregulated, the trigger travel is without warning. The firing pin release lever is located on the neck of the stock; it has two positions – “on” and “off”. — In hunting versions, the stock is half-pistol, made of wood or impact-resistant plastic. The sighting bar can be either solid or ventilated. A rifle rear sight and front sight are optionally installed. — Models for security can be equipped with a short stock with a pistol grip. The Mossberg 500 receiver has four holes with metric threads for attaching Weaver or Picatinny rails.
Mossberg 500 Combo
Options and packaging
The gun comes in a blue cardboard box with yellow Mossberg lettering.
— The main delivery set includes: a clutch for locking the forend in the transport position (two shaped bars connected by a bolt to a wing), a lock for blocking the bolt group. — Optionally, an additional short barrel can be added, a pistol grip for converting into a sawn-off shotgun, as well as a set of interchangeable choke constrictions for hunting models. — Instructions for using the gun itself and the bolt lock are included. There is also a brochure from the US Rifle Association NSFF on gun safety in general.
Mossberg 500AL
Operating principle
— Before loading, the weapon is put on safety. To do this, the hammer release lever on the neck of the stock moves down. — The cartridges are placed into the magazine through a window in the lower edge of the receiver with the cartridge case facing forward, with the primer facing the bolt. — To feed a cartridge into the chamber, you must vigorously move the forend back and then return it to its original position. — Before firing, the striker release lever moves upward, and a red dot indicates the weapon’s readiness to fire.
To lock the bolt and deactivate the weapon, use the long-shackle lock included in the delivery set. The bow is threaded into the bolt hole. It does not allow you to pull it back all the way, stopping it in a half-open position. In this case, the cartridge is not supplied from the magazine.
Mossberg 500A Cruiser with 20-inch barrel
Disassembly
— Unload the weapon by jerking the forend several times. Make sure there are no cartridges in the magazine - the red pusher is visible through the loading window. Twist the forend again and perform a control descent. — Move the forend so that the bolt opens halfway (to the hole for the safety lock). — Unscrew the screw on the front end of the magazine. — Move the barrel forward and remove it from the receiver. — Using a Phillips-head or bit-head screwdriver, press out the trigger mechanism mounting pin. — Remove the trigger. — Place the gun with the bottom edge of the receiver up, remove from it two shaped plates located on both sides from the inside. — Move the forend back until it stops. Remove the bolt slider. — Remove the cartridge elevator by squeezing its branches at the butt plate of the receiver. — Remove the bolt. — Push the forend forward and remove its rods from the receiver. - Open the store.
If a pistol grip is installed on the gun, it is removed before removing the trigger. To remove the Mossberg 500 stock, you need to remove the butt plate and unscrew the fastening screw through the long hole.
Mossberg 500 Combo pump action shotgun
Tuning
The design of the gun does not allow changing the magazine to a more capacious one. But you can install a pistol grip instead of a butt or change its shape. The strength of the receiver allows you to attach rails or brackets for optical sights to it.
Price
In the minimum configuration, the Mossberg 500 costs 50 thousand rubles. Owners note the reliability and ease of use of the gun.
It is perfectly balanced and comfortable for offhand shooting. The shooting qualities are very good, the combat is tight and sharp. Many people consider the recoil of the Mossberg 500 to be excessively strong. The shooter must be prepared for it not only mentally, but also physically. Incorrect positioning of the weapon and insufficiently secure holding of the weapon when shooting can lead to injury.
Mossberg 500 Bantam Combo Pump Shotgun
Analogs
In Russia, two types of smooth-bore pump-action shotguns are produced. These are the Bekas models, which are made at the Molot VPO, and the MP-133, manufactured at the Izhevsk Mechanical Plant.
The Mossberg 500's direct competitor is the Remington 870 pump-action shotgun, which has been in production since 1950 and differs from it only in the absence of a manual cocking lever.
If you can’t find anything analogous, pay attention to other worthy pump-action models with different characteristics: Mossberg 590, Krieghoff Semprio, Remmington 7600, etc.
Mossberg 500 Slugster pump action shotgun
The history of the Mossberg 500 pump-action shotgun
The first copies of the smoothbore Mossberg 500 appeared back in 1961. This weapon was designed and produced in the USA by the O. F Mossberg and Sons Inc. During its existence, the company produced many examples of smoothbore weapons, but it was the Mossberg 500 pump-action shotgun that truly made it famous.
At that time, an incredible interest in smooth-bore weapons arose in the United States. Both official American authorities and the general population became interested in this type of firearm. Taking into account everyone's wishes, I decided to design a smoothbore gun that would simultaneously satisfy the needs of both the official authorities and the American people. It was supposed to be used for hunting, for self-defense, as well as for performing combat missions by special forces.
In the same year, the company began mass production of the Mossberg shotgun. The first version of this weapon became the basis for a whole list of shotguns. Despite the variety and some further changes in design, this gun has not changed and remains the same as it was at the very beginning.
Operating principle
Since the Mossberg 500 shotgun was aimed at use among the masses of the population, the developers tried to simplify it as much as possible:
- Before charging, the Mossberg is set to safety. To do this, move the firing pin release lever to the lower position.
- The cartridges are placed in the magazine with the cartridge case muzzle forward, with the primer towards the firing pin.
- In order for the cartridge to be directly in the chamber, the forend is sharply moved back and returns back.
- Before the shot itself, the gun is removed from the safety by the reverse action (the lever rises up). A red dot indicates readiness.
- Pull the trigger.
To block the shutter, there is a lock with a long shackle, which allows you to secure it so that the shutter opens halfway.
Mossberg 500 Flex Combo Deer/Security
More about the Mossberg 500 design
The shotgun was designed on the basis of an older pump-action analogue - the Remington 870 shotgun. To avoid possible claims from Remington designers, the Mossberg 500 developers fundamentally changed the design of the trigger mechanism, changing the location of the manual cocking lever. In the Mossberg 500, this lever is located on the neck of the stock.
In general, the gun is made in accordance with the traditional design of pump-action shotguns. It has a movable forend, as well as a non-removable tubular under-barrel magazine. The trigger type gun has a plastic body, all working parts of the weapon are located inside the body. The body itself can be easily removed when the need arises to disassemble the weapon. Disassembly is extremely simple and does not require much time. Thanks to the ease of disassembly, any owner can quickly clean the weapon and just as quickly put it back into working condition. The gun is available with or without a butt (with a pistol grip); Moreover, the Mossberg 500 stock can be wooden or plastic, depending on what material the body is made of.
This gun is non-automatic, and therefore it is reloaded manually, by moving the forend according to the “back and forth” principle. The bolt and forend are connected to each other by two rods located on both sides of the magazine. The principle of operation of the gun mechanism is also standard: the forend, moving backward, ejects the spent cartridge case and cocks the hammer. Moving forward, the forend sends a charge into the chamber. The barrel is locked using a wedge. The safety is equally convenient to use for right-handers and left-handers.
The magazine of the very first modification of the gun could hold no more than five charges. Moreover, if we were talking about charges of 12/76 caliber, then only 4 of them were included in the magazine. Charges whose caliber was 12/70 could fit 5 in the magazine. Subsequent versions of the weapon began to be produced with longer magazines that could hold 8 charges .
From the very beginning of its work, the company fulfilled the order of the US Army. That is, one of the versions of this weapon was supposed to be intended for the American military. It was assumed that it would be used in the most unfavorable natural conditions, including those where there may be an excess of moisture, therefore, during the manufacture of the gun, a special solution was also developed to protect the weapon from rust. The entire body of the gun was covered with this solution. This is a matte solution that has an anti-reflective effect, making it much easier to aim a gun in sunny weather.
Mossberg 500 ATI Scorpion pump action shotgun
The TALO company, which specializes in the sale of exclusive models of firearms, has begun selling the Mossberg 500 ATI Scorpion pump-action shotgun. As experts note, the new product is a classic Mossberg 500 shotgun, which was additionally equipped with accessories manufactured by Advanced Technology International (ATI). This specialized version of the popular 12-gauge pump-action shotgun is one of the new guns of 2016.
Essentially, this is a second life for the very popular and widespread American Mossberg 500 shotgun, which is popular not only in America, but also in many countries around the globe. This smoothbore hunting shotgun with a pump-action reloading system occupies a leading position in the pump-action shotgun market in the United States today. All Mossberg 500 series shotguns are reasonably priced and are renowned for their reliable operation even in severely contaminated conditions. The weapon was designed by the company Mossberg and Sons (OF Mossberg & Sons, also known as simply Mossberg), which was founded back in 1919 and is still considered the oldest private American company specializing in the production of firearms. From the classic Mossberg 500 pump-action shotgun, the new model inherited the main design elements: barrel, receiver, trigger mechanism and under-barrel magazine, but the remaining parts of the shotgun are products of ATI.
The ATI Scorpion version differs from the basic model of the pump-action shotgun by the presence of three Picatinny rails (two are located on the barrel, another on the receiver), an ergonomic pistol grip, a thermal barrel casing and a telescopic six-position buttstock that absorbs recoil. In addition, a trim with 6 removable cartridge holders appeared on the receiver of the weapon. All of the above accessories are produced by ATI, and they are also available for free sale. Thanks to this, all owners of the Mossberg 500 pump-action shotgun can purchase them themselves by assembling the ATI Scorpion model at home. But in this case, tuning the shotgun will be 30-50% more expensive than simply buying a complete Mossberg 500 ATI Scorpion; the price of a new shotgun on the American market is about $580-650 (manufacturer's recommended price is $588). At the same time, the weapon is produced only in 12 gauge and is equipped with an under-barrel magazine designed for 6 rounds.
The shotgun is equipped with a TactLite T4 stock, which is fully adjustable. The stock features a recoil pad and no snags on the shooter's equipment or clothing, plus the TactLite T4 offers ambidextrous QD mounting points and a sling swivel located above the pistol grip. The swivel can be located on either the left or right side for the convenience of the shooter. The included free-floating ATI Halo heat shield helps prevent any possible contact of the gun owner's hands with the barrel.
The basis for creating this modernization was the standard, time-tested Mossberg 500 pump-action shotgun. A barrel with a cylindrical channel 467 mm long is placed on it, an ATI heat shield with two Picatinny rails is installed on top of the barrel, the length of the rails is 6.9 cm (located on each side of the shotgun). They are installed between the barrel and the magazine tube, at a distance of approximately 4 cm from the muzzle of the weapon. The existing magazine easily holds 6 rounds of 12/70 caliber. It is possible to supply weapons with a magazine capacity limiter, but removing it is not much of a problem.
Among other things, an ATI Halo Side Saddle base was installed on the shotgun receiver; the element is made of anodized aluminum. You can easily attach up to 9 ATI cartridge holders to it (3 on the right side and 6 on the left side). In addition, the ATI Halo Side has holes for installing another Picatinny rail on top. A groove was made in the center of the bar, which serves as a whole. It works in tandem with a rectangular front sight, which is located at the end of the heat shield.
The Akita polymer handguard from ATI and the Scorpion TacLite stock from the same company complete all of this splendor. The shape of the forend (its diameter is 5.71 cm) provides the shooter with a full grip, and the TacLite stock has an impressive range of adjustment of the distance from the butt plate to the trigger - 83.8 mm. The stock can be locked in six positions and also has an adjustable comb. Although adjusting the comb position is not as quick as we would like, this ability allows for the correct placement of the shooter's eye and open sights or optical sight.
The ergonomically shaped butt helps to soften the noticeable recoil when firing, so shooting from a pump-action shotgun is quite comfortable. The shape of the fore-end, butt, as well as the weight of the gun help the shooter quickly fire the second and subsequent shots from it. At the same time, the weight of the unloaded weapon is 3.06 kg, according to information from the Mossberg website. At the same time, experts note the convenience of the rubber pad located on the back of the pistol grip. It can be called a pleasant feature of the Mossberg 500 ATI Scorpion model; it feels good in the palm and, of course, contributes to ease of use and grip density, and does not allow slipping.
Among the disadvantages of this weapon, experts point out that it is inconvenient to reach the fuse, which is located on the top of the receiver. This deficiency applies to all Mossberg 500 pump-action shotguns that have a pistol grip. As some publications satirically note, if your palm is not the size of a gorilla's paw, then you will have to loosen your grip in order to turn the safety switch off or on. In addition, some may not like the lack of a front swivel on the model. However, you can always buy a belt mount on the market that you can install on the front bar yourself, so this is not the biggest problem.
Tactical and technical characteristics of the Mossberg 500 ATI Scorpion: Caliber - 12th. Mechanism type: pump action. Length - 924 mm. Barrel length - 467 mm. Weight - 3.06 kg. Magazine capacity - 6 rounds.
Sources of information: https://sportingshot.ru/articles/mossberg_500_ati_scorpion https://warspot.ru/4651-vtoraya-zhizn-legendarnogo-drobovika https://www.all4shooters.com/ru/strelba/ruzhya/Mossberg-500 -ATI-Scorpion-pompovyy-drobovik Materials from open sources
Advantages and disadvantages of Mossberg 500
Since this gun has been produced almost unchanged for a long time, a lot has been said in detail about its advantages, as well as its disadvantages. Here are some of them:
- The main advantage of the gun lies in its extremely simple and reliable design, as well as its survivability. Even if the gun becomes extremely clogged or water gets into it, you can still fire from it;
- Gun designers strongly recommend using charges with cardboard sleeves when shooting. Despite this, the gun can also be successfully fired with reusable brass cartridges;
- The gun has impeccable ergonomics, and it itself is extremely safe when using it. The gun is convenient to fire from the hip, as well as offhand;
- It is designed in such a way that, if desired, you can remove the butt and provide it with a pistol grip, thus turning it into a “sawn-off shotgun”;
- Wanting to reduce the cost of a gun as much as possible, its manufacturers use parts with prohibitively large mating tolerances. As a result, the weapon begins to rattle loudly at the slightest shock, which is why this weapon is nicknamed the “rattle.” This is one of the main disadvantages of the gun;
- The forend also makes loud sounds when reloading, which causes a certain inconvenience during hunting (also a very significant and annoying drawback);
- Due to its light weight, the gun has very strong recoil, which is also its big drawback.
Over the years, users have gotten used to the shortcomings and appreciated the advantages of this weapon.
Final conclusions about the Mossberg 500
From the very beginning of its production, this gun was used for three purposes: for hunting, for self-defense and for special operations by law enforcement agencies. It is still used today for the same purposes. According to users, the advantages of this gun cancel out all its disadvantages.
While there are many other pump-action shotguns out there that offer superior performance, the Mossberg 500 has the most buyers in the world. In 2013, the 10 millionth copy of this gun was produced. There are weapons in the world with a happy destiny. The Mossberg 500 has just such a happy fate.
