How to remove Mossberg 500A forend

[Rottyfan]

I purchased a Mossberg 500A pistol grip shotgun a few years ago and I've finally gotten around to modifying it. A search on Google led me to a few threads on this site only to find that the 500A forend is not the same as the 500 because the synthetic forend is molded onto the action slide in one piece.

Well, I found a video on YouTube where the guy took a 3 1/2# hammer and chisel and whacked the forearm off to reveal a perfectly fine action slide and nut underneath so I went to work taking my 500A apart.

Upon closer examiniation, there is no need to destroy the synthetic forearm. All you have to do is unscrew the nut and take a block of wood and tap the tube out of the forearm -- it's a tight fit, but it will slide out. That's all there is to it. No need to spend extra bucks on an action slide and nut that you already have.

Hope this helps some of you 500A owners thinking about modding your shotgun.

[armedoffroader]

Not sure if the dent in your mag tube is from the method of removal, but you can also remove the barrel and do a full strip and take the foregrip off after removing the entire pump assembly from the shotgun.

[prc77]

that dent may cause issues with the follower and spring.
Make sure weapon is unloaded and clear

Remove barrel
Remove action slide nut
Remove forend
if you can easily remove the mag tube, I would do that too. This way you do not need a special tool to remove the action slide nut. All you will need is something to span the nut notch to notch.
Clean the spring, the tube and follower. I wipe the spring and tube down with a very light application of CLP.

[swifty]

The dents are in the forend tube, not the magazine. The dents take up some of the slop and eliminates excess wobble for smoother function.

[BigDogatPlay]

Well, I found a video on YouTube where the guy took a 3 1/2# hammer and chisel and whacked the forearm off to reveal a perfectly fine action slide and nut underneath so I went to work taking my 500A apart.

Makes me wonder how that guy felt when he got done chiseling the fore end off..... and then to post a video of it.

If you want to remove just about any fore end spend a few bucks and buy one of these. They are helpful for routine maintenance as well.

[TheKlawMan]

The dents are in the forend tube, not the magazine. The dents take up some of the slop and eliminates excess wobble for smoother function.

The dents take up some of the slop? I can't belive Mossbeg engineered it that way.

[Sicarius]

They did. A well used 500/590 will have wear marks or lines on the mag tube from them. Kevin

[swifty]

The dents take up some of the slop? I can't believe Mossberg engineered it that way.

That's one of the reasons the action bars rarely create a bind.

[Desert Dude]

I am really considering one of these as a HD bedside weapon. Found one locally for $350.00 NIB. Is that an alright price?

What do you fellas do to these things?

Thanks.

[TheKlawMan]

I am really considering one of these as a HD bedside weapon. Found one locally for $350.00 NIB. Is that an alright price?

What do you fellas do to these things?

Thanks.

Depends on which model Mossberg. For less than that you can buy a basic Remington 870.

[Desert Dude]

Depends on which model Mossberg. For less than that you can buy a basic Remington 870.

That would be the Mossberg 500A pistol grip shotgun.

[BigDogatPlay]

That would be the Mossberg 500A pistol grip shotgun.

Unless there is a bunch of stuff with it, I think it's a little over priced at $350.

Just my opinion, YMMV.

[Sicarius]

That is about right for a 500a... If you are comparing to the big 5 special 2 barrel combo, that is really a Maverick88 front end with a Mossy receiver. The big 5 special doesn't have the action tube. The rails pin to the molded foregrip which is also the action tube. You figure than the whole action tube assembly with nut will run you about 70ish bucks without a grip if you want to swap it over.
Kevin

[an actual gun]

The 500A is the same as a 500. All 500s are essentially 100% the same aside from a few changes over the years, the A in 500A just designates that it is a 12 gauge. The one piece part is a Maverick 88 part, which has also been put on some 500A combo packaged guns, but not all. Many/most 500A do not have the one piece fore arm.