Which Mossberg 500 to get?

[SmithAndJohnson]

Big5 has two Mossberg's on sale this week for $250

One is the field/home combo, with the 28" VR barrel + 18.5" barrel, 6 shot capacity.

The other is the home security model with 18.5" barrel only, with 8 shot capacity.

This will be my first shotgun. My intention is that it will eventually be for "occasional home defense". I'm likely never going to get into trap shooting, but will quite honestly go target shooting at the range a lot more often than I will sleep with it by my bedside.

With my wheel guns, I've often lusted after the models with higher-than-usual capacities - the 10-shot 617, and the 8-shot 627. So for that reason alone I'm leaning towards the 8-shot Mossberg. But the whole two barrel thing is intriguing...

I dunno what I should do!

[.22guy]

The 18.5 inch barrel only model won't do you much good target shooting. That is mostly a home defense only setup. I have the 28 inch/18.5 inch combo and it has served me well for many years. I think it hold 5 or 6 in the tube plus one in the chamber. That should suit you just fine for home defense with the shorty barrel, then you can easily switch to the longer one for any kind of field/target use.

[mvpatriot]

get the combo. kill 2 birds with one stone. or 3,4,5 or more birds

[tombinghamthegreat]

Have you looked at the mossberg 590? great for home defense, holds 9 shells, meets military standards and has a baynet lug. Might cost like 50 dollars more but worth it. That was my first shotgun i ever bought.

[outersquare]

i have the two barrel combo, the flexbility is great, i can use the long barrel to shoot clay at the field, swap barrels and walk over to the pistol range to shoot paper.
i think the home security model is actually 20", the stock is actually a little bit longer and heavier built than the combo.

[vinny_land]

doesnt the big5 combo version have a problem with the handguard? i remember reading a post about a guy having a problem changing the handguard on the two barrel combination mossberg.

[SmithAndJohnson]

Thanks for all of your replies. I was leaning combo already, but...

doesnt the big5 combo version have a problem with the handguard? i remember reading a post about a guy having a problem changing the handguard on the two barrel combination mossberg.

Anyone know any more about this? Kinda disconcerting. How is the "big5 combo version" any different from the combo version anyone else has? It's a single SKU from Mossberg, afterall, right?

[Rocko]

It is not any different. I have a Mossberg 500 with a 18.5 inch barrel and pistol grip and love it! The combo is good.
Personally what I did is get two separate shotguns. I have that Mossberg 500 for security and fun at the range and a Remington 870 for trap/skeet/hunting.

[Ballistic043]

eh, the 18.5 barrel is not really inferior for target shooting. IMO, its alot more practical than getting a 28 inch barrel and having a ghastly, unwieldly gun for home defense.

for HD, i would get the shorter barreled 8 shot. more capacity and more flexibility. you can use it for trap skeet hunting, whatever. it is a good general purpose shotgun!

as far as accuracy, my m590 features the same barrel as in the security edition. i was getting incredible accuracy while shooting slugs at burro last weekend. coconuts and pineapples at the 50 yard line without breaking a sweat. also nice groupings on paper; i think on truball slugs, about 6-7 inch group.

y its alot more practical to get something that works for all applications, over something that works good for just a few.

[DV8]

I'd go with the combo then sell the extra barrel on ebay or somewhere to get back some of the cost.

[Baron]

I'd say the Combo is the way to go for your first. It does give you an option if you do ever decided to use it for trap. Plus there are so many different barrels out there you'll have way more option in the future. The 20" security model is nice, specially because of the extra capacity, but it doesn't leave any room for any other barrel types.

And I'd say that the 18.5" barrel is the best for HD next to a pistol.

I'm planning on the next barrel purchase to be a rifled slug barrel just so I can try out some of those sabot slugs.
I already have an 18.5" cylinder bore barrel with heat shield for HD and fun. And a 28" modified choke barrel with heat shield for trap. My wifes Mossberg is the plain jane 500 combo.

But I would like to one day add a 590a1 to my collection

[ptoguy2002]

I have personal experience with two Mossbergs:
I own a 590A1 and love it to death. If I had to only have one gun, the 590A1 would be it. Goes bang everytime, and I use it in three gun matches (against everybody else's semi autos, but I'm ok with that)
My brother has one of the cheap 500s. I shot it once, and every time I racked it back, the inertia would put the safety on. Probably just a loose screw or something of that sort, but it did happen.
The finish, and quality of parts, is much better on the 590s. They use a lot more metal on the 590s than they do on the 500s, and the park finish is nicer than whatever they put on the 500s.
And I have shot clays with my 590, though at a pretty close range (like what you would have with clays thrown by one of the hand throwers). Probably wouldn't do for birds though.

[arib]

doesnt the big5 combo version have a problem with the handguard? i remember reading a post about a guy having a problem changing the handguard on the two barrel combination mossberg.

Yeah I bought the Mossberg 500 combo at Big 5 and it came with a new and junky forend that was completely different than the regular 500. Since it was all one crappy piece, I needed to get a whole new assembly to change out the forend and it was a total PITA. This is what Mossberg said about it:

"Thank you for your e-mail. Yes, this model should have this forearm pins attached , This are the new models that we have. So it's normal. If you need further assistance contact us again. Thank you."

Here's the thread with my issue:

http://www.calguns.net/calgunforum/showthread.php?t=77736&highlight=mossberg+500

[eviioiive]

or get a nice gun like an 870 or a nova.... just sayin

[vinny_land]

another word on the mossberg combo vs the security model. imo i dont see the point of owning a 20'' barrel shotgun unless its the 590. Also if you cant shoot and hit a target with the first 6 shots whats the point of having 8 (or 9) besides making it easier for you to sleep at night.