Looking at picking up my first shotgun, I have shot both the 870 and 500 and feel like the 500 is the better more reliable gun (dunno about older model 870s but the one I shot had some problems, mainly ejection). Does anyone have any experience with the 500 3 barrel combo? Has the dual bead 28" VR barrel with the accu chokes, a 24" rifled cantilever barrel and a 24" turkey barrel with fibre optic front and rear sights. I just feel like that value can't be beat, if there's a better deal out there, or if you have/had one of the 500 combos please chime in. Thanks.
Mossberg 500 3 barrel combo
- Thread starter Ceej371
- Start date
the mossy is hard to beat for the price ,I have always had at least one in my safe and always will ,right now I have the 500 in 20g with bird barrel and slug barrel ,,thy just work ,,My granddad and uncle each bought one from a dealer way back in the 60;s one in 12g and one in 16g both these guns still hunt today .nice thing about them is thy are very easy to talk apart and clean then and parts can be found almost anywere ,,choke tubes are easy to find ,,the number one thing I like about them is the safety ,good with gloves on .thy just work Dutch
Like Dutch says, a Mossberg M500 is hard to beat for the money. Buying the three barrels is just good value. I'd be wanting a 20" or so smooth bore with the changeable chokes too, but that's just me. 28" is a tick too long for upland birds.
I have the 3 barrel combo as well as a 870 Express. Hands down the 500 is the better choice in my opinion.
Before the argument starts, yes the 500 fore grip rattles a bit. I would take a little rattle in exchange for reliability. The 870 is very picky with what it will eject. The 870 fans will also claim that with a new oversized safety, new improved extractors, polishing the chamber and if you don't shoot cheap shells it's a good gun.
My Mossberg shot like a champ out of the box. It will eject anything i feed it. The safety and action release are both where they should be and are easy to use. It is easier to load as well as the shell lifter is in the up position where the 870 is spring loaded in the dosn position and can pinch you or catch your glove.
The 28" is good for waterfowl and skeet. I use the 24" turkey barrel for upland and bush walking. I haven't used the slug barrel much, I have another 500 with a slug barrel with rifle sights which I prefer. I mounted a cheap red dot on the cantilever and it is quite accurate.
The 870 has a following, most argue the old Wingmaster is far superior, I don't doubt that. The price of a Wingmaster is no where near the price of the 500 so they shouldn't be compared. I think Remington is still riding on the coat tails of it's past. From rimfire ammo to the Express and other issues like trigger recall on the 700 I don't see me buying another Remington. Maybe some Walmart Remington hunting clothes, but that's about it.
Give me a rattling Mossberg any day. But I will be honest and say the 870 has a slick action and has a nicer feel to it, but reliability is far more important to me.
Before the argument starts, yes the 500 fore grip rattles a bit. I would take a little rattle in exchange for reliability. The 870 is very picky with what it will eject. The 870 fans will also claim that with a new oversized safety, new improved extractors, polishing the chamber and if you don't shoot cheap shells it's a good gun.
My Mossberg shot like a champ out of the box. It will eject anything i feed it. The safety and action release are both where they should be and are easy to use. It is easier to load as well as the shell lifter is in the up position where the 870 is spring loaded in the dosn position and can pinch you or catch your glove.
The 28" is good for waterfowl and skeet. I use the 24" turkey barrel for upland and bush walking. I haven't used the slug barrel much, I have another 500 with a slug barrel with rifle sights which I prefer. I mounted a cheap red dot on the cantilever and it is quite accurate.
The 870 has a following, most argue the old Wingmaster is far superior, I don't doubt that. The price of a Wingmaster is no where near the price of the 500 so they shouldn't be compared. I think Remington is still riding on the coat tails of it's past. From rimfire ammo to the Express and other issues like trigger recall on the 700 I don't see me buying another Remington. Maybe some Walmart Remington hunting clothes, but that's about it.
Give me a rattling Mossberg any day. But I will be honest and say the 870 has a slick action and has a nicer feel to it, but reliability is far more important to me.
yes that is right and I have the same in a 870 BUT the op did not ask about the 870 he asked about the 500 ...right ,,,,,Dutch
I was always an 870 fanboy for years and own a 70's wingmaster and a norinco clone. Then, because they're so cheap, I ended up with a couple of mossberg 500s, 1 8 shot tactical and the other a lakefield 400 which is functionally a 500. I had both and life was good.
In the cold of February we had a club level tactical shotgun shoot in sub -20 weather and we had 3 extraction issues with 3 unique mossbergs, 1 was a mossberg 500, 1 was a 590A1 and 1 was my lakefield 400. After firing the shells they all took serious effort and 3 or so tries and several seconds to get that pump to the rear and get that empty out of the chamber. I switched to my Norinco HP-9 and ran the rest of the day without mechanical issues.
So if you never will absolutely NEED your shotgun to function properly in very cold temperatures then buy a 500 if that's what you prefer.
Sorry to say we never really pinpointed the issue so I can't say what it was with any certainty, but let's just say I like my guns on the dry side.
This all said, there really isn't a better deal than the mossberg 2 or three barrel combos and I've been watching prices for years. A mossberg 2 barrel combo is the same price as an 870 express. A mossberg 3 barrel combo is the price of an 870 2 barrel combo, etc.
In the cold of February we had a club level tactical shotgun shoot in sub -20 weather and we had 3 extraction issues with 3 unique mossbergs, 1 was a mossberg 500, 1 was a 590A1 and 1 was my lakefield 400. After firing the shells they all took serious effort and 3 or so tries and several seconds to get that pump to the rear and get that empty out of the chamber. I switched to my Norinco HP-9 and ran the rest of the day without mechanical issues.
So if you never will absolutely NEED your shotgun to function properly in very cold temperatures then buy a 500 if that's what you prefer.
Sorry to say we never really pinpointed the issue so I can't say what it was with any certainty, but let's just say I like my guns on the dry side.
This all said, there really isn't a better deal than the mossberg 2 or three barrel combos and I've been watching prices for years. A mossberg 2 barrel combo is the same price as an 870 express. A mossberg 3 barrel combo is the price of an 870 2 barrel combo, etc.
We have sold quite a few of the 3 barrel 535's (and I think you mis-stated the model unless they did them up in the Mod 500 as well). This was a special from Mossberg that is now discontinued (but there are some flopping around).
The 535's will fire 2 3/4", 3" OR 3 1/2" shells and as noted includes a 28" VR, a 24" Turkey choked (extended choke) plus a fully rifled deer barrel with a cantilever to mount a scope - plus there is three choke tubes (I/C, M and F) for the VR barrel.
The whole shebang can usually be had for somewhat under 600 bucks.
For 2015 the 870 Express Supermag in Camo (so we are comparing apples to apples here) is coming in at the same price - and that's with ONE barrel (28" VR) and ONE choke (comes with a modified).
If you add the two additional barrels plus two more chokes, you are looking at dropping close to a grand for the "same package".
I am an 870 fan (own one), but if I was buying "today" and one of the Mossberg packages was available it would be tough to turn down - it's probably the best "value" currently in the market.
(and if you actually saw this package in the model 500 but are interested in the 535 supermag version they are out there - I just ordered another dozen of the dwindling stock at the wholesaler)
The 535's will fire 2 3/4", 3" OR 3 1/2" shells and as noted includes a 28" VR, a 24" Turkey choked (extended choke) plus a fully rifled deer barrel with a cantilever to mount a scope - plus there is three choke tubes (I/C, M and F) for the VR barrel.
The whole shebang can usually be had for somewhat under 600 bucks.
For 2015 the 870 Express Supermag in Camo (so we are comparing apples to apples here) is coming in at the same price - and that's with ONE barrel (28" VR) and ONE choke (comes with a modified).
If you add the two additional barrels plus two more chokes, you are looking at dropping close to a grand for the "same package".
I am an 870 fan (own one), but if I was buying "today" and one of the Mossberg packages was available it would be tough to turn down - it's probably the best "value" currently in the market.
(and if you actually saw this package in the model 500 but are interested in the 535 supermag version they are out there - I just ordered another dozen of the dwindling stock at the wholesaler)
I have both the Moss 500 3B Combo and I have an 870.
I love the versatility of the 500 3B combo. I did have an issue with the ejector where it some how became bent out of shape. But It was a simple part to replace. I have used this gun for Deer and Turkey. It really has been a great gun for me.
The 870 is keepsake from my now deceased father and I don't use it much, but when I have it cycled very well and had no operation issues at all. I haven't used it to hunt with, although it was my fathers deer gun.
If I had to choose one I would pick the 500 3B combo simply because, for the price you are getting huge versatility especially if you are a hunter. Its probably a great starter package for anyone new to the sport of hunting.
I love the versatility of the 500 3B combo. I did have an issue with the ejector where it some how became bent out of shape. But It was a simple part to replace. I have used this gun for Deer and Turkey. It really has been a great gun for me.
The 870 is keepsake from my now deceased father and I don't use it much, but when I have it cycled very well and had no operation issues at all. I haven't used it to hunt with, although it was my fathers deer gun.
If I had to choose one I would pick the 500 3B combo simply because, for the price you are getting huge versatility especially if you are a hunter. Its probably a great starter package for anyone new to the sport of hunting.
I got a 535 new in the box and hunted with it for 7 years .it was the only gun I used and I hunted everything with it from bunnys to deer ducks and turkeys ,in the cold of winter I used it for yotes well running hounds ,I finnaly wore it plum out ,but I am going to say I did put a ton of 3,5 inch shells thru it both turkey and buckshot ,it was a great gun but the safety finally fell out and the shell stops kept falling out after a while ,I have no regrets buying it and will buy another Dutch
I have both the Mossy 500 and the Rem 870...the mossy was the first shotgun I bought and will be the last one I get rid of. The 870 is a good gun, but IMHO the mossy is just more versatile...especially the 3 barrel combo. The mossy is my go to for hunting, clays and my camp gun. It goes everywhere...
The 500 with the 3 barrel system is a great starter package. Depending on how long the buyer intends to use it - it will eventually wear out and this is partially due to it's price point. Having said that - that doesn't mean it ought be overlooked a a shotgun system that will get a lot of shooters out in the field to hunt a variety of game. I have no intention of deterring anyone from buying this product as I like the way they set-up the safety, eject and load features. If I was going to buy one 500 it would be the slug gun. With today's shotgun ammo and sighting-system-options it would be a great set-up.
