Mossberg 500 Lakefield-need help

[thebutcher]

I recently aquired a Mossbery 500 Lakefield. It's a great looking gun but with one issue. It is missing the Safety switch.
Where can I find a replacement, and how owuld i install it.
I'm new to shotguns and very new to repairing such issues. any help would be appreciated.
thanks in advance.
thebutcher

 

[gunrunner100]

There are generally 6 parts to the safety, the safety "switch", the backing plate, the actual safety located inside the receiver, screw, the spring and detent ball.
Depending on the year of manufacture, the backing plate may be incorporated into the switch, particularly if it's metal.
I may have some, if not all, of the parts.

 

[thebutcher]

Okay.This may sound like a stupid question, but how do I find out the manufacture year so that I may know what I need to get for safety parts.?

As said before I recently acquired it due to lack of use and care by it's previous owner, and I'm kind of in unfamiliar territory with restoring it but definitely willing to learn what I can.

 

[gunrunner100]

Doesn't really matter... if you use a plastic switch, you need a metal backing plate. If you use metal, you don't need it. The metal switches were used on the early model 400's and 500's. A one-way screw is normally what's used now on the switch. The early slot style had a habit of walking out if a thread sealant wasn't used.