ront

Hi guys, I have had a Mossberg 500 for a couple of week now. I have been working on getting it set up the way that I like it and now have a couple of questions concerning how to set it up for use.

1. Do you always load the shotgun up to capacity and leave it that way vs loading it round short so that the spring is not always compressed all the way? This is probably a dumb question, but I don't know.

2. This question concerns how the gun is loaded. Do you keep a round in the chamber and the safety on, or the chamber empty and the safety not on? Or any other method? I know that there will be different methods used here, but a HD shotgun is new to me and I am very interested in the methods that you use.

Thanks a lot for your input, Ron

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Paco

A lot will depend on if there are kids around, yours or others. Most will say, and I agree, keep a round chambered, to 1. be ready and 2. chambering a round will give your location and intent.

I'd say it is always safe to keep the safety on, it isn't that difficult or loud to take it off safety.

Not sure how to answer the spring question, I'd say leave it loaded.

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SigNY

Good questions.

1.) I always have mine loaded to the max. It wont hurt the spring at all IMO. I have had my 500 for a while and have not seen any issue with keeping it full all the time.

2.) I personally keep a round in the chamber and have the safety on. It dosen't cost me any time to flick the safety if need be. I always carry my EDC chambered and ready. So I follow that method with my HD shotgun as well.

dukalmighty

no kids,fully loaded safety on,I will not warn them by racking the slide

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Rcher

Thats the way it is at my house.


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eethomas

I also keep mine fully loaded with a round chambered and safety on.

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jdivence

I prefer the empty chamber... My glock is my closest gun for the bump in the night so if I get my Rem 870 it is for business. the sound of chambering a round is enough to drive a BG out of your house.

ksokie

Cruiser ready: Mag loaded, cylinder empty, trigger pulled so the pump slide is unlocked, safety on. This way you can pump a round into the gun and not have to fumble around finding the slide release.
I've also heard to leave the mag one shell empty, that way if you want to load a slug instead of the 00 buckshot you don't have to waste time cycling a good round thru the gun.
Personally, I'd load it with 00 buckshot including the cylinder and leave the mag with one empty for the reason stated above. Of course with the safety on.
These are just a couple of different ways to give you some ideas.

cuban11182

Isn't the safety on most shotguns a non-positive safety? Meaning that the safety only hinders the trigger being pulled, the gun can possibly fire if dropped?

KenpoTex

No, all that does is give away your position and give the BG time to use his own weapon. You've just invited the bad guy to a gunfight instead of just having a shooting.

Correct, which is why "cruiser ready" exists (or one of the reasons)...so the inertia of a car wreck won't set off a round.

If it's in your house, it should be chambered.

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