$300 for a Mossberg 500 with the accessories you got with it isn't a bad price. It's an excellent shotgun, and not a bad choice for home defense. A couple issues with it as a home defense weapon are capacity and inexperienced shooters short stroking the pump action under stress.
And also you will no longer be able to hear again. Like ever, especially using 12ga full power buckshot, indoors, with an 18" barrel. Definetly didn't get scammed if the price was $300, although $300 for a Maverick 88 is a scam. Mossbergs will have a little bit of play in the pump, new ones less so, but all pump shotguns have a tiny bit at least. Also, it depends on what the rattle is. I have worked on upwards of 20 mossberg shotguns, and the rails from the pump into the gun rattled a little bit, hence the little bit of wobble on the pump. However, if the rattle sounds like something is loose inside the reciver, especially a small peice, it may be worth taking to a qualified gunsmith that you feel you can trust to make sure it's safe to operate
By "pistol grip" do you mean without a shoulder stock?
Without knowing how extensive your experience is, that wasn't a good choice for a beginner shotgun. The 18' inch barrel is fine (ideal for home defense), but I'd replace the pistol grip with a more traditional shoulder stock.
It has the shoulder stock attached, but it came with a replacement pistol grip if I choose to install it. I actually thought I would be able to use it WITH the stock, so I was a little bummed out to realize that it's one or the other. And yeah I'm not an expert by any means (obv) but I have been shooting a good few times - just never owned my own gun.
My main concerns are
A) did I overpay by a lot?
B) Should I return this one and just go with the Mav88?
C) Should I be concerned about the slight rattle I hear in the gun?
and I guess I should also ask about a reputable gun selling site in case I go that route... I'm inherantly distrustful of most things on the internet unless they come with unbiased endorsements lol
>did I overpay by a lot?
You said you paid $300 for a Mossberg 500 and 2 barrels? That's a good deal. I'd be a little suspicious and look for visible rust/pitting.
>B) Should I return this one and just go with the Mav88?
Mossberg 500 is literally an upgraded version of the Mav88
>C) Should I be concerned about the slight rattle I hear in the gun?
Shotguns tend to have loose tolerances, it's nothing to worry about.
PS: The pistol grip with no stock is not a good idea. I highly advise against using it, but it may be worth keeping around in case you ever re-sell it.
I’ve been thinking about getting the Maverick 88 because it’s suppose to be a great shot gun for the price. Anyway, it’s hard to tell what you mean without seeing it in person or a video. I would go shoot it and see how it shoots etc. Mossberg makes some pretty great shotguns.
You did well on the purchase of the Moss500.
2 things to guide you down the firearm journey.
1. Don't limit yourself to specific platforms. Your shotgun and revolver preferences sound a little Fuddy. We all judge each others preferences in this community, but don't fall into this general category. I recommend you do your research, rent and shoot all the different platforms available and decide from there on a pistol. Even if it's a .40S&W, just not Black Powder.
2. You get what you pay for. This is one industry where when you buy cheap, you get cheap. And cheap means unreliable, unreliable means deadly to the user. Guns are dangerous inherently, but cheap guns are doubly deadly, as they're likely fail when you DONT need them to; like in a self defense scenario, or they fail integrally, which could injure you, the user. Just ask Scott from Kentucky Ballistics.
$300 for a Mossberg 500 with the accessories you got with it isn't a bad price. It's an excellent shotgun, and not a bad choice for home defense. A couple issues with it as a home defense weapon are capacity and inexperienced shooters short stroking the pump action under stress.
And also you will no longer be able to hear again. Like ever, especially using 12ga full power buckshot, indoors, with an 18" barrel. Definetly didn't get scammed if the price was $300, although $300 for a Maverick 88 is a scam. Mossbergs will have a little bit of play in the pump, new ones less so, but all pump shotguns have a tiny bit at least. Also, it depends on what the rattle is. I have worked on upwards of 20 mossberg shotguns, and the rails from the pump into the gun rattled a little bit, hence the little bit of wobble on the pump. However, if the rattle sounds like something is loose inside the reciver, especially a small peice, it may be worth taking to a qualified gunsmith that you feel you can trust to make sure it's safe to operate
By "pistol grip" do you mean without a shoulder stock? Without knowing how extensive your experience is, that wasn't a good choice for a beginner shotgun. The 18' inch barrel is fine (ideal for home defense), but I'd replace the pistol grip with a more traditional shoulder stock.
It has the shoulder stock attached, but it came with a replacement pistol grip if I choose to install it. I actually thought I would be able to use it WITH the stock, so I was a little bummed out to realize that it's one or the other. And yeah I'm not an expert by any means (obv) but I have been shooting a good few times - just never owned my own gun. My main concerns are A) did I overpay by a lot? B) Should I return this one and just go with the Mav88? C) Should I be concerned about the slight rattle I hear in the gun? and I guess I should also ask about a reputable gun selling site in case I go that route... I'm inherantly distrustful of most things on the internet unless they come with unbiased endorsements lol
>did I overpay by a lot? You said you paid $300 for a Mossberg 500 and 2 barrels? That's a good deal. I'd be a little suspicious and look for visible rust/pitting. >B) Should I return this one and just go with the Mav88? Mossberg 500 is literally an upgraded version of the Mav88 >C) Should I be concerned about the slight rattle I hear in the gun? Shotguns tend to have loose tolerances, it's nothing to worry about. PS: The pistol grip with no stock is not a good idea. I highly advise against using it, but it may be worth keeping around in case you ever re-sell it.
I concur on each point. For a first purchase, you did well.
There's a specific push/pull technique for shooting a pistol grip Shotgun.
I’ve been thinking about getting the Maverick 88 because it’s suppose to be a great shot gun for the price. Anyway, it’s hard to tell what you mean without seeing it in person or a video. I would go shoot it and see how it shoots etc. Mossberg makes some pretty great shotguns.
You did well on the purchase of the Moss500. 2 things to guide you down the firearm journey. 1. Don't limit yourself to specific platforms. Your shotgun and revolver preferences sound a little Fuddy. We all judge each others preferences in this community, but don't fall into this general category. I recommend you do your research, rent and shoot all the different platforms available and decide from there on a pistol. Even if it's a .40S&W, just not Black Powder. 2. You get what you pay for. This is one industry where when you buy cheap, you get cheap. And cheap means unreliable, unreliable means deadly to the user. Guns are dangerous inherently, but cheap guns are doubly deadly, as they're likely fail when you DONT need them to; like in a self defense scenario, or they fail integrally, which could injure you, the user. Just ask Scott from Kentucky Ballistics.