Mossberg 500 Cruiser --> Predator Capability...?

AZHiker

AZHiker

New member
I did a search and there's a wealth of information on shotguns, but I did not see anything this specific. Sorry if this is redundant!

When I first joined the forum, I let you guys know I was moving from Wisconsin to Arizona. Welp, I'm in Arizona, but I'm on a strict budget. I'm camped out with my in-laws (and I desperately need to get out of the house... God please help me) while my wife & I are saving for a home of our own. Now that the weather is finally starting to cool off, I've been exploring some public land. I'll preface this post by stating I'm eager & enthusiastic, but have never done any predator hunting at all.

I have a Mossberg 500 Cruiser that I keep by the bed, but am wondering if there's any budget-friendly way of turning this into a solitary predator gun. The Mossberg 500 Cruiser has a pistol grip & short 18" barrel... perfect for clearing a home when things go bump in the night, but not so practical for the outdoors.

I could swap out the pistol grip for a Hogue buttstock, but will the factory smooth-bore barrel suffice? Or do I need to keep this thing by the bedside and come to grip (pun intend) with the fact that all it will be is a home invasion stopper. I'd have to obtain sights of some kind, as well. That being said, if I can turn it into something it clearly isn't at the moment for not a ton of cash, it could at least help me out in the sense that at least I'd have a firearm.
 
It would work but I'd change the barrel which is no big thing if you intend to shoot past 25 yards. I sometimes take my Mossberg Mariner when coyote hunting and it's the same gun with a coating. I wouldn't use the gun in it's configuration for groundhogs though, to short range for that application.
 
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You need a butt stock and a barrel with some constriction/choke tubes would help. Dammm I hate a pistol grip only on a shotgun. That's worse than useless.
 
I live in Lake Havasu and I saw a Hawk (Chinese exact copy of Rem 870) for $150. I thought it was one of those Rems that are black oxide finished with a Plastic looking stock. Seems awful cheap to me. It was used but the Yotes don't know that.
 
Originally Posted By: GCYou need a butt stock and a barrel with some constriction/choke tubes would help. Dammm I hate a pistol grip only on a shotgun. That's worse than useless.

Then you'll REALLY love this one...........



With its 14" barrel, 5+1 capacity and bright orange sling it is one of my favorite "firearms". I keep it handy as my trail riding, hiking and fishing buddy. Should work fine on anything from buttheads to bears!
 
Originally Posted By: jcs271
With its 14" barrel, 5+1 capacity and bright orange sling it is one of my favorite "firearms". I keep it handy as my trail riding, hiking and fishing buddy. Should work fine on anything from buttheads to bears!

mean looking outfit.

what kind of legal mumbo jumbo paperwork does it need to be legal to own?
 
Originally Posted By: SlickerThanSnotOriginally Posted By: jcs271
With its 14" barrel, 5+1 capacity and bright orange sling it is one of my favorite "firearms". I keep it handy as my trail riding, hiking and fishing buddy. Should work fine on anything from buttheads to bears!

mean looking outfit.

what kind of legal mumbo jumbo paperwork does it need to be legal to own?


None. Mossberg had it classified by the BATF as a firearm, not shotgun. Some loophole.
 
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Uggg... that's a fugly beotch. Back when I worked dope, at different times I had two 14" barrel shotguns. The first was an Ithaca M37 pump gun, the second was a Benelli M1S90. For their assigned task they were first class. The Benelli semi auto could flat lay out a lot of hate in a hurry. Never once in all those high risk warrants and take downs did I not want a butt stock. In fact, several times the butt stock was exactly the right tool for the job. But to each his own...
 
Originally Posted By: GCYou need a butt stock and a barrel with some constriction/choke tubes would help. Dammm I hate a pistol grip only on a shotgun. That's worse than useless.

I wish I could disagree with you, but I can't.
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It serves one purpose and one purpose only... and that's for clearing tight spaces in large quarter in a very short period of time. Beyond that, it's a heavy club loaded with shotgun shells.
 
My Mariner came with a pistol grip. I never used it and I haven't even seen it in 10 years, the stock just seems to offer more function. I do take it with me sometimes when hunting yotes. This gun sits in the my bedroom should I ever need it for intruders.

EIDOCuol.jpg
 
Have a old old 500 with 28". Look on used forums and such, could probably get a 28" with chokes for not that much. I had the long and found a short for $15, had a little rust, but I sanded and painted so no worries... just has to work!
 
Welp, I found a used Hogue buttstock with the fore end and the fore end adaptor on eBay for $37 + free shipping! Looked a little scuffed up, but it's a buttstock so I don't really care. Ordered that. Found a used 28" accu-choke barrel on eBay for $58 + free shipping. Some rust, but it's a shotgun barrel so as long as it goes BANG and the pellets come out - I think it'll work. So I'm into this thing for $95.
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Sounds like a winner, a $4. can of krylon and a little imagination and some will think you have a custom predator shotgun.
 
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