I own two 500's.
Tough old ugly noisy guns - Will take a Lickin and Keep on Tickin(shootin).
Shot a ton of shot,fosters,sabots,2-3/4 & 3" shells,smooth and rifled barrel.
Never had either gun skip a beat at anything I fed it. Never read or heard of any 500's blowing a barrel around this neck of woods. Very Odd?