some times people put 20 ga shells in the vests and for get them. when they use it again,and have a 12 ga,they unwittingly load the 20 ga,then the 12ga shells,and they pump it.when they go to shoot it slides farther down the barrell.it doesnt hit the shell they think it dry fired and there isnt a shell in the chamber. now,when your trying to hit a buck, your not going to go"wait didnt i pump it?",theyre going to be thinking"please dont run away,please dont run away, please dont run away..."as theyre pumping the 12 ga shell.boom!make sure you have the corect ammunition for your.firearm before loading, shooting, or even carryingshotshells or cartridges

Alpha-----It could be an older gun. They only could shoot 2 3/4" shells.Shotgun made back in the 60's & 70's were 2 3/4" only magnums could handle the 3" shell.

Yep my 500 takes only 2 3/4" shells - it was made in the 70,s.

Was hunting with some ppl once where one of them stuck a roll of lifesavers in his 12 gauge along with his reg ammo-

This gun was a modern model and was chambered for 3" loads -- which is what they were shooting until the mis-hap.

I also found out that the entire rib vent was ripped off the barrel. He said that they never were able to find any of it. I've seen the pics of the barrel --destroyed the left side almost half way out.

yes something doesnt sound right. Had a 500 years ago and you could use slugs. I have to agree, the pressure, a slug that didnt clear, dirt, anything cause the pressure to build. Have to agree, could be the barrel but those chances seem awfully remote with quaility control and legal stuff! yet anything is possible!

i have a mossberg 500 and have shot plenty of slugs thru it. No problems. i have a slug barrel and a shot barrel. I just switch them for what i am shooting. My mossberg takes 3" magnums as well.

Half the deer hunters (or more!!) in the Southern Tier of NY use Mossberg 500's for shooting slugs, and I have never heard of one blowing up, except one 12 GA. that some dude had loaded with a 20-ga. Brenneke slug load then handed it to a poor slob who loaded it AGAIN withthe CORRECTsize shell. Lo and Behold!! When he fired it, damned if part of the barrel didn't blow off, and the receiver was also ruined. I've seen the same thing with Remington 870's and 1100's. This is the reason why years ago the factories all started making 20-ga. hulls YELLOW! To keep people from putting them in 12-Ga guns! Now some 20-ga slug shells, like the Brennekes for instance, are NOT YELLOW YET!!

Whenever I hear of a gun exploding on the first shot after someone else had handed it to the victim of the "accident", I get real suspicious!!

True, the Mossberg M500's are not the finest shotguns in the world, but they are so safe that they are still current Army issue riot guns!!

I know the Topic is Mossberg 500, but I was confirming what Gandilamont stated.

This is from Mossberg


Mossberg

Can I fire slugs through my 835® vent rib, Accu-Mag® choke tube barrel? No, 835 field barrels (those with a ventilated rib) are "overbored", the extra inside diameter may cause the projectile to "wobble" producing unreliable accuracy. A projectile may wedge inside the barrel causing an obstruction. Obstructions of any kind can cause damage to the firearm resulting in personal injury. Dedicated smoothbore or fully rifled slug barrels are available for the Model 835®. Other 835® Accu-Mag® Choke Tube notes: Buckshot and steel-shot loads are not recommended for use with an Extra Full Turkey tube installed.

I doubt that M500 barrels are made this way-nothing that would cost extra!! They are very basic guns...... the 835's are considerably more costly.

guess again my Mossberg 500 did get ripped when I shot a slug with the vent rib barrel ( mod choke tube ) with my slug barrel (smoothbore even ) never a problem and very accurate out to 100-125 yards