Shell capacity on a Mossberg 500 Field shotgun

Question

i just bought a Mossberg 500 Field. the magazine looks as though it is long enough to hold five shells but i can only get three in. I looked at the schematics and it shows a limiting rod. i was wondering if i took the magazine off and removed this rod would i need to purchase a new spring or any other parts so i could get five shells into the tube magazine? or can i just use the parts that are in the magazine?

Answer 1

Those are shipped with a wooden dowel to limit the magazine capacity. Mossberg does this because different states ahave different regulations regarding shotgun magazine capacity so they put a piece of dowel into them to limit them to 3 shots........ Clear your firearm first ---  Remove the barrel nut and take the barrel off.... Point the stock up at the ceiling and with a little shaking the dowel will come right out of the hole where the barrel nut is..........  For more clarifiaction on how to disassemble your Mossberg 500 / 590 series shotguns just check this video out....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oKbWcPdTR...

The ones in the video are the 500 police models but they come apart the same way.....

Answer 2

5 in the tube and 1 in the chamber.  5+1=6

Answer 3

Remove the plug and your capacity should actually be 6. If that is not enough you can easily add an extension tube (they come in various sizes i.e. +2 , +3 etc). You will not need a new spring if you remove the plug and is very common especially if used for home defense. The plug is simply to keep you in legal limits if you are hunting. Note there are some special seasons that allow unplugged guns (i.e. end of the season snow geese in Texas).