We have another shotgun from our review series of Mossberg turkey options. We're going to be looking at the Mossberg 500 turkey in .410. Turkey season is right around the corner, so let's go!

If you have experience with the Mossberg 500 Turkey shotgun, please let us know your thoughts on the TFL COMMUNITY!   

MOSSBERG 500 TURKEY IN .410

• Specs

  • .410 Gauge pump action (12ga, 20ga available)
  • 3" chamber.
  • Comes with (1) extra-full extended choke.
  • The weight of this 500 is 5lbs 14oz.
  • Our average trigger pull weight was 5lbs 8oz - very standard for this line of Mossberg shotguns.
  • Length of pull is 13.87". This is a very short shotgun. Fit isn't nearly as important when it comes to turkey shotguns. Using a red dot will help compensate for the gun fit as well. 
  • This shotgun does not come with shims or spacers.
  • MSRP is $844 (with pre-mounted HOLOSUN red-dot) version is $895. The optic-ready version is $664 (RMSc footprint)

• Ergonomics

  • The ergonomics of this turkey gun are very similar to the previous Mossberg turkey gun we reviewed: The ULTI-MAG Turkey (WATCH HERE). 
  • If you're familiar with Mossberg shotguns, you know that they keep it pretty classy with minimal changes over the years to their shotguns. One minor but fantastic update on this 500 is the safety. It's still the famous Mossberg top-tang style, but the new safety is much easier to toggle.
  • As we said - This is a simple (yet classy) budget shotgun. It's a basic build with a Mossy Oak camo.
  • The first thing we noticed in the hands is that the pistol grip is quite small (in .410 fashion) but the forend size is closer to that of a 12/20 gauge. After a bit of shooting, this feeling will become more natural.
  • One thing we appreciate about these Mossbergs is that they come with a decent recoil pad. Most manufacturers utilize the cheapest option for their pads.
  • The 500 optic setup is cut into the receiver a bit. This low profile design allows for very ergonomic shooting as you wont have to lift your head off the stock to see through the optic confidently.
  • Because this is a .410, everything shrinks in size. This has its upsides, but the main downside, in our opinion, is the ease of loading. The loading port is lightly beveled, but with the skinny nature of .410, bottom loading this shotgun can be a pain as the loading port is a bit sharp on the edges.
  • Vented rib with a red fiber on the front. There is a very small black plastic mid-bead as well.
  • We love to shoot .410. It is a good option for shooters of all kinds.

• Recoil and Reliability

  • Recoil from a pump shotgun is always going to be more noticeable. But this is a .410 - Recoil is basically unnoticeable.
  • Typically, you'd notice increased recoil switching from target loads to hunting loads (as we do in every review). We shot the Federal TSS loads and noticed that the TSS recoil was basically the same as the target loads. Gotta love .410!
  • The upside of a pump shotgun is that it should work reliably forever. If you can speak to the reliability of a 500, please let us know how it's held up on the  TFL COMMUNITY!    
  • As part of our reliability test, we did a quick POI (point of impact) test on our pattern plate. It had a true POI and an impressive spread at 30 yards. This also showed us why using a tungsten load is almost necessary when using a .410 for turkeys. In short, TSS is more dense than lead. Therefore, you can stuff more BB's into the compact size of a .410 shell as the TSS shot size is smaller. The deal breaker is that TSS delivers more energy and penetration power than lead. More BB's + More energy = increased probability of a solid shot at a turkey. P.S. This .410 TSS dented our brand new heavy-duty pattern plate. (This stuff is powerful...)

• Breakdown/Quality of Build

  • The disassembly is very similar to the original Mossberg 500's and 835s. Reference our Mossberg 500 review to see more about the internals. (WATCH HERE) 
  • Mossberg has been making shotguns for a very long time and knows how to do it well. These pump guns are made to last as long as you treat them right. A large reason people like pumps is for the fact that they will essentially always work.
  • We have no reason to believe that this shotgun won't hold up over time if properly cared for. Very solid. 

• Shooting The 500 Turkey

  • What we can tell you from our extensive Mossberg experience and pattern tests is that this 500 is a solid shotgun. How could you not have a blast shooting .410. 

Whether you're young, old, male, female, experienced, or just starting out, the Mossberg 500 Turkey in .410 is an awesome option for turkey hunting. Light recoil, good ergonomics, and the reliability that comes with a pump action shotgun, all packed into this really affordable price point, make this Mossberg 500 a no-brainer.

Whether our targets in the field or our targets in life, we will only hit what we are focused on, so live the #targetfocusedlife