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Flex 500 Adapter Conversion with Other Mods (pics)

Brother Spartan

Brother Spartan

.22LR
Thanks very much to the helpful folks here on M.O.com (stigmata, hanoverfiste to name a few). I was able to remove the Flex adapter from my Mossberg 500 Flex Tactical and add a Butler Creek Steel Folder.

The full work-up includes:
-Butler Creek Blued Steel Folding Stock $91.51 on Amazon
-Magpul RSA Rail Sling Attachment, Black $25.71 on Amazon
-Blackhawk Shotgun Shell Sling $15.24 on Amazon
-Nebo Protec Tactical Laser Flashlight with Pressure Switch $39.95 on Amazon
-BLACKHAWK! Rail Mount Vertical Grip - $32.77 on Amazon
-TacStar Side Saddle - $25 at Bass Pro
-Shameless Brother Spartan aka Molon Labe Spartan graphic - PRICELESS

The Butler Creek stock comes with an optional sling mounting bolt, which is bored large enough for a sling pin system typical of rifle slings. It was too small for the clip system on the Blackhawk sling, so I improvised for purposes of this photo with a keyring. I will eventually replace that large, bright and shiny thing with something more subtle, or I will just tap the hole to a larger diameter. Undecided at this point.

The most important modification was the stock. As you can see from the photo, removing the Flex adapter resulted in a perfect fit to the Butler Creek stock, which was intended for a Mossberg 500 (non-Flex). If you were concerned about fit, or loosness, let me put your fears to rest. This is rock solid. Also, the ad for the Butler Creek stock cautioned the buyer regarding fore end travel on some models. This was not an issue for the tactical fore end my shotgun came with, neither is spent shell ejection.

Please let me know your thoughts!

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I forgot something very important. The side saddle I purchased was for Mossberg 500 (non-Flex). It was necessary to use my dremel to shave about a half inch of the fore end to accomodate full travel. There is about 3 millimeters of play between fore end and saddle in the full return position. That's close, but it's adequate. I think it turned out well...

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Excellent job! Absolutely great looking shotgun and good job on the dremel work! Doesn't look all choppy and chewed up!
 
hanoverfiste said:
Great job, looks fantastic.

Thanks for the props.

What is that on the receiver?? Looks like a decal of some sort
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Thanks, hanover.

Yeah, ha ha. I digress.

It's a transferable decal.
 
ZombieHunterD said:
Nice setup, was there a lot of work involved to get that stock on there? It's always fun to do some modding
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Thank you.

Not a lot of work in terms of the steps involved. However, the stock bolt that attaches the Flex adapter to the receiver is a bear to remove. I was seriously thinking I was dealing with either a reverse-threading situation or my first broken hex wrench. But after a lot of effort it popped loose.

The entire stock assembly needs to be dissassembled for installation - meaning pivot pin, spring, etc. Then you have to find the sweet spot for pivot pin height when putting it back together. But that's more steps than actual work.
 
Itsricmo said:
That stock looks pretty heavy duty! How does it shoulder?
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It's very solid. When it locks open/closed, you feel as if it's there to stay.

I haven't fired it yet. I'm hoping to get some range time in the next week or so. But it's a nice length. Doesn't feel too long or short (and I'm 6' 7"). The only potential concern would be the cheek rest (or lack there of). I may need stitches. :lol:
 
lol Nothing some Ductape or electric (Black) tape can't fix!!! Toss some foam round the frame of the stock and wrap in black ductape :D
 
Itsricmo said:
That stock looks pretty heavy duty! How does it shoulder?
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Today I put about 21 rounds of 00 and 25 rounds of #6 shot. I had a blast (pun intended).

I honestly would have kept at it until my shoulder gave out, but I only had about an hour on the range and wanted to fire a couple other guns.

Stock was rock solid and my cheek was no worse for the wear resting on the thin steel. Everything about this setup is exciting to me. It was my first time with a pistol grip/vertical grip combo, and I am hooked.
 
I added an ATI heat shield with ghost ring sights.

I purchased the one that advertised being adaptable to the Mossberg 500 or other 18-inch barrel configurations. It did not specifically mention FLEX, as has been the case with many of the mods I've sought. So...as with other non-FLEX mods, I had to do some trimming and fitting that might not appeal to all owners.

Although the end-result was satisfactory, I would caution anyone who considers this modification for the following reasons.

1. There is a clamp near the muzzle end, which has two bolt holes. The spacing of the holes is not wide enough to allow both bolts to pass through. However, one seems sufficiently snug.

2. The tabs that you bend around the barrel on the receiver end will interfere with the slide. Not trimming them at all will cause the slide to catch, and require forceful cycling to get a shell to chamber or casing to extract. If you Dremmel 1/8th of an inch of it, it completley jams the action since now the tabs are no longer wrapping out of the way underneath the barrel. It is necessary to Dremel a full 1/4 inch, which leaves your tabs very short at this point. It was necessar to place the whole assembly in a vice and bend the tabs with a punch and hammer. Now the slide functions as it did from the factory, and the heat shield, despite missing a bolt, fits very securely.

3. There are guide pins on both the fore and aft ghost sites. The holes that receive these pins are not bored large enough. You will have to either expand the holes or trim the guide pins, but be careful with the latter since they are made of plastic.

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Brother Spartan,
"I was able to remove the Flex adapter from my Mossberg 500 Flex Tactical"

Is the adapter you removed for sale?
 
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