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Mossberg 500 Series Safety Thread

Replacing M500 safety

I'm looking to replace the plastic safety on my Mossberg 500 with a more positive metal one. Anything I need to watch out for? I've heard the safety button retaining screw is not removable; is this true?
 
Re: Replacing M500 safety

There is more in the 500 forum on the safties and a good deal of info about how to get the screw out, and how to watch for the detent ball. Quite a few safties listed too!
 
Re: Replacing M500 safety

It's a pain to remove the safety screw- apply plenty of pressure to break it loose- about 1/4 turn.
Place a big plastic bag over the stock and work in it when removing the screw. You must remove the bbl and trigger assy first. slide the bolt about half way closed. When you remove the screw, hold the safety block( or have someone help). When the button comes off there is a spring, ball and spacer that will come out( the bag prevents it from going out into space). Try to get a new filister head screw with the new safety button. Reinstall in reverse- it sounds complicated but it is really not hard. Be careful you do not get the ball into the red dot hole- it can be difficult to get it out- it will be held in by the wax red dot. (If you get it stuck pm me)
 
Re: Replacing M500 safety

Lady, I have been appreciating your insight on the forum, thanks for sharing your experiences and knowledge!
 
Re: Replacing M500 safety

I just changed out my stock plastic safety on my Mossberg 500 and Mossberg 930 with Vang Comp System safeties and I was able to remove the stock screw by applying steady pressure like mentioned above.
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Re: Replacing M500 safety

Rossignol said:
Lady, I have been appreciating your insight on the forum, thanks for sharing your experiences and knowledge!
Thank you for the kind words. Most guys don't realize there are women mechanics. I may not know all the guns being discussed here, but when it comes to the mechanics, I have developed many skills
as a professional licensed aircraft mechanic.
 
Re: Replacing M500 safety

It's a given that aircraft mechanics are a special breed. (See Mel in Doonesbury)

Having said that, I have worked on mechanical projects with many "Lady Mechanics" and I gotta tell you if clean work is called for they tend to be better, more careful than us guys. I am always impressed by their ability to replace force with finesse.

Me? "If it don't fit get a bigger hammer".
 
safety ball bearing stuck on my 500

Hello all,

Newbie here from Seattle. Hope this is the right place to post a question to the group. Don't know if this has been asked before.

I was trying to replace the plastic safety button with a suitable metal one. It all went well until the small ball bearing decided to lodge itself in the red-painted hole. For the life of me, I can't seem to get it out without damaging the surrounding surface. I am thinking about chilling the area with canned compressed air, hoping it would shrink just a bit and then fall out.

Does anyone have any words of wisdom?

Thank you,
boomer
 
Re: safety ball bearing stuck on my 500

Will a pin or needle help to poke or pry it out ?!
 
Re: safety ball bearing stuck on my 500

drop some paint thinner in the hole. As it softens the paint it should alow enough play to get it out. Clean and repaint.
 
Re: safety ball bearing stuck on my 500

Thanks for the great ideas. Yeah, I tried the needle-pry-it-out trick...to no avail. I am liking the idea of the paint thinner, I will give that a try.

boomer :cool:
 
Mossberg uses a one-way safety screw on their safeties. It is designed to be turned clockwise witha flat blade screwdriver. At the Mossberg armorer school, we are taught to use a small center punch to loosen the screw. Place the point of the center punch at an angle at the bottom of the slot of the screw head. You need to tap the center punch in an angle in order to rotate the screw in a counter clockwise direction. After the screw is loosen, you can use a regular flat blade screwdriver to remove the screw. Make sure you apply pressure on the safety button and the safety block inside the receiver before removing it. Their is a small metal plate, ball bearing and spring under it. You should disassemble the receiver by removing the the trigger assembly and bolt so you can have access to the safety block (silver L-shape metal block under the safety button, this is what the safety screw attaches to)

Release the pressure slowly so the parts dont go flying everywhere. Keep upward pressure on the safety block so the part does not fall out. Once the old safety button is removed, you can place the new one on top and screw it back in place. Brownells has an metal extended safety button with a raised center. I have it on my 590A1. Works great, even with gloves.
 
Try a small dab of gun grease on the top of the spring, should be enough to hold the ball in place while you get the rest of the parts lined up. I've came across mossbergs that had the ball and spring staked in. Sure makes it easy when they are staked in, wonder why they don't do that any more?
 
another 500 safety problem

Would apprecite any help. I own two 500a pumps and took one in t have safety fixed last year. Gunsmith charged me $80 to repair. He just cleaned it and didn't replace the plastic button. Now I know better and should of had him put a new metal one on. Just notced that my other one (my son's) safety is not working properly. We have a scheduled pheasant hunt this weekend and need to get it working. Broke it down last night and was able to get the safety working. Inspected the plastic safety button and it appears to be OK. Put it back togeather and the safety was sticking and doing the same thing. Could it be the detent spring isn't stretched enough or gummed up? That is the only thing I didn't clean darn it! Should it be a little raised to apply more pressure on the little ball? Obviously, I'm going to order the better metal button today and new spring but want to get it working for the weekend.
Sorry one last question. The safety block appears to be free and unattached as it just dropped down into the Mag when I unscrewed the safety screw. That is why I had to break it down. Is that the way its designed? I can't see how you could you ever replace the safety without breaking the gun down so you can reach up with fingers to hold block while screwing on safety.
Thanks mossy owners.
Joe
 
Re: another 500 safety problem

Welcome to the forum!


Jcc said:
Put it back together and the safety was sticking and doing the same thing. Could it be the detent spring isn't stretched enough or gummed up?

Pull it apart again and spray the assembly and the hole where the spring sits with some CLP or a good gun cleaner. Let it sit a couple of minutes and then use a Q-Tip to swab out the inside of the hole. If its gummed up then that will take care of it.

Jcc said:
Sorry one last question. The safety block appears to be free and unattached as it just dropped down into the Mag when I unscrewed the safety screw. That is why I had to break it down. Is that the way its designed? I can't see how you could you ever replace the safety without breaking the gun down so you can reach up with fingers to hold block while screwing on safety.

Yes it is designed this way. Really not a big deal since it only takes a minute to break down a 500.


Oh and $80 to work on a 500 safety.....Ridiculous!
I should have been a gunsmith!
Actually when it comes to breaking down and repairing 500's and 1100's, I just may be one.... :lol:

Get it cleaned up and enjoy your Pheasant hunt! (My favorite Prey to chase with my 500 ;) )
 
Re: another 500 safety problem

Thanks a bunch for the reply. Well, I just broke it down and did as you described and put it back togeather and same old results. I even lightly stretched the detent spring so it is a little exposed, maybe 1/32". The safety will go back and forth but not the way its suppose to and when its back all the way in safe, you can pull the trigger hard and it will fire. When back as far as I can get it, (half of the red dot is exposed). I'm not sure sure getting another safety button would correct this problem. Worth a try I suppose but wondering if it could be something else. May need to use my old 20 guage side by side Grouse gun for the Pheasants. Used it a lot when we had Grouse in Ohio.
 
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