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Checking over a used 500

I found a good deal on a used 500 near me and am considering buying it to add to my collection alongside my 590. I bought my 590 new and it's been great but I'm not sure what to look for on a used 500 to make sure it's in good shape. The seller says it has about 50 shells through it and it looks good in the pics but I don't want to get burned. Any advice?
 
Depends on what a good deal is. Used 500s go for $150-180 around here mainly because of the Maverick 88 going around the $200 mark new. What I've found in used 500s (I own 4) is the more rounds through them the better. My 1985 (the only 500A I bought new) racks like butter and the inside of the receiver is bare aluminum from thousands of rounds over the years. Can't beat a well used 500. Nothing wears out and they age like bourbon.
 
Are you going to be able to handle the 500 before you buy, or are you buying it by just seeing an ad?

I bought my [wife's] 500 back in '97 and it looked dandy in the store and went kachunk just fine. The shop owner told me to take it to my range and shoot it, and if I didn't like it I could bring it back for full refund. I kept it. But I had bought 2 handguns from the same guy earlier that year.
 
Are you going to be able to handle the 500 before you buy, or are you buying it by just seeing an ad?

I can handle it but won't be able to shoot it since I'll probably be meeting the guy in a Walmart parking lot or something :D
 
Here is an approach I'd suggest:

Ask for gun's serial number.
Get details of the time, place, phone # of seller, name and vehicle description. Leave note of all this info at home.
Invite a friend who can go with you. [If you are w/in 100 miles of Chattanooga, I'm available.]
Put a folding card table, and a bunch of newspapers in your car/van/suv/motorcycle.
Have asking price ready in $20, $10, and $5 bills in envelope. Don't take money out of your wallet.
Have blank general bill of sale forms so you can fill out info for both parties.
Meet w/ the guy at safe place. [Call local Sheriff Office or local PD. See below... they are everywhere now.] Confirm that it is not posted "No Weapons."
When the guy shows up introduce your friend who should say not much more than a neutral to friendly, "Hi"
Friend steps back and makes a phone call w/in earshot and says "We are on schedule [or ahead of schedule, or a little late]. See you soon."
Friend keeps eye on surroundings, 360 degree awareness, watches for seller's late arriving "buddies." If I'm your friend I take pics of seller and his vehicle tag and email them for evidence.
Friend steps back during transaction. Keeps phone in hand in case of emergency
You are a 590 owner so this 500 isn't going to look foreign to you.
Do visual inspection inspection and operate the action. Set up the card table and have the seller field strip it or change barrels.
When you are done w/ inspection make offer or refusal.
If offer accepted. Fill out bills of sale, keep a copy and give copy to seller. Pay from envelope.

Your gun inspection and transaction is not as important as your safety, security and protection that your friend provides.
Buy friend dinner on way home.

Report back to us at Mossberg owners how well you did. WITH PIX DAMMIT! :)

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Rack the slide and try dry firing it. As long as it function checks it should be good to go. With only fifty rounds it should look like it just came out of the box. Get a receipt to prove you bought it and call it good. Outside of obvious receiver/barrel damage there is little that cannot be repaired pretty inexpensively even if something doesnt work.
 
Here is an approach I'd suggest:

Ask for gun's serial number.
Get details of the time, place, phone # of seller, name and vehicle description. Leave note of all this info at home.
Invite a friend who can go with you. [If you are w/in 100 miles of Chattanooga, I'm available.]
Put a folding card table, and a bunch of newspapers in your car/van/suv/motorcycle.
Have asking price ready in $20, $10, and $5 bills in envelope. Don't take money out of your wallet.
Have blank general bill of sale forms so you can fill out info for both parties.
Meet w/ the guy at safe place. [Call local Sheriff Office or local PD. See below... they are everywhere now.] Confirm that it is not posted "No Weapons."
When the guy shows up introduce your friend who should say not much more than a neutral to friendly, "Hi"
Friend steps back and makes a phone call w/in earshot and says "We are on schedule [or ahead of schedule, or a little late]. See you soon."
Friend keeps eye on surroundings, 360 degree awareness, watches for seller's late arriving "buddies." If I'm your friend I take pics of seller and his vehicle tag and email them for evidence.
Friend steps back during transaction. Keeps phone in hand in case of emergency
You are a 590 owner so this 500 isn't going to look foreign to you.
Do visual inspection inspection and operate the action. Set up the card table and have the seller field strip it or change barrels.
When you are done w/ inspection make offer or refusal.
If offer accepted. Fill out bills of sale, keep a copy and give copy to seller. Pay from envelope.

Your gun inspection and transaction is not as important as your safety, security and protection that your friend provides.
Buy friend dinner on way home.

Report back to us at Mossberg owners how well you did. WITH PIX DAMMIT! :)

5890b7cd608f1-image_orig.jpg
blank-bill-of-sale-form-thumb.jpg


Wow what an ordeal!

We have a simpler system here.

You both meet at a real FFL gun dealer and you give him $30. He holds the gun for 10 days until all the California paperwork goes through and then gives it to the new owner.
 
You both meet at a real FFL gun dealer and you give him $30. He holds the gun for 10 days until all the California paperwork goes through and then gives it to the new owner.

That's good too. Some equivalence to my more generalized method in that:
- FFL dealer = My friend
- Shop = Safe exchange zone
- FFL's paperwork = bill of sale

My main point was that if you do commerce with strangers you should be alert and prepared to come to a satisfactory conclusion. @No1Buck said his plan was to meet in a parking lot. Too many sad stories out there that didn't reward complacency.
 
Pump it, put on the safety and try the trigger. If it fires, the safety connector is broken. $45 fix. Pull gently downward on the trigger guard. If the trigger group moves, the tabs are broken. $45 fix. If you have five snap cap shells, load the tube. If they won't load more than 2, the mag plug is still in. If the follower binds however, it's a dented tube. $35 fix. Finger check the ejector for solidity. If it moves, it's probably not a loose screw, it's a stripped one. $35. If the stock moves at the wrist, the stock bolt hole is probably stripped. Happened to me once. Bottom line, there's a bunch of things that can go wrong. None that can't be fixed, though. If the receiver is in good shape, the trigger group is good, and the barrel isn't trashed, it's worth $150. Add in the other parts and you can easily get your capital back by parting it out if you need to. If it's really next to new and looks it, I'd have no probs assuming that it is worthwhile.
 
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