Description
The Mossberg 500 All Purpose Field 20 Gauge is the version of the most widely sold pump shotgun in American history that most hunters should actually be looking at. It carries a 26 inch ventilated rib barrel with a 3 inch chamber, a blued aluminum receiver, wood stock and forend, and holds five rounds. Weight is 7 pounds, overall length is 45.5 inches and length of pull is 13.875 inches. The Mossberg item number is 50136 and the UPC is 015813501360. MAG5 Firearms stocks it as an upland, small game and general purpose field gun.
Why the 500 Became the Standard
Over twelve million Mossberg 500 shotguns have been built, and the reasons are not mysterious. The action is short and fast to cycle, the design is simple enough that almost nothing goes wrong, and the receiver is aluminum rather than steel so the gun stays light. A pump action shotgun that a new shooter can learn in an afternoon and a lifelong owner can never wear out is a rare combination at any price.
The ambidextrous tang safety is the detail owners appreciate most and never mention. It sits on top of the receiver where the thumb naturally rests, works identically for left and right handed shooters, and is far easier to find under pressure than a crossbolt behind the trigger guard. Anyone who has taught a left handed shooter on a crossbolt safety gun understands why this matters.
In 20 gauge the Mossberg 500 All Purpose Field 20 Gauge is genuinely pleasant. At 7 pounds with a 20 gauge payload, recoil is mild enough for a smaller framed or younger shooter without being so light that the gun jumps. That combination is why the 20 gauge 500 has been the standard first shotgun recommendation for decades and why a Mossberg 500 All Purpose Field 20 Gauge keeps earning that position.
Barrel, Chokes and Practical Notes
The vent rib barrel is the right choice for a field gun. The rib gives a consistent sighting plane for wingshooting and the dual bead setup helps with alignment, while the ventilation helps the barrel shed heat over a long day in the dove field. The barrel is drilled and tapped, so a scope or red dot base can be fitted if you want to use the gun for turkey or slugs, which is a genuine option on a 20 gauge.
The Accu-Set choke system means interchangeable tubes rather than a fixed constriction. One tube ships with the gun, and adding an improved cylinder and a full tube covers almost everything a Mossberg 500 All Purpose Field 20 Gauge will be asked to do, from close flushing quail to turkey inside 30 yards. Buying two extra tubes for a Mossberg 500 All Purpose Field 20 Gauge is far cheaper than buying a second shotgun.
Two honest points. The 26 inch barrel is a compromise length: a touch long for thick grouse cover and a touch short for pass shooting doves, and most people are happier with it than with either extreme. And the wood on a field grade 500 is functional rather than beautiful, with a plain finish and no checkering to speak of. If you want figured walnut, this is not that gun, and a Mossberg 500 All Purpose Field 20 Gauge is not priced like that gun either.
Specifications
- Mossberg item number: 50136
- UPC: 015813501360
- Gauge: 20 gauge
- Chamber: 3 in
- Action: Pump
- Capacity: 5 rounds plus one chambered
- Barrel length: 26 in, ventilated rib
- Choke: Accu-Set interchangeable tubes
- Sights: Dual bead
- Stock and forend: Wood
- Receiver: Aluminum, blued
- Barrel finish: Blued
- Length of pull: 13.875 in
- Overall length: 45.5 in
- Weight: 7 lb
- Safety: Ambidextrous tang
- Optics: Drilled and tapped
Who Should Buy It
A Mossberg 500 All Purpose Field 20 Gauge is the sensible first shotgun, the sensible only shotgun for a lot of hunters, and a sensible gun to hand to a growing shooter. It handles upland birds, rabbits, squirrels, doves and with the right tube turkey, and parts and accessories are available everywhere because of how many were built. Full factory specifications are published by Mossberg.
If you want lighter recoil still for a very young shooter, a single shot like the Retay Gamelander 20 gauge is gentler and cheaper, at the cost of follow up shots. If you want 12 gauge payloads for waterfowl, look at the 12 gauge version of this same gun. Browse the rest of our shotguns to compare.
Practical notes. Buy two extra choke tubes early, because a Mossberg 500 All Purpose Field 20 Gauge with improved cylinder, modified and full covers essentially every job. Pattern the gun at the distance you expect to shoot rather than assuming the tube marking tells you everything. And keep the action clean and lightly oiled: the 500 tolerates neglect better than most, but it runs better when it is not gritty.
MAG5 Firearms is a family owned FFL dealer in Collegeville, Pennsylvania. This Mossberg 500 All Purpose Field 20 Gauge ships to the licensed dealer of your choice, and local buyers can complete the transfer with us in person. Call 610-943-0010 with any questions about chokes, fit or ammunition.
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