I saw a mossberg 500 cruiser at the ranger today and check it out and really like it. Classic arms has it for 200 (100 less than the range did!). Anyway I'll probably want to eventually put a LED on the front of it and a good interchangeable folding stock. So is this recommended for good home defense? Thanks.

BTW how do you change your photo? The one that says ar15.com

Quoted: I saw a mossberg 500 cruiser at the ranger today and check it out and really like it. Classic arms has it for 200 (100 less than the range did!). Anyway I'll probably want to eventually put a LED on the front of it and a good interchangeable folding stock. So is this recommended for good home defense? Thanks. BTW how do you change your photo? The one that says ar15.com

Check your local laws, in IN, they are considered a handgun, and subject to handgun/concealed carry restrictions unlike the same shotgun with a regular stock which are virtually unregulated.  As far as good for home defense?  IMO no, you'd be better served with an AR carbine.  The cruisers are not fun to shoot with full power loads, and if you're going to add a folder, save the money and buy a standard 500 and switch stock to a folder.

Quoted: I saw a mossberg 500 cruiser at the ranger today and check it out and really like it. Classic arms has it for 200 (100 less than the range did!). Anyway I'll probably want to eventually put a LED on the front of it and a good interchangeable folding stock. So is this recommended for good home defense? Thanks. BTW how do you change your photo? The one that says ar15.com

Did you get to shoot the gun?  I'd recommend shooting a pistolgripped gun first.  I've used a lot of different pistolgrips on a lot of different guns.  After the novelty wears off, they get a good stock.  

The pistolgripped buttstock work best for me



You have the option of hip shooting or firing from the shoulder.  

This works better that "hip" shooting.  It gives you more control, better accuracy, and it doesn't let the recoil pound you



If you really want a folding stock, check out the Knoxx stocks.  They ain't cheap, but you get what you pay for www.knoxx.com/ .  Make sure you watch the videos; they are pretty dang cool!

Well since the range in my state had it for sale , I'm pretty sure it's legal. Yeah I guess I probably would want a pistolgripped buttstock. I have't shot a 12 ga in a while but their kick is not nice from what I remember. My thought with the home defense is that this won't go through walls and you don't have to worry about aiming as much. I have a winchester model 12 but it's huge and better suited for hunting. Is adding the pistol grip buttstock and the handle pump pretty easy? I did kind of the same with my wasr AK, putting on a folding stock and a forward hand grip. Thanks.

I love my cruiser, it gos with me every where I go, it rides rite behind the seat of my truck and fits in a duffle bag when I stay in motel/hotels. I shoot it quite accuratly.

Quoted: Well since the range in my state had it for sale , I'm pretty sure it's legal. Yeah I guess I probably would want a pistolgripped buttstock. I have't shot a 12 ga in a while but their kick is not nice from what I remember. My thought with the home defense is that this won't go through walls and you don't have to worry about aiming as much. I have a winchester model 12 but it's huge and better suited for hunting. Is adding the pistol grip buttstock and the handle pump pretty easy? I did kind of the same with my wasr AK, putting on a folding stock and a forward hand grip. Thanks.

I didn't mean it was illegal, some states will view it as IN does, a handgun, which means you have to have a CHL in order to carry it off your property, where as a normal stocked shotgun is just that, and there are no restrictions as to how or where you carry it.  In IN it is perfectly legal to walk down the street with a rifle or shotgun, if that shotgun has a pistol grip rather than full a full stock, then it is a handgun, and you must have a permit to walk down the same street with it.

Quoted: Quoted: Well since the range in my state had it for sale , I'm pretty sure it's legal. Yeah I guess I probably would want a pistolgripped buttstock. I have't shot a 12 ga in a while but their kick is not nice from what I remember. My thought with the home defense is that this won't go through walls and you don't have to worry about aiming as much. I have a winchester model 12 but it's huge and better suited for hunting. Is adding the pistol grip buttstock and the handle pump pretty easy? I did kind of the same with my wasr AK, putting on a folding stock and a forward hand grip. Thanks. I didn't mean it was illegal, some states will view it as IN does, a handgun, which means you have to have a CHL in order to carry it off your property, where as a normal stocked shotgun is just that, and there are no restrictions as to how or where you carry it.  In IN it is perfectly legal to walk down the street with a rifle or shotgun, if that shotgun has a pistol grip rather than full a full stock, then it is a handgun, and you must have a permit to walk down the same street with it.

I'm not saying you don't know what you're talking about, I don't know anything at all about your state, BUT is it possable that you heard this from some local rooky law man who was just BSing you? I live in a very free state and just find it very hard to beleive that they could/would call it a handgun. But whatever.

Quoted: Yeah I guess I probably would want a pistolgripped buttstock. I have't shot a 12 ga in a while but their kick is not nice from what I remember. My thought with the home defense is that this won't go through walls and you don't have to worry about aiming as much. Is adding the pistol grip buttstock and the handle pump pretty easy? I did kind of the same with my wasr AK, putting on a folding stock and a forward hand grip. Thanks.

I'm just offering ideas.  If you have the opportunity to try a few guns that already have the stocks installed you can see what you like the best before you spend the money.

You are correct; a 12gauge can be brutal.  A good stock is essential, and a good recoil pad will make all the difference in the world.  The Knoxx stocks come highly recommended, but I haven't tried one yet.  I use ATI and Choate stocks and LimbSaver recoil pads.

Installation of stocks isn't a big deal, just make sure that you understand how to disassemble and reassemble your gun first.  The buttstock is simple; 2 screw in the buttpad and 1 bolt in the stock.  Forends require more disassembly, but this is a shotgun; there aren't that many parts.

Walls and accuracy- Get some buckshot and slugs and go to the range.  Use full-sized silhouettes.  Buckshot is easy to check accuracy, just count the holes versus the pellets in the shell.  You need to practice, and practice often.  You need to know what you, your gun, and your ammo are capable of.

Don't shoot the walls!  Hit the bad guy!

I'm not going to touch the birdshot vs. buckshot stuff.  That's been hashed out here  ar15.com/forums/topic.html?b=6&f=1&t=193319
and here  ar15.com/forums/topic.html?b=6&f=1&t=195451

Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: Well since the range in my state had it for sale , I'm pretty sure it's legal. Yeah I guess I probably would want a pistolgripped buttstock. I have't shot a 12 ga in a while but their kick is not nice from what I remember. My thought with the home defense is that this won't go through walls and you don't have to worry about aiming as much. I have a winchester model 12 but it's huge and better suited for hunting. Is adding the pistol grip buttstock and the handle pump pretty easy? I did kind of the same with my wasr AK, putting on a folding stock and a forward hand grip. Thanks. I didn't mean it was illegal, some states will view it as IN does, a handgun, which means you have to have a CHL in order to carry it off your property, where as a normal stocked shotgun is just that, and there are no restrictions as to how or where you carry it.  In IN it is perfectly legal to walk down the street with a rifle or shotgun, if that shotgun has a pistol grip rather than full a full stock, then it is a handgun, and you must have a permit to walk down the same street with it. I'm not saying you don't know what you're talking about, I don't know anything at all about your state, BUT is it possable that you heard this from some local rooky law man who was just BSing you? I live in a very free state and just find it very hard to beleive that they could/would call it a handgun. But whatever.

No, I used to work for a gun store, and back before NICS, in IN you had to fill out sate handgun forms on every handgun sale, and the state considers(ed) pistol grip shotguns as handguns, we got into a little trouble once for NOT filling out  handgun transfers on a bunch of Maverick cruisers as the state considered them handguns because they could be or were designed to be fired from one hand!

Quoted: I'm not saying you don't know what you're talking about, I don't know anything at all about your state, BUT is it possable that you heard this from some local rooky law man who was just BSing you? I live in a very free state and just find it very hard to beleive that they could/would call it a handgun. But whatever.

State laws vary obviously. Here in Michigan, a shotgun or a rifle (usually folding stock if a rifle) that is under 30 inches folded (or overall if pistol gripped) have to be registered as a pistol. Sucks, but the upside, my pistol gripped 37 can be carried legally with my CPL. Not something I really plan to do, but maybe throwing it in the trunk sometimes....

dermofo, forget the "don't have to aim" with a shotgun thing. It's a myth, particularly at typical inside the house ranges. Buckshot and slugs are your best bets (do a search on Arfcom on birdshot, tons of stuff to digest....).

And as to your avatar (the picture you want to change) have a look over in the General forums, scroll down to "technical support" and open that forum. There are several threads that will guide you through sizing a pic and setting it as your avatar.

I have the Knoxx folder on my 590A1 and like it a lot. It's pretty decent at reducing recoil and with the stock folder is very compact.

Quoted: Well since the range in my state had it for sale , I'm pretty sure it's legal. Yeah I guess I probably would want a pistolgripped buttstock. I have't shot a 12 ga in a while but their kick is not nice from what I remember. My thought with the home defense is that this won't go through walls and you don't have to worry about aiming as much. I have a winchester model 12 but it's huge and better suited for hunting. Is adding the pistol grip buttstock and the handle pump pretty easy? I did kind of the same with my wasr AK, putting on a folding stock and a forward hand grip. Thanks.

Wrong on both counts.
Anything that will effectively stop an intruder will pentetrate interior walls.
Get an AR15 carbine for HD.

Quoted: I have the Knoxx folder on my 590A1 and like it a lot. It's pretty decent at reducing recoil and with the stock folder is very compact.

How is reaching the tang safety, w. the pistol grip?

Quoted: Quoted: I have the Knoxx folder on my 590A1 and like it a lot. It's pretty decent at reducing recoil and with the stock folder is very compact. How is reaching the tang safety, w. the pistol grip?

oooh! oooh!
I know the answer to that one!

It sucks!

Those of you that have read my posts in this forum know that I'm a Mossberg fan.
You have also seen me post that a pistol grip stock on a Mossberg is problematic.
You have to break your shooting grip every time you safe the weapon or make ready to fire.
I like pistol grip shotguns(with a short shoulder stock) a lot!
The Mossberg isn't the best platform for this.

I'm thinking of building an 870 for this purpose. (YOU! in the peanut gallery! Silence!)

I almost feel like a heretic posting that.

Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: I have the Knoxx folder on my 590A1 and like it a lot. It's pretty decent at reducing recoil and with the stock folder is very compact. How is reaching the tang safety, w. the pistol grip? oooh! oooh! I know the answer to that one! It sucks! Those of you that have read my posts in this forum know that I'm a Mossberg fan. You have also seen me post that a pistol grip stock on a Mossberg is problematic. You have to break your shooting grip every time you safe the weapon or make ready to fire. I like pistol grip shotguns(with a short shoulder stock) a lot! The Mossberg isn't the best platform for this. I'm thinking of building an 870 for this purpose. (YOU! in the peanut gallery! Silence!) I almost feel like a heretic posting that.

From what I've heard/read a Maverick 88 trigger group (with crossbolt safety) will drop right in a regular Mossberg 500.  You'd end up with two safeties though  Cheaper than buying a 870.
Two of my Mossbergs (M500 & a M5500) have the aftermarket Quake//R.G.I. extended safety.  Not as good as they could be but much easier to disengage than the original.  

I had a Mossberg 500 persuader which I got for 125.00 brand new, I couldn't pass it up. It came with both stocks and had an 18.5 inch barrel and 6 shot capacity. It was a decent gun, especially for the price and it was very reliable. I never experienced any problems with it using a wide variety of ammunition. I personally like Mossbergs as the slide release can be engaged while maintaining firing position and the safety mounts atop the receiver. If you use a pistol grip stock, the location of the safety absolutly sucks. Its such a hinderance that I dry fire my 590A1 9 shot, leave the safety off and keep 8 rounds in the magazine. All I have to do is rack the slide, no buttons to

manipulate...which is a blessing because the Mossberg safety is incompatible with pistolgrip stocks. The trigger on my Mosbberg 500 persuader was horrible, though it did get slightly better. It was like the nightmare I have where I can't shoot the bad guy because the trigger is so stiff. With use it eventually broke in a little, but I put nearly 800 rounds through it and it still sucked, and thats putting it bluntly. It caused me to miss too many times to count. The recoil was also horrible, almost as bad as the Benelli Nova. With the exception of the Police Magnum and 590A1, I believe the 870, 1300 and 500/590 are equals. They are all reliable and durable weapons used by LE agencies and militaries for years as defensive weapons, for which they are well suited. Any of the above would be well suited for HD use and one should select the weapon best suited to them. I have hunted with 870's my whole life and they are the most natural, but I do currently own a uber-rare factory 590A1 9 shot with heatshield/ghost rings. My only consideration would be the trigger on the Mossberg 500's. I have heard others complain of this, so its not just my weapon. It could be a serious impediment in a gun fight....seriously, its that bad. Its extremely stiff and makes accurate shooting nearly impossible.

I need one.

A...O...W...