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| Above, the Mossberg 500E .410 shotgun. Photo by Armand Vaquer. |
I didn't know I had it at first until I was going through some gun cases in the garage and found the gun inside one.
I later bought some .410 shells to try it out. It shot real good with hardly any recoil.
Here's a video of a Mossberg 500 being shot by Buffalo's Outdoors:
Mossberg: How America’s Last Family Gun Empire Survived video by Fallen Firearms Empires.
Summary:
Mossberg is one of the last major family-owned firearms manufacturers in the United States. While many American gun companies were sold, merged, or disappeared, Mossberg survived for over a century through innovation, resilience, and family leadership.
In this video, we explore the history of O.F. Mossberg & Sons, the rise of the Mossberg 500 shotgun, and how the company remained independent in an industry dominated by corporate giants.
Topics covered:
• Mossberg history
• American gun industry
• Family-owned businesses
• Firearms manufacturing in the USA
• Mossberg 500 success story
• Business survival strategies
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| Above, an early Elmer Fudd and Bugs Bunny. Warner Bros. image. |
In the market for a new shotgun?
Personally, I'm not as I already have four of varying ages. The oldest are my Manton 12 gauge made somewhere in the 1800s and my Winchester 1912 (or Model 12) that was made in 1919 along with a Mossberg 500E .410 pump and Remington 870 12 gauge Express. These are plenty for me.
American Rifleman (NRA) posted a list of 18 new shotguns for 2026. They vary in price and design.
They begin with:
Among today's firearm platforms, the shotgun remains one of the most time-tested, but that doesn't mean there isn't room for improvement. Today's new crop of shotguns runs the gamut, giving modern shotgunners new options in nearly every conceivable category. From break-action designs with a third barrel to modernized semi-automatics that provide more reliable operation than ever before, it's a good time to be a shotgun fan.
Check out 18 of the latest and greatest new shotguns on the market today.
To read more, go here.
Three years ago, I went to the garage to get a gun case for a rifle to do some target shooting at the shooting range near our community.
I found one case which had something in it. I looked inside and there was a Mossberg 500E .410 shotgun that apparently my dad bought. I didn't know I had it.
As soon as I got some .410 shells, I tried it out at the range.
Here's a couple of videos of shooting a Mossberg 500E .410 shotgun and what it can do and a Q & A video on it:
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| Above, the Mossberg 500E shotgun. Photo by Armand Vaquer. |
A few years ago, I discovered a Mossberg 500E .410 Pump Shotgun that was in a gun case my dad left. I didn't know I had it until I unzipped the case.
I took it out to the shooting range not too long after and I worked great.
It appears that people in my age group (I'm at the "youthful" age of 72) are moving towards .410 shotguns for turkey hunting.
The Arkansas Democrat Gazette posted an article on this.
It begins with:
Willie Johnston of Hamburg is a traditionalist hunter, but he embraces the .410-bore shotgun for turkey hunting.
Johnston, 72, represents an evolution in the turkey hunting retail market. An older demographic of hunters is gravitating to smaller, lighter guns with less recoil.
Johnston said he is impressed with the tight patterns his Stevens 301 prints at conventional turkey hunting distances. The red dot sight that came with the package assures him that his shot will be true.
"Wherever you put that dot is where it's going to hit," Johnston said. "You don't have to worry about pulling off or your sights not being aligned just right. Just put that dot on his head and shoot."
Nathan Dunn, owner of Dunn's Sporting Goods in Pevely, Mo., acknowledged the trend in the Midwest.
"The last few years we've sold a lot more sub-gauge guns, a lot of 20-gauges and a lot of .410," Dunn said. "A lot of hunters are getting older. They're tired of packing around that big 12-gauge."
To read the full article, go here.
MOSSBERG 500E 410 PUMP-ACTION SHOTGUN REVIEW by The Dog Pound with M-Dog
A couple of years ago, I came upon the Mossberg 500E shotgun in a stack of rifle cases left by my dad. I didn't know I had it. I tried it out and it is fun to shoot. It was made in the early 1960s before Mossberg added serial numbers.
On the video, the summary:
The Mossberg 500E .410 Pump-Action Shotgun is a great shotgun for the new shooter / hunter to learn with or for the seasoned shooter / hunter to challenge themselves with. This video will provide an up-close look at the shotgun and help you decide whether it’s right for you. I hope you enjoy the video. Stay safe and God Bless you and yours!
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| Above, the Manton side-by-side shotgun. Photo by Armand Vaquer. |
I also have a Mossberg 500E .410 Pump Shotgun that I inherited from my dad.
I also inherited from my dad is a side-by-side (or double-barrel) Manton shotgun made in the 1800s. I didn't know I had it until I found a gun case with something in it and opened it to find the shotgun. I believe it is also a 12 gauge. The Manton is the only side-by-side shotgun I have.
Side-by-side shotguns is the topic of an article from Outdoor Life that was originally published in 1972. It was posted yesterday. The title of the article is "Who Killed the Side-by-Side Shotgun?"
By the way, cartoon character Elmer Fudd is occasionally depicted carrying a side-by-side.
The Outdoor Life article begins with:
No other type of firearm conjures up such images in the mind of the beholder as does the side-by-side shotgun. The true believer has only to open the action of a classic side-by-side and he is transported to a land where autumn leaves flutter across frosty earth, where great hunting dogs hold motionless points, where a flannel shirt and old wool tie feel just right under a worn-in shooting coat, and the whole world smells of damp tweed, Rangoon oil, leather hunting bags, and the smoke from old-fashioned paper shotshells.
Reams of manuscript paper have extolled the virtues of the side-by-side, but to my knowledge no one has actually succeeded in divulging its mystique. Whether the 1970’s will go down in history as the golden decade of the side-by-side double remains to be seen. Frankly I doubt it. However, there is no doubt that the side-by-side is making a rather startling comeback from its low point of the 1950’s. At that time, rumor was that the side-by-side would soon be as extinct as the dodo.
While researching for this blog post, I did notice a great number of side-by-side shotguns are for sale.
To read the full article, go here.
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| Above, all ready to go. Photo by Armand Vaquer. |
I got the guns and ammo all ready to pack into the car. I am going to shoot the three Winchesters (the 94 lever-action .30-30 carbine, the 62A .22 pump rifle and the Model 1912 shotgun) along with the Mossberg 500E .410 Pump Shotgun. The Mossberg shotgun was inherited from my dad. I didn't know I had it until last year when I found it in one of his gun cases.
The targets have been readied and in the garage.
Thankfully, one of my friends also has a Winchester Model 1912 shotgun, so he can coach me on using it. I viewed some videos on it, which helps.
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| Above, the Winchester Model 94 .30-30. Photo by Armand Vaquer. |
Today's temperature is expected to reach 72°.
Finally, we're getting some spring weather in New Mexico. It has been cold, snowy and windy. We have a National Forest shooting area next to our subdivision and we're dying to do some shooting.
The roads to the shooting area are drying out. I was able to drive the Jeep in Six Mile Canyon yesterday with no muddy road issues.
My pre-64 Winchester Model 94 is ready to go along with my Winchester 62A .22 and, when it arrives next week, my Winchester Model 12 shotgun. I bought it last weekend and is is now en route to a FFL gun shop. I will also try out the Mossberg 500E .410 Pump Shotgun that I found in a gun case that my dad bought.
I figured I'd buy the Winchester shotgun now before the new seven-day waiting period goes into effect. It was passed by the New Mexico legislature and singed by the governor during the 2024 legislative session.
My order of shotgun shells (12 Gauge and 410 Bore) arrived this morning.
I came across the Mossberg 500E .410 Pump Shotgun last week, I didn't have the ammunition to try it out. So I ordered some along with some 12 Gauge shells.
To compare the sizes of them, here's a photo. A bit of a difference, eh?
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| Above, the Mossberg 500E shotgun. Photo by Armand Vaquer. |
It was a Mossberg 500E pump .410 shotgun. I don't remember having it. It was one of my dad's. I did some checking and this one is a pre-1968 gun since it is without a serial number. It was first introduced in 1961. It is said to be a good varmint gun.
Friends are amazed that I manage to find guns in gun cases I inherited from my dad.
Since I don't have any .410 gauge shotgun shells, I ordered a box so I can try out the gun.
