I was able to pick up an old Mossberg 500A for a price I couldn’t pass up. It has an 18.5 inch non-rifled slug barrel with front and flip-up rear sight. I want to put some kind of faster-action sights on it (OEM rifle sights are too low), preferably ghost rings. I can buy the Mossberg Ghost Ring sight kit for $60.
Seems the logical choice, BUT I would have to have a gunsmith remove oem front sight and silver solder the new one on. That would be about $80 (remove/install/reblue) and take 2 months. So, that option would be about $140.
Other option would be an optical sight on the receiver-mounted picatinney rail. I’d hate to waste an Eotech on a beater shotgun, but what about one of those Primary Arms Aimpoint knockoffs for ~$90?
Anybody with insight into these cheap opticals? Frankly I’d rather have the Ghost Rings, but that’s a more difficult option.
Other options on the Ghost Rings? What’s involved in un-brazing that front sight? Can I do it with a propane torch (being careful with the heat). Can I use JB weld to stick the new one on (I’ve seen that described - seems hokey).
Nearly all of the Mossbergs I maintain have the GRS. When you install the rear, make sure you degrease and loctite the mounting screws. Have the front installed properly by a good smith. No JB weld. No WECSOG. Anything less and you will lose it in short order. The work is very simple, but likewise, simple to screw up. When installed properly, the OEM GRS setup does pretty well.
What’s on the gun now that has to be removed?
Do you really need to have it reparked/reblued? What’s the rest of the gun look like? For a working/beater gun, I’d be inclined to spot refinish via rattle-can. That could spare you some expense.
There should be a GTG vendor out there that you could mail your barrel to, have them install the FS, and return it for less money and in much less time.
Aimpro does the work you’re looking for, their turnaround times are usually pretty good:
Install Factory Ghost Ring Sights
We’ll solder/braze a new ghost ring base on your barrel and refinish it with the XCOAT finish of your choice. (Installation using hi-temp silver solder per factory specifications will damage your existing barrel finish) $ 70.00 (Sight set not included)
A rail is a good option if you want to run an RDS. I would only go this route if you were going to use a quality RDS though. I wouldn’t even bother with a knockoff.
Thanks for the advice. Can you recommend a good gunsmith in the Twin Cities? I need one to “un-solder”/remove the Factory front ramp (slug sights) then re-solder the higher front sight that’s part of the ghost ring system. You’re right, re-bluing isn’t necessary.
My local dealer tells me that Ahlmans in Morristown can do it for $80, but I get down to Mpls often enough that that’s likely a little simpler.
The rear sight is no problem…I already drilled and tapped the receiver for 8-40 for the rail bolts (came 6-40 from the factory).
