Muzzle brakes are a great way to help gain shooting control over your firearm and allow a quick follow-up to target acquisition. But if you have been wondering if the search for the best muzzle brake for a shotgun is worth it, or if a muzzle brake should be used with a shotgun, we’ve got some answers for you below.
Comparison Table of The 3 Best Mossberg 500 Muzzle Brake
BRAND
MOSSBERG ACCU-CHOKE 12 GAUGE IMPROVED CYLINDER FLUSH CHOKE TUBE
DETAILS
- Size: Improved Cylinder
- Material: Steel
- Color: Black Finish
- For Use With: Mossberg 12 Ga 500, 535, 930, and Maverick 88 Threaded Barrel Shotguns
- Recommended For: 30 yd
MOSSBERG X-FACTOR Muzzle Brake Style 12 GAUGE XX-FULL PORTED EXTENDED CHOKE TUBE
- Size: XX-Full
- Material: 17-4 Stainless Steel
- Color: Black Finish
- For Use With: Mossberg 12 Ga 500, 535, 930, and Maverick 88 Threaded Barrel Shotguns
- Recommended For: 45+ yards
Carlson’s Choke Tubes Winchester, Browning, Or Mossberg 500
- Size: Skeet
- Material: 17-4 Stainless Steel
- Color: Black Finish
- For Use With: Mossberg Model 500, Winchester Choke, Browning Invector (Standard)
- Recommended For: 30 yards
Purpose of a Muzzle Brake
A muzzle brake is a product designed to fit onto the end of your rifle or shotgun barrel to help offset felt recoil. Its design includes carefully placed vent ports to help release gasses in a more controlled manner. Backward pointing vents help balance gasses that normally release to the front – which pushes back into your shoulder. Others work to help control muzzle lift.
The powder charge is what creates the gas pressure that is blown out of the barrel to create recoil. Muzzle brakes are more commonly used with a rifle, especially .30 caliber or higher related rounds with a larger powder charge that influence up to 30% of the recoil. Shotguns utilize a much lower powder charge, and therefore it contributes very little to the recoil.
What is a Shotgun Choke?
A shotgun choke is a muzzle device that threads onto the end of your barrel to tighten the pattern density of pellets. Shooting patterns scatter into a circular shape that widens with distance. Most shells contain approximately 300 pellets, and controlling the width of the shot pattern can make a difference to target accuracy. Choke is something to revisit and adjust from time to time to ensure you have the pattern appropriate to your target. For example, you might want a more restricted pattern for bird hunting, while you may prefer a wider pattern for self-defense.
A choke tube can also determine a shotgun’s effective range. Since shotguns are generally used within a 40-yard range, a choke is often measured in relation to the percentage of pellets that will hit a target at that range. Chokes are labeled as super or extra full to the cylinder, with a higher percentage of pellets hitting the target the more “full” the choke is. Skeet chokes are maximized for 25 yards due to their use.
Shotgun Choke Sizing
If you aren’t sure which choke size is right for your shooting experiences, follow this guide to determine which is best for your needs. Since chokes screw onto your barrel easily, you can have more than one to use with various shooting distances and pattern use.
Super or Extra Full
Extra full chokes create the tightest shot patterns for dense shooting needs. This makes it perfect for turkey headshots when you want an accurate, deadly shot.
Full
Tightly constricted with a tighter pattern density, this is a great choice for trap shooting, waterfowl pass shooting, turkey hunting, and buckshot loads. It is a good all-around option for bird hunting.
Modified
Great for waterfowl and upland birds and rabbits, it is a great choice for traps as well. If you like small game hunting, this is a good go-to.
Improved Cylinder
Good for use with rifled slugs, these are also preferred for close-quarter waterfowl or field bird hunting.
Cylinder
This is a choke preferred for law enforcement and when shotguns are on standby for self-defense.
Skeet
Skeet shots optimize the pattern for close-range skeet shooting within 30 to 40 yards distance.
Best Muzzle Devices For the Mossburg 500
Many shotgun muzzle devices are specific to certain brands, especially a muzzle brake. Since there are some true limitations with muzzle brake products for the Mossberg 500, we are going to highlight the best chokes you can take advantage of.
1. MOSSBERG ACCU-CHOKE 12 GAUGE IMPROVED CYLINDER FLUSH CHOKE TUBE
- Size: Improved Cylinder
- Material: Steel
- Color: Black Finish
- For Use With: Mossberg 12 Ga 500, 535, 930, and Maverick 88 Threaded Barrel Shotguns
- Recommended For: 30 yd
Made by Mossberg for Mossberg, the Improved Cylinder Flush Choke Tube is a top pick for the Mossberg 12 gauge series of accu-choke shotguns. Created as a flush-type choke, it is designed to handle steel, lead, and all non-toxic shot types for use within 30 yards. The improved cylinder pattern is best for close-quarter fowl hunting and handles rifled slugs as well. It is compatible with a wide range of shotguns as well, including Mossberg 12 Ga 500, 535, 930, and Maverick 88 Threaded Barrel Shotgun series, plus Smith and Wesson, Savage, and US Repeating Arms (Win-choke), and Browning Invector.
Pros
- Great range of shotgun uses
- Perfect for waterfowl on decoy
- Excellent field use
Cons
- No known issues
2. MOSSBERG X-FACTOR Muzzle Brake Style 12 GAUGE XX-FULL PORTED EXTENDED CHOKE TUBE
- Size: XX-Full
- Material: 17-4 Stainless Steel
- Color: Black Finish
- For Use With: Mossberg 12 Ga 500, 535, 930, and Maverick 88 Threaded Barrel Shotguns
- Recommended For: 45+ yards
The X-Factor Mossberg 12 gauge Ported Extended Choke Tube is an excellent muzzle brake style choke that handles all lead, steel, and other non-toxic loads to create a tight pattern perfect for fowl and turkey hunting. Made from a 17-4 stainless steel, it boasts two rows of specially angled ports for consistently tight shot group pattern creation over and over at 45 yards and further. Perfect for use with a huge array of 12 gauge shotgun brands, including the Mossberg 12 Ga 500, 535, 930, and Maverick 88 Threaded Barrel Shotgun series, Smith and Wesson, Savage, and US Repeating Arms (Win-choke) and Browning Invector.
Pros
- Great for long shots and holds a tight pattern
- Great range of shotgun uses
- Bird hunting perfection
Cons
- No known issues
3. Carlson’s Choke Tubes Winchester/Browning/Mossberg 500
- Size: Skeet
- Material: 17-4 Stainless Steel
- Color: Black Finish
- For Use With: Mossberg Model 500, Winchester Choke, Browning Invector (Standard)
- Recommended For: 30 yards
Carlson’s sporting clay choke tubes are great for keeping a consistent pattern ideal for competitive skeet shooting while allowing quick and easy follow-up shots. The ported design also helps minimize recoil and muzzle jump by redirecting the gasses that are created to help with quick target acquisition. Perfect for lead, copperplate, nickel, hevi-shot, bismuth, and tungsten loads. It also includes the choke wrench for convenience.
Pros
- Consistent pattern for sports shooting
- Helps steady the muzzle
- Surprisingly long-distance accuracy
Cons
- No known issues
Wrapping It Up
Although you can find muzzle brakes for shotguns, they are recommended for use except with a select few. As for use with a Mossberg 500, there truly aren’t any stand-alone muzzle brakes we could find, although different Mossberg Shotgun models are more commonly seen in use with one. Other muzzle devices, such as chokes, are designed specifically to help control the pattern of pellets for different shooting needs. Occasionally these chokes are ported to release the low amount of gasses to provide a degree of stability that works well with skeet and trap shooting.
We’d love to hear which of these options you have taken advantage of; just leave your comments below. And, as always, please share.