If you’re looking for a Mossberg 500 heat shield, then you have a task ahead of you. Finding a heat shield that is compatible with your shotgun will take time, and knowing how to distinguish a good one from a not so good one is critical.
To save you some time, we’ve handpicked six of the best heat shields that we believe are the best for a Mossberg 500.
Before we unveil our list, we’ll talk about what a heat shield is and why they are an important component for your shotgun. You’ll also learn what to look out for before choosing a heat shield of your own.
At a Glance: Our Top Picks for Mossberg 500 Heat Shield
- OUR TOP PICK: Mossberg Heat Shield
- RUNNER-UP: Mossberg Parkerized Heat Shield Kits
- BEST BUDGET OPTION: Advanced Technology - Heat Shield
Comparison Chart of the Best Mossberg 500 Heat Shields
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What is a Heat Shield and What is it Used For?
Some shotgun users say that heat shields are designed for the sake of looks. However, others have said that heat shields are designed to prevent your hand from getting burned if you accidentally touch the barrel. Some shotguns (including the Mossberg 500) will heat up very quickly, especially after firing off numerous rounds.
While it is optional to install a heat shield on your shotgun, it might be one of the best accessories to have. The debate is still open as to whether or not they are worth the investment. That's why it is important to take the opinion of fellow Mossberg owners with a grain of salt.
How to Choose a Mossberg Heat Shield?
It is important to distinguish great Mossberg heat shields from those of poor quality, especially if you are trying to find an excellent Mossberg heat shield of your own. Here are a few things that some past buyers recommend that you look out for:
Easy To Install
A lot of Mossberg owners aren’t equipped with advanced gunsmithing skills. If you’re one of those people, it is important to find a heat shield that is easy to install and won’t give you any frustrating issues. If you find the idea of installing a heat shield on your Mossberg intimidating, a professional gunsmith will probably be your best option.
Material
The most important thing to know about a heat shield is the overall quality. A heat shield will most likely be made from high-quality materials. Aluminum and steel are the most popular materials used to construct a heat shield. Generally, the materials will depend on the manufacturer. For example, a good type of aluminum to look out for is 7075-T6 aluminum, which is considered to be durable and proven to absorb a great deal of shock and recoil with each shot you take.
Finish
Another thing to note is that some Mossberg owners will purchase a heat shield based on looks alone. With that in mind, it is important to look at the finish of a heat shield. Ideally, you’ll want a heat shield that is finished in matte blue or matte black. Either finish will typically blend in with the barrel of your Mossberg shotgun.
Review of the Best Mossberg 500 Heat Shields
Below are six of the best Mossberg 500 heat shields that are currently available right now. Whether it’s for a certain barrel or from a certain brand, these six have proven themselves as worthy of inclusion on this list. Before making a decision, it is important to do your due diligence. Buyer’s remorse is the last thing you’ll want to deal with after purchasing a good quality gun accessory like a heat shield.
Best Overall:
Mossberg Heat Shield
Pros
Cons
Our first heat shield is considered the best of the best for a Mossberg 500. This is the factory brand heat shield. If you're looking for a heat shield that gives off a distinctly tactical look, then this might be the heat shield for you. This blue-stained heat shield is compatible with not only Mossberg 500 shotguns but also Mossberg 590 shotguns as well.
The included mounting instructions will give you a considerably easier time with the installation process. This is a great heat shield to have if you plan on converting a hunting shotgun into a home defense shotgun and may be ideal if you're also planning to get a new stock and barrel for your Mossberg 500.
Bottom Line
This heat shield makes a Mossberg 500 look like a ferocious, intimidating beast. It should come as no surprise that this item has a blued finish, given that most tactical-style gun accessories are usually dark in color. Whether you're buying it for looks or for safety purposes, this Mossberg heat shield will effectively serve its purpose.
Runner-up:
Mossberg Parkerized Heat Shield Kits
Pros
Cons
Next up, we have the Mossberg Parkerized Heat Shield Kit. These heat shields come in three different finishes: Blued, Parkerized, and Marinecoat. If you have a plain barreled shotgun that needs an upgrade in the looks department, then this heat shield just might do the trick.
The important thing to do is choose the heat shield that will stand out in the best way possible. You have three different finishes to choose from; if your personal preference leans towards a blued finish, go with that. If you want something that’s Parkerized, you can go that way instead.
This is a factory-made heat shield that will fit your Mossberg 500. If you have a Mossberg 590, then you’ll probably want a heat shield for that too. The good news is that this heat shield will fit on a 590 with no issues.
Bottom Line
With three different finishes to choose from, Mossberg users can choose one that satisfies them the most. If you want your Mossberg to give off a more tactical look, the Parkerized or blued finish will be more to your liking.
If you have a steel colored barrel on your Mossberg, the marinecoat finish might be the ideal choice. Regardless, this product is not only designed to make your Mossberg shotgun look better but will also protect your barrel from overheating after a long day on the range or out in the field.
Best For The Money:
Advanced Technology - Heat Shield
Pros
Cons
If you're a Mossberg owner in search of a heat shield but you don't want to break the bank, then the Advanced Technology heat shield may be exactly what you need. The first thing to stand out is that it has adapters and spacers that are designed specifically for the Mossberg 500 shotgun. When you install this heat shield, you won't have to worry about making any additional adjustments or modifications to your Mossberg 500.
Constructed from steel that is lengthened to fit the barrel of your shotgun, this heat shield will protect your hands from getting burned if you accidentally touch the barrel of your gun. Plus, the heat from the barrel will dissipate quickly, making it safer to touch after firing off many shots.
This product also has a black oxide finish that will usually blend in with most Mossberg barrels. If you’re worried about colors clashing together, you won’t have to worry about that with the Advanced Technology heat shield.
Bottom Line
As expected, the Advanced Technology heat shield rises above all the negative things you can say about budget heat shields. This isn't your average "you get what you pay for" heat shield. This is more of the "you get more than you paid for" kind, which means you're getting quite the bargain at the price that it's being sold for.
This heat shield looks good on most rifles and will dissipate heat quickly like nothing else. If that's something you want in a heat shield, you'd be crazy to pass up the opportunity to look at the Advanced Technology heat shield a bit further.
Best Heat Shield With Sight:
Advanced Technology - Deluxe Heat Shield w/Sights
Pros
Cons
For our next heat shield, we’re going to stick with the Advanced Technology brand. This time, we will be talking about the deluxe heat shield with sights.
Right out of the gate, you’ll notice that this comes equipped with a ghost ring. This is standard with most sights that you’d install on a Mossberg 500. This will allow for the quickest target acquisition possible on your shotgun. So this might serve as your best buddy out in the field when you’re out hunting for big game.
If you hate snagging, the front blades included in this heat shield will prevent that from ever happening. This may be a challenge to install and might require some patience and gunsmithing skills. However, if the idea of installing this intimidates you, your nearby gunsmith will help you out with the process.
Aside from all of that, this heat shield will co-witness with almost any sight that you chose to install on your shotgun. If you’re looking for a heat shield that is compatible with most sights and will allow you a surface that is non-slip and secure, the Advanced Technology Deluxe Heat Shield may be exactly what you want for your Mossberg 500.
Bottom Line
One thing that has impressed us was the inclusion of the ghost ring. We were amazed at knowing that you can be able to acquire a target much quickly on a heat shield of all things. If you have a sight that may co-witness with a ghost ring, this might be the heat shield worth looking at.
Like the previous Advanced Technologies heat shield before, this also does a great job dissipating heat in the quickest amount of time possible. This means you can be able to touch the barrel barehanded and not worry about getting burned. With that in mind, if you're looking for a heat shield that will double as a decent sight for your Mossberg, this version of the Advanced Technology heat shield may be exactly what you'll need.
Best For Breacher Barrels:
Mossberg - Barrel Heat Shield Kit, Parkerized
Pros
Cons
Of course, we have Mossberg owners and enthusiasts who hold a deep appreciation for breacher barrels. If you're one of them, we have a heat shield that will fit your shotgun perfectly. This Mossberg Heat Shield Kit features a Parkerized version of a heat shield, which means it is designed to be durable while giving your shotgun a rugged look.
Since this heat shield is a factory brand (Mossberg), expect this to fit not only on almost all Mossberg 500s but also on Mossberg 590s as well. If you have both models, why not get one for each? If you're worried about this heat shield not coming with the necessary mounting hardware, rest assured that it does. This means you'll have a heat shield that is easy to install and ready to go in minutes.
Bottom Line
If you have a Mossberg that is even an A1 model (i.e.--590A1), then you can be able to fit this with some modifications. If you have a Mossberg 500, odds are that this will also fit perfectly. The only difference is you may not need to do any modifications to either the heat shield or the shotgun itself.
For a factory heat shield designed for breacher barrels, this does a good job dissipating heat and allowing the barrel to cool off much quicker than normal. If you’re looking for a heat shield that will look good and easily accommodate your breacher barrel of choice, the Mossberg Barrel Heat Shield is probably the one to choose.
Best From ATI:
ATI Outdoor Deluxe Heatshield with Ghost Ring Sights
Pros
Cons
Our final heat shield is considered the best from the ATI brand. ATI is the short name for Advanced Technologies. We’ll be looking at their Outdoor Deluxe Heatshield. One of the major features of this heat shield is the ghost ring sights that come equipped. Which means you’ll be able to acquire your target much faster than your standard Mossberg sights. That’s quite impressive, even if they are sights on a heat shield.
This product is constructed from steel, making it a tough and durable heat shield. This also has a black matte finish that will blend in with most Mossberg shotguns. So, you don’t have to worry about two colors clashing together after the installation is all said and done.
This is measured at about 13.5 inches long and will most likely fit almost every Mossberg 500 shotgun in existence. If you’re looking for a heat shield and not entirely sure if any of the others on this list will be able to fit, this might be your fail-safe solution.
Bottom Line
At this point, ATI is considered to be a prolific brand for heat shields. So far, we’ve been very impressed with what they have offered. If you’re looking for a brand to rely on in terms of heat shields (and possibly other Mossberg accessories), ATI might be the brand that deserves a deeper look.
This barrel will most likely blend in with your Mossberg 500 shotgun thanks to its black matte finish. Plus, you have the benefit of getting ghost ring sights that will allow for excellent target acquisition and aim. So you’re getting something that will kill two birds with one stone.
How to Install a Mossberg 500 Heat Shield
Installing a Mossberg 500 heat shield can be a challenge. However, that does depend upon the kind of heat shield that you chose of the six listed above. If you want to learn how to install a heat shield on your Mossberg shotgun without ever having to enlist the help of a professional gunsmith, follow the directions step-by-step below. Here’s what you need to do:
- First and foremost, you’ll need to make sure that your Mossberg is unloaded.
- Next, remove the barrel. Do this by removing the action nut that is located below the barrel.
- Remove the screws from the heat shield.
- Before sliding the barrel in through the heat shield, make sure that the sight is aligned perfectly. Slide it all the way in.
- Place the ring that comes with the heat shield. Secure it with the screws that you removed prior to installation.
- Replace the barrel and the action nut. Make sure that the barrel and the heat shield are properly secure.
Conclusion
Finding the best Mossberg 500 heat shield is easy if you know exactly what you're looking for. Not only is it an excellent addition for the sake of looks, but it is also designed to give you the best in maximum protection and heat dissipation. You will no longer have to worry about burning your hand after accidentally touching the barrel.
Remember to do your in-depth research on the heat shield of your choice prior to making a purchase. This will give you more intel on the item rather than having to rely on customer reviews alone.
