Best Mossberg 500 Muzzle Brakes – 2022 Buyer’s Guide

| Last Updated:
August 12, 2023

Are you looking for the best Mossberg 500 muzzle brake? If you are, you’ve come to the right place. To save you time, money, and headaches from buying muzzle brakes that are cheap and low-quality, we handpicked five of the best for the Mossberg 500 that are on the market as of this writing.

A muzzle brake is just as integral as other accessories like a recoil pad or a side saddle. If you’re looking for more control over your rifle, which in turn will equal better accuracy and more precise shots, then a muzzle brake is one of the accessories you’ll need.

Before we dig into our list of five muzzle brakes, let’s go over what a muzzle brake is and why it’s so important to have.

Comparison of the Best Mossberg 500 Muzzle Brakes

IMAGEPRODUCT
  • Blued, Non-Reflective Finish
  • Designed for Tighter Shot Patterns
  • Designed to Reduce Muzzle Jump and Recoil
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  • Fits 20-Gauge Mossberg Shotguns
  • Constructed for Tight Shooting Groups
  • CNC-Machined From High-Quality Materials for Superior Durability
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  • Wrench-Free Installation
  • CNC-Machined From High-Quality Material
  • Best Mossberg 500 Muzzle Brake for the Money
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  • Fits Most Mossberg Shotguns
  • Accepts Hevi-Shots and Copper-Plated Lead Shots
  • Matte Black Finish Designed to Resist Corrosion and Rust
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  • Black Finish
  • Made From High-Quality Material
  • Fits Most Mossberg 500 and 590 Shotguns
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What is a Muzzle Brake and What Are They Used For?

A muzzle brake is an accessory that is attached to the muzzle of your Mossberg 500. Alternatively, this is called a recoil compensator. The main intent for this accessory, in particular, is to reduce the amount of overall recoil that the shotgun produces.

At the same time, it is also designed to reduce the amount of muzzle jump that happens with recoil. Aside from that, it also is designed to redirect gases that cause the recoil effect. The gas should also be blown away from your face instead of into your face.

Carlsons - Long Beard Turkey Choke Tubes

Are All Muzzle Brakes The Same?

This is a question that always gets asked. The answer to this is yes and no. Yes, because muzzle brakes are designed to perform the same purpose. That is reducing recoil and keeping muzzle jump to a minimum, all while rerouting the gas from your gun from blowing somewhere else.

However, the no is where things get interesting. There are muzzle brakes made from different kinds of materials. Some manufacturers will use steel, while others will use aluminum.

Regardless, the intent is to ensure that the muzzle brake itself is durable enough to handle any rounds a Mossberg 500 can fire. As an added bonus, some manufacturers add a certain coating for added durability and for protection against corrosion or rusting.

How to Choose The Perfect Mossberg 500 Muzzle Brake

When choosing the perfect Mossberg 500 muzzle brake, you need to know what makes a muzzle brake stand head and shoulders above the low-quality, cheap models.

It is important that you should spend a little time looking at a few of these features and qualities rather than simply picking one off the shelf or clicking “add to cart” on the first muzzle break you see. If you don’t know what to look for in a muzzle brake, it’s important to consult the advice of past buyers. Here are their recommendations on what you want to look for in a muzzle brake:

Material

It doesn’t matter if you’re on a budget or have money to play around with, quality should always be held to a much higher standard than others like price. As mentioned before, muzzle brakes should be made from high-quality materials like steel or aluminum.

It’s important to pay attention to which type of steel or aluminum that manufacturers use. Some of these materials are stronger than others. On top of that, pay attention to the finishes. Those are designed to add extra durability and also protect the muzzle brake from rust or corrosion.

Installation

If you hate the idea of having to enlist the services of a professional gunsmith, we won’t judge. At the same time, it is important to find a muzzle brake that will allow you to easily install it in a matter of minutes. Some tools may be used to install the muzzle brake itself, but your level of gunsmithing skills are irrelevant to the installation process itself.

Compatibility

What you need to know is that some muzzle brakes will fit a 12-gauge shotgun. Others will fit a 20-gauge shotgun. Neither muzzle brake is universal. In other words, a muzzle brake for a 20-gauge won’t necessarily fit a 12-gauge and vice versa. Take note of which gauge shotgun you have prior to making your final decision.

Review of the Best Mossberg 500 Muzzle Brakes

The following are the best Mossberg 500 muzzle brakes currently on the market right now. At this point, you might not have a muzzle brake in mind. But you might have a list of personal preferences that make up your ideal muzzle brake. With that in mind, make sure you look through each of these carefully so you can be able to know some of their unique features. Who knows? One of them might check off your list of "wants" on your wishlist. With that said, let's begin with our best overall pick:

Best Overall:
Carlsons - Long Beard Turkey Choke Tubes

Pros

  • Excellent Muzzle Brake for Mossberg 500 Hunters
  • Very Tight Patterns Anywhere Between 30 to 60 Yards Out
  • Works as Advertised. Reduces Recoil and Muzzle Jump Considerably

Cons

  • May Not Perform Just as Well With Some Brands of Shells

And so, we begin with the best overall muzzle brake for the Mossberg 500. The Carlson’s Long Beard Turkey Choke Tubes are the kind of muzzle brakes designed more for the turkey hunters (and also hunters of birds, varmints, and large game).

No matter what you hunt, you’ll need a muzzle brake that gets the job done when it comes to reducing recoil and muzzle jump. Carlson’s muzzle brake is designed for you to shoot the best shot groups and patterns. If you’re looking for a product that will tighten your shot groups, the Carlson’s is something worth considering.

This has a blued, non-reflective finish that is designed to look good and work well on a Mossberg 500 shotgun. This is also made from high-quality materials for durability, so it can handle round after round. If you're looking for something that will last you a long time and through each and every hunting season, this product deserves a much closer look.

Bottom Line

Hunters have been super impressed with Carlson’s muzzle brake. And we think you'll be impressed too if this is the one you decide on. With very accurate shots and reduced recoil and muzzle jump, you won’t have to wonder why it deserves the top honors.

And as far as we're concerned, we believe that this is indeed the best overall for a Mossberg 500. If you hold accuracy to a high standard, then this is exactly what you might want.

Runner-up:
Tru Glo Strut-stpr Xtrm Chk Inv

Pros

  • Fits 20-Gauge Mossberg 500 Shotguns
  • Shooting Groups are Very Tight at Various Distances
  • Optimal for Competitive Shooting, but Also Good for Other Applications

Cons

  • Will Not Accept Steel Shots
  • Won’t Fit 12-Gauge Shotguns

Next up, we have the Tru Glo muzzle brake. If you’re a competitive shooter that wants total control over their Mossberg 500 in the heat of the competition, then you’ll want to choose this product over all else. The reason why: This has the honor of holding multiple awards and world records in competitive shooting.

In fact, this is actually designed by a world record holding competitive shooter. So, this is designed with the competitive shooter in mind. Even if you’re not a competitive shooter, you can still use this muzzle brake for any other application for your Mossberg 500 shotgun.

However, this is a muzzle brake that is available for 20-gauge shotguns. If you own one, you’re in luck. This is CNC-machined from high-quality materials to ensure that it is durable throughout the course of its life and is able to withstand round after round.

This is optimized to give you the best in shooting accuracy. Tight shooting groups and a reduced amount of recoil are two of the best things that you’ll get out of a product like this. If you’re looking for a product for your 20-gauge Mossberg 500 that can allow you full control and fire accurate, tight shots in the process, look no further than the Tru Glo as your choice for a muzzle brake.

Bottom Line

The Tru Glo muzzle brake is considered to be the top choice for competitive shooters. As for other applications, it stills holds up well and will reduce recoil and muzzle jump. At the same time, expect your Mossberg shots to be a lot more accurate than before.

Plus, this is a great muzzle brake for 20-gauge shotguns (and probably the only best one so far for it). If you’re looking for a competition grade muzzle brake that will be deadly accurate, the Tru Glo is worth adding onto your shortlist of possible finalists.

Best for the Money:
Tru Glo Bone Collector SmackDown Choke Tube

Pros

  • Easy Installation
  • Reduced Recoil Considerably
  • Consistently Tight Shot Groups at About 30 to 35 Yards Out

Cons

  • Some Have Found the Installation a Bit Challenging

Now, we turn our attention to the best Mossberg 500 muzzle brake for the money. If you’re a Mossberg owner on a budget, you can still find a good muzzle brake that will work just as effectively as the others and get it at a price that fits most budgets.

The muzzle brake that we went with here is also from the Tru Glo brand. This is the Bone Collector SmackDown choke tube. Once again, we chose an excellent muzzle brake designed for the Mossberg 500 hunter. This is a CNC-machined muzzle brake that fits 20-gauge Mossberg 500 shotguns. The installation is probably as easy as it gets. More specifically, you don’t even need a wrench to install this puppy on your shotgun.

The Tru Glo is ported to reduce recoil and keep muzzle jump to a minimum. At the same time, the shot groupings are quite tight. In plain English, your shots will be accurate. Whether you’re shooting a deer or a turkey, this is the muzzle brake that will allow you to land a more precise kill shot like nothing else. The reduced amount of recoil and tight groupings will make that possible. All this for a budget option, you ask? Absolutely.

Bottom Line

If you're looking for a really good muzzle brake that is worth the price tag, consider yourself a fan of the Tru Glo Bone Collector. For the price, this stands the test against the rest of them. Easy to install, accurate shots, and recoil kept to a minimum make this a good muzzle brake to have when you're out in the field and hunting big game. If you choose this one, in particular, get ready to see your hit probability increase as you take your Mossberg out for a day of hunting.

4. Jelly Head Turkey Choke Tube Mossberg

Pros

  • Ideal for Turkey Hunting
  • Impervious to Rusting and Corrosion
  • Aesthetically Sharp on Most Mossberg Shotguns

Cons

  • None

Next on the list is the Jelly Head Primos Maximum Turkey Choke. This muzzle brake is designed to fit most Mossberg 500 and 590 shotguns. One of the things that you'll notice that it has a matte black finish the whole way around.

Expect this to be not only one tough customer, but also an item that is impervious to corrosion. In fact, this is the same kind of finish that U.S. Special Forces use on some of their gun accessories. With something used by the military, it's got to be good. If you use rounds like Hevi-Shot for turkey shooting, you won't be disappointed with this muzzle brake. This will also accept copper-plated lead shots as well.

Once again, you’re looking at a product designed for hunting. So it doesn’t matter if you’re hunting turkeys, deer, varmints, or whatever else. You will have a device that is guaranteed to get the job done for you out in the field, especially when you want to keep recoil out of the picture and land a good clean kill shot. If that’s what you’re looking to get out of a muzzle brake, then the Jelly Head might be the choice for you.

Bottom Line

At this point, you might be impressed with what we've listed so far for muzzle brakes. But this one stands out as a possible dark horse for most Mossberg owners. The fact that it uses a black matte finish trusted by the military is what raised our eyebrows.

If you want something that is as close to military grade as it gets, you might want to give the Jelly Head a try. You'll be amazed at what this puppy can do and how long it will last provided that you take great care of it.

5. Mossberg X-Factor Extended Ported Turkey Choke Tube

Pros

  • Tight, Secure Fit
  • Aesthetically Pleasing
  • Shot Groupings Are Tight From Various Distances

Cons

  • None

For our final muzzle brake, we’ll be taking a look at one straight from the Mossberg factory. This is a factory replacement turkey choke tube designed to be a Mossberg hunter’s best friend out in the field.

The thing that stands out about this is that it uses three tubes to help with the shooting patterns. Expect these to be as tight as it gets from certain distances. Whether it’s hunting turkey or hunting deer, you want a muzzle brake that is designed to give you the tightest shots possible and make your Mossberg a deadly machine against the big game targets.

If you’re looking for a factory replacement guaranteed to fit any Mossberg shotgun, this might be the best choice for you.

Bottom Line

We wrap up this review with a factory replacement. We figured that we’d include this last in the event if you think that the four before this one don’t seem like a good fit to you. Make no mistake, getting a muzzle brake or any other accessory straight from the manufacturer is a good option to have.

If you’re looking for a good replacement but would rather stick to the Mossberg brand, then choose this one in particular. And you can’t go wrong with one directly from the manufacturer of your gun.

Conclusion

Finding the best Mossberg 500 muzzle brake is easy if you know what you’re looking for. Be sure to find one that best fits your shotgun. Remember, if you have a 20-gauge, find one that fits a 20-gauge. Likewise, do the same if you own a 12-gauge. If you see one that sticks out as your favorite, please be sure to do more research on the brake in question before making a final decision.

Michael Lutes

Michael Lutes is the managing editor and owner at Gun Mann. He is a veteran, gun enthusiast, 3 gun competitor, and 2a advocate. Mike has a passion for innovation and education across the industry to create great content, training, and insights from the best and brightest.

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