thefirearmblog.com reveals that Mossberg has introduced the $460 Mossberg 500 Thunder Ranch, a shotgun that sports the Thunder Ranch logo on the side. (Bet you didn’t see that one coming.) Whereas we might be a bit cynical about this weapon, our gun blogging colleague likes the cut of the Mossie’s ballistic jib: “Unlike many other special editions guns, a lot of thought appears to have gone into this shotgun. It features a shortened stock with a 12.75″ length of pull (LOP) for maneuverability in a self defense situation. It includes a tri-rail on the fore-end for mounting accessories. The barrel is Mossberg’s 18.5″ Stand Off (breaching) barrel.” Clint “No Geegaws on my Gun” Smith signed up for that? I’m shocked. Shocked I tell you.
“You Need a Breaching Barrel Because . . . ?”
In case I need to, you know, breach something.
duh!
Lets face it, a lot of this type of stuff sells simply cause it looks kool, not because it is useful. Not that there is anything wrong with that. I will confess to having a few guns in my collection that are low on the “practical application” factor but score high on the “looks kool” factor. Having said that, the breeching barrel scores especially low on the practical applicability factor, and could even be dangerous if proper ballistic eyewear is not used.
Sounds like a good “question of the day” post: what’s the least practical gun in your safe?
I have an FN Herstal FALO, which is a heavy-barrelled version of the FAL. Its really good at spitting out 20 ea .308 Win rounds as fast as you can pull the trigger, but so far I have not found any practical application for doing that. It is fun, though! Unfortunately, sending $12 to 17 bucks worth of ammo downrange in 3 -4 seconds (or so) seems to be a bit too indulgent of an activity in this new Obamaconomy.
that sure sounds fun joe, what has been keeping me away from FAL’s is their inability to digest steel cased ammo. i see a ptr 91 gi in my future me thinks….
You’re lucky your not still under the Bushwack economics, you couldn’t afford to shoot at all.
50 cal BMG…too expensive to shoot
“…the breeching barrel scores especially low on the practical applicability factor.”
Disagree. You ever catch one of those by way of a jab to the sternum or clavicle?
I doubt that I will need to bust door hinges or locks away, or jab a guy for “pain compliance”; but the absense of likelihood doesn’t render the device practically unapplicable. It’s unlikely that I’ll ever have to use any firearm for self-defense; but if I do, it sure will be useful. Same goes for the breaching stand-off device.
this^
i feel like having a “stand off” feature on the end of a barrel is a bit redundant don’t you? thats like having a knife with a flat tip in case for some reason you wanted to try hitting someone with it first. if you want someone to get away from you, get yourself a nice poking stick….or you could just pull the trigger. both effective IMO.
I would say that there is a purpose behind the breaching barrel. From what I have read in changing out barrels on a Mossberg 835 it will accept a Mossberg 500 breaching barrel. I want this barrel for the sake of having a shorter ready to attach barrel and is better suited for home defense that still accepts 3 1/2” shells as opposed to having to change out the tube as well to fit a normal 500 barrel and no longer be able to use shells longer than 3”.
I like to keep a breeching gun in the trunk for those awkward times where I have locked myself out of the house.
Or when “girlfriends” throw me out and/or file those pesky restraining orders.
(Note: the last line was for comedic purposes only. I am happily married to the most wonderful woman on the planet (YMMV). I do not advocate stalking or breaking and entering. No ex-girlfriends were harmed in the creation of this post.)
I guess for the same reason there are rails on almost all of the auto pistols I’ve bought in the past 4-5 years. This despite the fact that I don’t own a laser or weapons light and never intend to.
+1, it almost makes me feel the need to get a gtl 10/11
+2 I just bought a pistol (p229r) with rails because I think it looks better with them than it does without them and maybe some day I might (doubt it) put a light there.
Couldn’t it serve the same purpose as the crenelated head on a “tactical” flashlight? Run out of shells? Home invader shish-kabob!
My thought exactly. Some homes may not have enough room to clear a corner. You may find yourself closer to an adversary than you like and have the shotgun grabbed. As you fight over then weapon, you might be able to smack them with the end of the barrel. I’m sure it would be a distraction at the least and maybe blood would run into their eyes from a cut scalp.
Maybe I’m thinking to much and trying to justify the Mossberg 930 w/ breacher barrel I bought a few years a go.
When I bought my Mossberg 500 with the pistol grip the fact that it had a breeching barrel did not factor into my purchase decision. It was there, I wanted it, so I bought it.
It’s as practical as a fake hood scoop.
or flame stickers
Those flame stickers make my car like 5% faster. Also everyone knows the red ones go faster 🙂
Opening beers, of course!
Yup,beer bottle opener
“You Need a Breaching Barrel Because . . . ?”
It’s called the Bill of Rights, not the bill of needs…!
Exactly! The Revolution wasn’t won with a registered gun! When guns are outlawed, only outlaws will have guns! You can’t hug a child with nuclear arms! Mean people suck! My other car is a broom!
My two favorites are “Proud Member of PETA – People Eating Tasty Animals” and
In big letters “Jesus Loves You”
second line in small print “Everyone else thinks you’re an asshole”
Clint has said many times that when he has had signature guns made for S&W things were included he didn’t like. He says they were included for marketing purposes. One example would be the large gold TR logo on the first edition of his .44 special with S&W. I’m guessing this is the case here. If you’ve seen his Defensive Shotgun video you know he is truly “no gee-gaws,” except maybe a flashlight.
Because you can have one. And make nifty muzzle flash patterns.
I would guess the fact that such an evil device is freely available would drive the leftards into a mouth-foaming frenzy.
That in itself is reason enough to have one.
Because “leftards” are the natural enemy of mall ninjas?
No, leftards are the natural enemy of individual liberties.
the “right tards” are the ones taking your individual liberties, fool.
Ignorance is the greatest threat to this country.
The same reason I need 30 round “assault clips” and “high-powered-assault rifle with a sniper scope and a barrel shroud.”
I find it hard to believe that thunder ranch would even want the tri rail on there. I understand a little bit of rail space on the side for a flashlight, but all you really need for an effective home defense shotgun is a weapon light, a sling, and some sort of side saddle to hold a few extra reloads.
Given the intended application that ‘feature’ is not going to significantly alter performance. I assume it also offers no real increase in price (these products already deisgned to meet and intended price point.) And, from a seller’s standpoint, it may drawn in some additional attention, even though largely unnecessary.
Except for the occasional LEO demand, where it may represent a real selling point.
If I suspect push the trigger is going to turn to shove the barrel I’d greatly prefer a bayonet lug over crenellations.
There are reasons for the breacher on the end of the barrel. First of all, it looks cool, which will help Mossberg sell more of them. Second, one of the biggest issues with using a long gun for home defense, especially when one may have to clear his way through the house to get to other family members, is the potential for being disarmed. The teeth on the end of that breaching barrel would make a wicked impact weapon when going hand to hand. It will also provide standoff in the event that one needs to make a contact shot with the muzzle pressed into the intruder, such as during a disarm attack. Finally, these shotguns won’t only be marketed to home owners. There will likely be plenty of LEO’s & police agencies looking at them as well. They may actually need a shotgun that can serve both as an officer’s breaching tool & his primary weapon during an entry. The shotgun would do well in that roll.
And as for rails on pistols, lights & lasers are EXTREMELY useful on a handgun, especially on kept for home defense. You can’t, or at least shouldn’t, shoot at someone who hasn’t been 100% identified, unless you like the idea of accidentally blowing you wife’s head off after mistaking her for a home intruder! Having a light on the gun helps a lot with that. (I also recommend having a separate hand-held light for searching. The weaponlight is for shooting, not searching.) As for lasers, law enforcement experience has shown that having a laser on a handgun during gunfight more than doubles the hit probability of even experienced shooters. I can’t understand why anyone wouldn’t want that advantage! (And yes, I’ve heard the old bullcrap line “I don’t want to bet my life on a battery”, or a variation thereof, more times than I can count. Unless you plan on removing the sights when you install the laser, it just that: bullcrap!) I have lasers on all of my carry & home defense guns & wouldn’t have it any other way!!!!!
The Thunder Ranch is just fine. I have one on order right now. JLA is correct, the breacher can be used very effectively. I have 20 years in the Army. Jab followed by a vertical butt stroke. You wouldn’t want to be on the receiving end. Further, just the site of the weapon presents a great deterent.
Just got a Mossberg Home and Field combo today. It has both the 28″ compensated field barrel and the 18 1/2″ breacher. Only difference I can see between it and the TR model with the breacher installed is the lack of rails on the fore end and the cool logo. Those teeth are SHARP, so there is no doubt about their effectiveness if a barrel jab is ever needed to encourage compliance from a bad guy.
Just picked up my thunder ranch and installed the pistol grip tactical stock and flashlight. I find the features that come on the shotgun aren’t overdone if this is the type of gun your in the market for. Which I was. The breaching barrel is ideal for the home should an intruder decide to get dumb and come toward me or the gun, and I need to fire with the possibility of the end of the barrel being in contact with something. It was also cheaper to buy the gun this way than to buy the 500 and add the couple touches the thunder ranch already came with. I certainly wont be taking it hunting or doing target practice, but its going to accomplish exactly what its intended to if the situation ever arises. I didnt buy it for “looks” I bought it to get the job done.
Practical Application = Zombie Gun.
I added a bolt on break/breacher (Minotaur Tactical Megalodon Shotgun Door Breacher Muzzle Break)
http://gunvillage.com/minotaur-tactical-megalodon-shotgun-door-breacher-muzzle-break.html
When it arrived, I noticed right away what a massive, well built piece of potentially life saving equipment this is. Who knows what kind of “tussle” you’ll be in. This thing is a very thick walled steel device, and it has vents on the sides which sliced my finger open when I installed it.
I have taken many tactical weapons courses as a professional and as a novice. Hand to hand combat with a shotgun in your hands is a real possibility (21 foot rule) and in the absence of another round down range, possibly a non-lethal situation, or a bayonet, this breacher might just be the solution.
You can thump with it, rake with it, jab with it. It adds another dimension to the firearm. Thinking in and out of the box…it’s a keeper.
Oh yeah, it looks cool too.
I dunno what you blokes up there in America call it but down here in Australia that breacher muzzle treatment has what we call “serious fuck off factor”.
Aussies are cool… “serious fuck off factor” works for me.
I really feel for you aussies! a culture of riflemen… mostly disarmed.
we yanks should really learn a lesson from how badly aussie gun rights have been
fucked over, and work harder to avoid similar legislation.
I have purchased this firearm and it is amazing. cycles smooth, fires great. and i need that breaching barrel because why not look at it.
A civy isn’t probably going to be breaching doors but that does not make the barrel worthless! If an intruder tries to get your shotgun while reloading (or he is not armed but still trying to attack you) you can jab him with that breacher and it will hurt. A more morbid hypothetical usage is venting gases should the barrel be pressed against a lethal attacker’s chest. Plus, it does protect the muzzle in general.
I was looking for a Mossberg 500. After visiting 3 gun shops on a few occasions I walked in and they had a Thunder Ranch with a breacher barrel so I bought it. I didn’t know or care about Thunder ranch or breacher barrel just that it was a Mossberg 500 12ga simple as that.