Mossberg 500 Retrograde 12 Gauge
Model: 50429
Mossberg 500 Retrograde 12 Gauge
Model: 50429
Full Specifications
About This Firearm
The Mossberg 500 Retrograde is a cosmetic variant of the standard 500 Persuader: same 18.5-inch barrel, same 5+1 capacity with 2-3/4 inch shells, same 108 oz (6.75 lbs) and 39.5-inch overall length, same aluminum alloy receiver and ambidextrous top tang safety. The only meaningful differences are the checkered walnut stock and the corn cob walnut forend in place of the standard synthetic furniture, plus a blued metal finish in place of matte black. MSRP is $665.
Worth flagging up front because the model name confuses buyers: the 500 Retrograde does not include the bayonet lug or barrel heat shield that the larger 590 Retrograde carries. Those features are tied to the 590 platform's open-end magazine tube and 20-inch barrel, not the wood furniture. If you want the period-correct vintage look with the heat shield, you're looking at the 590 Retrograde, not the 500.
The trade-off worth planning for: walnut looks better than synthetic but it's more maintenance-sensitive. The stock can check or raise grain if stored in a humid environment, and the corn cob forend wants periodic oil. Owners in coastal or garage-storage environments report needing to wipe down the wood more regularly than they would a polymer-stocked gun. The grip texture on the corn cob forend is widely praised — the raised ridges keep fingers indexed during the pump stroke better than slick polymer — but you're trading a maintenance schedule for that grip and the visual upgrade.
Best For
Strengths & Limitations
- Corn cob walnut forend gives a more positive purchase during the pump stroke than the smooth polymer forend on the standard 500 — particularly in cold weather or with wet hands.
- Checkered walnut stock and blued metal finish read as period-correct vintage. For buyers building a collection alongside older wooden-stocked shotguns, the visual match matters in a way the standard 500's matte black synthetic doesn't.
- The $665 MSRP is meaningfully higher than the standard 500 Persuader for hardware that is mechanically identical — you're paying the premium for walnut and corn cob, not for capability.
- Walnut requires periodic oiling and inspection in humid or temperature-variable storage. Dry climates and climate-controlled safes pose no problem; coastal garages and truck cabs do.
- No bayonet lug, no heat shield, no capacity bump over the base 500 — buyers expecting the 590 Retrograde's vintage tactical look in a 500-priced package are buying the wrong gun.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What's the difference between the 500 Retrograde and the 590 Retrograde?
Both carry checkered walnut stocks and corn cob forends, but the 590 Retrograde adds the features that define the 590 platform: a 20-inch barrel with bayonet lug and barrel heat shield, an open-end magazine tube, and a 7+1 capacity (versus the 500 Retrograde's 5+1 with an 18.5-inch barrel and no heat shield). The 500 Retrograde is the vintage-styled budget choice; the 590 Retrograde is the period-correct duty-style gun that goes for several hundred dollars more. If you want the heat shield and bayonet lug specifically, you need the 590 Retrograde.
Can I swap the walnut stock for synthetic furniture later?
Yes. The Retrograde uses the same stock and forend mounting interface as every other 500-series shotgun, so any standard 500 synthetic stock and forend will drop on. That said, swapping wood for synthetic on a gun you paid the Retrograde premium for is uncommon — most owners who don't want walnut just buy the standard 500 Persuader and save the difference.
