The basic Mossberg 500 in 16ga was the Mossberg 500B
12ga was the A,,20 the C.

They were making them in the early 70's at least when I worked at Pedersen Custom Gun which was a part of the Mossberg Corp.
We used their range so we were inside the Mossberg factory often and walked right passed both of the CNC machines that made the rec'vrs from a 'brick' of alloy in the time it took the operator to sit back down on a stool and smoke a cigarette!
Probably fast for 1972/73.

I think the 16 was dropped from the 500 lineup in the late 70's. But that's just my recollection and guess really. I don't recall having seen one come in for repair or sale in any of the shops I worked in in the later years.

People must really love them or they didn't make all that many 16's.

The early guns had problems with the plastic trigger groups breaking their frame engagement ribs off. The Plastic safety turned people off to.


They sold the 16ga (as well as the 12 and 20ga's) under the WesternAuto Revelation brand and MontgomeryWards 'Western Field' brand.
They used different Model #'s on those, not '500' but I don't recall what they were.