Which describes the system of operation of the M500 shotgun?

• A. Semi-automatic
• B. Bolt action
• C. Single-shot
• D. Manual pump

Answer: (D)

Understanding pump-action operation. The M500 is a pump-action shotgun, so you manually cycle the action by sliding the fore-end back and forth. When you pull the fore-end rearward, the bolt retracts, ejecting the spent shell; pushing it forward chambers a fresh shell from the tubular magazine and cocks the hammer. Because you perform this cycling with each shot, the gun does not fire automatically after a trigger pull. This distinguishes it from semi-automatic designs, where the next round is chambered by the gas or recoil impulse; from bolt-action designs, which use a separate bolt handle to cycle; and from single-shot designs, which hold only one round at a time and require manual reloading after each shot. The M500’s pump cycle feeds the next round from its magazine during the cycling motion.