5 Dec 03

Mossberg M590A1

I have new Mossberg 590A1 pump shotgun (12ga) that I have been using for the last several weeks. It makes a nice package!

It came with an 18" barrel, speed-feed stock (four extra rounds in the stock itself), and large, rugged, ghost ring sights. Rear sight is well protected, and the front sight is beefy and easy to see. Magazine tube holds five rounds. I surely like the Remington 870 also, but Remington doesn't offer such a complete package from the factory.

There is a slight learning curve with the speed-feed stock, but it is plenty fast and extremely convenient. It doesn't modify the gun's outline or create a snag as does a sidesaddle.

In some states and jurisdictions, military rifles are aggressively regulated. In most of those same areas, shotguns are essentially unregulated. Indeed, the demand for Urban Rifle training in those areas is low (outside the law enforcement community), but the demand for defensive shotgun training remains high, and probably will for the foreseeable future.

As a patrol shotgun, it is hard to beat. Also makes a nice "bedroom gun." Highly recommended!

/John

5 Dec 03

Comments on the Mossberg 590A1 from users:

"We have several Mossberg 590s here at the police range with over 100,000 rounds through them, mostly slugs. They have all had minimal maintenance and are still perfectly serviceable.

Some important notes on the Mossberg:

For some reason, the guns are shipped from the factory with a coating of grease on the internal fire control mechanism. This sometimes causes sluggish operation. A detailed disassembly of new guns is recommended to remove the grease and restore full reliability. This degree of disassembly should only be performed an armorer. It's standard procedure with new 590s here.

The red insert on the front sight is sometimes loose. We've had and a number of them fall out. When it gets loose, it needs to be re-staked and epoxyed back in place. Of course, without it, the gun is still functional. I don't consider colored sight inserts particularly important..

The springs in speed-feed stocks will sometimes take a set, causing the second shell to fail to come all the way forward. One can still get it out. It's just sluggish. I usually just stretch the spring, and that lasts six months or so.

The 590's manual safety lever is plastic and breaks now and then. Brownells makes a metal replacement, and I recommend it.

By the way, the Mossberg is the only shotgun that has a military-specification manual safety. With the manual safety "on," the gun is genuinely drop safe. No so with most other shotguns."

/John