Mossberg 590

If you can afford the ammo to wear it out, you can afford to replace it many times over. The 590 A1 was designed to meet military specs for what they wanted and is probably overkill for what you'll ever need.

I hate to break the news to you Mossber but the safety is plastic too. So what, they perform like a shotgun should and will out last you and your kids.

Bill

As for the Mossberg 590 shotgun I replaced the OEM stamped metal magazine follower with a machined metal follower. Replaced the OEM plastic safety with an aggressive metal one. The OEM trigger guard is plastic but I did not bother to replace it. I mounted a plastic (6) shell carrier to the side of the receiver. Also replaced the OEM front barrel bead with a night sight bead. I am satisfied with the shotgun and the modifications I made/ added. As for the shot shells (3) are double "O" and (3) are number "1" buck shot sizes.

If you’re not banging nails through boards with the barrel the standard 590 is preferable IMO. It’s lighter. And you can get heat shields for the barrel which contrary to internet armchair quarterbacks actually do come in handy during long stages in multigun or shotgun competitions.

Buy as much ammo as you can find and shoot the heck out it. Fantastic shotgun.

I hate to break the news to you Mossber but the safety is plastic too. So what, they perform like a shotgun should and will out last you and your kids.

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I have an M590A1 (18” barrel). The safety is steel, as is the trigger guard.

As a defensive shotgun, it should be at the top of one’s list (along with a pre-Cerberus Remington 870 Police).

I wish Mossberg made a 590 with a metal safety and trigger group but with the thin barrel.

I have had trigger groups crack and safeties break but never dented a barrel.

earlthegoat2 said:

I wish Mossberg made a 590 with a metal safety and trigger group but with the thin barrel.

I have had trigger groups crack and safeties break but never dented a barrel.

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Get the 590a1 then order a 590 barrel that's threaded to receive a choke. Best of both worlds.

1KPerDay said:

If you’re not banging nails through boards with the barrel the standard 590 is preferable IMO. It’s lighter. And you can get heat shields for the barrel which contrary to internet armchair quarterbacks actually do come in handy during long stages in multigun or shotgun competitions.

Buy as much ammo as you can find and shoot the heck out it. Fantastic shotgun.

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Perfectly put.

But does anyone want to mention why the 870 is better?

Just kidding.

ShotgunMossberg said:

Okay, thanks for all of your answers. I might try to get a metal triggergroup and saftey, but where i live it's quite hard to get replacement parts. If im not finding any, what roundcount do you think i can get out of the shotgun before anythink breaks? Im not planning on using it to brak open doors or anything, so im not breaking anything out of force.

Another question: I saw that there are magnum loads in 12/76. Can i use these or will it damage my gun?

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Are you European? Or buying from across the pond? 12/70 or 12/76 is their way of saying 2 3/4" or 3" I believe. I think there's even a 12/67.

Just make sure it fits your chamber. That's the main thing.

Edit: just seen you enquired about the 12/67. Maybe one of our more knowledgeable members can shed some light.

ShotgunMossberg said:

Yes, im from switzerland. Didn't knew that 12/76 is only used here.

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We just use a different system to measure our shotgun shells in the states. I thought 12/76 was 3" mags. Someone with more knowledge on that will come along.

Approx. 25mm to the inch, so 76 mm is probably metric designation for 3” shells.

6mm less, or 70mm, would be approx. size for 2 3/4”.

Original poster, if the barrel is marked 3”, it should be fine with either your 12/70 or your 12/76. If marked 2 3/4”, 12/70 only.

Welcome to The High Road!

ShotgunMossberg said:

what roundcount do you think i can get out of the shotgun before anythink breaks?

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Many thousands of rounds, probably. The magazine spring is the first spare part I would get, particularly if you store it fully loaded. The ejector can get worn after many thousands of rounds, but it’s easy to swap. If your ejection gets weak, replace that and check your extractors and extractor springs. Light strikes? Clean your bolt and maybe replace a hammer spring. Keep your stock bolt tight, your forend retainer nut/ring tight (if you have one), and your safety screw tight (and use medium thread locker IMO), hose it down with CLP once in a while, and you probably won’t have any issues.

It’s hard to predict what parts might break in a mass-produced shotgun. I’ve replaced my magazine spring and my safety did get loose once but that’s about it from what I recall. I shoot mine in multigun competitions in hot and dusty conditions and I don’t baby it.

short video for any interested



Mixup98 recently did a good video on ejector replacement

I recently bought the 590 as well. I am not worried at all about the durability of either the barrel or the trigger guard. And I actually like that fact that it is a little lighter that the 590A1.

The thicker barrel on the 590A1 is of no real world benefit. Adds too much weight. You are never going to break the 590 barrel unless you use it to do pull ups. I have read that the Navy wanted the thicker barrel because of concern that if a sailor was holding the gun horizontal and ran through a ship bulkhead they could damage the barrel. Not sure if that is an internet myth but it's the last thing you should worry about.

BCR#1 said:

I hate to break the news to you Mossber but the safety is plastic too. So what, they perform like a shotgun should and will out last you and your kids.

Bill

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@BCR#1, the 590 safety is plastic? My friend did break a plastic safety on the 500, so if it is the plastic safety, I would replace that.

@ShotgunMossberg, welcome. It's cool to have someone from Switzerland on the forum.

ShotgunMossberg said:

Thanks again for all of your help.
I dont think neither that the barrel will break. But what about the triggerguard, is it really something i should worry about in the long run?

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No

My 590 with heat shield, wood stocks, optics rail and holographic sight

The M590A1 is a tremendously more durable shotgun that is designed for a lifetime of tough combat use. It was the only shotgun that passed thw military endurance acceptance tests.

The stadard thin barrel plastic 590 is a budget gun. The barrel won't be nearly as resistant to bumps and the plastic triggerguards are prone to cracking. Worse, the plastic safeties are known to snap off at a fairly alarming rate with use.

You do NOT want a standard 590 for defensive usages. Get either the all steel M590A1 military model or better yet a vintage Remington 870 Police riot gun.

I don't go into combat everyday. I have a 590 hanging on a hook in a quick to grab location. I feel perfectly armed for defensive uses.

I have one of the first 590A1's out there, had it for almost 40 years.

Never has it failed to work perfectly, and it gets shot a lot in dry & dusty locations.

I did change out the safety button some time ago, but the plastic one never failed.

DG