Why is a 20" Mossberg 500 12 ga. 7+1, but a 20" 12 ga. 590 8+1?

Different design of the magazine tube, and probably the follower as well. The magazine tube as more room, on the way the barrel couples to it alone. On the 590, it goes around the tube and the end holds it on. On the 500, it actually attaches to the front of the tube (which forces a shorter tube if you want to keep the same barrel length)

Just guessing but...

The 590 is supposed to be closer to the milspec platform, where as the 500 is a civilian model. Extra round for the guys who will probably need it more? Probably a different spring too that gives a little extra room.

Interestingly enough, given the loads I use (even though listed as 2 3/4"), my 590 is reduced to "only" a 7+1. Hence, the whole "8+1" thing is somewhat subjective.

But, more to the point, as mentioned earlier, it seems to boil down to design (tube, cap, spring and perhaps, follower).

The mag tube on the 500 ends under barrel ring. It has a shorter overall length than the 590 which goes through the barrel ring.

590 has a clean-out mag tube and the 500 has sealed one.


GC

inSight-NEO said:

Interestingly enough, given the loads I use (even though listed as 2 3/4"), my 590 is reduced to "only" a 7+1. Hence, the whole "8+1" thing is somewhat subjective.

But, more to the point, as mentioned earlier, it seems to boil down to design (tube, cap, spring and perhaps, follower).

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Buy AMERICAN!
Al

If American buckshot can be had for $130 per case, I will buy it. Also, twelve pellet OO loads are worth giving up one round of capacity.

Also, the Europeans are making their shells to original spec. The rolled crimp is actually superior to the star crimp in terms of case durability and, often, patterning. The star crimp is cheaper to mass produce so American companies went that way for all shells except slugs. The star crimp makes the rounds shorter, so rather than fill the full 2-3/4" finished-length shells with extra wad or buffer, they just made OAL shorter. Hence most "2.75" shells actually measure well under 2.5". Do the math: 20" barrel/8 shells=2.5" per shell. Figure in follower and spring and you are down to around 2.4" per shell before your tube starts running out of space.

Yeah, those cardboard slips on top of roll-crimps are sure superior, and notice how the lengths are so uniform for the non-American rounds.

Buy American and spend-a-buck or two to do it!

Al

I haven't seen any cardboard tops in the S&B, Fiocchi or B&P rounds I have.

Every round of birdshot I buy is American made and I shoot at least ten times as much of that as I do buckshot. Same with pistol ammo and reloading components. You'll have a tough time convincing me that the US-made buckshot is superior on merit rather than origin.

But we're all entitled to our principles.

If American buckshot can be had for $130 per case, I will buy it.

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If you're a cop, OMB Express has Winchester reduced recoil buckshot for $126.02 per case of 250 rounds. They used to sell to anyone (bought myself 2 cases awhile back), but after a 6 month backorder, they changed their policy.

http://www.ombexpress.com/sf_988/c_283.aspx

Sold. I am there.