590 A 1 Merits: keep or Sell

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Huntolive

Huntolive

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Hey guys
I have owned a couple 590 A1 s over the years
Eventually I sold my first and then a couple years later couldn’t resist buying another.

they definitely have their appeal with their heavy duty build and durable exterior

but I never end up using them for anything and I have plenty of other 12 gauge is there much more practical
I’ve got super black eagle 2 Benelli
Supernova with three different barrels
The Remington 870 super slugger with extra turkey barrel
20 gauge savage 220
And the list goes on
All of those guns I use regularly.
The 590 A 1 sits and its case near my bed
sure I love the badassness of the overall build and Bayonet lug
But damn the sucker is so heavy and it doesn’t take any chokes so for hunting it’s virtually useless and I cannot imagine a scenario anymore where I would grab that as a survival gun I’d be better off with one of my turkey guns with multiple Chokes for multiple purposes and weighs less. not to mention one of my many rifles…

So should I sell it?
What are your guys thoughts on this very interesting and somewhat unique shotgun?
Are they more of a gimmick?
 
https://www.mossberg.com/category/series/590a1-tactical/
If you don't want or need it, sell it.
Perhaps the new owner will get some good use out of it, even just by having it.
In my LE career, I've owned and used four versions of the 590A1 over the years, with 14", 18", and 20" barrels and still own an 18" ghost-ring-sighted version.
I can highly recommend it for an anti-personnel/tactical/combat shotgun, but if it's unneeded, it's only wasted space and tying up funds for something else.
 
That is a hard call. I have one that sits in the safe ready for use, but rarely gets used these days. I have a Beretta 1301 tactical that gets the most play these days.

I keep the 590 because is it so rugged and takes so much abuse. I know that it will keep running despite 100's of rounds with little to no cleaning. It was also nice during the pandemic when I moved my family out of the city to have a second shotgun. The 590 can be run by anyone in my house, the 1301 not so much.

I would keep it, just to have a pretty much fail safe gun.

Edit to add: This is why I hate this site so much. Just when I think I have things settled another member posts a link and it all goes out the window.

They now make one with chokes:

https://www.mossberg.com/product/590a1-m-lok-50765/

Maybe I do need to sell mine and get this one....or maybe just get another one??
 
Mossberg makes serviceable guns.... But I feel no longer poised to use them, my Winchester 1300 is the slickest pump I've ever had, Remington's can also be quite nice as well. I would only buy a Mossberg at this point of older 870s and 1300s were not able to be purchased and I don't see that changing anytime soon although the 590 retro is pretty cool
 
They are good for what they are meant for (antipersonnel use), but what they are meant for rarely happens, and as such, the task can be handled by any pump shotgun with a 18-20" barrel. If you can put one of your other shotguns into such a configuration, no need for the 590 I guess. Mossberg also makes fairly cheap 18" barrels for the Remington 870. I have a couple of those H&R partner pumps with 18" barrels that walmart sells (or at least used to) for about $140. They have both been test fired, cleaned, and put away in my 2 vehicles.
 
Lots of good arguments here.
I see most of you feel the same way I do about this unique gun.
Having one that takes Chokes might be a game changer but then again am I really going to take this heavy hog hunting?

what makes the most logical sense would be to put the 18 1/2 inch barrel I already have on my supernova Bonelli and keep that as my self defense shotgun it’s cycles better than 590 A1 And is lighter more comfortable to shoot etc. and if I want to hurt with that I’ve got the other two barrels and all the chokes I already have for it.
So I do not see any sense in buying one of these with chokes unless I wanted maybe a very tight full choke for a buck shot but it’s not like you’re going to go hunting ducks with this thing for caring it out far into the wilderness to shoot a deer.
It is a home defense and tactical man killer

and I agree that’s a 1300 and many other shotguns cycle much much smoother than a typical 590 A1

But for those that are talking about the regular 590
I have no interest whatsoever in those
The 590A1 Stands alone and it’s on niche in the shotgun Pantheon

But that doesn’t mean it’s practical LOL
 
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100% agree about the 590 A1. Mine is an A1 and I should have noted that.
 
I am not familiar with that weapon.

But when I was 16 I sold the 20 ga Browning A5 my grandfather gave me for my 12th BD so I could “graduate to a 12 gauge.

A few years later I got a steal on a Winchester 94 in 30-30, and sold it for a profit.

ahortly after that, I regretted both sales and told myself I would never, ever sell another gun.

50 years later, I haven’t! I’ve traded some for other guns, given some to my kids, given a couple of “starter” guns to friend’s kids, but I haven’t sold another gun.

So don’t ask me.
 
Though I've had others in the past, I currently have one shotgun. It's a 590. It rarely sees the gun range. It's our barricade home defense gun.

If I needed a shotgun for hunting, I would own one more appropriate to the task. If I needed one for other active working purposes, such as pest control or defense from animals, I would own one more appropriate to the task.

My 590 not seeing usage, does not mean it does not have a purpose. Whether or not yours does, depends entirely one you. But if it's not part of your toolset or any HD plan, I guess you don't need it.
 
Meeks 36
Why do you think a panic buy is just around the corner?
Is that just because invariably one always pops up or for any particular reason you see in the current market or political climate?
 
The thick walled barrel of the M590A1 was designed specifically to increase durability when used on naval vessels.

Being smacked against steel bulkheads by sailors and marines on ships is a sure fire way to dent the relatively thin muzzles of traditional shotgun barrels.

If you don’t live in what equates to an all-steel abode, the heavy wall barrel effectively does nothing. Combat shotguns using standard “thin” walled barrels have been serving on battlefields and in police cruisers for the past hundred years just fine.

I owned an M590A1 for a short time. While impressive, the muzzle heavy feeling of the ridiculously thick barrel was fatiguing to shoot and the novelty quickly wore off.

Personally, the standard 590 model is a better gun. There are no durability issues with the polymer trigger group housing, maybe even the contrary. A plastic triggerguard can break yet won’t dent and deform like the sintered metal A1 unit. This means the trigger can still be operated whereupon it may be pinned in place with the metal housing.

The matte blue finish, while not quite as corrosion resistant and durable as the parkerized A1 finish, is not inherently bad and with minor care will hold up just fine. Earlier polymer Mossberg safety buttons did have some breakage issues, but current production seems to use a much more modern, tougher polymer and can easily be replaced with a metal button if desired.

The normal 590 will handle MUCH better in any configuration thanks to the standard profile barrel and lighter polymer parts. Contrary to popular belief there is ZERO build quality different between a standard 590 and the A1 variant. The internal parts are the exact same. The shotgun that passed the famous 3000 round military buckshot trials was NOT the vaunted A1 model, it was the standard 590.

590s and 500s served for years in the military before the A1 was even invented, and continue to serve until the present.

I’ll take a standard 590 over the A1 any day. It’s just a much better handling shotgun that is still rock solid. The new 18.5” barreled 7-shot models look fantastic and I need to pick one up soon.
 
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I searched for and found a Mossberg 500 with a full length ammo tube, it weighs 6+ lbs empty and will do anything a 590 or A1 will do but is much lighter. I don't realistically think I'll be going to war with it but you never know.
The fore end has a built-in flashlight and strobe and just a bead front sight on a 20" barrel.
The stock is a hollow synthetic with a recoil pad. I also have a folding pistol grip stock for it and a plain pistol grip. The plain pistol grip doesn't work well with the top tang safety so I plan on getting a Maverick 88 with the safety on the rear of the trigger guard where it's much easier to manipulate.
I have a Picatinny rail that I can mount on it to use any red-dot or other sight I care to use.
All tolled I've got a little over $350 to $400 in it and I'm quite pleased with it. 20211001_155742.jpg
 
flightsimmer said:
I searched for and found a Mossberg 500 with a full length ammo tube, it weighs 6+ lbs empty and will do anything a 590 or A1 will do but is much lighter. I don't realistically think I'll be going to war with it but you never know.
The fore end has a built-in flashlight and strobe and just a bead front sight on a 20" barrel.
The stock is a hollow synthetic with a recoil pad. I also have a folding pistol grip stock for it and a plain pistol grip. The plain pistol grip doesn't work well with the top tang safety so I plan on getting a Maverick 88 with the safety on the rear of the trigger guard where it's much easier to manipulate.
I have a Picatinny rail that I can mount on it to use any red-dot or other sight I care to use.
All tolled I've got a little over $350 to $400 in it and I'm quite pleased with it.View attachment 1073840
Click to expand...

People have. M500s have seen service in Iraq and Afghanistan.
 
I prefer Remington's. I once had an urge to have a 590A1 when they came out but I could not get over the weight of the barrel. Weight is good with a M60 but I could not justify that weight on a shotgun.
 
JCooperfan1911 said:
The thick walled barrel of the M590A1 was designed specifically to increase durability when used on naval vessels.
.........
I’ll take a standard 590 over the A1 any day. It’s just a much better handling shotgun that is still rock solid. The new 18.5” barreled 7-shot models look fantastic and I need to pick one up soon.
Click to expand...

Excellent post. The 590 is the way to go if you find the A1 version too heavy and won't be subjecting it to the abuse it might get in an actual military environment.
 
Somewhere I have a Mossberg 500 with a slug barrel and field barrel. I would greatly prefer that over a heavy 590. Any of your other shotguns are better in my book because I dislike a heavy barrel on a point and shoot gun. Also, a Remington 870 has a steel receiver and better safety. No harm in keeping it if you like it but I would rather have a standard shotgun. I also prefer a standard stock for hip shooting and for martial use. In which case the bayonet would be handy.
 
I love mine with its pistol grip and heat shield. I know a lot of folks argue you can’t aim with one. But I got a model 88 pistol grip when I was 12. Shotgun shells were cheaper then. I used to burn a box of shells a weekend. I had wrist issue for a decade. But by the time I could drive I can hop a can 4 or 5 times before it’s nothing left of it. Inside my home that is what I fight to with my pistol. I also keep a 20 gauge 500 youth model with the barrel cut down to 18.5 inches. I added a recoil pad and a high lever safety for a shockwave. They are stashed separate but ready. I will never part with my 590 it will be a go too until I have to add a stock and then it’s still a primary for me.
 
Huntolive said:
So should I sell it? Nope -- all your other shotguns are for different roles. The 590-A1 is a "just in case" shotgun. You just never know...
What are your guys thoughts on this very interesting and somewhat unique shotgun? I love mine -- I've even shot clays with it, it's accurate as heck even with 7 1/2 shot. Though it's designed for negative social engagements, it could be used to take game at limited ranges in a survival situation.
Are they more of a gimmick?Nope -- it's purely a defensive -- or offensive -- weapon. It's not a do-everything shotgun. For what it's designed for, it will do the job well.
Click to expand...

590A1.jpg
 
flightsimmer said:
I searched for and found a Mossberg 500 with a full length ammo tube, it weighs 6+ lbs empty and will do anything a 590 or A1 will do but is much lighter. I don't realistically think I'll be going to war with it but you never know.
The fore end has a built-in flashlight and strobe and just a bead front sight on a 20" barrel.
The stock is a hollow synthetic with a recoil pad. I also have a folding pistol grip stock for it and a plain pistol grip. The plain pistol grip doesn't work well with the top tang safety so I plan on getting a Maverick 88 with the safety on the rear of the trigger guard where it's much easier to manipulate.
I have a Picatinny rail that I can mount on it to use any red-dot or other sight I care to use.
All tolled I've got a little over $350 to $400 in it and I'm quite pleased with it.View attachment 1073840
Click to expand...

I have since decided to purchase the Shockwave rear grip because it works well with the top tang safety, the pistol grip, not so much.
I have a Night stick forearm SFL 11WL that sofar I like very much, 1200 luminance, it even has a strobe setting to confuse a potential perp. It seems to even take out the shake, rattle and roll.
 
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