Mossberg 500A vs 590?

[heavyshooter]

Okays guys,

I think we have confirmed that I have a Mossberg 500A, not a Maverick 88. I now have a second question. I was a rookie when I purchased my Mossberg 500A and I have since become enamored by the 590. I am wondering if I made a rookie mistake in getting the 500. I am aware of the ghost sights but my 500 is drilled and tapped so I can mount ghost sights whenever I want. So my question is: Other than the ghost sights, why is the 590 superior to the 500?

P.S. - To all of the Remington guys. I am aware that you are going to tell me to get rid of my Mossberg, come over to the dark side and get an 870. I am aware that it is an excellent gun, but the Mossberg feels pretty good to me and I prefer the tang safety over the crossbar. Please humor me and stick to the 500A/590 comparison. Please, Please, Please; with ammo on top.

Heavy

 

[Creature]

The 590A1 has a beefier barrel for starters. I dressed my 590A1 up in wood to make her look less "synthetic".

 

[heavyshooter]

EXCUSE ME AS I WIPE THE DROOL!

 

[doubleaes2]

Sexy man, very sexy.

 

[jpatterson]

I have nothing to compliment the initial post, but man that a1 is hot with wood on. Hooo boy!

 

[VegasOPM]

The 590 was the "mil-spec" shotgun. It has a little beefier barrel, a metal trigger housing (the 500A's is polymer), a easily removable mag cap, one more in the magazine and a parkerized finish.

I have had both, but I traded the 590 for something along the way?!? I still have the 500, and it has several thousand rounds downrange with no breakage. The 590 is a little better gun all around, but the 500 will do the job. BTW, the Mossy's safety is better and you don't have to break your firing grip to hit the slide release lever- unlike the 870.

 

[MAKster]

The only real difference between the 500 and the 590 is the way the barrel ring attachs to the mag tube. The 590 allows you to remove the spring and clean out the tube. On the 500 you have to remove the tube from the receiver to get the spring out. One negative on the 590 is that it only comes in 20" barrel. If you want to be able to use a 18.5" for home defense and a 28" barrel for clays you need to buy the 500. The 590A1 models have the heavier barrel, metal trigger guard and safety.

 

[Fred Fuller]

A goodly number of the problems that originate with tubular magazine repeaters appear in the magazine tube. THE signal advantage of the 590, as indicated above, is that the magazine tube is easily accessible for an end-to-end cleanout. Anything else IMHO is gravy.

I have a couple of 500s here and there, I haven't yet run across a screaming deal on a 590 though. If I ever do it most certainly will be coming home with me.

That I have yet to encounter a used 590 tells me a couple of things. First, 590s appear to stay with the folks who take them out of the box- I haven't ever seen one on a used rack for sale. And if they do make it to the used rack, they're gone by the time I get there. Now granted, there aren't as many of them around as there are 870s. But still, they've been on the market a while. Seems like a few of them would be getting let go of along the way.

I have nothing against 590s, they're fine shotguns. I still like a good 870 best of all, but a good shotgun is a good shotgun no matter whose name is on it. All that Lamborghini vs. Ferrari argument nonsense is for European metrosexuals anyway.

lpl

 

[foghornl]

I have been looking on the "Previously Owned" racks around here, but like Mr. Lapin's experiences, I have NOT seen a used 590 on the shelf. Do sometimes see the 500's and Maverick 88's but not a 590.

 

[SoCalShooter]

No its a 500a you cant go wrong with a classic. I have a 590 also and let me tell you its just vunderbar I prefer it over my 500 and my 870 wingmaster.

 

[TurboJeff]

I've got one of each. A 500 model 18.5" barrel, AR-15 style adjustable stock with side saddle, 5+1, model 50420.

The 590 is a model 50668, ghost ring sights, speedfeed stock, 20" barrel, 8+1.

I've mounted a TLR-1 on the left side (with streamlight 69903 mount) just past the slide when in the forward position. That way, I can simply use my left thumb to work the light. Both shotguns are set up with the light exactly the same way.

I can't honestly say either gun is of a higher quality than the other. Each has it's own advantages and disadvantges. I really like both of them. The 500 is shorter, but hold fewer shells, while the 590 is a little longer, slightly heavier, has ghost ring sights( a big plus to me), and holds 8+1. It also seems the 590 is better balanced on the front. Seems strange since the 500 is shorter, but it feels more front heavy.

If I could absolutely keep just one, it would be the 590, but the 500 is really just as good a HD gun as the 500.

Jeff

 

[The_Antibubba]

Lee Lapin said:

I have a couple of 500s here and there, I haven't yet run across a screaming deal on a 590 though. If I ever do it most certainly will be coming home with me.

That I have yet to encounter a used 590 tells me a couple of things. First, 590s appear to stay with the folks who take them out of the box- I haven't ever seen one on a used rack for sale. And if they do make it to the used rack, they're gone by the time I get there. Now granted, there aren't as many of them around as there are 870s. But still, they've been on the market a while. Seems like a few of them would be getting let go of along the way.

It's funny you should say that. On Saturday, I found a 590 on the shelf, tagged as "Used, but Unfired", which I took to mean that it'd been fired once by someone who saw one in a videogame, loaded it up with "XTREME" slugs, and, with his first ever actual shooting of a REAL firearm, dislocated his shoulder.

(Do tears have any effect on a Parkerized finish?)

$419. Which in Californistan is almost $200 off the price of a NIB, when you can even find one of those. My CC was dinged, and I have to wait the 10 days (People's Republic, keeping us safe), but IT. IS. MINE!

 

[mgregg85]

That I have yet to encounter a used 590 tells me a couple of things. First, 590s appear to stay with the folks who take them out of the box- I haven't ever seen one on a used rack for sale. And if they do make it to the used rack, they're gone by the time I get there. Now granted, there aren't as many of them around as there are 870s. But still, they've been on the market a while. Seems like a few of them would be getting let go of along the way.

I snagged one on the used racks at Gander Mountain for $212 after taxes. I haven't gone and picked it up yet but it's on layaway for me. It looks pretty nice too, if it was used a lot they took excellent care of it.

 

[357wheelgunner]

I'd take a 590 in a heartbeat if I didn't already have a couple of 870s. They come with many features, and a proper tang safety, that the 870s don't have for the price.

I've shot 500s and wasn't impressed at all, but they're alright cheap guns. So are hipoints...