Mossberg Receivers?

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Ryu

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OK here we go. The Mossberg 590 was designed for the Military right? A friend of mine who was a Joe says that they have Steel Receivers, Magazine Tubes, Trigger Assem, and Bolt. We were talking about it one night and he told me that my Mossberg 500 had an aluminum receiver, magazine tube, and though my trigger was steel the trigger housing was aluminum. This may or may not be true as I don't know and he likes to play the know it all game sometimes.

I am going to purchase a new shotgun here in a week or two and I know I want a Mossberg 590 cause it will hold 9+1 rounds and my accessories from my 500 will go right on it. My question is... Are there some with Aluminum Receivers and some with Steel or does the Military 590 have an aluminum receiver or is my friend full of crap or what LOL?

The main point I'm trying to make is that if I have a choice between ALL STEEL and Aluminum Here and Steel there... I'd like all steel. Is there a 590 with steel receiver and tube and all that good stuff. I noticed that some places sell the 590 Mariner with Stainless Receiver... Though that may be a misrep. I've also known some people to sell Mossberg 500s with 20" barrels and pass them off as 590's on the net.

Help guys... I want this to be the toughest Shotgun I own and price is second place to quality. I would much prefer more steel parts. Help me select one. Model numbers would be GREATLY appreciated.
 
TTBOMK, no Mossberg shotgun currently made comes with a steel receiver. If you want steel, get an 870, 37 or BPS.

However, while steel may outlast alloy here, they both'll outlast us. I've yet to see a shot out 500.

The Mariner is plated, not "Stainless".

Your buddy is full of something.....
 
When in doubt ask to see the left side of the reciever, true 590A1's have a big '590A1' in about 5/8" tall letters stamped on the side of the receiver. 500's have the front of the magazine tube blocked off by the barrel lug, and no bayonet lug.

I've got both a 590A1 and an 870, and have no qualms about either one doing its intended job or lasting the rest of my life. Some aluminum on the 590A1 is a blessing, its heavy enough with the steel it has to begin with, even more so when filled to the brim with buck or slugs.

Kharn
 
Weight isn't much of a concern for me. I'm a fairly large guy and toating a heavy weapon isn't noticed much by my frame. I've actually given thought to having Ithaca (who will make guns to order for a not so small fee) Build me a pump or Auto 10Ga Home defense Shotgun with about a 6+1 capacity and under a 25" barrel... (Whatever came flush with the Mag tube). THAT! Would be a crowd pleaser to be reckoned with. I've shot many a 10Ga and the recoil albeit swift and unyielding is not more than I can stand for 20 to 30 rounds. But after that I think my feelings would begin to change about my affections for the weapon LOL. I'm sure it will be in the 1,300.00 range but what a gun to pass down generation to generation of family homes being protected with a very bold statement.
 
Wow ! You might want to take something for that fever before the "bigger is badder syndrome" makes you do something you'll regret later.

A 10 ga. may sound like a good idea - but if you think about it a bit longer , the thought will pass.

The top steel reciever candidates for a good HD shotgun have already been mentioned. Remington model 870 is the most popular, Ithaca model 37 is a very good choice, the Browning BPS is not typically used for a short HD shotgun as it is heavy and shorter barrels are not readily available (unless you prefer slug barrel with iron sights which is OK).

That said - it was also mentioned that the alloy reciever of the Mossberg is a non problem. The 500 & 590 series are likely number two in popularity . ( Remington 870 being #1) and for a good reason. They are reliable guns that fill the needs of those that buy them.

ps: The Mossbergs have Aluminum recievers and steel magazine tubes.
:D
 
Are the 500 and 590 receivers the same? If so couldn't I just slap a 590 barrel and magazine tube on my 500?
 
For those who said there is no difference, you are full of crap.

The Mossberg 590 has a steel receiver, Heavier wall Modified fixed choke

Barrel, steel wipe-through magazine tube and steel safety button, along

with an alloy trigger assembly. It is a 9 shot (8+1), not 9+1. The barrels

are not interchangeable with the 500's because they have a Magazine cap,

not a barrel screw, but most of the aftermarket gadgets you can mount on

them, mounts on the 590. Mossberg also makes a similar model 500 called

a Persuader or Cruiser, if you get a pistol grip model, 8 shot (7+1). It is an

aluminum receiver, as is all 500 models. Their barrels are cylinder bore.

That means the shot group opens up faster on exit from the barrel. The

590 is Modified and are pretty accurate with slugs and Buckshot. The

trigger assembly on a 500 is plastic as is the safety button. A 590 is a nice

shotgun, but is not worth the extra money, unless you plan on throwing it

around like it is a shovel or other garden tool. The 500 Persuader will

suffice for your needs and is almost identical in appearance. So your friend

is right and he does know his stuff. I'm a Joe now, and have had much

handling with the 590, but I also own four 500's as well and know a great

deal about them.



That's my .02 cents
 
The 590A1 has a heavier *barrel* than the standard 590 (thus the heatshield wont fit), but I'm pretty sure the 590A1 I have sitting in my safe has an aluminium reciever. The normal 590 also has the plastic safety and trigger guard, IIRC, while the 590A1 has metal on both. My 590A1 was cylinder bore last time I checked, not modified. :)

I bought the A1 over both the 500 and the 590 because I wanted the (IMHO) best out-of-the-box combat shotgun for the money and the piece of mind that comes from knowing its USMC approved. :D

Kharn
 
For varification of the features and differences one can go to the Mossberg web site. The 500's and 590's all have an "aluminum alloy" reciever. They are made from a billot of alloy that is heated and then extruded to form the basic reciever. They are then finish machined and surface finished. I do believe there is no difference in the reciever itself between the 500 and the 590 , and if you replace the magazine tube and barrel of a 500 with that of the 590 the differnces that will remain (ouside of surface finish) are the plastic safety button and trigger housing of the 500 vs the metal alloy ones of the 590 A1 version.
The magazine tubes screw into the reciever and can be exchanged . With the 590 style mag. tube you must also use the 590 style barrel and the magazine tube cap.
Heat shields were intruduced on shotguns around the turn of the century with the 1897 Winchester trench gun. The reason for the heat shield was to allow a soldier to grasp the barrel with bare hands while using his bayonet. I'm not sure of any practical use for them today.
 
I'm not sure you understand where I'm coming from. All the Mossbergs we

have are at least twelve years old. I should have explained myself on

that. All recent 590A1 have aluminum receivers. But those ones that we

joe's carry have steel receivers. I'm not sure how long ago they changed

this but I do know ours are steel. We did the magnet test. I had a huge

arguement with one of my fellow soldiers about this and needless to say I

was right. Also our barrels have a modified fixed choke. We have some

old cylinder bore barrels, but they are pretty beat up and are getting

changed out to the new modified barrels. I'm not exactly sure what the

reason for the switch in choke may be but I know they are different. I

have always wondered the reason for the heat shields also, but they really

don't make any sense nowadays, looks I guess. I have fired quite a few

rounds out of these repeatedly and the heavy barrel takes much longer to

heat up. If you could even get it hot enough, I'm sure it would take a

while to cool also. There, everyone on the same page with me?
 
No, you are wrong. Magnets will pick-up the steel components underneath. All Mossberg 590's were made with Aluminum receivers. You suggest you are with the military or law enforcement in some manner. What unit are you with? How many 590's do you have and which models thereof? You are clearly mistaken. The proof is not necessary, we know you are wrong. Remove the barrel and place a magnet against the top-forward end of your receiver. It will not stick.
 
Never handled an issue Mossberg so can't comment. What I did read of them was they were to be aluminum receivers with an average life before rebuild of about 6,000 rounds IIRC. Either somebody had a bunch of pet pork to feed or they did not plan to shoot them much.
 
What does it matter what unit I'm with, are you going to put me at parade

rest? I'm at Fort Bragg. Thats all you need to know. I have dissassebled

these shotguns and I'm an armorer for our unit. So I know I'm right. Do

you guys think that maybe their is a distinct possibility that Mossberg, a

huge shotgun manufacturer, could have made steel receivers back some

time ago? Hmmm......sounds like a possibility. For all you, know-it-all's out

there......you're not experts, so don't claim to be. I stated my case and

someone who thinks they know it all, tells me, the one who works with

the "weapons", I'm wrong. Go find another hobby, because you certainly

don't belong in this one. You don't accept something that may have

happened, just like with automobiles and whatever else made in todays

world, that their may have been something made out of the norm.

Whatever.
 
I find it distinctyl implauseable that mossberg (who made a name for themselves using aluminum recievers) would make a small number of steel recievers only on some 590s. Steel casting and aluminum casting equipment are not compatable, and it would cost a whole lot for little return.
 
This is exactly the reason most folks I know do not take part in discussions on firearms forums. There is always a BOZO who claims to be a EXPERT (unverified) who will drive you nutz with his BS.

Mossberg NEVER MADE A STEEL RECEIVER (I'm shouting) for the 500/590 series shotguns. Ask Mossberg, they will tell you that. Also, for what it's worth, Mossberg makes barrels the will FIT the 870, but they do not make barrels for Remington. Remington makes their own barrels.

I don't know why you bother arguing about it. You are just :banghead:
 
Play nice, folks.

Something that may clear up a few things....

TTBOMK, Mossberg has never made a steel receiver for their pumps. However, I've reason to believe there are SOME 590s or 500s kicking around that MAY have steel receivers. Here's the story, FWIW....

About 30 years ago I shot and drank(Not at the same time) with some guys who worked at Aberdeen Proving Grounds. They were techies with the dream jobs we all want. They got paid to shoot the heck out of stuff with everything up to 105MM howitzers. They had machine shops to play with and the Govt paying the bills.

One project for ambush busting was tandem mounted, belt fed, full auto 12 gauges with a sub gun firing 9mm tracers for "Walking in" fire.

The scuttlebutt was that the Army had ordered APG to test various shotguns and see if any could be improved to become clearly superior.

Further, while the AR's alloy receiver has shown no signs of a short life, the brass were inclined towards a steel receivered shotgun.

The story goes that some steel receivers were made up at APG and one Physics Lab I worked for and swapped in for alloy ones in shotguns at APG.

I imagine the cost was only about $1K each, but it's only our money,right?

Perhaps as many as 50 were made, since programmed machinery can make more copies at low cost. These may still be kicking around the inventory, since shotguns tend to low shell usage.
 
I'm sorry Dave, I really am. I wanted to pay attention. Truly, I did. But I didn't really see anything after:

tandem mounted, belt fed, full auto 12 gauges with a sub gun firing 9mm tracers for "Walking in" fire.[/quote

I do believe that would cure my dove problem.
Click to expand...
 
Dave McC... for my $.02 I would venture a guess that NONE of the steel reciever 590's (if for sure any WERE made) ended up in the hands of the active military, if they were only built for testing, as the military has this thing about parts compatibility, and FACTORY mossbergs ALL have aluminum recievers...

vette_lover2004 is a wrong (and obviously a bit of a troll).

We who know anything about these guns know it, and anyone who believes a word he's saying after reading this thread is themselves somewhat deluded...

he can't even give a plausible answer to what unit he's in... I kinda doubt he's military at all... (aren't MOST active troops over in the sandbox, NOT at fort bragg playing W/ nonexistant shotguns right now anyway?)
 
I don't have a dove problem, Don. I do have a problem hitting them. But more lead in the air isn't the cure, putting what lead I now use in the right place is.

Back to the APG project guns. Supposedly, the military wanted an Uber shotgun for things like building clearing, point men,tunnel rats, and others needing a very effective, powerful close range weapon.

During this same period of time, the mad scientists at APG did their thing with fletchette loads and found them wanting. The buckshot made from depleted Uranium showed promise, but was expensive as heck. One penetrator round made like today's sabot load may be the original sabot load. This one used a 650 gr case hardened steel jacket over a lead core for penetrating light armor and sandbagged fortifications.

Other shotguns tested included the 870 and the 37.
 
Really hate to get involved in this one but my buddy has a 590 and it does have a steel reciever, I know this because he for some reason wouldn't buy a 500 because it is alum, I told him to get a rem 870 but being a mossy fan he orderd a 590 from the gun store. Don't know for sure if all 590's have a steel reciever but I do know first hand his does because I had to touch up the bluing after he put a small scratch on it. Guys have fun and be nice, and when in doubt buy a 870.:D
 
I believe a magnet test would solve the problem. From a machinests point of view, machining a 590 reciever is a complex and difficult task even with Aluminum; it's much harder with steel. It is the most complex part. The reason it's made from Aluminum is because Aluminum machines easy and is lightweight. Of all the parts on the 590 that can fail, the receiver is probably fairly low on the list.

Vette: It's okay, just pull the barrel and do the magnet test. You can eat crow, we've all tasted it before. Heck, you MIGHT even outrank me, but that doesn't mean you're right.
 
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