A bit of forewarning. The below article I snagged from Reddit. I found it interesting and well written.
Before you read this, note it's full of claims. It's claimed to be written by Marine who went overseas and has used his firearm on the battlefield. Some may find it a bit disturbing and the author is unknown.
It's an interesting read from the depth of the internet.
------------------------------
Introduction
I have been debating this for a long time. It will either be a complete disaster or a resounding hit. I don't know. I'm feeling belligerent and a photo shoot got cancelled so I am all in.
The point is I see all kinds of bovine feces thrown around here by jackasses hating on overrated shotguns or declaring them mythical wundergats. They are neither.
I doubt this will put Call of Duty, Hollywood, Joe Biden, and Uncle Bubba's Malicious lies to bed but I hope to make a dent in the theatrical understanding of combat.
Who is this guy?
Ok I was an active duty Marine. I've packed the Mossberg 590 around in Asia and specifically for most of the discussion Iraq. I have actually used this shotgun to breech doors and kill/wound people. This isn't a study, or a collection of articles, or some prepackaged lies skimmed from Soldier of Fortune magazine.
Now I am a normal , boring, everyday businessman with too many scars. IRL I would never talk about this at all, which is why I like the Marine Corps League and the anonymity of the internet. That being said if you are a vet and have survival guilt or other bad feelings go join any veterans organization. Those Korea and Vietnam guys will cure what ails you with barstool therapy.
The Mossberg 590
I'm not talking about the shotgat in general because I never got to use anything else in anger. No fancy M1014 and no Remington 870s and no Biden Special Doublegat. What I am going to tell you can probably apply to any pump action shotgun or semi auto.
IMHO The Mossberg 590 is more than adequate for defending against a single intruder or home invasion scenario. Being a lefty I am all about it. This and the M16A4 were the only issue weapons I can own as a civilian that I am emotionally attached to and bought for myself.
My first issue Mossberg 590 was a long action with the rattle from god knows when in military history. I had good experiences with it in the Philippines that I won't elaborate on.
The one I had in Iraq was a long action but was new(er). This 590 Special Purpose 9 Shot is the correct boomstick for cross reference. Back in the day and now I added a simple sure fire. Also, I never used the bayonet. It is also worth noting that the insane amount of sand this thing ate never stopped it up...something I was very happy with. The guys who were there will tell you they always were scraping the bolt head on their M16s.
I've seen a few different ammunition theories. We used slugs to breech doors (not a HD problem) and 00 Buck to shoot people. 00 Buck works great on people. I have seen recommendation for #1 and frankly Ive never shot anyone or anything with it so I have no clue how that will help. Everything I am writing about will be centered on 00.
How to use This Thing
The first thing you need to understand is that this shotgun isn't a miracle weapon. The shot pattern (the group of shot) starts out quite small and spreads out at distance. This means close up you are more likely to miss and far away you are going to have less shot impacting where you want and more shot going where you don't want it to go. This is one of the many reasons you need to train with your shotgun at varying ranges.
The manuals say you have 70 meters of effective range. This is bull####, you have 50....lucky for you your mansion probably doesn't have a 50 meter gallery inside. The closer the range the more effective a shotgun is. The farther away the less significant and less numerous injuries are.
Think of your shotgun as a burst weapon. In the case of 00 (someone will correct me If I am wrong) I believe there are 8 roughly .30 caliber round balls. Each one of this balls is like a low powered pistol round. So it is a simultaneous burst of 30 ball. The more stikes from the pattern in the target the better.
Using this thing effectively I breached and was 2 man. Being the second guy through the door led to a lot of pants-soiling close combat encounters. This is similar to what you would experience in your home. Do not clear your home, I was doing this as a team and it still didn't end well.
Close in firing the shotgun was great. Some people were devastated by the multiple strikes and went into shock. Remember wounded people still fight so keep shooting. Also the pattern is random so some shots in fatal regions don't always have the desired effect and you don't have enough power to always penetrate a skull or shatter a pelvis. Two or three shells at least.
The trick to staying alive was momentum. Keep moving and keep shooting. Keep shooting your first target until it is down. Keep an eye on it after it is down. Also use every second you get to plus that tube back up. One should practice shooting while moving and reloading while moving (not just in cover).
The more distance the less effective the shotgun is as I already mentioned. It also will not reliably penetrate furniture, auto glass, etc. This means putting more lead into your target. More than once I self suppressed a guy while I was moving and blasted him over or around the cover when I got close. This is another reason for the loading trick. Once the shooting starts do not go static.
If your enemy has made cover I want to introduce you to skipshot. If you have a slab floor you can skip the shot off your floor under a piece of furniture. This allows you to get a pellet or to into a foot or ankle. Shot will also trace masonry walls this way.
So all this crap I just told you. 90% of it doesn't apply to you. For HD you should set an ambush. To do this you need to be quiet. This means loaded shotgun, chambered. The safety on the 590 is right in your face. Get the family to safety. Try to set yourself up behind cover. I have a long hallway to the bedrooms and a piece of strategically placed furniture.
Let the enemy come to you. Positively ID your target (flashlight mounted to shotgun highly recommended) and unleash the beast. A hallway is an ideal place for slamfire. Flood them with aimed fire. A trick I learned was aiming at the weapon. Pellets to the hands and forearms really messes with people's aim and the cranial vault is lined up with their sights if they are using them correctly. Keep firing until they are down. Reload. Don't turn your back on them until the police are there to take over.
Things to have
Pump Action Shotgun
Shell Carrier
Mounted Flashlight
Safety Glasses (Morbid, but blood will be everywhere and you don't want Hep, Hiv, or ? right in the eye)
Training
Shot patterns at different ranges
Firing while moving
Reloading while moving
Reloading behind cover
Reloading (can't stress enough)
Target ID
Working the action
Slamfire (I can only accurately do this wile moving forward)Not relevant on all shotguns
Know the damned gun (HD gun should make every range trip)
Skipshot
Thoughts on the M1014
It jams but your house probably doesn't have sandstorms.
Conclusion
The shotgun isn't a miracle weapon but it makes a great HD arm. This does not excuse training, nothing does. It should be loaded, chambered and ready to go with spare shells and eye protection. Don't be surprised if one of your own pellets comes back. Don't expect one shot kills this is only likely at very close range (close enough to get the wadding cup stuck in a target). Also, expect to have to hire a contractor to clean up the aftermath.
TL;DR Shotguns work well for HD if the owner trains with it.
EDIT: Some and probably not all the spelling and grammar
EDIT 2 I Don't Know But I've Been Told
There was some controversy over slamfiring a Mossberg 590. I made some phone calls and learned a lot I didn't know. Assuming my friends can be trusted (and I think they can) it is worth sharing. I would also like to note that slamfire is the least important thing I write about here.
The original answer I gave is "I dunno"... that wasn't good enough so I made a few calls. This was doubly good because I got info and talked to some friends I don't talk to enough. Three of us are meeting in Vegas before the Sema show now which is nice because I usually only see the east coast guys.
Now for the hearsay. You can't make a new Mossberg do this. The chorus says that there were several improvements made to the disconnector. You would have to add material and find some way to time the hammer. This is slightly ridiculous because the disconnector is a safety feature. Here is a video of someone who is not me doing this.
I have been told that old Mossbergs can do this when a part fails or when intentionally disabled. He says my issue guns could have been either or. As for my civvie gun, this was probably the handywork of the LGS and was one of my "extras". He emphatically told me this is not safe and had I told him when he was our armorer he would have fixed it. He is going to eyeball mine when he gets a chance.
It just goes to show you we learn new things every day.
TL;DR This is a modification or a broken part on older Mossberg* guns. Get it fixed. There are guns without disconnectors.
EDIT 3: This was way better received than expected. Thank you all. I also never expected to get Gold. Thank you guys ever so much. I really like r/guns and am happy to contribute.
EDIT 4: New post featuring my Civvie 590
Before you read this, note it's full of claims. It's claimed to be written by Marine who went overseas and has used his firearm on the battlefield. Some may find it a bit disturbing and the author is unknown.
It's an interesting read from the depth of the internet.
------------------------------
Introduction
I have been debating this for a long time. It will either be a complete disaster or a resounding hit. I don't know. I'm feeling belligerent and a photo shoot got cancelled so I am all in.
The point is I see all kinds of bovine feces thrown around here by jackasses hating on overrated shotguns or declaring them mythical wundergats. They are neither.
I doubt this will put Call of Duty, Hollywood, Joe Biden, and Uncle Bubba's Malicious lies to bed but I hope to make a dent in the theatrical understanding of combat.
Who is this guy?
Ok I was an active duty Marine. I've packed the Mossberg 590 around in Asia and specifically for most of the discussion Iraq. I have actually used this shotgun to breech doors and kill/wound people. This isn't a study, or a collection of articles, or some prepackaged lies skimmed from Soldier of Fortune magazine.
Now I am a normal , boring, everyday businessman with too many scars. IRL I would never talk about this at all, which is why I like the Marine Corps League and the anonymity of the internet. That being said if you are a vet and have survival guilt or other bad feelings go join any veterans organization. Those Korea and Vietnam guys will cure what ails you with barstool therapy.
The Mossberg 590
I'm not talking about the shotgat in general because I never got to use anything else in anger. No fancy M1014 and no Remington 870s and no Biden Special Doublegat. What I am going to tell you can probably apply to any pump action shotgun or semi auto.
IMHO The Mossberg 590 is more than adequate for defending against a single intruder or home invasion scenario. Being a lefty I am all about it. This and the M16A4 were the only issue weapons I can own as a civilian that I am emotionally attached to and bought for myself.
My first issue Mossberg 590 was a long action with the rattle from god knows when in military history. I had good experiences with it in the Philippines that I won't elaborate on.
The one I had in Iraq was a long action but was new(er). This 590 Special Purpose 9 Shot is the correct boomstick for cross reference. Back in the day and now I added a simple sure fire. Also, I never used the bayonet. It is also worth noting that the insane amount of sand this thing ate never stopped it up...something I was very happy with. The guys who were there will tell you they always were scraping the bolt head on their M16s.
I've seen a few different ammunition theories. We used slugs to breech doors (not a HD problem) and 00 Buck to shoot people. 00 Buck works great on people. I have seen recommendation for #1 and frankly Ive never shot anyone or anything with it so I have no clue how that will help. Everything I am writing about will be centered on 00.
How to use This Thing
The first thing you need to understand is that this shotgun isn't a miracle weapon. The shot pattern (the group of shot) starts out quite small and spreads out at distance. This means close up you are more likely to miss and far away you are going to have less shot impacting where you want and more shot going where you don't want it to go. This is one of the many reasons you need to train with your shotgun at varying ranges.
The manuals say you have 70 meters of effective range. This is bull####, you have 50....lucky for you your mansion probably doesn't have a 50 meter gallery inside. The closer the range the more effective a shotgun is. The farther away the less significant and less numerous injuries are.
Think of your shotgun as a burst weapon. In the case of 00 (someone will correct me If I am wrong) I believe there are 8 roughly .30 caliber round balls. Each one of this balls is like a low powered pistol round. So it is a simultaneous burst of 30 ball. The more stikes from the pattern in the target the better.
Using this thing effectively I breached and was 2 man. Being the second guy through the door led to a lot of pants-soiling close combat encounters. This is similar to what you would experience in your home. Do not clear your home, I was doing this as a team and it still didn't end well.
Close in firing the shotgun was great. Some people were devastated by the multiple strikes and went into shock. Remember wounded people still fight so keep shooting. Also the pattern is random so some shots in fatal regions don't always have the desired effect and you don't have enough power to always penetrate a skull or shatter a pelvis. Two or three shells at least.
The trick to staying alive was momentum. Keep moving and keep shooting. Keep shooting your first target until it is down. Keep an eye on it after it is down. Also use every second you get to plus that tube back up. One should practice shooting while moving and reloading while moving (not just in cover).
The more distance the less effective the shotgun is as I already mentioned. It also will not reliably penetrate furniture, auto glass, etc. This means putting more lead into your target. More than once I self suppressed a guy while I was moving and blasted him over or around the cover when I got close. This is another reason for the loading trick. Once the shooting starts do not go static.
If your enemy has made cover I want to introduce you to skipshot. If you have a slab floor you can skip the shot off your floor under a piece of furniture. This allows you to get a pellet or to into a foot or ankle. Shot will also trace masonry walls this way.
So all this crap I just told you. 90% of it doesn't apply to you. For HD you should set an ambush. To do this you need to be quiet. This means loaded shotgun, chambered. The safety on the 590 is right in your face. Get the family to safety. Try to set yourself up behind cover. I have a long hallway to the bedrooms and a piece of strategically placed furniture.
Let the enemy come to you. Positively ID your target (flashlight mounted to shotgun highly recommended) and unleash the beast. A hallway is an ideal place for slamfire. Flood them with aimed fire. A trick I learned was aiming at the weapon. Pellets to the hands and forearms really messes with people's aim and the cranial vault is lined up with their sights if they are using them correctly. Keep firing until they are down. Reload. Don't turn your back on them until the police are there to take over.
Things to have
Pump Action Shotgun
Shell Carrier
Mounted Flashlight
Safety Glasses (Morbid, but blood will be everywhere and you don't want Hep, Hiv, or ? right in the eye)
Training
Shot patterns at different ranges
Firing while moving
Reloading while moving
Reloading behind cover
Reloading (can't stress enough)
Target ID
Working the action
Slamfire (I can only accurately do this wile moving forward)Not relevant on all shotguns
Know the damned gun (HD gun should make every range trip)
Skipshot
Thoughts on the M1014
It jams but your house probably doesn't have sandstorms.
Conclusion
The shotgun isn't a miracle weapon but it makes a great HD arm. This does not excuse training, nothing does. It should be loaded, chambered and ready to go with spare shells and eye protection. Don't be surprised if one of your own pellets comes back. Don't expect one shot kills this is only likely at very close range (close enough to get the wadding cup stuck in a target). Also, expect to have to hire a contractor to clean up the aftermath.
TL;DR Shotguns work well for HD if the owner trains with it.
EDIT: Some and probably not all the spelling and grammar
EDIT 2 I Don't Know But I've Been Told
There was some controversy over slamfiring a Mossberg 590. I made some phone calls and learned a lot I didn't know. Assuming my friends can be trusted (and I think they can) it is worth sharing. I would also like to note that slamfire is the least important thing I write about here.
The original answer I gave is "I dunno"... that wasn't good enough so I made a few calls. This was doubly good because I got info and talked to some friends I don't talk to enough. Three of us are meeting in Vegas before the Sema show now which is nice because I usually only see the east coast guys.
Now for the hearsay. You can't make a new Mossberg do this. The chorus says that there were several improvements made to the disconnector. You would have to add material and find some way to time the hammer. This is slightly ridiculous because the disconnector is a safety feature. Here is a video of someone who is not me doing this.
I have been told that old Mossbergs can do this when a part fails or when intentionally disabled. He says my issue guns could have been either or. As for my civvie gun, this was probably the handywork of the LGS and was one of my "extras". He emphatically told me this is not safe and had I told him when he was our armorer he would have fixed it. He is going to eyeball mine when he gets a chance.
It just goes to show you we learn new things every day.
TL;DR This is a modification or a broken part on older Mossberg* guns. Get it fixed. There are guns without disconnectors.
EDIT 3: This was way better received than expected. Thank you all. I also never expected to get Gold. Thank you guys ever so much. I really like r/guns and am happy to contribute.
EDIT 4: New post featuring my Civvie 590
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