Mossberg 590 vs. 590A1?

mmattockx

mmattockx

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Considering the 18" and 20" models, if I was going to put an optic on it and don't care about the iron sights is there any good reason to spend the extra $$ on the A1? The price difference pays for a good chunk of a red dot. I would also be adding Magpul furniture if that matters at all.


Thanks,
Mark
 
I don’t think even the Turkish guns change their looks/finishes/names/model#s as much as Mossberg does. I say that because there were all kinds of Mossberg 500s made with parkerized finishes (=590A1 look). They seem to just predate the new 590 model designation which was a head scratcher. Then there seemed to be lots of shiny 590s around and I wondered “what for” with that finish on 500s.

Considering people can’t even kill the lesser Mossberg 88’s…500’s are a cut above that…and 590A1’s are bigger step up for people who want the indestructible version and are willing to pay all that extra $.

So, sitting with your question…I think an A1 is overkill for 99% of civilian use. I’d search “Mossberg” in the EE for the first parkerized 500/590 to pop up. With an ounce of care it’ll easily outlive you. I have a lot of trigger time with a Mossberg 500 “Persuader”, parkerized, factory full-length mag tube.
 
The 590A1 Retro is one of my beloveds. It's heavy though. Certainly not something to take fowling. A slug gun for deer though and you'd be challenged to get better. I have an 835 ulti-mag that wears an optic, for me the ghost ring on the 590A1 is just fine. Really good actually for slugs.

For me, I'll almost always spend a little more for the upgraded gun and live with no regrets. To spend all that money and knowing that a little more would have secured the better gun, would always leave me wanting. YMMV.
 
I've got 590's and 590a1, no real benefit of the A1 over the normal, unless I was taking it into combat or something and needed something more explosion proof, if your not worried about iron sights id even consider a 500 if it had the tube length and capicity you were happy with.
 
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What are you using it for?

I have a 590A1 and I find it heavy. Also the one I got was not threaded for chokes so it is not optimal for sporting use, i.e. dynamic shotgun.

Otherwise it's a good shotgun, simple to maintain and operate, reliable.
 
I haven't posted in soooooo long...but turns out maybe I have 2c to share.

General guiding principal in my opinion, get what you like, there is no wrong answer here, and as said before, there's absolutely nothing wrong with eventually getting both.


But that's not the question - so if you had to choose just one, I'd say go with the 590A1:

- Buy once, cry once.

- Yes most of us will not need a bomb proof pump action shot gun, but on that same token, most of also don't "need" firearms, but do I want, and like them? Absolutely, yes.

- LARP factor. How am I going to pretend clear my home after watching YouTube videos and witnessing the cesspool that is the comments section on how everyone is doing it wrong - with anything less than a 590A1.

- A1 is also a steak sauce. Who doesn't love steak? It's basically the 590Ribeye.

D.
 
I have a number of 590's all with literally tens of thousands of rounds through them. As far as I know, all the A1 offers is a thicker barrel and metal safety and trigger guard. None of that really matters for 99.9% of us as the 590 polymer safety and trigger guard are not failure points on the 590. If the Mav 88, 500 and 590 are going to fail it is with the action bars. They will last a very long time- sometimes forever- but if something is going to fail on a Mossberg that's the #1 culprit.

So no, I wouldn't pay extra for a heavier barrel and metal bits and pieces. If Mossberg came up with some adamantium action bars I would pay extra for that though. :)
 
590 A1 Retrograde (for me at least) all day long. The US Combat Shotgun that will not embarrass you in any situation.

And, Yes I know the other 590 A1 variants have better tactical features - but I'm old so you'll have to overlook that.
 
This is a great topic. I absolutely love these shotguns. Here's the big differences in my opinion:

A1 has a metal trigger guard where every base 590 I have seen has a plastic one
A1 has a metal safety selector
A1 will usually be Parkerized while many regular 590s are blued
A1 has a heavier walled barrel

Both have numerous factory configurations but the stock, pump, receiver and action are essentially the same level of "heavy duty"ness if comparing the equivalent 590 and 590A1.

Both have the clean out style mag tube which is an upgrade from the 500.

Both are duty grade, military issued, and will outlast the owner in the case of a normal guy.



Based on use case here would be my recommendation:

If it's for home defense or predator defense - it's common for people to buy the 14in 590 shockwave with raptor grip and then put the Magpul buttstock on. So you get the light weight and tight handling of the 14 inch barrel but still get a proper stock.

If you want large capacity or a fast reload - The 590RM has great ergos and detachable magazines with up to 20 round capacity and because the mag is OEM and only fits in these shotguns we can have the full capacity.

For competitive use - depends on what you are doing. If you're just shooting slugs and moving quick, I'd pick the 590 since it has decent capacity and less weight than the A1. If you need a choke, the A1 model 50774 has interchangeable chokes. Could be worth looking at.

If it's for serious tactical use - The A1 is great. Super heavy duty, and can be somewhat high capacity with the 20in barrel and 9 shot factory tube. In this environment I'd say the extra weight is worthwhile in exchange for the durability.

If its for cool factor/collecting - Pick the one with your favorite look and ergos! Any 500, 590, 590A1 is a quality shotgun that will almost certainly be extremely reliable.
 
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