590a1 or 870p. Help me choose my next one

I couldn't agree with you more. Don't get me wrong, I like Mossy's, but my muscle memory is centered around an 870 and I have really developed a life and/or death trust with them. That being said, if you buy a 590A1, it comes with everything you need (including a bayonet??) whereas if you buy an 870P, you will probably end up modding it and spending a bunch more money.
 
Good thing they don't break often and the gun can still be operated with a broken ejector if needed. I doubt many mossberg shooters carry a spare ejector in the field but if you live away from gunsmiths and have to order in a part at least it is easier to do.

Both guns are good to go(OK maybe not some newer remingtons but old ones are easy to find) and it really boils down to personal preference and how you want to run your gun.

The 870 can not operate with a broken ejector, they can how ever operate with a broken ejector spring "which is only there if you want to eject slowly"

In saying that I have never seen or heard of a broken 870 ejector
 
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I have both, both are good, I prefer the location of the controls on the 590A1, the fact that the shell lifter stays out of the way and so on...

The only real answer here is buy both but get the 590A1 first.

Also, consider a hogue over-moulded stock, the factory mossberg has a long length of pull.
 
Both the 870P and the Mossberg 590A1 barrels are ridiculously thick and heavy, I consider a heavy shotgun barrel a negative for the most part.
 
The thick barrels are only good for heavy abuse by grunts, I do find the over all quality of the 590A1s is better then the 590s
 
I've never heard of any real problem with denting lighter profile barrels, outside of shipboard use, and I have the feeling that thick barrels were settled on as much for cost reasons (vs using thinner but tougher steel) as much as supposedly increased durability.
 
The 870 can not operate with a broken ejector, they can how ever operate with a broken ejector spring "which is only there if you want to eject slowly"

In saying that I have never seen or heard of a broken 870 ejector

I've never tried but I just assumed that if the ejector is broken that you could still cycle the action and either shake them or poke them out....
 
I've never heard of any real problem with denting lighter profile barrels, outside of shipboard use, and I have the feeling that thick barrels were settled on as much for cost reasons (vs using thinner but tougher steel) as much as supposedly increased durability.

Suspicion is wrong, it's identical steel, and thicker is costlier. I've had a couple dented 870's (bought a large lot of 16" Rem 870 top folders years ago), and other shotguns with barrels dents. Just won't happen on a 590A1, most take better care of their guns though, but for a truck gun the 590A1 is superior to start with and the thick wall barrel makes it even better. Also forgot the slide release, it is better on the 590 than the 870 for most folks.
 
Suspicion is wrong, it's identical steel, and thicker is costlier. I've had a couple dented 870's (bought a large lot of 16" Rem 870 top folders years ago), and other shotguns with barrels dents. Just won't happen on a 590A1, most take better care of their guns though, but for a truck gun the 590A1 is superior to start with and the thick wall barrel makes it even better. Also forgot the slide release, it is better on the 590 than the 870 for most folks.

The "Roto-Forged" barrel on my '50s Ithaca 37 is paper thin compared to the one on my 870P, yet is at least as durable from what I can tell. Whether its a matter of using a higher grade steel or/and or superior production methods, the thin tube is durable without hurting the handling balance of the gun or making it a chore to carry.
 
The "Roto-Forged" barrel on my '50s Ithaca 37 is paper thin compared to the one on my 870P, yet is at least as durable from what I can tell. Whether its a matter of using a higher grade steel or/and or superior production methods, the thin tube is durable without hurting the handling balance of the gun or making it a chore to carry.

I'm inclined to agree on the 590A1 being overly thick and heavy. I've never owned one, but have handled a few and man the 20" version is a heavy SOB.

I have a 14" rem barrel and a 14" Dlask barrel and the Rem is plenty thick. I can't fathom what it would take to dent it. The Dlask is just super thick by comparison. There is enough weight in the Dlask that I feel the difference when picking up my two guns that are both set up with same furniture.

All modern barrels are probably 4140 steel and heat treated so they will be plenty strong. Manufacturers of pump gun barrels can't use cheaper steel on thicker tubes because the locking lug slot needs to be the same quality and hardness of steel regardless of tube thickness.
 
I'm inclined to agree on the 590A1 being overly thick and heavy. I've never owned one, but have handled a few and man the 20" version is a heavy SOB.

I have a 14" rem barrel and a 14" Dlask barrel and the Rem is plenty thick. I can't fathom what it would take to dent it. The Dlask is just super thick by comparison. There is enough weight in the Dlask that I feel the difference when picking up my two guns that are both set up with same furniture.

All modern barrels are probably 4140 steel and heat treated so they will be plenty strong. Manufacturers of pump gun barrels can't use cheaper steel on thicker tubes because the locking lug slot needs to be the same quality and hardness of steel regardless of tube thickness.

I'm not a subject expert, but I believe only some of the more expensive shotguns, or at least ones produced in places with low production costs, use 4140 barrels, otherwise its plain mild steel.
 
Not so! Modern barrels are typically either 4130 or 4140, it's not really that expensive either. Mild steel isn't used in any barrels.

Maybe rifle and pistol barrels, but shotgun barrels might be a different animal because of the very low pressures involved, in the past shotgun barrels were made with twist Damascus, which is less strong than even mild steel.

Beyond the grade of steel you have factors like heat treatment and forging methods etc, which might be just as important.

Alll I know is that some shotgun barrels seem to be a lot softer than others.
 
How can in 1968. people say the 870 is not milspec or tested???? I shot one in Afghanistan that answers both of those

I'm pretty sure that military use of the 870 goes back to the '50s with the Brits in Malaysia.

It was also later quite common in Vietnam, even before the USMC officially adopted it
 
How can people say the 870 is not milspec or tested???? I shot one in Afghanistan that answers both of those

Because some fail to realize that mil-spec 3443E is only a US Military standard and one that very few countries pay attention to...one that even the US Military has pretty much ignored over the years and continues to ignore to this day even though they created it!
 
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