mesa side saddles for 590A1
- Thread starter skid dog
- Start date
great to know - how do people think they compare to the traditional plastic ones by TacStar ($30 vs $80)
They don't compare. They're borderline indestructible and solidly built. Well with the extra coin, IMO.
great to know - how do people think they compare to the traditional plastic ones by TacStar ($30 vs $80)
I run a Tacstar on my 590A1 and I think it's pretty damn good considering what they cost. Been through several 3 gun tourneys and it's still running.
The Mesa's have some issues with their retaining mechanism. It's a rubber tube that runs inside the side saddle and that is what holds the shells in place (via friction). Indestructible? possibly, but very inconsistent.
If you want something even more cost effective, go see S&J's elastic carrier attached by velcro. It costs $16.99 and most likely the route that I will take.
It's lighter than both the Tacstar and the Mesa so it won't throw the balance of your shotgun off by much and holds shells more consistently.
I am pretty fussy about what I put on my 930 SPX because it's so light, I am going with the Elastic holder once the forend rails are completed. (it currently has all S&J parts
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great to know - how do people think they compare to the traditional plastic ones by TacStar ($30 vs $80)
I bought an 8 round saddle/rail combo for my 870. Honestly, I find my s**tty old Tacstar easier to use.
The rubber inserts in the Mesa are inconsistent in retention and ease of insertion. In the cold I stopped using the side saddle, as it felt like I was going to tear the inserts trying to fit shells in.
The aluminum part is awesome, the rubber, not so good.
I wouldn't buy another.
I am of the exact same opinion, have used tacstar for years but for my benelli M1 I bought a mesa and find it hard to use.... the shells fit tight and trying to get them out is a nightmare, the tacstar has always been reliable.
Guess I got lucky with mine, but then I use it mostly for multigun matches which don't run in the winter. I used to have a TacStar on my 870 when I used it as my tactical shottie. Worked fine, but I found the slots running down the front of each 'loop' snagged on things, especially when they didn't have shells in them. On the home defense side of things, the TacStar has the advantage that you can leave it loaded without it affecting tension on the shells. The Mesa is definitely more rugged, being aluminum and having solid closed 'loops'. Mine, at least, seems to hold the shells with about the same tension as the TacStar. The downside is that in a home defense application, you can't leave shells in it since the tension on the rubber goes away and the shells fall out. Guess both work well and neither is perfect. You need to decide what compromises best suit your needs.
Thats great to know about the two different styles...
i have a Mesa 8 rounder as part of the low adapter kit on my Mossberg 590. My other Mossbergs have the Tact Star and they have been just fine .. I was looking at the aluminum Mesa receiver mount six shot carriers - but it seems that they may not be worth the money ....
The only advantage I see is that the Mesa carriers allow for the S/N to be visible on the Mossberg shotguns ...
i have a Mesa 8 rounder as part of the low adapter kit on my Mossberg 590. My other Mossbergs have the Tact Star and they have been just fine .. I was looking at the aluminum Mesa receiver mount six shot carriers - but it seems that they may not be worth the money ....
The only advantage I see is that the Mesa carriers allow for the S/N to be visible on the Mossberg shotguns ...
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Can't say that I've experienced this with mine. Strange.
I chucked the literature that came with mine when I bought it a couple years ago, but recall that there was specific mention that if left loaded for a long period the tension in the rubber diminishes. They tell you to leave it unloaded for a couple days and it swells back up to original size. Struck me as being kind of limiting for home defense applications, but as mentioned, I only use my 590 for multigun so it doesn't matter to me.....load at beginning of stage and it's empty when I'm done. Maybe they've changed material in the interim and it's all good now. I tried it out and I think the rounds that were in the Mesa were OK, but if I tried to reload it there was next to no tension. Was GTG the next day.
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- East ontario
Mesa is on its 5th type of rubber insert. They are now offering the new rubber inserts to the public.
Feed back from the street is that its better but still has issues.
Myself I just store them brass up and then they don't fall out.
Very well made product but the design is flawed.
Bbb
Feed back from the street is that its better but still has issues.
Myself I just store them brass up and then they don't fall out.
Very well made product but the design is flawed.
Bbb
great to know - how do people think they compare to the traditional plastic ones by TacStar ($30 vs $80)
I own both "Mesa" and "TacStar". The answer to your question is as old as the hills,, "you get what you pay for".
To naugawarriors like myself the difference in quality doesn't count for a hell of a lot,,IMHO
. Still, for the sake of consistency I guess, my 590 wears a TacStar and the Benny M4 got the Mesa.
