Mossberg 590A1, over rated!

Greenhorse six

Greenhorse six

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Yeah I said it, Don't know if this has been talked about before on here,but,whats the big deal about the A1s, I've had a "normal" 590 since 1992, this thing is even stamped 500 on the receiver, and just lately picked up another 500, this one with the stand-off barrel with the 590 magazine endcap,not the end screw like most 500s.
And it appears to be a heavy walled barrel like on the A1s, but with the "Male Enhancer " barrel, its only a 18"barrel, maybe 18.5, but whats a half inch between friends, and its heaveir then my full size 590,and does not balance as nice.


I mean the regular 590s are heavy enough to start with then you add a heavier barrel, which ,well come on do you really need it? I mean unless you're using it for a crowbar, WTH? it swings like a brick compared to non-A1s, more weight to carry around, if you're carring it farther then from you truck to the range that is.

Metal trigger group, Meh, how many broken plastic ones has anybody seen?

The only thing That I do like about it is the metal safety.
 
Greenhorse six said:
Yeah I said it, Don't know if this has been talked about before on here,but,whats the big deal about the A1s, I've had a "normal" 590 since 1992, this thing is even stamped 500 on the receiver, and just lately picked up another 500, this one with the stand-off barrel with the 590 magazine endcap,not the end screw like most 500s.
And it appears to be a heavy walled barrel like on the A1s, but with the "Male Enhancer " barrel, its only a 18"barrel, maybe 18.5, but whats a half inch between friends, and its heaveir then my full size 590,and does not balance as nice.


I mean the regular 590s are heavy enough to start with then you add a heavier barrel, which ,well come on do you really need it? I mean unless you're using it for a crowbar, WTH? it swings like a brick compared to non-A1s, more weight to carry around, if you're carring it farther then from you truck to the range that is.

Metal trigger group, Meh, how many broken plastic ones has anybody seen?

The only thing That I do like about it is the metal safety.
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I thought you were going to say yours broke or something. You are just basically saying the beefed up 590 A1 is just not worth the extra money or weight. I think if you are using it for 3-gun and shotgun challenges it's well worth it. Otherwise you are correct, no need to spend the extra cash.

I bought the 590 A1 SPX and by the looks of things it will probably still be kicking when my great grand children use it.

So far my oldest kid is 3. :p
 
I have been wanting to buy a Mossberg 500 Combo, so I could tear it apart and see the internals. I have a 590, bought last year, it does not have the A1 designation. But it does have the metal trigger guard, and the Heavy Barrel. I shoot Sporting Clays with it, the extra weight of the full Mag tube keeps it moving, LOL!

Realistically,I have owned many Remingtons, both with and without the plastic trigger gaurd/group and never broke either.....I am pretty hard on shotguns...thrown into canoe's boats, blinds, etc....

The Mossberg works.....I have a few ideas on some changes.....but they have more to do with cosmetics.....rounding edges etc....the ribbed fore-end that comes standard is brutal!
 
All heavy barrels on shotguns are handling killing pigs IMO, I would greatly prefer to see "heavy duty" barrels being offered in a normal profile barrel but made out of a better grade of steel {like 4140} instead of going ridiculously thick with cheap mild steel as seems to be the case with the A1 Mossbergs and Police Remingtons.
 
IMO, the fact that this shotgun doesn't come threaded for chokes is its biggest drawback.

I run mine pretty hard, definitely don't baby it, can't say I'm upset with the quality. I just have the regular 590, didn't see much need to spring for the A1.

I've been thinking lately about selling it to upgrade to a semi, but I might just hold onto it...every needs a good pump gun.
 
My experience with the 590A1 is very good. I actually like the handling of it and have shot trap (got more than a few looks LOL ) and sproting clays with it and like the balance. In the bush it may be a tad heavy as the day wears on but I gotta say that I really like the robust feel. As for performance, mine cycles perfectly and eats everything and anything. I feel that this is a shotgun that I can totally 100% rely upon and to me that's really important. As far as value is concerned it is priced quite a bit less than the Remy 870P which is, in my view, the shotgun with which it should, properly, be compared.
 
personally i value the reduced weight of a standard profile over the 'extra durability' of a heavy, overbuilt barrel. then again, perhaps im just getting old -- i recently switched out my ~14lb 700P varmint rig for a lighter barreled one as well.

the most damage-susceptible part of a shotgun is the muzzle -- this could be protected by tapping it for chokes and installing a (short) steel extended choke... not to mention the obvious extra functionality chokes could give.
 
badboybeeson said:
ok this is a 1st.
Your complaining because the gun is heavy duty, well made and will last you 10 lifetimes.....
bbb
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well not so much "complaining", just saying its over rated, my old mossy well last 10 life times, how do you wear out a smooth bore?

and the plastic trigger group, how is that much different from other plastic guns from Glock to the AR180 just to name a few, who needs a steel one, although I do like steel better myself, just saying ,If plastic works as well , then O.K.

ETA, I wouldn't want a carbon or plastic lower or upper for my ARs.;)
 
Wild_Thing said:
The 590 A1 is a tank, which is probably a good thing when deployed with some units. It is overbuilt and overweight for anything on civvy street.
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Mossbergs are built like tanks they don't have to weight like one, IIRC the 590A1s were made for the U.S. Navy, lot of pictures of Grunts with shotguns offen show just plan jane 500s.

Iraq-shotgun.jpg



660px-Shotgun.jpg
 
I have the 590a1 model 51668 , Wouldnt trade it for anything at all , could carless about the weight doesnt affect me what I use it for , To each their own as they always say !
 
manbearpig said:
the most damage-susceptible part of a shotgun is the muzzle -- this could be protected by tapping it for chokes and installing a (short) steel extended choke... not to mention the obvious extra functionality chokes could give.
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Just got mine back from Casey at Tac Ord, well, got 4 barrels back actually. Had him tap them for Rem Chokes......can't wait to get it to the range to try out! Fast turn around as well, they were in transit for the most part!

590.jpg
 
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Gee, you can really tell TDC is gone. He would have jumped in by now about how the Maverrick 88 is the best shotgun and all shotguns die of shame in the presence of a carbine.
 
Got a 590A1SPX and love it!

As for it being "Over rated"... Thats an odd argument... I bought the gun because it had a certain set of specifications, if you find your 590 adequate than that is fantastic. But I dont see how that translates into the mil spec gun being over rated.

Its not a trap gun, its not really even a hunting gun. It was designed to be a heavy shotgun at the expense of certain other qualities and anyone buying it would likely understand that.

I have a lightweight franchi, i have an 870, and numerous other shotguns and each has its purpose. Silly as it may sound i bought the 590A1 because it was the toughest shotgun i could find and i can trust it absolutely.
 
f:P:2:Mil spec gun doesn't always mean better, they go through this argument with the AR crowd all the time,it only means its built to a set standard.


this part you might have to dum down a bit for me.

muscles1000; It was designed to be a heavy shotgun at the expense of certain other qualities and anyone buying it would likely understand that.
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Heavy shotgun as in weight? or as in heavy duty use? what can the A1 do that the standard 590 or even 500 not do, thats my point, Why the need for a heavy barrel?

I'am not saying "Don't buy it." just saying the standard 590 or even the lowly 500 will do the job just as well.


those sights on the SPX are sweet, thats worth the extra $$$.
 
The A1 barrel is very heavy and can be used to inflict serious head injuries that result in death with one good swing. The regular barrels it may take 3 or 4 swings and if you need to strike your enemy more than once your chances of dying increase by 60%.
 
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