Post by Sgt K USMC on Feb 27, 2008 0:19:46 GMT -5
This is a weapon that is near and dear to my heart, has been since the first time I laid hands on it, will be till the day I die.
The Mossberg 590 was initially designed as a high capacity military assault shotgun that could deliver a higher degree of combat performance and ammo capacity for troops in the field and during CQB (Close Quarters Battle) It's was designed primarily due to the fact that up until it was placed into service the only military shotguns, were in fact, adapted police issue models or the venerable 'Widow maker' Winchester Model 1897 trench gun and it's offspring. (hard to believe but it is indeed true that a weapon that old was in fact still in the active roll call)
Oddly enough however, in spite of the fact that the Mossberg 590 was in service as a military weapon, it was not a standard issue piece of equipment for all units, as each unit had the option of choosing whether or not their personnel would be allowed to carry shotguns at all, and if so, what type, which would then be what was ordered for their specific unit. This means that one unit would have Mossberg 590's while another might have Remington 870 Express variants.
I was fortunate enough to be a point man for my squad in 94, which entitled me to carry a shotgun and a 9mm. That shotgun was the Mossberg 590, which began a love affair that has lasted to this day.
This will be a rather unique review of the weapon as I not only own one now but carried one while active duty and have used the weapon in combat. As such I can provide a VERY detailed report of the weapons capabilities and limitations, to include it's actual REAL effectiveness in a life and death situation.
MY Mossberg 590:
My 590 is exact, in every detail, to the duty weapon I carried while on active duty. I have an 'over the top' folding assault stock and a forward pistol grip as the weapons only accessories.
The forward pistol grip: It is very rare when a seemingly innocuous accessory like a pistol grip is so important as to change EVERY combat performance statistic for a weapon, but simply put, that is EXACTLY what this accessory does.
With the pistol grip my reload time is cut in half (and possibly more), the reason being, I have a positive control of the pump action at all times and can use the recoil of the weapon itself to assist in the action. Due to this fore grip, I can clear the 8 round feed tube in just over 4 seconds on average. The pistol grip also eliminates nearly ALL of my muzzle climb and due to the fact that I have two hands on the weapon it makes recoil practically nonexistent, even while hip firing the weapon with the stock folded.
Accuracy: Accuracy with a shotgun generally means not pointing the weapon in the opposite direction of your target, with the 590, and more specifically with the addition of the fore grip, I can not only hit what I am shooting at EVERY TIME with the first shot, but I can more easily follow through with my remaining rounds, and even chase targets if necessary with an ungodly level of accuracy. In rapid fire I can hit my target with a 99% hit rate (using 00 and 000 buck shot) and have at least 80% to 85% of my rounds in the kill box of the target.
Pattern: Amazingly the 590's pattern holds well up to 15 meters and then spreads out in a cone, remaining lethal up to at least 50 meters away. (using 00 and 000 buck) The cone is surprisingly dense for a combat shotgun, but by the 20 meter point is generally spread out to the point that a 2 foot diameter pattern, or larger, is not uncommon.
Range: Generally speaking a shotguns range is VERY limited due to the type of ammunition used and it's smooth bore, even so, the 590, with 00 and 000 buck is still lethal at up to 50 meters and with shaped steal core slugs can accurately penetrate your target to within a few inches of your point of aim.
Accessories: There really is not a lot that you can do to a shotgun but that is because there really isn't that much that you NEED to do to a shotgun. In the case of the 590 however, finding accessories is easy and cheap and they can be found at nearly any gun shop or online.
Reliability: Simply put, this is the single most reliable firearm I have ever put my hands on in my entire life. It has never jammed, it has never misfired, it has never been too dirty to fire and it has never had ANY issues relating to weather, terrain or maintenance. I very literally have placed my life on the line with this weapon in my hands, and am VERY grateful to the manufacturers that they produced such a fine piece of machinery.
Ammo: The tube will carry 8, 2 3/4' shells (depending on the brand) or 7 3' shells (depending on the brand)
My one and only complaint about this weapon, and this is minor, is that it is difficult to clean. It has a lot of moving internal parts and removable side rails… I HATE this, and it drives me crazy whenever I go to put her back together as it seems to take me at least 3 times as long to do so as it did to take her apart.
Overall: This is, in my opinion, the finest weapon made in the pump shogun category, and in fact one of the top five weapons EVER made. Right beside my bedside table, not 2 feet from my 1911, sits my Mossberg 590, just in case my life may ever depend on her again.
The Mossberg 590 was initially designed as a high capacity military assault shotgun that could deliver a higher degree of combat performance and ammo capacity for troops in the field and during CQB (Close Quarters Battle) It's was designed primarily due to the fact that up until it was placed into service the only military shotguns, were in fact, adapted police issue models or the venerable 'Widow maker' Winchester Model 1897 trench gun and it's offspring. (hard to believe but it is indeed true that a weapon that old was in fact still in the active roll call)
Oddly enough however, in spite of the fact that the Mossberg 590 was in service as a military weapon, it was not a standard issue piece of equipment for all units, as each unit had the option of choosing whether or not their personnel would be allowed to carry shotguns at all, and if so, what type, which would then be what was ordered for their specific unit. This means that one unit would have Mossberg 590's while another might have Remington 870 Express variants.
I was fortunate enough to be a point man for my squad in 94, which entitled me to carry a shotgun and a 9mm. That shotgun was the Mossberg 590, which began a love affair that has lasted to this day.
This will be a rather unique review of the weapon as I not only own one now but carried one while active duty and have used the weapon in combat. As such I can provide a VERY detailed report of the weapons capabilities and limitations, to include it's actual REAL effectiveness in a life and death situation.
MY Mossberg 590:
My 590 is exact, in every detail, to the duty weapon I carried while on active duty. I have an 'over the top' folding assault stock and a forward pistol grip as the weapons only accessories.
The forward pistol grip: It is very rare when a seemingly innocuous accessory like a pistol grip is so important as to change EVERY combat performance statistic for a weapon, but simply put, that is EXACTLY what this accessory does.
With the pistol grip my reload time is cut in half (and possibly more), the reason being, I have a positive control of the pump action at all times and can use the recoil of the weapon itself to assist in the action. Due to this fore grip, I can clear the 8 round feed tube in just over 4 seconds on average. The pistol grip also eliminates nearly ALL of my muzzle climb and due to the fact that I have two hands on the weapon it makes recoil practically nonexistent, even while hip firing the weapon with the stock folded.
Accuracy: Accuracy with a shotgun generally means not pointing the weapon in the opposite direction of your target, with the 590, and more specifically with the addition of the fore grip, I can not only hit what I am shooting at EVERY TIME with the first shot, but I can more easily follow through with my remaining rounds, and even chase targets if necessary with an ungodly level of accuracy. In rapid fire I can hit my target with a 99% hit rate (using 00 and 000 buck shot) and have at least 80% to 85% of my rounds in the kill box of the target.
Pattern: Amazingly the 590's pattern holds well up to 15 meters and then spreads out in a cone, remaining lethal up to at least 50 meters away. (using 00 and 000 buck) The cone is surprisingly dense for a combat shotgun, but by the 20 meter point is generally spread out to the point that a 2 foot diameter pattern, or larger, is not uncommon.
Range: Generally speaking a shotguns range is VERY limited due to the type of ammunition used and it's smooth bore, even so, the 590, with 00 and 000 buck is still lethal at up to 50 meters and with shaped steal core slugs can accurately penetrate your target to within a few inches of your point of aim.
Accessories: There really is not a lot that you can do to a shotgun but that is because there really isn't that much that you NEED to do to a shotgun. In the case of the 590 however, finding accessories is easy and cheap and they can be found at nearly any gun shop or online.
Reliability: Simply put, this is the single most reliable firearm I have ever put my hands on in my entire life. It has never jammed, it has never misfired, it has never been too dirty to fire and it has never had ANY issues relating to weather, terrain or maintenance. I very literally have placed my life on the line with this weapon in my hands, and am VERY grateful to the manufacturers that they produced such a fine piece of machinery.
Ammo: The tube will carry 8, 2 3/4' shells (depending on the brand) or 7 3' shells (depending on the brand)
My one and only complaint about this weapon, and this is minor, is that it is difficult to clean. It has a lot of moving internal parts and removable side rails… I HATE this, and it drives me crazy whenever I go to put her back together as it seems to take me at least 3 times as long to do so as it did to take her apart.
Overall: This is, in my opinion, the finest weapon made in the pump shogun category, and in fact one of the top five weapons EVER made. Right beside my bedside table, not 2 feet from my 1911, sits my Mossberg 590, just in case my life may ever depend on her again.