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Old September 4, 2009, 09:31 AM   #1
kx592
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New 12ga

Well Ill be getting my firearms permit soon and want to get a HD 12gauge. I have a 870 now, love it, its flawless but I want the tactical look. Since my father bought me the 870 im going to keep it stock. Im liking the mossberg 500 but am wondering if I can buy them setup tactical. Do I have to buy the mag extension and for end separate after buying the actual gun?
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Old September 4, 2009, 09:44 AM   #2
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The 500 will not accept a mag extension due to barrel lug design. It is available in a 20 or 22 inch model with a 7+1 capacity. You will be stuck with that barrel as they are not producing hunting barrels for it. The "tackykewl" market is hot right now so expect high 3 hundred to 400 for a new 500 in that variety. IMHO, if I wanted a tackycool set up, I would buy the field gun, sell the barrel for 65-85 bucks and order an 18.5 inch for under 100. The wooden stocks look best to me, even for a tacky gun.
The 500 is best serving you if you keep a standard style rear stock. It keeps your hands in best position to operate the safety and slide release. Looking mean in static condition is okay but in the kinetic/aggressive stance, the mean/tactical cool factor is many flaming muzzle flashes sending lead to the exact spot you choose so that rules out the PGO.
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Old September 4, 2009, 11:34 AM   #3
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You'd save a lot of time and money if you just buy a 590.
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Old September 4, 2009, 11:39 AM   #4
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Ok, Yea i just like the 500's reputation so I figured I would start with that..I like the 590 also but can I buy one with this setup? https://policeguns.com/catalog/images/50660.jpg Looks perfect for what i was going to add to the 500 anyway. Whats the average of a 590 like that?

Also hows the 590 perform? any reviews on them would be great
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Old September 4, 2009, 05:12 PM   #5
inSight-NEO
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My 590 (8+1) arrived exactly as the shotgun pictured within the link you provided.

Since then, I have "converted" it to a 590A1 by replacing the heat shield barrel with a heavy walled one, the trigger assembly with an all metal setup (although, this is not really necessary..but, I felt it provided a better "feel" vs the standard plastic configuration) and the plastic safety w/a metal one (definately the most important "upgrade" out of the 3). In addition to all of this, I swapped the original front bead w/a Meprolight tritium unit.

While I did like the look of the heat shield barrel, I preferred having the structural integrity the HW barrel provides (even though it probably isnt really an issue). Regardless, since this SG is mainly for HD use and is my most often fired shotgun, I felt the stronger barrel justified a bit of additional weight. The heat shield barrel is now in storage...as a backup if needed.

One thing to note, sometimes these Mossberg guns have issues w/the stock mag tube spring/follower. I experienced this firsthand on my first outing with the gun. However, upon replacing the stock spring with a Wolff "generic" spring (which you can cut/fit yourself) and a Vang Comp follower, I have had no issues whatsoever. Regardless of whether you go with a 500 or 590, I would strongly suggest upgrading the spring and follower...if nothing else.

Now, one more thing I noticed, I was getting a bit of snag while directly feeding ammo into the tube. It turned out that the elevator needed a bit of polishing in order to smooth things out. No problem. A bit of fine grit sandpaper and a few minutes took care of this.

After a bit of "tweaking," I can honestly say that for me, even when compared to my Benelli SuperNova Tactical, this 590 is a SG I have total confidence in and do not regret buying one bit. To tell you the truth, the only thing I regret is not buying a 590A1 right from the start. At least where I buy my weapons at, the cost differential between the "standard" 590 vs. the 590A1 is nominal at best.

After all is said and done, I would opt for the 590A1 if I were you. But, if you insist on the 500, well...thats not a bad choice either.

Either way, the main reason(s) I went with the 590 would be as follows: 1. stronger, more useful feature-set vs. the 500 and 2. the safety location (as compared to most other shotguns). To comment on this last point- I dont care what anyone will tell you, IMHO, having the safety button located on top of the receiver is faster and provides much quicker feedback, in terms of safety status, than the "usual" setup ever could. At least for HD purposes, this alone is worth its weight in gold.
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Last edited by inSight-NEO; September 4, 2009 at 05:32 PM.
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Old September 4, 2009, 05:27 PM   #6
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Thanks for the info thats exactly what I was looking for. Ill look into the A1 model
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Old September 4, 2009, 05:42 PM   #7
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Quote:
Thanks for the info thats exactly what I was looking for. Ill look into the A1 model
Good choice. My next SG will be a "true" 590A1 vs. a "converted" 590. This should save me, ohh...$200+.

BTW- I would look into the 20" (8+1) model w/front bead sight. Yes, its a bit heavy, but its a tank which requires no additional mag extensions. However, there is also the (I believe) 5+1 model which should be a bit lighter off the bat. If you go with the shorter tube/barrel version and decide on an extension at a later time, I might suggest the Nordic Components +2 extension. Its a bit expensive, but its one of the finest crafted extensions out there...and its aluminum, so the additional weight would mainly come from ammo vs. the extension itself. But, as I mentioned before, I opted for the 20" 8+1 so as to avoid having to worry about additional ammo storage issues.


Feel absolutely free to PM me if you have any further questions. Ill do what I can to help you out.
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Last edited by inSight-NEO; September 5, 2009 at 03:27 PM.
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Old September 6, 2009, 09:25 AM   #8
Lee Lapin
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Buy a spare 18- 20" barrel for the 870 you have, and spend some money on training, practice and ammo. How you run the gun you have matters a whole lot more than how that gun 'looks.'

Unless all you plan to shoot are pictures of the gun, that is...

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Old September 6, 2009, 09:55 AM   #9
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Actually, the gun in the posted link is not a 500, it is a 590 The barrel lug and mag tube "cap" rather than screw is the give away...
Brent
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Old September 6, 2009, 10:00 AM   #10
kx592
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Im good with my 870 but its the only gun i have and when shooting skeet ofr 25min alternating people on one gun makes it very hot very quickly..Thats why i want another..But i would like a more tactical looking gun for fun and just as another gun to cycle around at the ranges
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Old September 6, 2009, 11:39 AM   #11
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I feel the love for an 870, which is why I feel compelled to show you this.... The 870 Knoxx Tactical!

http://sgcusa.com/Shotguns-Remington...duct_info.html

A buddy of my brothers has one of these, we were out at "Bald Mountain" DNR range here in Oakland county shooting it one day. You talk about a blast to shoot! And the heads it turned when pulling it out, it was sick! Ran a dozen or so 00 and, the same in some hot defense slugs. I only have one thing too say! w00t!!!
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Old September 6, 2009, 05:44 PM   #12
inSight-NEO
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Quote:
Buy a spare 18- 20" barrel for the 870 you have, and spend some money on training, practice and ammo. How you run the gun you have matters a whole lot more than how that gun 'looks.'
He could do this, but maybe this gentleman is interested in variety...nothing wrong with that. And absolutely nothing wrong with going with a 590A1(vs. others within the 500 series). After all, there is life (and features and reliability and so on..) beyond the much lauded 870.

Of course, the training, practice and ammo suggestion should go without saying (unfortunately, sometimes it does not).

Besides, it sounds like the OP wants something beyond the "stock" look (not just a mere barrel swap). So, why not keep the "flawless" 870 as it is and do the "tactical" thing with an entirely different weapon? Sounds reasonable to me.
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Guns are similar, for instance, to automobiles; in the hands of the sane and responsible, they are generally harmless. In the hands of the insane, careless or malicious, they both become deadly. Blame the person, not the means....mechanical/inanimate objects have no mind of their own.

Last edited by inSight-NEO; September 6, 2009 at 05:58 PM.
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Old September 6, 2009, 11:19 PM   #13
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^^^^^^^^^^^^Thank you for understanding my point Im gonna be going to cabelas in the AM to check out there mossberg line and if they have what im looking for ill be walking out with a new toy, ill be sure to update
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Old September 7, 2009, 02:13 AM   #14
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I picked up a new Benelli Supernova 12 gauge Tactical today. $475.00 out the door!



Thanks,
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Old September 7, 2009, 10:38 AM   #15
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Well fellas I got my self a 590A1 8+1 12ga. Shes a beast cant wait to take her to the range thanks for the advice, i feel good about this one...All said and done it was 585.00 Which was not to pricy but not cheapest
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Old September 7, 2009, 11:35 AM   #16
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i would get a 590 a1
the military uses them if that says anything
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Old September 7, 2009, 01:33 PM   #17
kx592
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Thing definitely has more punch than the 870 but is very hard to shoot skeet with I looked like a fool but its fun trying.
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Old September 7, 2009, 05:45 PM   #18
inSight-NEO
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Quote:
Thing definitely has more punch than the 870 but is very hard to shoot skeet with I looked like a fool but its fun trying.
Congrats on your new purchase...its a nice gun. Again, when you can, I would look into replacing the stock mag tube spring with a Wolff heavy duty "generic" spring, then cut and shape it as necessary (PM me if you need guidance on this one). Also, I might consider replacing the stock follower with a Vang Comp stainless follower.

In terms of the skeet thing - The 590A1, particularly the 8+1, is a heavy gun, so the "swing" may take a bit of getting used to. But, it is manageable, so keep at it.

Either way, this gun is ideal for HD use. This is why I bought mine and this is why I will continue to use it for many, many years to come.
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Guns are similar, for instance, to automobiles; in the hands of the sane and responsible, they are generally harmless. In the hands of the insane, careless or malicious, they both become deadly. Blame the person, not the means....mechanical/inanimate objects have no mind of their own.
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Old September 7, 2009, 06:00 PM   #19
kx592
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Yea I know its not a skeet gun thats not why i bought it but its the only range i went to today so i figured why not put a few shells through it. I also maxed out the tube with 8 shells and i didn't have any issues, worked flawlessly. How often will it give me problems if i don't replace the spring? And whats the follower do?
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Old September 7, 2009, 06:29 PM   #20
inSight-NEO
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Quote:
How often will it give me problems if i don't replace the spring? And whats the follower do?
It depends. See, the Mossberg spring is tapered at both ends which can invite feeding issues...if not now, then later. Replacing it with a "straight" spring minimizes the chances of failure, IMHO. In terms of the follower, it lies between the spring and ammo and is responsible for (with the spring providing push) feeding the ammo on to the elevator and keeping the mag spring "in check." From there, of course, the ammo is fed into the chamber. If the follower/tube spring binds in any way, then you will experience a misfeed or jam.

The follower I recommended is a bit deeper than the original follower, but it is not so deep as to hamper capacity all that much as some other aftermarket followers tend to do.

Let me put it this way...The first time I shot my 590 I experienced 2 or 3 misfeeds. When I got home and proceeded breaking the weapon down, I noticed that the mag tube spring was contorted and bent all to h*ll. Upon replacing the stock spring and follower, I have yet to experience one failure after 200+ rounds.

Now, Im not suggesting you run out and replace this stuff right away. But, its just something you should be aware of...particularly is this gun is to serve HD duty one day.
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Guns are similar, for instance, to automobiles; in the hands of the sane and responsible, they are generally harmless. In the hands of the insane, careless or malicious, they both become deadly. Blame the person, not the means....mechanical/inanimate objects have no mind of their own.

Last edited by inSight-NEO; September 7, 2009 at 06:45 PM.
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Old September 7, 2009, 07:01 PM   #21
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Im surprised they havent fixed this from the factory since its a popular weapon. Ill look around for parts thanks for the info..Whats all involved in replacing?
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Old September 7, 2009, 07:33 PM   #22
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The tapered spring is am improved design. It allows 2 identical length springs to compress differently. A symmetrical spring needs a bit more room to be compressed. The tapered one compresses into a shorter space.

The issue with the mossberg spring seems to have been a bad batch of springs or a bad installer. Either way, it was a very short lived issue.
Brent
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Old September 7, 2009, 07:46 PM   #23
kx592
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Im gonna leave it how it is untill it happens. BUT also the model i got has a cool stock that holds shells on both sides but inside the stock on a spring so they pop out quick. Anyone know how many i can shove down each side?
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Old September 7, 2009, 07:53 PM   #24
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Likely it is 2 or 3 in each side... Shove them in and see.
The spring is likely not going to fail as I stated it was short lived. we heard of a few failures on TFL in the past but it was all in a short time frame and no new reports of failure since.
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Old September 7, 2009, 08:13 PM   #25
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It felt tight and i didnt want to force with out someones info first..OK thanks for all the help fellas
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