The truth about TOSSBERG shotguns

[inSight-NEO]

As for new Mossbergs being "dirty", they are packed in a type of packing grease and MUST be cleaned before shooting. If you don't clean that out of there, it could be a real bear to get out after you've heated it up. Shipping firearms in packing grease/cosmolene isn't really a new thing.

True enough. However, I must confess that my particular Mossberg was "over the top" dirty, almost as if it had many, many rounds of slugs fired through it and then left as is. It was so bad that, after attempting to clean this thing for several hours, I finally just gave up. Also, upon removing the heatshield for "deeper" cleaning, the barrel was excessively scratched and full of nicks (straight down to the steel). Sometimes I feel as if I paid new weapon price for used weapon quality.

Now, I realize that weapons come from the factory with all sorts of stuff on them (Ive bought enough new weapons to know this firsthand), but I do believe Mossberg could do a bit better job with the QC.

Keep in mind, I still like the gun, do not mean to slam it at all and still believe that I have a good weapon here. Indeed, I plan on owning it for many years to come. After all, it functions well and it seems like all of the important internals look good and hook up as they are expected. To me, this is the most important part of any weapon. Stuff like finish and appearance are certainly of secondary importance to me.

Would I buy another Mossberg? Sure would. In fact, I have my eye on a 590A1 right now. However, sometimes you just need to call a spade a spade (when it comes to Mossbergs apparent lack of detail attentiveness).

[colostomyclown]

Where did you buy your 590 at?


Mine had cosmolene on them as well, every gun I buy usually does, but the nicks and excessive amount is a bit curious.

[inSight-NEO]

Where did you buy your 590 at?

I bought it at a local gun shop. Im thinking the excessive nicks/scratches on the barrel is simply due to any lack of care and/or concern, upon installing the heatshield, on behalf of Mossberg staff. Still, as I mentioned before, I like the gun so I consider it a keeper.

If it comes down to it, I will probably just take it to a local shop and have the barrel re-parkerized; then it will be "case closed."

[colostomyclown]

I feel it is absolutely necessary to revive this thread in order to declare to anyone considering what I said at ALL to know that I have done a complete 180 regarding Mossberg. The "malfunctions" I ran into were ridiculously simple fixes that weren't really issues at all. I had a problem with a 590 spring. What did Mossberg do? They sent out FOUR extra replacement 590 springs express UPS. I am completely loyal to the Mossberg design now and while I love the products other companies offer, such as your 870's, 1300's, Ithaca 37...have found it a major inconvenience to consider another brand of pump shotgun. The Mossberg guns just FEEL right, figuratively and literally.

I believe Mossberg gives the best value-out-of-box of any major shotgun manufacturer, and arguably gun manufacturer in general. I am 110 percent confident in buying Mossberg again. In fact I have...I've owned a 590a1 for a few months now and it's the nicest defense gun I've had the pleasure of owning, operating and breaking in fully.

Disregard my initial sentiment, Mossberg ROCKS!

[hogdogs]

I have done a complete 180 regarding Mossberg.

Mighty manly of ya to come public with this...

Disregard my initial sentiment, Mossberg ROCKS!

I will... and THEY DO!!!
Brent

[zombieslayer]

A 500 Persuader I bought last lear has the 20'' barrel and shroud, and its a great gun, but it came with a less than perfect barrel. i cleaned all the grease out before hand, i've had plenty of mossbergs. I still use it and it shoots fine, but it aint as pretty a barrel as i expected on a new gun. I still am a Mossberg fan but I did have some concearns. Its had over a thousand rounds thru it and it's held up well for the 249 bucks I paid for it.

[inSight-NEO]

Colostomyclown-

Im glad you reconsidered your original thoughts regarding Mossberg shotguns. I too have had my doubts, on occasion, but in the end I am very pleased with not only the shotguns performance, but the platform itself. Mossbergs CS Department hasnt hurt anything either.

Unfortunately, I only have one 590 (8+1) to enjoy and hope to add at least one more (590A1) to the collection....possibly 2. But, with my current gun sporting a Wolff spring, Vang Comp follower, a metal safety button, heavy walled barrel and lastly, a metal trigger assembly, all of which were added after the fact, I guess I essentially have an A1 already.

Regardless, Im glad that yet one more individual out there now considers themselves a Mossberg fan in a world surrounded by 870 purists and others such as Ithica, Browning, etc.

BTW- You might one day consider taking a look at the metal safety button Brownells offers for the 500/590 series guns. It has a slightly raised and contoured area which, to me at least, really aids in mantaining a very positive "feel" when engaging/disengaging the safety vs the other stuff offered by Mossberg, Vang Comp, etc. Although, the oversized safety button offered by Vang Comp isnt too bad either.

[Dave McC]

870 Purist!!??

Not me. I like almost all pumpguns, and the Mossbergs, IMO, are a lot of gun for the money.

Glad things worked out.

[WJR]

I've had the pleasure of owning, operating and breaking in fully.

Colostomyclown,

Please tell me more about this part. I am a new owner of a 590A1 and have been reading up on the breaking in part for these. So far, I have taken mine apart, cleaned, and lightly oiled it. I hope to get to the range soon.

Thank you,

WJR

[inSight-NEO]

Please tell me more about this part. I am a new owner of a 590A1 and have been reading up on the breaking in part for these. So far, I have taken mine apart, cleaned, and lightly oiled it. I hope to get to the range soon.

Honestly, you are half way there already! The only thing left is to go out and run some rounds through it, clean it when you get home and go for more! Yes...thats all there is to it.

[colostomyclown]

We have a healthy discussion regarding breaking in going on in another thread, but here's what I did to evaluate and smoothen up my a1. It differs from how I normally "break in" my shotguns.

I first fully stripped and cleaned and lubed the gun and the barrel. I reassembled and took it out and put about a hundred rounds through. Stripped and cleaned and repeated twice for a total of 350 rounds flawless through the gun and a lot smoother than out of the box. The action wears show wear as does the bolt face, inside of receiver and shell elevator. When I diassemble I also clean the mag tube and mag spring and oil EXTREMELY light. too much and itll attract gunk.obviously do not use a brush inside the mag tube - a patch is fine. Im talking like a single drop of oil here.

I've personally run into heavy loads like Remington sluggers being hard to eject at first. It's do-able but it's a lot stiffer than low base shells. See if you run into this. I'd let the gun work through that - mine did. But be sure to put some heavy loads and the loads of choice for you through yiour gun during the 300 round period. I'd also polish the chamber. Simple patches on a rod with oil worked for me. Judge your gun by how it performs on the last hundred rounds of the 300 rd period.

[WJR]

Thanks, gentlemen. Of course, right away I posted that reply, I noticed the other thread. Great info.

WJR

[mp25ds4]

maybe since all of them broke after you "cleaned them" you could be doing something wrong

[Slats]

Bought my first three firearms about four months or so ago (so yeah, I'm inexperienced) after alot of research and reading through TFL. Two of those three were Mossberg shotguns; the first a 590 Mariner and the other a 535 ATS. I've put a few hundred rounds through them with no problems. I will say that the 590 feels more solid in construction and maybe a bit smoother action than the 535, but the 535 has performed perfectly to this point and stood up well to being dragged along through thick brush that would have made me cringe if it had been a more expensive gun.

Bottom line:
I feel entirely confident and safe from the big bad bears when I'm carrying my 590 loaded up with 000 buck and slugs.

The 535 has already put lots of delicious grouse on the table and in the freezer.

[Lee Lapin]

I have done a complete 180 regarding Mossberg

Well, I told ya so...

lpl (870 purist and proud of it)

[jaymce]

I think the problem is that the Mossberg name used to mean something. When I bought my first O/U I thought Mossberg. I knew that it was not the top of the line, what I expected was a functioning shot gun that went bang every time. What I got was broken firing pins and constant problems. The gun was sold shortly after it was bought for 50% of what I paid and I was happy to get it.

Others with the same gun had similar problems. I am not a gun smith just a guy who will help out another club member. I have probably replaced 10 or so firing pins in 2 years.

I constantly see newer pump guns brake the safety actuator now made of plastic.

In short I think that Mossberg once made a reasonably priced quality firearm. Sadly, like many things, I believe that the quest for a price point has been detrimental to the overall quality and eventually the demise of a once great line of firearms.

I would by an older Mossberg gun if I had the need but not a newer one.

[Jseime]

My Mossberg 500 is several years old, has a few thousand rounds through it ranging from junk wal-mart target fodder to super fast 3 inch magnum BBB steel.

It doesnt skip a beat and it fits me well... today I took down over a dozen pigeons just out farting around for the afternoon in old abandoned farm yards.

Now when I actually have money someday I am going to buy a Browning semi-auto ten guage for geese and a nice little 20 guage side by side for upland birds but I think I'll keep my Mossy too because I have grown quite fond of it.

[A/C Guy]

I believe Mossberg gives the best value-out-of-box of any major shotgun manufacturer, and arguably gun manufacturer in general.

Disregard my initial sentiment, Mossberg ROCKS!

Now do the right thing and edit your opening post. VERY few people will read past the first page and they will not know that Mossberg did resolve all the problems and you are a happy customer.

[hogdogs]

A/C, You can only edit for one or 2 days...
Brent

[shortwave]

Mossberg shotguns=`s a no frill shotgun thats rugged,dependable,has adequate accuracy and goes bang when you pull the trigger. An affordable workhorse as it was designed.

[andrewstorm]

im glad a lot of u guys shoot mossberg because they are made in america,mossberg makes parts for remington, maybe they just got abad batch of springs ? united we stand divided we fall.

[CajunBass]

I constantly see newer pump guns brake the safety actuator now made of plastic.

How far back do you have to go to find one that isn't made of plastic? I've got a Sears pump gun that is a Mossberg 500 rebranded as "Sears" that has a plastic safety. I got that gun in 1977 I'm sure. I killed more than few deer with that gun and Number 1 buckshot over the years.

That gun worked so well that I got a new one, but with Mossberg stamped on the barrel a few months ago. This one is a 20 ga though.

[Willie Lowman]

When my 590 got around the 2000 shell mark the screw holding the ejector backed out, dropping my ejector in a hay field. I found the ejector but the screw got away. Mossberg sent me two new screws. (I asked for two.) I never needed the second.

Now just past the 6000 shell mark the slide lock rod (don't know what else to call it) developed a burr. The slide wouldn't unlock cleanly when the trigger was pulled. I took it to the smith and got it polished up, good as new.