Trench Gun!

Model12Win · July 13, 2016, 08:04 PM

Hey guys!

Well I finally got around to a project that I've had in mind for at least five years now. What I wanted to do was make a modern iteration of the classic "trench gun" style shotguns such as the M97 and M12 Winchesters. I knew right from the start I wanted to build it off a Mossberg M590A1 shotgun as it is all milspec and comes with a bayonet lug.

To fulfill my requirements, I took a 9-shot 20" bbl M590A1 and added a USGI "silent sling" to it with milspec sling swivels (GrovTec Mil-Force). Next I added a heat shield to the gun, the special parkerized model meant for the heavy barrel on the 590A1 series guns. To complete the "build" (not much to it really!) I added a Vietnam era surplus M7 bayonet to the shotgun. This is all in accordance with MIL-S-344G for a Type 1 shotgun. Here is the final result:

I really like this gun! As you can see I also have some accessories for it. A Claymore mine bag holds a few dozen extra shells (old trick from the Vietnam War), the M8A1 sheath for the M7 bayonet, some Winchester/Olin military-grade buckshot (current issue ammunition), and a neat ammo pouch made by a defense supplier for a 2007 U.S. military contract. So, technically everything you see in the picture (minus the floor) is either 100% milspec or genuine USGI surplus.

I can't wait to get this gun to the range! It feels so great to finally have done this. I think the end result looks very awesome. I'll be posting a range report in the near future. Stay tuned, and thanks for looking!

M12

Flfiremedic · July 13, 2016, 09:20 PM

Very nice...now you need some of the old solid brass shotgun shells.

Chief Brody · July 13, 2016, 09:40 PM

I really need a bayonet mount for my 870 Police Mag. Badly.

**44 AMP** · July 13, 2016, 10:12 PM

Pardon my ignorance, but is the Mossberg actually USED by any of our military forces??

other than not "looking right" to my eye (shield/bayonet mount look "wrong") its a nice build.

Model12Win · July 13, 2016, 10:24 PM

Quote:

Pardon my ignorance, but is the Mossberg actually USED by any of our military forces??

other than not "looking right" to my eye (shield/bayonet mount look "wrong") its a nice build.

Yes. Many, many Mossbergs are in US military service. This version, the M590A1, is the truly "milspec" iteration and has some features the standard Model 500 and 590 don't have that the military specifically was looking for, like a heavy-walled barrel and metal controls etc. And the heat shield and bayonet are correct.

bamaranger · July 14, 2016, 04:25 AM

I've read at least two accounts about shotguns in the middle east.

One was from a individual who was issued a handgun as a personal weapon. He promptly scrounged a Mossberg from somewhere and kept it loaded with slugs. I was left with the imperssion, or seem to recall, that the shotgun was in the units armory, but nobody wanted it, carbines being preferred, but there were no more carbines available. He account went on regards some fights he got in, and won, with the Mossberg.

The other instance was shotguns being used as breaching tools. This second account had a pistol gripped Mossberg......and there was no slugs or buckshot available, simple some type of special breaching load.

Sorry, I cannot recall the text......

**44 AMP** · July 14, 2016, 10:26 AM

Well I suppose I should congratulate Mossberg. (or bemoan the fact that the military has "sunk so low"...

- that is a joke, by the way)

The Winchester 97 and Model 12 trench guns are the classics. And while I'm sure your Mossberg shield and bayonet are right, they don't look "right" to me as I am accustomed to the look of the Winchesters. (specifically the heat shield & bayonet mount)

I'm sure you're aware, though others may not be, of the subtle differences between a true trench gun and a combat/riot shotgun.

My personal experience with military shotguns was in the 70s, and by then the 97 and the model 12 had both been officially retired. The standard issue then was a Win 1200 for the Army (which was a piece of crap) and a Rem 870 for the Marines (which was not a piece of crap

)

Model12Win · July 14, 2016, 12:16 PM

Thanks, AMP. I might well add a Remington 870 to the stable but I have heard bad things about the quality control coming out of Big Green these days. I will probably get a used one for this reason.

FITASC · July 14, 2016, 04:06 PM

Nice wood furniture, while definitely "old school", would add a touch of class............

CLC · July 14, 2016, 04:11 PM

My buddy carried a mossberg pistol grip pump in iraq. He was usually mounted and said it was nice and handy while riding in the truck but basically worthless when dismounted. I want to say it was a mossberg 500 but can't remember.

Edit. I talked to him, said he had it while riding in the gun truck turret. Used em to shoot rubber bullets at cars.

Model12Win · July 14, 2016, 09:01 PM

Very cool CLC. True, most shotguns nowadays in the military are used for door breaching. But I have read of combat accounts in Iraq where they were put to anti-personnel use.

**44 AMP** · July 14, 2016, 11:14 PM

Quote:

I have heard bad things about the quality control coming out of Big Green these days.

I can't say, one way or the other, what Rem is making TODAY, but if you're going to convert it into a combat shotgun/trench gun, why waste money on a NEW gun???

USMCGrunt · July 15, 2016, 12:50 AM

Oh yeah, the Mossberg M590 (this was back in the late 80's when I was a young Lance Criminal and before the M590A1 came on scene) was issued as the pick of the litter when it came to fighting shotguns. I was stationed in Naples, Italy where we had the Mossberg, a few old Winchester M1200 trench guns that had seen their better days and a couple of Remington 870 shotguns with 14" barrels and top-folding stocks were in service.

CLC · July 16, 2016, 08:26 AM

The same guy worked the armory on his base and up till a couple years ago the one base had winchester trench guns. The government could have made big money off those guns but he imagined they destroyed them when he had to turn them in for new loot. I think he turned them in for Benelli M1's but I'm not sure. He said that base had some random stuff like a full auto M1 carbine they couldn't get rid of.

Rob228 · July 16, 2016, 06:55 PM

I can't recall if we had Mossberg 500's or 590's, but we definitely had them in a breaching variant with a pistol grip. Only ever used them for breaching, and ballistic breaching isn't ever the preferred method.

CLC · July 17, 2016, 07:36 PM

I love my 590 but I would prefer the heat shield off.

**44 AMP** · July 18, 2016, 04:34 PM

Quote:

He said that base had some random stuff like a full auto M1 carbine they couldn't get rid of.

The military paperwork system is a fantastic thing, works perfectly, as long as EVERYONE involved does their job right. Otherwise, it is a mind boggling morass of frustration.

Had something similar happen in my shop. We had an M73/M73A1/M219 machine gun that the paperwork said had been turned in and destroyed, yet the gun was sitting in the bottom of "my" safe. Three times we tried to turn it in, each time it was rejected, because it had "already been destroyed".

With an IG coming up, my shop sgt was sweating bullets, almost literally, convinced he (and probably the rest of us, but HE was signed for the shop, and everything in it) would go to Leavenworth.

A week before the IG, I got the system to accept it, as "Found on Post", and they took it away. For the rest of my tour, I had a pet Sgt.

Model12Win · July 18, 2016, 07:29 PM

IG inspections are no fun! Have to deal with those a lot here.

SC4006 · July 18, 2016, 10:51 PM

I like it!

I've had my 590 for almost a year now and love it. Mine is the non A1, 9 shot version with ghost ring sights and magpul stock set. I do however have both a heavy walled and standard barrel for it. With the heavy barrel and fully loaded it sure is heavy!

eastbank · July 19, 2016, 05:34 AM

USMCGRUNT, what is a lance criminal and what do you have to steal to get promoted? he,he. eastbank.

drobs · July 19, 2016, 06:45 AM

Model12Win - looks good!

I saw MP units in Iraq with Mossberg 590's when I was there in 2009 - 2011.

Here's the latest 12 gauge shotgun (M26). IIRC it's a bolt action:

JERRYS. · July 21, 2016, 01:30 PM

nice shotgun Model12Win.

July 13, 2016, 08:04 PM	#1
Model12Win Junior member Join Date: October 20, 2012 Posts: 5,854	Trench Gun! Hey guys! Well I finally got around to a project that I've had in mind for at least five years now. What I wanted to do was make a modern iteration of the classic "trench gun" style shotguns such as the M97 and M12 Winchesters. I knew right from the start I wanted to build it off a Mossberg M590A1 shotgun as it is all milspec and comes with a bayonet lug. To fulfill my requirements, I took a 9-shot 20" bbl M590A1 and added a USGI "silent sling" to it with milspec sling swivels (GrovTec Mil-Force). Next I added a heat shield to the gun, the special parkerized model meant for the heavy barrel on the 590A1 series guns. To complete the "build" (not much to it really!) I added a Vietnam era surplus M7 bayonet to the shotgun. This is all in accordance with MIL-S-344G for a Type 1 shotgun. Here is the final result: I really like this gun! As you can see I also have some accessories for it. A Claymore mine bag holds a few dozen extra shells (old trick from the Vietnam War), the M8A1 sheath for the M7 bayonet, some Winchester/Olin military-grade buckshot (current issue ammunition), and a neat ammo pouch made by a defense supplier for a 2007 U.S. military contract. So, technically everything you see in the picture (minus the floor) is either 100% milspec or genuine USGI surplus. I can't wait to get this gun to the range! It feels so great to finally have done this. I think the end result looks very awesome. I'll be posting a range report in the near future. Stay tuned, and thanks for looking! M12

July 13, 2016, 09:20 PM	#2
Flfiremedic Member Join Date: September 12, 2013 Posts: 27	Very nice...now you need some of the old solid brass shotgun shells. __________________ Unreconstructed to the End. Dum Vivimus Vivamus Death smiles at us all...but only FMF Corpsmen smile back

July 13, 2016, 10:12 PM	#4
44 AMP Staff Join Date: March 11, 2006 Location: Upper US Posts: 28,832	Pardon my ignorance, but is the Mossberg actually USED by any of our military forces?? other than not "looking right" to my eye (shield/bayonet mount look "wrong") its a nice build. __________________ All else being equal (and it almost never is) bigger bullets tend to work better.

July 14, 2016, 04:25 AM	#6
bamaranger Senior Member Join Date: October 9, 2009 Location: North Alabama Posts: 8,308	use I've read at least two accounts about shotguns in the middle east. One was from a individual who was issued a handgun as a personal weapon. He promptly scrounged a Mossberg from somewhere and kept it loaded with slugs. I was left with the imperssion, or seem to recall, that the shotgun was in the units armory, but nobody wanted it, carbines being preferred, but there were no more carbines available. He account went on regards some fights he got in, and won, with the Mossberg. The other instance was shotguns being used as breaching tools. This second account had a pistol gripped Mossberg......and there was no slugs or buckshot available, simple some type of special breaching load. Sorry, I cannot recall the text......

July 14, 2016, 10:26 AM	#7
44 AMP Staff Join Date: March 11, 2006 Location: Upper US Posts: 28,832	Well I suppose I should congratulate Mossberg. (or bemoan the fact that the military has "sunk so low"... - that is a joke, by the way) The Winchester 97 and Model 12 trench guns are the classics. And while I'm sure your Mossberg shield and bayonet are right, they don't look "right" to me as I am accustomed to the look of the Winchesters. (specifically the heat shield & bayonet mount) I'm sure you're aware, though others may not be, of the subtle differences between a true trench gun and a combat/riot shotgun. My personal experience with military shotguns was in the 70s, and by then the 97 and the model 12 had both been officially retired. The standard issue then was a Win 1200 for the Army (which was a piece of crap) and a Rem 870 for the Marines (which was not a piece of crap ) __________________ All else being equal (and it almost never is) bigger bullets tend to work better.

July 13, 2016, 09:40 PM	#3
Chief Brody Member Join Date: October 12, 2012 Location: Long Island, NY Posts: 81	I really need a bayonet mount for my 870 Police Mag. Badly.

July 14, 2016, 12:16 PM	#8
Model12Win Junior member Join Date: October 20, 2012 Posts: 5,854	Thanks, AMP. I might well add a Remington 870 to the stable but I have heard bad things about the quality control coming out of Big Green these days. I will probably get a used one for this reason.

July 14, 2016, 04:06 PM	#9
FITASC Senior Member Join Date: December 6, 2014 Posts: 6,446	Nice wood furniture, while definitely "old school", would add a touch of class............ __________________ "I believe that people have a right to decide their own destinies; people own themselves. I also believe that, in a democracy, government exists because (and only so long as) individual citizens give it a 'temporary license to exist'—in exchange for a promise that it will behave itself. In a democracy, you own the government—it doesn't own you."- Frank Zappa

July 14, 2016, 04:11 PM	#10
CLC Senior Member Join Date: January 8, 2011 Posts: 603	My buddy carried a mossberg pistol grip pump in iraq. He was usually mounted and said it was nice and handy while riding in the truck but basically worthless when dismounted. I want to say it was a mossberg 500 but can't remember. Edit. I talked to him, said he had it while riding in the gun truck turret. Used em to shoot rubber bullets at cars. __________________ In god we trust, all others must pay cash. Last edited by CLC; July 14, 2016 at 04:29 PM.

July 14, 2016, 09:01 PM	#11
Model12Win Junior member Join Date: October 20, 2012 Posts: 5,854	Very cool CLC. True, most shotguns nowadays in the military are used for door breaching. But I have read of combat accounts in Iraq where they were put to anti-personnel use.

July 15, 2016, 12:50 AM	#13
USMCGrunt Senior Member Join Date: February 27, 2000 Location: Somewhere in 14T NT Posts: 730	Oh yeah, the Mossberg M590 (this was back in the late 80's when I was a young Lance Criminal and before the M590A1 came on scene) was issued as the pick of the litter when it came to fighting shotguns. I was stationed in Naples, Italy where we had the Mossberg, a few old Winchester M1200 trench guns that had seen their better days and a couple of Remington 870 shotguns with 14" barrels and top-folding stocks were in service.

July 16, 2016, 08:26 AM	#14
CLC Senior Member Join Date: January 8, 2011 Posts: 603	The same guy worked the armory on his base and up till a couple years ago the one base had winchester trench guns. The government could have made big money off those guns but he imagined they destroyed them when he had to turn them in for new loot. I think he turned them in for Benelli M1's but I'm not sure. He said that base had some random stuff like a full auto M1 carbine they couldn't get rid of. __________________ In god we trust, all others must pay cash.

July 16, 2016, 06:55 PM	#15
Rob228 Senior Member Join Date: May 29, 2010 Location: Hampstead NC Posts: 1,450	I can't recall if we had Mossberg 500's or 590's, but we definitely had them in a breaching variant with a pistol grip. Only ever used them for breaching, and ballistic breaching isn't ever the preferred method.

July 17, 2016, 07:36 PM	#16
CLC Senior Member Join Date: January 8, 2011 Posts: 603	I love my 590 but I would prefer the heat shield off. __________________ In god we trust, all others must pay cash.

July 18, 2016, 07:29 PM	#18
Model12Win Junior member Join Date: October 20, 2012 Posts: 5,854	IG inspections are no fun! Have to deal with those a lot here.

July 18, 2016, 10:51 PM	#19
SC4006 Senior Member Join Date: June 27, 2012 Location: New Hampshire Posts: 525	I like it! I've had my 590 for almost a year now and love it. Mine is the non A1, 9 shot version with ghost ring sights and magpul stock set. I do however have both a heavy walled and standard barrel for it. With the heavy barrel and fully loaded it sure is heavy! __________________ I don't always go to the range, but when I do, I prefer dosAKs. They say 5 out of 4 people are bad at math.

July 19, 2016, 05:34 AM	#20
eastbank Senior Member Join Date: February 7, 2008 Location: pa. Posts: 2,450	USMCGRUNT, what is a lance criminal and what do you have to steal to get promoted? he,he. eastbank.

July 19, 2016, 06:45 AM	#21
drobs Senior Member Join Date: July 17, 2015 Location: South Central MO / Africa Posts: 1,111	Model12Win - looks good! I saw MP units in Iraq with Mossberg 590's when I was there in 2009 - 2011. Here's the latest 12 gauge shotgun (M26). IIRC it's a bolt action: __________________ NRA Life Member Last edited by drobs; July 19, 2016 at 07:17 AM.

July 21, 2016, 01:30 PM	#22
JERRYS. Senior Member Join Date: September 23, 2013 Location: Alabama Posts: 2,968	nice shotgun Model12Win.