Main Difference Between Mossy 500 & 590?

F

FP2000H

New member
They're both 12 gauge right? I handled both of these at a local store during my visit to South Texas in October and the 500 was almost $100 more. I couldn't really tell the difference externally. I think I remember the 500 having the ported barrel or it's a heat shield or something along the top of the barrel that's ported...? I'm a complete novice with shotguns but that's what I plan to buy next because I know a decent reliable one can be had for cheap. Sometimes I think I want a good old fashioned wood stock w/ matching furniture because in my over-active imagination, it becomes a club after you run out of ammo, you know, like a Remington, the other price/reliablility competing shotty on my mind. Then I think: ghost ring night sights, tactical sling, pistol grip, top-folding stock w/ extra shell holder, etc. Who else has faced this dilemma and what did you choose? For those who went with Mossberg, can you address the differences between the 500 and the 590? Aren't there also "A" models? Is it the 590A?!? :confused:
 
Okay, the 500 is the base model mossberg. It ussually has a 28" barrel and wood stocks. It holds 5 rounds in the magazine tube + 1 in the chamber. It should be about 220 ish.

The 590 is a military/police shotgun that has composite stocks and holds 8 rounds in the magazine tube + 1 in the chamber. It can have a multitude of accessories including ghost-ring sights, and a heatshield.

The 500a is a mossberg 500 with an 18.5" barrel and black synthetic stocks. It is kind of a 500/590 middle ground. It holds the same amount of shells as the 500 and is packaged with a pistol grip as well as a full stock.

That ported thing is a heatshield, it protects your hand from being burned by the hot barrel after firing.

Now, the pricing should be like this:

mossberg 500 or 500a = low 200's

Mossberg 590 = 400ish but I haven't looked at prices for one in quite some time. The 590A1 model has a bayonet lug as well as a steel safety switch and trigger guard IIRC.

All are 12 guage, but the 500 comes in 20 and .410 as well.

Hope this helps

Oh, and you can get all the extra gizmo's but it will cost you, and none of that stuff is going to be replacing experience.

Personally, i love the looks of my plain 500a with the bead removed. It looks very buisness-like.
 
The Model 500 is the "budget" Mossberg.
The 590 series is the beefed-up and "enhanced" Military and Police version.

The Model 500 is available in a wide variety of options including 5 shot or long 8 shot magazines, and choices in wood or synthetic stocks, pistol grip-only grips, and other options.
The Model 500 usually has a commercial type blued finish on the steel and a shiny finish on the aluminum receiver.

The Model 590 and 590-A1 have the same basic aluminum receiver and action as the 500, but use a Remington-type magazine tube and barrel mounting system.
These stronger versions have heavier barrels and are built to a stronger, higher standard for use by military and police buyers.
These usually have a military grade parkerized finish on the steel parts and a dull anodized finish on the aluminum receiver.

These versions can be had with options like bayonet mounts, ghost ring sights, and barrel shrouds.

The 590-A1 is the actual version now bought by the US Government, and has a metal trigger guard versus the 500 and 590's plastic, a metal safety switch, and a thicker barrel.
 
In gunsmithing school I got the impression that the Mossy is the best pump gun for the money and the Rem 870 is the best period. I seriously doubt that most people wil stress them enough to notice any difference.
 
Just a FYI - I found Bud's Gun Shop to have about the best price around on the 590. They were sold out when I ordered mine, so I had to pay $20 more from some guy off gunbroker. :mad:

Of course they got more stock the day after it arrived at my FFL.
 
Just purchased a 590A1 here in South Florida for $440 + tax and $5 CCW lookup fee.

Let me know if anyone needs the store info, I just don't have it offhand..

:)
 
The current Dealer cost on a Mossberg Model 590-A1 is "about" $380.00 with ghost ring sights, 9 shot.
The Model 590 with ghost rings, 9 shot is "about" $340.00
 
I just got a 500 and you will not be disappointed in the least.

The ported barrel makes a full magazine a dream to blast away and it hasnt skipped a beat yet. I find the dual extractors quite attractive because i have a felling that that shotgun is going to see some rough days and i feel confident that itll go boom every time i shuck it and pull the trigger.
 
I just got a Mossy 590 A1 for $300. I think that its going to be a really good SG. They also had a Remmington 870 Magnum that looked very very nice but they wanted $425.

I'm glad this topic is in this forum because it's made me feel real confident in my purchase. I heard (from here) that Mossberg was second to Remington in quality and the gun shop told me that only the Mossberg 590 survived the military's torture test without failure. I don't know about that but it feels like a real sturdy gun.

Now I just have to find a shotgun range and become proficient with it.
 
I have the M500A, and although it doesn't get out much, I did run 70 rounds through it on it's last range trip and it performed flawlessly, even when emptying the magazine as fast as possible. I am going to get the specops recoil reducing stock for it though, maybe that way I'll bring it to the range more often, plus it can then be adjusted to fit my shorter armed wife.
 
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