My first "real" shotgun

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Patriot86

New member
I think the time is almost at hand for my first "real" shotgun.

I say real shotgun, because I was passed down (by my father) an old pump action made sometime in the late 50's to mid 60's. The shotgun is a nice 12ga but it is old so I don't like shooting it incase something breaks. The darned thing does not have a manufacturers mark on it anywhere that I could find
So I have no real way of knowing what its even worth, the wood is in good shape but has some chips.


Anyways, I have done my homework and I think I have settled on this:

http://www.galleryofguns.com/genie/...=Shotgun&cal=12+Gauge&fin=&sit=&zipcode=60090

A Mossberg 590A1 with the pistol grip and 6 position stock.
How often will I use the stock? Probably not that much but I like how it feels on my shoulder. The gun is just the right weight and the gun has all of my pre-requisites: Greater than 5+1 capacity, Some kind or night sight or provision for some kind of night sight, pistol grip and 12ga.

Does anyone have experience with this model or a different 590A1 variant? I always like to look for "user feedback" before buying a gun.
 
That looks like just the kind of shotgun you need, living in Chicago. :)
Shotgunworld.com (which is down right now) has a whole forum on tactical shotguns. More than you probably ever need to know. Mark
 
Short of a possible model or 2, your reasoning for the old gun not being a "real" shotgun... I think you have your thoughts a bit inverted...

Most any gun from the time period you mention is THE REAL McCOY!!! What you suggest interest in is also a fine gun but them old pumps are BUILT like a brick outhouse! Most all have any possible part that could fail under use fully replaceable and available...

Get what ever you want but enjoy the old gun too!

As for the gun you mention, I would make sure you really want that EBR rifle stock on a shotgun and one with a "top of tang" safety location.

For any and all possible uses, any traditional shaped stock suits me far better. Hunting, plinking, CQB drills, impromptu dust dove shootin' (redneck skeet) the simple traditional stock...

Brent
 
Thanks Mark!

I do not live "in" Chicago or that 590A1 wouldn't be legal, I live a little bit outside of the city ;). I will go right on over and see what I can dig up.

Next time I am back up at the family place in WI going to post pictures of the "Mystery" shotgun I inherited too and see if someone can tell me what the hell it is.



@ Hog: I love the old shotgun too but like I said its almost like the family heirloom or the closest thing I will probably ever get to one in my family. I would hate to have something go wrong that is expensive or difficult to fix during a trip to the range. I don't have kids yet but it is something I would like to pass on "This was your Grandfathers shotgun, now its yours" would be pretty damn cool. I can hope some day someone passes on my P226.
To its credit though, since 1990 I think it has 3 or 4 confirmed woodchuck kills; and god knows what sorts of animals my father put down in Upstate NY back in the 60's and 70's with it. In regards to the 590A1 I have held the exact same model in the link at the LGS, twice now and I love just about everything about it. I like the look and feel of the stock, maybe just because my generation likes everything to be "tactical" I am not sure but it looks and feels right.
 
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If that is what you want get it, but what do you want to use it for?

If you do want a Mossberg pump and plan on getting other barrels for it, the barrels made to fit the 5+1 model will not fit that tactical model.

What hogdogs is hinting at is it is difficult to operate the tang safety with a pistol grip stock.
 
The gun is going to pretty much be a SD gun, I really have no interest (right now anyways) in shotgun hunting.
The one and ONLY exception to that would be woodchucks. Family's property in WI has a rebounding woodchuck population, so if the buggers ever decided the garage is a good place to hide again(Long story short, old family heirloom shotgun 1, woodchuck 0, Cement driveway and wooden fence -1) I would probably use it for some "spring cleaning".
Basically, I want a Shotgun that will protect my home while having ENOUGH utility to blast some poor woodchuck on to the promised land should the need ever arise.
 
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Where do you rest your cheek on that thing? I don't know if I could ever hit trap with it... :)

I handled one of these the other day while looking for a shotgun for the wife. I liked it a lot.
 
The military uses those, and short of extractors and ejectors wearing after about 3-4000 rounds of 2 3/4 buck and slug they are excelent guns. I own a 500 and there is something to be said about a top saftey being manipulated with a pistol grip, id look into the handeling change that you may have to make. Nothing that could not be overcome with practice though.
 
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