The Life of One 590

DML

New member
Mossberg 590 ser. # K7087xx

This shotgun has been in continual service since 1991. Is has been used by the rangemaster/instructor of a good size so. Calif. police dept. He kept records of how many shells have been fired and what parts have been replaced so far.

From 1950s to 1987 they used the Ithaca 37. From 1987 to 1991 they used the 870. From 1991 to date they have used Mossberg 590s with 14" barrels and Vang Comp barrels.

Transitional training 1800

Yearly training 7000

New officer training (annually) 500

Instructor weapon use (annually) 1060

Out side agency training (annually) 1720

Demo weapon at TREXPO WEST (9 years) 13500

Dry firing and gun handling practice ????

Total number of rounds fired so far 126580

Part replaced due to wear and/or failure.

1 Trigger housing
1 Bolt slide
1 Elevator
4 Firing pins
1 Firing pin spring
1 Hammer spring
1 Ejector
1 Ejector screw
1 Disconnector
1 Sear spring
4 Trigger housing pin retaining springs
1 Action lock hammer spring

How many of us will fire 126580 rounds of anything in our lifetime? Based on this info, I think wear should be the last of our worries regarding a Mossberg, Remington or any other well made shotgun.
 
Of Course an 870 owner is gonna say

you replaced

1 Trigger housing
1 Bolt slide
1 Elevator
4 Firing pins
1 Firing pin spring
1 Hammer spring
1 Ejector
1 Ejector screw
1 Disconnector
1 Sear spring
4 Trigger housing pin retaining springs
1 Action lock hammer spring


While they've never replaced anything, but ammo.

Yes they can be a snobby bunch!

Glad to hear that the Mossy's really hold up!

Funny, in all the shooting I've ever done with all mine the only thing I've replaced were extractor (RH, IIRC) pins, while that one was shot way more then I will ever shoot and doesn't have them listed.
 
New math ?
I added em up and got 25,580 rounds. Bout half a year for a clay shooter. Pretty sorry reliability unless one of the numbers above is in error.

Sam
 
C.R. Sam :Your count is off

By about ten years! multiply the amount annually for ten years! I did that and got a number a little less, I guess that's where the ???? comes in.
 
HMMMM. I didn't add it up, so I just did. I came up with only 118100 shells fired. You have to read the text. Note that some of the figure are annual rounds fired. You have to multiply those numbers by 10. There is an 8480 round difference that I can't explain. Still, that's not bad.

I posted this for general info. If it's going to cause anyone difficulty, I suggest that you ignore it.
 
Was this the 590 model with the plastic trigger guard/ safety button or the A1 model with the metal trigger guard/ safety button. I ask because I have the 590 security model with the plastic parts and have read on here where folks bought this model thinking they got the A1 and traded right away. Are these plastic parts that prone to failure or is this just paranoia in most cases?
 
Thanks for doing all that work and posting that, Dennis.

For the record:

IMO,MOSSIES ARE VERY GOOD SHOTGUNS.

There, I said it and I'm glad!

I admit to liking the revered and marvelous 870 better, but a trained and cool hand with a Mossie and ammo can do amazing things in crises. And it's an excellent sporting arm to boot.

And,while 870s might(Repeat, might) have a shorter list of repairs and parts given equal use and care, there's plenty of high dollar gamer guns out there that would have replaced more than all that in 100K and more of shooting in a hair over a decade.

I like the Mossies, rattles and all. I just like the 870 more from long use...
 
Don't see number of years along with annualy, did see number of years demo weapon. Figured the others were aggregate of annual training.

Figured wrong. Oh well.

In that case, not bad on maintenance. Nearly three years for a money shooter.

Sam
 
NASCARHLNRA:

Yes, this 590 has a plastic trigger housing. Actually, they hold up very well. I have only seen one with a broken trigger guard.

Personally, I prefer steel parts, but aluminum and plastic seems to hold up very well. I think the fear of plastic is mostly paranoia.
I would, however, replace the plastic safety with a steel one or a Vang Comp oversize aluminum one.
 
Vang Comp has an over size button that's machined from aluminum for $30. There is a cast steel button made by Wolff (I think that's right.) They advertise in the GUN LIST. I may have a few of the Wolff buttons. I think they are about $7 or $8.
 
hehe nicely done dave

nicely done dave..but maybe one of the advantages of the 870 is the way the pieces come out nicely and u dont need to be searching around for springs and other little parts
 
Maybe Joe, but how do we tell for sure? Whether or not a shotgun strips down easily is a moot point for many shotgunners, since they NEVER go in the receiver anyway...
 
When people ask me what the advantages and diadvantages of the 870 vs. the 590 I tell them this......

EVERY, I repeat, EVERY part of the 590 is field replacable. Advantage, Mossberg.

IMHO the Remington feels better to me and it has a steel receiver. Advantage, Remington.

Replacement of the magazine tube of the 870 is a factory job. It is brazed to the receiver. Remington would probably not bother to repair it. The ejector spring on the Remington is a bit of a bitch to replace and the receiver needs to be refinished if you are fussy.

The safety on the Mossberg is in the right place, but people learn to work the Remington safety with no problems. However, the top mounted safety limits the style of stock you can use. Not a problem with Remington. The slide release on the Mossberg is also in a better spot then Remingtons.

My advice is to handle both guns and see what feels best to you. If possible, try to shoot different guns before you buy. Ether way, I don't think you will go too far wrong.
 
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