Shotgun capacity?

[effbeeeye]

Hello, I'm new to the shotgun world.

I was looking at a used 590A1 in a pawn shop today. The clerk told me the tube was blocked to only have a 2+1 capacity. He said this was the law in CA. I left the store skeptical....

After doing some research it seems this law is only for hunting? I want this shotgun for home defense. So if I buy this shotgun I can just remove whatever is in the tube and have it at normal capacity without violating any laws, correct?

Thanks

[Merc1138]

Yes, it's blocked for hunting (only for migratory birds as I recall). All you do is just shake the wooden dowel out of the mag tube. The modification isn't required to have any sort of permanence, and it's only for hunting.

[effbeeeye]

Yes, it's blocked for hunting (only for migratory birds as I recall). All you do is just shake the wooden dowel out of the mag tube. The modification isn't required to have any sort of permanence, and it's only for hunting.

Cool, thanks!

I learned from Calguns not to believe gun store clerks. He told me it'd be a felony if I restored it to normal capacity.


EDIT: Is it possible the 2+1 modification could be permanent? I'm going to stop by tomorrow and ask.

Also, can anyone point me to the specific text of the law concerning the 3 round hunting capacity?

Thanks

[sephy]

Cool, thanks!

I learned from Calguns not to believe gun store clerks. He told me it'd be a felony if I restored it to normal capacity.


EDIT: Is it possible the 2+1 modification could be permanent? I'm going to stop by tomorrow and ask.

Also, can anyone point me to the specific text of the law concerning the 3 round hunting capacity?

Thanks

The modification is probably just a plastic plug or a wooden dowel.

Regulations here: http://www.dfg.ca.gov/regulations/
For example:

holding not more than three shells firing single slugs may be used for the taking of deer, bear and wild pigs. In areas where the discharge of rifles or shotguns with slugs is prohibited by county ordinance, shotguns capable of holding not more than three shells firing size 0 or 00 buckshot may be used for the taking of deer only.

Edit: I'll add some more

incapable of holding more than three shells in the magazine and chamber combined. If a plug is used to reduce the capacity of a magazine to fulfill the requirements of this section, the plug must be of one piece construction incapable of removal without disassembling the gun.

incapable of holding more than three shells in the magazine and chamber combined may be used. except no shotgun larger than 12 gauge shall be used in areas open to hunting on, over or adjacent to the waters of Morro Bay, San Luis Obispo County. If a plug is used to reduce the capacity of a magazine to fulfill the requirements of this section, the plug must be of one piece construction incapable of removal without disassembling the gun. Shotgun shells may not be used or possessed that contain shot size larger than No. BB in lead or T shot in steel or other nontoxic shot approved by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. All shot shall be loose in the shell.

[effbeeeye]

Thank you!

And there are no written laws concerning shotgun capacity for non-hunting/self defense?

I'd like to show these to the pawn shop clerk so I want to have as much info as I can. The only law I could find was against detachable magazines for shotguns, which don't apply in this case.

[BigDogatPlay]

Hello, I'm new to the shotgun world.

Welcome aboard!

I was looking at a used 590A1 in a pawn shop today. The clerk told me the tube was blocked to only have a 2+1 capacity. He said this was the law in CA. I left the store skeptical....

After doing some research it seems this law is only for hunting? I want this shotgun for home defense. So if I buy this shotgun I can just remove whatever is in the tube and have it at normal capacity without violating any laws, correct?

Thanks

If the gun is being used to hunt game birds, waterfowl and some small game, then a block to make it 2+1 would be correct. I can't imagine why anyone would put a block in a 590A1 and hunt with it, but thats the case.

If the clerk's inference was to shotguns in general, then that is FUD.

There is, as was said above, most likely a plastic or wooden dowel inside the mag tube. Dismounting the barrel and getting into the mag tube is easy peasy to remove whatever it is, then reassembling, should solve the problem.

If you have a shotgunner friend it might be worthwhile to bring them with you and ask if you can take the barrel down to verify how the mag tube is blocked. If, by chance, there is some permanent block in there in some way that would be a deal breaker for me.

[effbeeeye]

Welcome aboard!



If the gun is being used to hunt game birds, waterfowl and some small game, then a block to make it 2+1 would be correct. I can't imagine why anyone would put a block in a 590A1 and hunt with it, but thats the case.

If the clerk's inference was to shotguns in general, then that is FUD.

There is, as was said above, most likely a plastic or wooden dowel inside the mag tube. Dismounting the barrel and getting into the mag tube is easy peasy to remove whatever it is, then reassembling, should solve the problem.

If you have a shotgunner friend it might be worthwhile to bring them with you and ask if you can take the barrel down to verify how the mag tube is blocked. If, by chance, there is some permanent block in there in some way that would be a deal breaker for me.

He definitely seemed to say it applying to all shotguns. He had a lot of shotguns in his shop though, I can't imagine him being that misinformed. However, he had an accent so I may have misunderstood him a bit.

I unfortunately have no shotgun savvy friends. I'm hoping the clerk will be willing to disassemble it or at least he'll know what's in there.

I can't imagine someone permanently blocking their Mossberg to 2+1.

[repubconserv]

Thank you!

And there are no written laws concerning shotgun capacity for non-hunting/self defense?

The only other law concerning Shotgun capacity is the hi-cap mag law. meaning you can not manufacture/import a hi cap mag in/into cali. (hi cap = 11 rounds or more)

590 is generally, what? 7 or 8 rounds? there is no problem with that.

ETA: I learned something today, Thank you crackerman for pointing out my mistake. Looking at the disassembly (new vid) of 590 It looks like it would be even easier to remove the dowel than with the regular 500



If you live anywhere near Hemet, Id be happy to come and help you with taking the dowel out, or field stripping

[NytWolf]

Ask him if what he says is true, then why does Big 5 sell a 6-round Mossberg 500?

[crackerman]

Video does not apply, 590 has an open ended mag tube similar to an 870. If the dealer will let you take off the nut under the barrel and shake out anything in there. That will be your plug, and obviously it comes out.

Mossberg does not manufacture any shotguns currently that limit mag capacity permanently (other then the over unders, duh) and no mag tubes have the "dimples" the 870 express has/had. You are good to go and like people say, the gunshop is the last place to get reliable information regarding laws.

[effbeeeye]

If you live anywhere near Hemet, Id be happy to come and help you with taking the dowel out, or field stripping

Thank you for the offer, unfortunately I'm in the L.A. area. This pawn shop is in Glendale.

[effbeeeye]

Video does not apply, 590 has an open ended mag tube similar to an 870. If the dealer will let you take off the nut under the barrel and shake out anything in there. That will be your plug, and obviously it comes out.

Mossberg does not manufacture any shotguns currently that limit mag capacity permanently (other then the over unders, duh) and no mag tubes have the "dimples" the 870 express has/had. You are good to go and like people say, the gunshop is the last place to get reliable information regarding laws.

I did notice the end of the mag tube seemed to have some sort of threaded nut. All I'd have to do is remove that?

I'm sure he'd have no problem with that. Unless he'll charge me with a felony if I take it out.

[repubconserv]

Video does not apply, 590 has an open ended mag tube similar to an 870. If the dealer will let you take off the nut under the barrel and shake out anything in there. That will be your plug, and obviously it comes out.

Mossberg does not manufacture any shotguns currently that limit mag capacity permanently (other then the over unders, duh) and no mag tubes have the "dimples" the 870 express has/had. You are good to go and like people say, the gunshop is the last place to get reliable information regarding laws.

By cracky crackerman, you were right. New vid replaced old vid

[Lugiahua]

You don't even need to remove barrel sometimes,
just remove the mag tube cap then use a strong cleaning rod or something to push it out the mag tube from receiver end.

[Rob454]

Welcome aboard!



If the gun is being used to hunt game birds, waterfowl and some small game, then a block to make it 2+1 would be correct. I can't imagine why anyone would put a block in a 590A1 and hunt with it, but thats the case.

If the clerk's inference was to shotguns in general, then that is FUD.

There is, as was said above, most likely a plastic or wooden dowel inside the mag tube. Dismounting the barrel and getting into the mag tube is easy peasy to remove whatever it is, then reassembling, should solve the problem.

If you have a shotgunner friend it might be worthwhile to bring them with you and ask if you can take the barrel down to verify how the mag tube is blocked. If, by chance, there is some permanent block in there in some way that would be a deal breaker for me.

This^^^^

I would like to add that I doubt the gun has a permanent mod to limit capacity. Either way even if that was the case a mag tube is only$30-40. if the gun is priced right I would pick it up. If you pick it up shake it and see if you hear a rattle. Most likely the mod is just a plastic/wood dowel in the mag tube.
And the only possible place i can see using a 590 is maybe turkey hunting or maybe deer or hog with slug.