Mossberg 590 or 500?

[sffred]

590a1 has a thicker receiver (I believe it's aluminum), thicker barrel, ghost rear sight ring, and you can mount a bayo. But I have to agree with SJgunguy24, if your looking at magazine capacity I'd go S12 and never look back.

[shellslinger]

590a1 has a thicker receiver (I believe it's aluminum), thicker barrel, ghost rear sight ring, and you can mount a bayo. But I have to agree with SJgunguy24, if your looking at magazine capacity I'd go S12 and never look back.

Right about everything except the receiver. It's the same thickness as all the other 590's and 500's.

OP - there are certain Mossberg 500 models that can take magazine extensions and can use Mossberg 835 barrels.

For example: mossberg model #54125

But anyways, I would get a 6 shot 590a1 and grab an 835 barrel if you want to hunt or hit clays. That way you have the best of both worlds. I have a 590a1, and I don't clay shoot so I don't need the versatility of the 6 shot or 500.

[Frito Bandido]

But anyways, I would get a 6 shot 590a1 and grab an 835 barrel if you want to hunt or hit clays. That way you have the best of both worlds. I have a 590a1, and I don't clay shoot so I don't need the versatility of the 6 shot or 500.

The 6 shot 18.5" is definitely a good choice... for me, I just had to have the built in bayonet lug :P

[decepticon6551]

500 persuader.

8+1, 20", I paid 350 OTD at big 5 a couple years ago.

This

Big5 has the 500 20" & the combo on sale until tomorrow, getting both is only a little more than a 590 all by itself.

http://goo.gl/u0KsL

http://goo.gl/UcW6b

[wweigle]

The 590, has an extended magazine tube, and holds 8 + 1 round, and the tube support is in a different location than the 500, and will only except barrels made for a gun with the attaching (not correct word) lug (not correct term either) in this location. The standard 500 holds 5+1 round, and because of the design, the gun cannot use a magazine extension like many other guns such as a Remington 870. Sounds like, based on others comments in this thread, that newer 500 designs will except a magazine extension, sounds interesting. The 590a1 is the heavy barrel version, which meets the military requirement, most 590 models are standard barrel thickness. I have owned both 500s and 590s. Currently own two 500, sold my 590, simply because the 500s are more versatile, with barrel options, and I hunt. If you are buying a shotgun for defensive/combat purposes only, then the 590 is very attractive due to the magazine capacity. If you would like the option of using the gun for both defense/combat and hunting then the 500, is an attractive option. Barrels are reasonable for the gun and you could get an 18.5" for defense/combat, and 26" barrel with choke tubes, stick a two round plug in the magazine and go hunting. Versatility(500) and magazine capacity(590) are really the only significant differences between the two guns. If you are planning on shooting three gun matches, then the 500 is not a great choice due to the magazine capacity limitation. Your choice really depends on what planned use is for the gun. I will add that any Remington 870, gives you the best of both worlds due to the design. You can buy a standard magazine gun and have the option of putting a magazine extension that will match the 590 for capacity for defense/combat. When its time to go hunting simply remove the extension, slip in a plug, and you are now legal for hunting. I own both an 870, my first shotgun, and two 500s, and like and use them all.

[Ervb44]

neither I have my 870

[legalbroker]

I have a regular 590 but mine came with the heavier thicker barrel.....how do I know this? My buddy's owns a 590a1 and mine is just as heavy or if not heavier than his....my buddy was amazed by this....

[MrKojack1]

Get both. Although the 590A1 is a lot pricier. I paid about $700 for mine and about $390 for the 500 Persuader.

[Arson]

I went with the 590A1 Blackwater

[bobdev]

My first long gun was the 500 combo from Big 5. The 18" barrel stays on for HD and the 28" is available for hunting or shooting little orange flying saucers. Pretty versatile for the price.

[Brandon04GT]

I also bought a 590A1 for zombie defense. I went with the 18.5" barreled model but I have 6+1 with my Vang Comp extension. This combined with a Hogue/Aimpro 13" LOP stock....zomg sexyness. I just need a sling now.

[Some Velvet-Fisted Brute]

I have a 500 my dad originally bought at big 5 when I was in high school. It came with 18 and 26 inch barrels and cost less than $200 at the time. I found a wood stocks with a corncob style for end an couldn't be happier with the thing. It mostly sits in the corner of my bedroom, sleeping with a tube full of buckshot. I can see the positives of the 590 but honestly if you find yourself in a situation you can't dispense with a 500, I don't think a 590 will make that big a difference. Just get what you like, take good care of it, and it'll take good care of you.

[HatersLOVEme : )]

Family feud!

The major differences between the 500 and 590A1 is that the 590A1 has a metal trigger guard and metal safety and a open ended magazine tube capable of accepting a extension. The only 500 models I know of that came with the same open magazine tube is the Chainsaw and Tactical pistol grip breacher models. The receivers are the same on the 500 and the 590 / 590A1 so are all the internals a good compromise between the two would be the 590 all the features but without the extra weight and they sell those at Big 5 where the heavy barreled A1 versions are a little harder to come by and more expensive . I have owned all three the 8 shot 20" Persuader the 6 shot 18.5" and the 20" 590A1 with ghost ring sights. The 20" 590A1 with the heavy walled barrel is a tank and the way to go if you want a shotgun heavy enough to club somebody with and not damage it if you run out of ammo. I wanted the heavier barrel so I didn't have to worry about denting if it got dropped worst case and the bayonet lug just in case I ever want a knife at a gun fight for some reason lol and GRS for slug shooting but if you want it for HD / depending on how tight your hallways are you may want the 18.5" barreled version. And I also have a 870 currently set up for HD but I grew up shooting Mossbergs so one just feels right / like second nature where the 870 is a bit forced but still pretty good for a Remington see we can all get along jk lol.

[stilly]

the difference between a 590 and a 500 in my book is a bayonet lug.

I have a 590 but it will NEVER be anything more than a 590 but a 500 can be a shorty or a hunter or clays gun. I say get the 500. The bayonet is neat, but is it really needed? Yeah I know, I joke about being able to stab someone and move them over the tile floor before I blast them...

[Dattebayo]

Well I think a large part of all of it is what the OP wants to do with the shotgun. If he planned on doing any magazine extensions I would steer him away from Mossberg. Because the 500's have a barrel lug silver welded to the barrel at 5 shot mag length, adding any mag extension would require a new barrel swap. Then the 8 shot barrels out there for mossberg are only tow 20 inch bbl with no chokes and one 28 inch vent rib with a modified choke.

Now there is just one Mossberg 500 that has the mag and barrel design like their 590's and the Remington magazine end cap style. That is on the Persuader models, but even as it maybe easier to add magazine extensions, barrels with this setup are almost non-exisistant. I personally like all my shotgun barrels choked, and to do that with the mossberg shotgun would require custom work.

If you plan to use the shotgun purely for HD, sure go for the Mossbergs. They do great at that. But if you want a versatile gun that can easily be modified, I'd lean more towards a Remington 870.

Aside from all that, I am a big CZ fan and recommend all in the market for a shotgun take a peak at their CZ 612 or CZ 712.