Mossberg 500 / 590 owners. Question for ya -

[lexcruiser]

I've been researching the Mossberg 500 series shotguns for home defense and am getting hung up on what the main difference is between the two - the 500 and 590A1 (or regular 590?).

The only difference that I can see is that the 590A1's have a "heavy walled barrel"?

Thought the good folks here on this board could enlighten me. =)
Thanks!

 

[jlrhiner]

I'm not sure about internal differences, I thought they were the same guns with different clothes. My 590 came with an extended magazine, speed feed stock, ghost ring sights and a bayonet lug. I've also seen them with heat guards. But I thought they were basically the same on the inside.

 

[Faulkner]

The main difference between the 500 and the 590 are the external features, I believe the receiver and action to be the same.

I have a 590 with 20 inch barrel, factory heat shield and ghost ring sites, bayonet lug, parkerized finish and speedfeed stock. The standard 590 has the polymer trigger housing and safety as opposed to the A1's metal ones.

I had my barrel threaded for choke tubes so I could turkey hunt with it, makes a dandy turkey slayer with a Xtra Full choke tube along with the ghost ring sites.

 

[GatorFarmer]

The 590 series are - in theory - built to be a bit tougher since they were purpose designed to be a military weapon and not a sporting implement. Among other differences, you can swab out the mag tube all the way on a 590 when cleaning it in order to get the crud out. For a gun sitting in the closet, it doesn't really matter as much which one you choose, though many opt for the 590. I've had both, and in some ways the 590 is going to be more reliable in theory, but for most users it won't matter.

 

[venomballistics]

barrel to mag tube attachment differs between the two.
590 is a ring that goes over the tube, thus supporting mag extensions, 500 is a block over the end of the tube which makes mag extensions basically impossible.
the most one could expect to do is use 8 round version parts to convert a standard 5 round 500.
I have a 500 riot version that has seen more use in a day than most here would dare in a decade.
I dont think either will let you down assuming comparable quality control.
a 500 will tend to start gumming up from powder fowling after 1500 rounds of clean burning trap loads and reduce to around 400 with full tilt 3" field loads in my experience. Yes Virginia, Ive done that in a day noting results between 3 identical 500's.(shot shells can melt too)
If you ever need to do this in an official capacity, your doing something very very wrong.

 

[JcMack]

I have had a couple Mossbergs. One of them was a parkerized HB model 20" I think. Full length magazine, bayo lug. I sold it to a friend. I picked up a model 12 in similar config. mainly because of the wood "furniture". The plastic stocks on the current crop of defensive shotguns don't impress me. Especially 870's. JMHO. I had Mossy 18" "Jungle gun". Wish I had it back.

 

[Wheelgunner840]

I went with the 590 A-1.

It has a 9-shot capacity, ghost ring sights which are adjustable, heavy walled barrel, a bayonet lug and I believe a steel receiver as opposed to an aluminum receiver. The 590 has a steel trigger guard and safety while the 500 series does not. The 590 A-1 is one tough shotgun. With the GR sights, it is very easy to put slugs into a small group at 50 yards.

Go to your local gun shop and examine both of them. The 590 A-1 is much stronger. The question is, do you really want or need stronger. I figured I was only going to buy one self / home defense shotgun, and went for the higher end one. Not a whole lot difference in price. Here are the stats:

After opening the links below, click the small arrows next to "more models" on the right side of the picture to see the different options/ models.

O.F. Mossberg & Sons, Inc. - Firearms, Shotguns, Rifles, Accessories, and Precision Machining


O.F. Mossberg & Sons, Inc. - Firearms, Shotguns, Rifles, Accessories, and Precision Machining

 

[Sam McCord]

Not trying to hijack the thread but which bayonet does the 590 accept?

 

[Faulkner]

Not trying to hijack the thread but which bayonet does the 590 accept?

The same one the M16 uses.

 

[wheelgun28]

I have a 500, its over twenty years old. Its a shorty with an 18 1/2" barrel. It had a beautiful wood stock and fore grip. I switched them out for a Knoxx recoil absorbing stock and a Houge grip. The stock is adjustable so you can change the length to be comfortable. It shoot like a dream, you can shoot a few hundred rounds and not get all beat up and bruised... I also so added the Mossberg heat shield. I really like this shotgun, even more so than my friends 590A1 or his 930 spx tactical semi auto. The gun is light weight and easy to handle. Its my goto gun at home, 3" OObuck... If I were to loose this gun somehow Id buy another in a New York second... I shoot this almost every weekend!

Oh yes I have the original wood stock and grip put away, just in case I want to dress it up for a Sunday BBQ

I originally bought this because my shop (machine shop) was getting burglarized ALOT. So I spent a few nights in there with this and an M-28. Word got out I was doing this and some how I never got robbed again, go figure...

 

[lexcruiser]

GREAT info everyone. Thanks much.. I think I'm leaning more towards the 590 for sure.

BUT..
Here's a big butt.. err.. but.. =)

What if I throw the Benelli Nova into the mix? How's that compare? More form than function?

 

[woodsboy]

Is this a 500Field with 500 magazine and loader?

 

[Real Old Navy]

590 has plastic trigger guard, 590A1 has thicker barrel and aluminum trigger guard. My 590 has bayonet lug (M9 bayonet) came with a heat shield (590A1 comes with no heat shield because of the front ghost ring). All 500 Receivers are pretty much the same, so in theory if you know what your doing and can find the right parts, you can turn a 500 into a 590....I have a 590...but it's got a Black Aces Quad Rail, green laser and a strobe flashlight both with micro switches, flip up iron ghost ring sights, red aluminum mag follower with higher pressure spring, MagPul stock with Limbsaver Recoil Pad, single point sling Much easier on my shoulder now...but it's heavy. The added weight to the front of the gun does help with recoil. I can shoot 3" or 2 3/4" I usually have 9 2 3/4" 1oz deer slugs loaded. Spread pattern on a 590 is horrible even with 00 buck.

 

[nachogrande]

WAITING FOR THE ZOMBIE APOCALYPSE?

Fully loaded & sitting in a corner or closet waiting for the merd to hit the whirling blades? A Maverick 88 will do everything a 590a1 will when neither are used. The 590, same "basic" design with a couple more options & a few heavier duty parts. I got the Mariner 590 version for maritime type fantasies.

 

[jack the toad]

Spread pattern on a 590 is horrible even with 00 buck.

Not to hijack but out of curiosity would you please elaborate?

 

[Jack Flash]

Interesting and timely thread. Can someone summarize the differences between a 500 & a 505. Is the latter the same only a youth version, or are their other differences?

... merd ...

You left off the final "e". I didn't spend all that time in French class for nothing!