Advice? Mossberg 500s (JIC w/ knoxx?) vs 590s as my first shotgun & for home defense

shemdogg

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think i could fit anything else in thread title? [smile]

i'm in the market for a home defense weapon and i need some advice on my first shotgun

i've decided on a mossberg 12-ga 6-shot

i originally was gonna the J.I.C. 500 cruiser (aka noob tube) due to cost and short length... then i read all the reviews here and elsewhere about pistol grip pains. i've conceded the need for something like the knoxx specops folder stock

ok so... question: if i'm going to take the factory stock off anyway, is there any reason to get anything other than the bottom-of-the-line (JIC) 500? are there any add-on's that are worth the $$$ (muzzle break, heat shield, etc.)? one step further, is there any reason to get a 590 with heavier barrels, parkarized finishes (whatever that is), and better factory sights (ghost ring / 3-dot)?

i'm thinkin i'm just gonna get the JIC, add the stock, and an after-market sights as needed. any advice? [thinking]
 
+1 for the 590A1. if i was on a severe budget I would look at a maverick shotgun. same as a mossberg 500 except it has a cross bolt safety instead of a tang. saw one at a gun shop for 150 bucks not to long ago, doubt if its still there, uses the same aftermarket accesories as the 500
 
I have a Mossberg 590A1 as my HD shotgun. I immediately put the Knoxx SpecOps stock on it. It is a great weapon! If you come to the NES shoot in February, you can try mine out. [grin]
 
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If you're sold on the Mossberg, just go for the 590A1. Unless you're planning on stashing the weapon for emergencies, the JIC tube is not much value and the items within can be replicated and/or improved with some simple purchases. Before buying my Benelli SNT, I looked at a JIC as a weapon to cache for grab-n-go. There is enough room for additional items in the tube and a top-folding stock will fit in the tube as well, so there is some value in it.
 
I'll disagree re the 590A1. I think for HD, the basic Mossy 500 if perfectly fine and a better value.

I looked at both and picked up the 500 Persuader and mounted a Knoxx Spec-Ops RR stock. It makes for an EXCELLENT firearm.

It's a joy to shoot.


'Parkering' is a particular type of black matte (tactical look) finish using an acid bath.
As for other accessories, I think a 'heat shield' is largely cosmetic and I don't need it. I've also seen certain accessories that claim they can't be mounted with a heat shield.
The major accessory for HD would be a light mounted on the barrel and perhaps a laser as well (personal choice).
Other accessories worth considering would be a red dot sight, or other optic, as well as anything that holds more shells to the receiver, stock, or sling.
 
I have a 500 and a 590A1. They are both fine shotguns and will likely out last me. If shit was hitting the fan and I could only take 1 it would be the 590A1. Just feels like a better weapon and does not have the cheap plastic parts like the 500.
 
The 590A1 has a metal trigger group as opposed to plastic on the 500. It also has a bayonet mount so you can get stabby with it. [smile] I have a 590A1 with the knoxx stock as well I love it.
 
German Shepherd with Lasers... Anyone?.... Anyone?

In my opinion, you don't need to spend a ton of money on all the tacticool shotgun rigs that are out there. Essentially you are paying for all the addons and the foundation of the shotgun is still the same. Shop something that you can operate in the dark without thinking about it. Reliability and ease of use would by my top criteria in shopping for a HD gun.

In a perfect situation we'd all have our ideal rig sitting there waiting for the STHTF, but the reality is some of us don't have the cash to put that together. So in the meanwhile, get a gun that will go bang every time, and one that you are most comfortable with. Good luck!
 
Shooter McGavin said:
In my opinion, you don't need to spend a ton of money on all the tacticool shotgun rigs that are out there. Essentially you are paying for all the addons and the foundation of the shotgun is still the same. Shop something that you can operate in the dark without thinking about it. Reliability and ease of use would by my top criteria in shopping for a HD gun.
Click to expand...

This is the same way I feel about HD shotguns. I have a 500, my first gun, and while I was deployed a few years ago I wasted a bunch of money on dumb tacticool crap. I have since removed all of it and returned it to wood furniture.

My opinion is keep the standard style stock, add a ghost ring, and a sturdy light (surefire fore end if you can afford it), and that is it. To much crap gets in the way.

Back to the original question, I bought a 500, wish I bought a 590A1.
 
I have the 590 A-1, and could not be more pleased. It has everything that I need/want, and nothing that I don't. Regular synthetic stock, with ghost ring sights for the slugs. It is dead on at 50 yards. Having a 9-shot capacity gives one that warm and fuzzy feeling! The only thing I added was a sling. The heavy walled barrel and the metal trigger group make it one very stout shotgun. I am glad I spent a little extra for the 590 A-1.
 
Blitz1 said:
The 590A1 has a metal trigger group as opposed to plastic on the 500. It also has a bayonet mount so you can get stabby with it. [smile] I have a 590A1 with the knoxx stock as well I love it.
Click to expand...


I agree that the 590A1 is the superior gun.

The question is whether the extra cost is worth it. In my case, and I think for many others the answer is no.

I'd love to have a 590, I just think I can put the price difference to work better ways. If I used the shotty for my work (heavy duty use), I'd spend the money.

As for the plastic trigger group...I don't stress out about that as much as some do.
My M&Ps are made of plastic and it doesn't bother me at all.

I have a Ruger 10/22T with plastic trigger group and it's excellent. Ruger even has a video on their site that shows an impact test of the trigger group and the plastic one outperforms the metal one (the metal one breaks under impact).
I don't know anyone who has a broken Mossberg 500 trigger guard, or ever had one.
 
vellnueve said:
I would just get the 9-shot Special Purpose 590A1. I think it's the prototypical HD shotgun.
Click to expand...

+1 Make sure you get the version with the 9-shot tube. One of the (few) downsides to the Mossberg is you can't extend the tube magazine.

I'm also a big fan of the ghost ring sights on the 590A1, as opposed to the little nub.

Also a BIG +1 for the Knoxx stock. It's worth every penny.
 
+1 on the 500
The basic "Mariner" 500 w/an aftermarket Knoxx stock, was my choice
There is nothing cheap with the marinekote w/all metal trigger assembly & the aftermarket Blackhawk stock.
The persuader version did however seem "Chinsey", alil' tinny & plasticy.
The 500 is shorter with a 18.5" barrel wheras the 590 (9shot) has a 20"
Its a trade off, I opted for shorter HD gun,hopefully 9 shells arn't necessary indoors.
ppk006.jpg
 
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I have the Maverick 88 - same as a Mossy 500 for all intents and purposes. Goes bang every time, can be operated by a one-armed monkey on heroin, doesn't care if I let it get dusty, comes apart easy, and with the 20" barrel and 8rds @ 2 3/4" shells it's got enough bang to get the job done. Stuff it with 00B and feel safe going to bed. [wink]
 
patriots68 said:
im new to all this why a pump instead of a semiauto?
jbs
Click to expand...

Less parts to break. Easier to clear in the event of a malfunction. It's kind of like the semi vs. revolver debate; in a modern, quality gun you'll probably never have a real reliability issue.. But someone without much training can operate the pump (as with a revolver) sufficiently and cope with a bad round by just pumping again whereas clearing a malfunction on a semi is something that has to be trained for to do quickly. Many people feel like their last line of defense should be as mechanically simple as possible.

That said, I wouldn't hesitate to keep a well crafted semi auto shotgun next to the bed once I verified (with target shooting) that it ran properly with the HD load that I wanted to use in it. Just like I don't feel worried about carrying a Sig when I can get away with it instead of an Airweight revolver. [grin] At the time I bought the HD shottie, though, a decent semi wasn't in the budget. (that'd be another issue; price)
 
I too had been scoping out Mossberg 500's and 590's for HD. Though the 590A1 has gotten alot of support, I would also suggest that if the shotgun is gonna be for home defense it prolly isn't gonna be shot all that much.
The 500 line can be $150-200 cheaper than the 590A1, which to me is a big deal considering SG prices (ratio-wise).
The 500 is a proven series. The 590A1 may be of higher quality, but I think the 500 series would do the job just as well.
This may be a faulty analogy and I just woke up from a crappy nights sleep, but why get an Ed Brown 45 when a Kimber will do the job?
I know that in a self-defense situation, life or death, I would want the highest quality firearm in an ideal world. But depending on a budget, sometimes you need to just go no frills with the tool that will get the job done.
Ultimately find a shop that carries a variety of 500's and 590's and hold them and you'll know. That's what I'm gonna do, and chances are if there IS that big a difference between to 2, then I know that I will be going with what I feel is the higher quality. Whichever one inspires more confidence
 
Titan said:
'Parkering' is a particular type of black matte (tactical look) finish using an acid bath.
As for other accessories, I think a 'heat shield' is largely cosmetic and I don't need it. I've also seen certain accessories that claim they can't be mounted with a heat shield.
Click to expand...

Parkerizing is more than just a "tactical look." Parkerized firearms like the 590 are more corrosion resistant than your typical blued-steel Mossberg 500.
As for the heat shield, only a few 590A1 models come with it and it really doesn't increase the cost of the firearm by much.

Shooter McGavin said:
German Shepherd with Lasers... Anyone?.... Anyone?

In my opinion, you don't need to spend a ton of money on all the tacticool shotgun rigs that are out there. Essentially you are paying for all the addons and the foundation of the shotgun is still the same. Shop something that you can operate in the dark without thinking about it. Reliability and ease of use would by my top criteria in shopping for a HD gun.

In a perfect situation we'd all have our ideal rig sitting there waiting for the STHTF, but the reality is some of us don't have the cash to put that together. So in the meanwhile, get a gun that will go bang every time, and one that you are most comfortable with. Good luck!
Click to expand...

Yes, but the 590A1 is not much more expensive than a 500 - either can be had for under 500.
 
gixxer_kid said:
I've got the 500 persuader and its comfortable to me and goes bang every time I ask it too.
Click to expand...
+1

These threads are like pickup truck threads. A guy posts that he wants to buy a used compact pickup to take trashcans to the dump, and by the end of the thread everyone is recommending a full-sized diesel pickup that costs $40,000 - and doesn't take the trash cans to the dump any better.
 
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Pretty much every thread on guns is kinda the same. Some people are utilitarian, others are extremely demanding in quality.
Both sides are just as valid.
Yet...it's still fun[smile] go figure
 

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