Mossberg 590 vs 590a1?

AliasNeo07 · Jan 7, 2013

Hey. I feel like this is a noobish question but I'm going to ask it anyway. I have searched other places and get very conflicting info about the actual differences between the 590 and 590a1. Perhaps someone that knows can shed some light.

I think we're talking about certain features.

1. Metal trigger group
2. Metal safety
3. Metal trigger guard
4. Thicker walled barrel
5. Bayonet lug

Am I correct that the 590a1 has all of those things, and the 590 does not have the thicker barrel, and metal trigger group? That is, the 590 does have a bayonet lug, metal safety, and metal trigger GUARD?

Thanks. Having trouble finding a 590a1 and just trying to figure out what I'd lose with a 590.

Thanks.

kgain673 · Jan 7, 2013

depends on what you intend to do with your shotgun. If it's going to take abuse real abuse, not fake abuse, real abuse get the 590a1. If not just get what you can get a good deal on. 590 is just fine, I bought my 590a1 for the price of a 590 cause the guy selling it priced it wrong. So I bought it. My 590a1 does not take super abuse, but it did have a spare tire bouncing on it in the trunk for a while before i noticed it. If you want the 590A1 just because, just get it. If you think you need it, ask yourself how much you NEED it.

Inigoes · Jan 7, 2013

590s have a bayonet lug

INMY01TA · Jan 7, 2013

kgain673 said:
depends on what you intend to do with your shotgun. If it's going to take abuse real abuse, not fake abuse, real abuse get the 590a1. If not just get what you can get a good deal on. 590 is just fine, I bought my 590a1 for the price of a 590 cause the guy selling it priced it wrong. So I bought it. My 590a1 does not take super abuse, but it did have a spare tire bouncing on it in the trunk for a while before i noticed it. If you want the 590A1 just because, just get it. If you think you need it, ask yourself how much you NEED it.

he's not asking which he should buy but what the differences are.

Boom Boom · Jan 7, 2013

590A1 model 51411 is classic, lightweight, the right price, and rugged as hell.
http://www.mossberg.com/product/shotguns-pump-action-590a1-special-purpose-6-shot/51411

kgain673 · Jan 7, 2013

INMY01TA said:
he's not asking which he should buy but what the differences are.

basically he stated in his post what the differences are. So ok, one is heavier, the other one is lighter. One is cheaper then the other. What are you giving up? It depends on your intended use of the shotgun, and how much value those features are have to you.

ObsceneJesster · Jan 7, 2013

I think the only difference between the 590 and 590A1 is the barrel. Also the A1 always seems to come with add-ons such as different stocks and sights.

The thicker walled barrel of the 590A1 should help dampen some recoil and also take more abuse.

AliasNeo07 · Jan 11, 2013

Well the verdict is that the only difference between the 590 and 500 is the magazine tube. The only difference between the 590 and 590a1 is that the 590a1 has a thicker barrel, metal trigger group, and metal safety button.

I have a question for yall though. Fully loaded 9 shot 590 with a light on the front...is that going to be ridiculously heavy? Should I just go for the 6 shot?

ObsceneJesster · Jan 12, 2013

AliasNeo07 said:
Well the verdict is that the only difference between the 590 and 500 is the magazine tube. The only difference between the 590 and 590a1 is that the 590a1 has a thicker barrel, metal trigger group, and metal safety button.

I have a question for yall though. Fully loaded 9 shot 590 with a light on the front...is that going to be ridiculously heavy? Should I just go for the 6 shot?

I currently use a 590A1 with a 8 shot mag. I also have a light mounted using Elzetta's Shotgun Light Mount. I don't think it's heavy one bit. I think to a certain point, you want it to be heavier. I can see a huge difference in recoil between my 590A1 and his 500. I'll take the little bit of weight for the decrease in recoil. The 590A1 just feels like it was quality made man. If you pick up a 590A1 and then a 500, the increase in quality is immediately noticeable. I was going to buy the 500 until I held the 590A1. Get the 8 shot mag. If it is two heavy fully loaded then only load 5 or 6 shells.

hogarth · Jan 12, 2013

I got a 6 shot 59A1 about 4-5 yrs ago, new, for a ridiculously low price. I added a surefire LED forend. Mine also has the GRS. I opted for the 6 shot model because it is shorter more so than lighter. The 20" model is a bit more muzzle heavy, will have more of a shadow from barrel and mag tube when using the surefire forend, and is not quite as handy. I was always taught that the weight of a shotgun should really be between your hands, not at the muzzle....the 6 shot does this best for me.

aemik · Jan 12, 2013

Boom Boom said:
590A1 model 51411 is classic, lightweight, the right price, and rugged as hell.
http://www.mossberg.com/product/shotguns-pump-action-590a1-special-purpose-6-shot/51411

So if I bought one of these guns, could I also buy a longer vent rib barrel and swap it on if I wanted to take it out for some sporting clays? Or is the body of the gun set up to only accept that heavier barrel? Has mossberg done anything goofy with their magazine tubes like Remington recently that makes their field and HD guns non-interchangeable on the barrel front?

I have an o/u and a semi-auto for clay breaking ... but I don't own a pump gun and I want both a HD weapon and something that can go play. I suspect I should just buy this and an 870 wingmaster, but could I cheap my way out of this quandry?

mancheechee · Jan 12, 2013

Boom Boom said:
590A1 model 51411 is classic, lightweight, the right price, and rugged as hell.
http://www.mossberg.com/product/shotguns-pump-action-590a1-special-purpose-6-shot/51411

amoebicmagician · Jan 12, 2013

I beat the shit out of my 590 for years and it was still in good enough shape to give as a present to my nephew, you don't really NEED the a1 for anything other than peace of mind.

Still though, if price isn't an option, I'd go with the a1- if I had more cash I'd have taken it instead of my 590, but once again- you're not losing much.

We're talking thousands of shells and slugs over the years, and it held up absolutely fine without the a1 upgrades.

ObsceneJesster · Jan 12, 2013

amoebicmagician said:
I beat the shit out of my 590 for years and it was still in good enough shape to give as a present to my nephew, you don't really NEED the a1 for anything other than peace of mind.

Still though, if price isn't an option, I'd go with the a1- if I had more cash I'd have taken it instead of my 590, but once again- you're not losing much.

We're talking thousands of shells and slugs over the years, and it held up absolutely fine without the a1 upgrades.

Exactly. It's not like the difference between the 590 and 500 where the increase in quality is immediately noticeable. To tell you the truth, the only reason I got the A1 is because that's what my favorite brick and mortar had at the time. If they would have had just the 590, I would have gotten that. Like you said, if you don't mind spending the extra money then why not.

greghall · Jan 12, 2013

Does anybody use their 590A1 as deer slug gun??? looks like it would be very useful as one in the woods from some vidios on youtube?

ObsceneJesster · Jan 12, 2013

greghall said:
Does anybody use their 590A1 as deer slug gun??? looks like it would be very useful as one in the woods from some vidios on youtube?

I don't hunt but I do keep some pretty tight slug groups at 100 yards with my 20" A1. I know it's just personal opinion but I am 10 times more accurate with ghost ring sights than I ever was with a bead.

greghall · Jan 12, 2013

it looks like it would make a great deer gun with the ghost rings,be all you would need?

AliasNeo07 · Jan 14, 2013

ObsceneJesster said:
Exactly. It's not like the difference between the 590 and 500 where the increase in quality is immediately noticeable. To tell you the truth, the only reason I got the A1 is because that's what my favorite brick and mortar had at the time. If they would have had just the 590, I would have gotten that. Like you said, if you don't mind spending the extra money then why not.

Like what? I thought the only difference was magazine tube design, and bayonet lug.

Jimbob2.0 · Jan 14, 2013

A1 all the way I have both and the a1 feels like a real gun.

Vjornaxx · Jan 14, 2013

greghall said:
it looks like it would make a great deer gun with the ghost rings,be all you would need?

I was going through this exact same train of thought and this is what convinced me that bead sights are probably fine. Go to about 1:10 on that video - that was done with a plain vanilla 590A1 (51660) and the target is about 80 yards away.

Mossberg 590 vs 590a1?

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