Mossberg Shotguns | Everything You Need to Know

Mossberg Shotguns are an obvious first stop for first time and experienced gun buyers alike. If you have been searching for a shotgun, no doubt Mossberg has come up at least once in your research. With affordable high-quality products made in America, there’s a good reason to start and end your search at Mossberg.

Here’s everything you need to know about Mossberg, and their most iconic shotguns.

Why purchase Mossberg Shotguns?

Intro to Mossberg Shotguns

Let’s be real, just about everyone in the United States has heard of O.F. Mossberg & Sons. In the unlikely event that you haven’t, here’s the scoop. Mossberg was founded by a Swedish-American immigrant named Oscar Frederick Mossberg and his two sons Iver and Harold in 1919. Over the past century, the American company has produced a number of firearms and firearms accessories right here in the United States.

Mossberg as a company has always been an organization with a solid reputation. Over 90% of their firearms manufacturing takes place in Texas, with the remaining percentage being created where the company laid its initial roots in Connecticut. Their mission has been to produce quality firearms for the working class at affordable prices. With over 50+ bolt action rifles currently in production, and a number of renowned shotguns, they have always striven to provide the average American with “More gun for the money.”

So if American made is on your list of needs in a shotgun, Mossberg is one place to start your search. If having a large selection to choose from is another need on your list, look no further.

The Mossberg 500

Mossberg Shotguns 500 Marines

When it comes to Mossberg shotguns, or any pump action shotgun in general, you’d be hard pressed to not hear about the Mossberg 500. It first came to market in 1960, and since has been a continuously changing and evolving platform. Because of these innovations and changes, the 500 has remained a best-seller, selling over 10 million units in its almost 60 year run.

These changes and innovations in the Mossberg 500 have resulted in many different variants of the shotgun making it to market. There are three distinct categories of the stock model 500, to include the Mossberg 500 Hunting, Mossberg 500 Tactical, and the Mossberg 500 flex. Each of these categories also has a set number of distinct variants where the shotgun was tailor-built with a specific purpose in mind. The Mossberg 500 Hunting has 20 different variations, the Tactical has 13, and the Flex has another three variant shotguns.

With all of these options, any individual searching for a shotgun would be hard pressed not to find a Mossberg 500 that was tailor-built for the task they have at hand.

If you think the Mossberg 500 might be for you, here’s a killer video with Hickok45 out on his range getting some time in with his shorty M500.

The Mossberg 500 Hunting

If you’re looking for options in the hunting realm, you cannot go wrong with a Mossberg 500 Hunting. There are 20 different hunting shotguns in the Mossberg 500 Hunting category, each with differences that can make or break the gun for individual shooters. With all of these variations, every hunting use for a shotgun in any season is covered.

The shotguns in this category come equipped with an ambidextrous safety that is top-mounted. Other features of the Mossberg 500 hunting include, dual extractors, steel to steel lockup, twin action bars, and an anti-jam elevator which keeps the shotgun running smooth. Mossberg also offers a wide-variety of stock finishes and accessories. This ensures that every hunting shotgun is tailor-built with the end-user in mind.

You can see the stock specifications of the Mossberg 500 Hunting below. These will vary from shotgun to shotgun, depending on which model you have.

Mossberg Shotguns 500 Hunting

Stock All Purpose Hunting Model Specifications

Gauge 12
Capacity 5+1
Chamber 3″
Barrel Type Vent Rib
Barrel Length 28″
Sight/Base Dual Bead
Choke Accu-Set
LOP Type Fixed
LOP 13.875″
Barrel Finish Matte Blued
Stock Finish Synthetic (Black)
Weight 7.5
Length 47.5″

The Mossberg 500 Tactical

Mossberg’s Tactical 500 was built with law enforcement and the military in mind. They offer 13 different variations of the weapon, and each version is prepared to take on a variety of missions. Like a tactical Mr. Potato-head, the Mossberg 500 Tactical is also capable of being altered on the drop of a dime to fit any mission specific need.

The features on the Mossberg 500 Tactical are much the same as the hunting variation of the shotgun. These include the ambidextrous top-mounted safety, dual extractors, steel-to-steel lockup, twin action bars, and an anti-jam elevator. On top of this Mossberg has also added tri-railed forends to facilitate added accessories and an adjusting stock to allow the end-user to fit the weapon to their current need. You can check out our full review on the Mossberg 500 Tactical here.

Below, you can see the specifications for the stock model 500 Tactical – 8 Shot.

Mossberg Shotguns 500 Tactical

Stock Model Mossberg 500 Tactical – 8 Shot Specifications

Gauge 12
Capacity 7+1
Chamber 3″
Barrel Type Heat Shield
Barrel Length 20″
Sight/Base Ghost Ring
Choke Cylinder Bore
LOP Type Fixed
LOP 13.875″
Barrel Finish Matte Blued
Stock Finish Synthetic (Black)
Weight 7
Length 41″

 

The Mossberg Shockwave

Mossberg Shotguns Shockwave on the Range

Technically speaking, the Mossberg Shockwave is not a “Mossberg Shotgun.” Let’s get that out of the way first. Our “friends” at the NFA have classified the Shockwave as a “firearm,” per the Gun Control Act (GCA), but not a Class 3/NFA firearm, or a short-barreled shotgun as you would expect. You can read the full letter on the classification of this firearm here.

Now that we have that out of the way, it made our list because it is a pump action firearm that is offered in a variety of shotgun gauges. Its compact 14 inch barrel fits nicely into a Mossberg 590 frame and comes with many of the exact same features that have made previous Mossberg Shotguns famous.

With the customization of a Mossberg Shotgun in a compact package, this item becomes very attractive. Also, they generally come in at a shockingly low price point as well, depending on which model you decide to purchase and what accessories you add onto the weapon. You can see the reaction from Ian and Karl over at InRange TV in the video below. They recorded it shortly after the weapon was announced at SHOT Show in 2017.

 

If you’d like to know a little bit more about the Mossberg Shockwave, you can see the specifications listed by Mossberg below.

Base Model Mossberg 590 Shockwave Specifications

Gauge 12
Capacity 5+1
Chamber 3″
Barrel Type Heavy-Walled
Barrel Length 14.375″
Sight/Base Bead
Choke Cylinder Bore
Barrel Finish Matte Blued
Stock Finish Raptor Grip / Corn Cob Forend w/ Strap
Weight 5.25
Length 26.37″

The Mossberg 590 Tactical

mossberg shotguns 590 tactical

If you are in the market for a home defense shotgun, allow me to introduce you to the Mossberg 590 Tactical. This thing sports an impressive resume.

For years now, the United States Marine Corps and many other branches of service turn to the 500 series, and the Mossberg 590 in particular, as the premiere shotgun of choice for regular infantry operations. Many American law enforcement departments also turn to the 590 when it’s time to get close up and personal with a shotgun. So rest assured, if you’ve chosen the Mossberg 590 Tactical as your home-defense shotgun, she will not fail you.

The largest technical difference you will notice between a Mossberg 500, and the Mossberg 590 is the magazine tube. At the muzzle end of a Model 500 shotgun, the magazine tube is closed off, whereas the 590 is designed to be disassembled to allow the user easy access for maintaining the magazine, and replacing heavily used parts. This is a direct reflection on the target market for this specific shotgun.

Here’s some of the basic specifications of the stock 9-shot Heat Shield Model of the Mossberg 590 Tactical.

9-Shot Heat Shield Model Specifications

Gauge 12
Capacity 8+1
Chamber 3″
Barrel Length 20″
Sight/Base Bead
Choke Cylinder Bore
LOP Type Fixed
LOP 13.875″
Barrel Finish Blued
Stock Finish Synthetic (Black)
Weight 7.25
Length 41″

 

In the event you’re still not completely sold on the Mossberg 590, here’s a video of Hickok45 out on the range with his.

Mossberg 930

Mossberg Shotguns 930 Tactical

When it comes to auto-loaders, Mossberg shotguns don’t slouch. The Mossberg 930 has been in the game for a while now, and while it’s not the most expensive or fancy auto-loader out there it will definitely get the job done for you.

Like most shotguns from Mossberg, the 930 comes in a variety of different packages. Each variant of the weapon is built with a specific task in mind. In particular, the Mossberg 930 comes in four different styles. 930 Hunting, 930 Tactical, 930 JM Pro Series, and 930 Pro-series Sporting. For the purpose of this, we’re going to take a look at the Hunting and Tactical versions of the Mossberg 930, as the other two are more targeted to competition shooters.

Mossberg 930 Hunting

Being an American company that started in the early 1900s, Mossberg understands hunting. For that reason, there are twelve different Mossberg 930s with a wide range of options in just the stock models. No matter what or where you are hunting, chances are there is an auto-loader in the 930 hunting category that has everything you’re looking for, right out of the box.

Featured in this version of the gas operated Mossberg 930 is a dual gas-vent system which dramatically reduces felt recoil. This allows the shooter to stay on target while they fire multiple rounds. It also features a magazine quick release system that makes unloading your shotgun at the end of a hunt particularly simple. All you need to do is push the ejector up into the receiver of the firearm, and then hit a button to eject the round.

Probably one of my personal favorites as a monster of a human-being however, is the adjustable stock drop system. This allows the user to fit the shotgun’s stock specific to their own individual needs. Big or small, you can get this shotgun to fit you just right.

If you’re looking for a little more information on the Mossberg 930 Hunting, you can check out the specifications of the stock Turkey Model below.

Mossberg Shotguns 930 Hunting

Turkey Model Specifications

Gauge 12
Capacity 4+1
Chamber 3″
Barrel Type Vent Rib
Barrel Length 24″
Sight/Base Adj. Fiber Optic
Choke XX-Full
LOP Type Fixed
LOP 13.875″
Barrel Finish Mossy Oak Obsession
Stock Finish Synthetic (Mossy Oak Obsession)
Weight 7.5
Length 44.5″

 

Mossberg 930 Tactical

Like most items on Mossberg’s list of creations, the 930 was designed to be multi-purpose. The tactical variant of the 930 comes in six different variations, each with their own specific mission-set. Law Enforcement and Military were definitely in mind when this auto-loader was designed. However, that doesn’t mean they slouched on their civilian counter-parts.

The 930 Tactical features all of the same functions and abilities as hunting variant of the shotgun, but with some extras. The charging handle has been extended to allow the user to operate the firearm easier under stress, or while gloved. A larger ghost-ring rear sight was added to the weapon to allow for faster target acquisition, and picatinny rails have also been added to further allow the user to customize the weapon to their specific mission. The SPX version of the Mossberg 930 also features a pistol grip, which gives even more control to the user in home-defense or CQB situations.

Here’s the specifications on the 930 Tactical – 8 Shot SPX – Pistol Grip. You can see our full review of the Mossberg 930 here.

Mossberg Shotguns 930 Tactical

930 Tactical – 8 Shot SPX – Pistol Grip Specifications

Gauge 12
Capacity 7+1
Chamber 3″
Barrel Length 18.5″
Sight/Base Ghost Ring, Front FO
Choke Cylinder Bore
LOP Type Fixed
LOP 13.75″
Barrel Finish Tan

 

If the Mossberg 930 has tickled your fancy, here’s a comprehensive review of the firearm from Twang’N’Bang.

Mossberg Maverick 88

Everyone needs a shotgun, and the Maverick 88 was created for everyone. It’s a simply designed, durable, and affordable pump action shotgun designed with every person in mind. While it is certainly not the Ferrari of Mossberg Shotguns, it has never claimed to be. Even Mossberg themselves have declared the Maverick 88 as “the working man’s shotgun.”

One of the best features of this shotgun, besides the fact that it comes with all the primary features of all other Mossberg pump-action shotguns, is the fact that it is fully accepts all Mossberg 500 barrels of the same gauge type. That means, you can adapt your Maverick 88 to whatever job you need it to do as long as you have the right barrel.

Coming in at just under 200 dollars, with a variety of different options available at purchase. The Maverick 88 is a solid shotgun choice for anyone. You can see the specifications of the base security model listed below.

Security Model Specifications

Gauge 12
Capacity 5+1
Chamber 3″
Barrel Length 18.5″
Sight/Base Bead
Choke Cylinder Bore
LOP Type Fixed
LOP 14.5″
Barrel Finish Blued
Stock Finish Synthetic (Black)
Weight 7
Length 39.5″

If you’re still not entirely convinced that the Maverick 88 is a steal, check out this video from American Gun Chic. She runs the Maverick 88 through a combative shotgun course.

Final thoughts on Mossberg Shotguns

At the end of the day, it all comes down to what you are looking for. Mossberg makes a large variety of shotguns, each with their own specific use and purpose. Regardless if you are looking for a hunting shotgun, or a home defense shotgun, an auto-loader, or a pump action, or even a niche shorty, chances are Mossberg shotguns have something for you. Even if after reading this article you’re still unconvinced, there’s plenty of great Mossberg reviews over on Full30 from a number of trusted content creators. Go give them a look!

Let us know what you thought of the article down in the comments below. If you have any questions, feel free to leave them and we’ll do our best to answer them in a timely fashion.

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Scroll to Top