{"id":3438,"date":"2025-08-18T20:09:24","date_gmt":"2025-08-18T20:09:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/nextgun.ch\/wiki\/mossberg-590-the-american-military-shotgun\/"},"modified":"2025-08-18T20:16:18","modified_gmt":"2025-08-18T20:16:18","slug":"mossberg-590-the-american-military-shotgun","status":"publish","type":"wiki","link":"https:\/\/nextgun.ch\/en\/wiki\/mossberg-590-the-american-military-shotgun\/","title":{"rendered":"Mossberg 590 | The American military shotgun"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
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Introduction<\/h2>

The Mossberg 590<\/strong> is one of the most widely recognized shotguns in the military and police world. Designed by the American company O.F. Mossberg & Sons<\/strong>, this 12-gauge<\/strong> shotgun has been conceived for intensive use in the worst conditions. It represents the “militarized” variant of the famous Mossberg 500, with enhanced features for tactical operations. <\/p>

Reliable, robust, easy to maintain and highly modular, the Mossberg 590 is now the standard for armed forces, law enforcement agencies and demanding civilian shooters.<\/p>

Origins and development<\/h2>

The Mossberg 500, introduced in 1961, quickly became a successful shotgun, thanks to its simple, affordable design. But in the 1980s, the US Department of Defense (DoD<\/strong> ) demanded a more robust model to meet stringent military specifications. <\/p>

The result is the Mossberg 590<\/strong>, with key improvements:<\/p>

  • Removable magazine tube<\/strong> (for easy maintenance)<\/p><\/li>

  • A threaded barrel cap<\/strong><\/p><\/li>

  • Increased tubular magazine capacity<\/strong> (up to 9 shots)<\/p><\/li>

  • Reinforced materials (military metals and polymers)<\/p><\/li>

  • A barrel without fixed choke<\/strong>, facilitating the use of a variety of ammunition types<\/p><\/li><\/ul>

    The even stronger 590A1<\/strong> is the model officially adopted by theUS Navy<\/strong> and other branches of the US military.<\/p>

    Technical specifications (standard 590 model)<\/h2>
    Features<\/th>Detail<\/th><\/tr><\/thead>
    Gauge<\/td>12\/70 (12 gauge)<\/td><\/tr>
    Capacity<\/td>Up to 8+1 shots<\/td><\/tr>
    Overall length<\/td>Approx. 1040 mm (varies with version)<\/td><\/tr>
    Barrel length<\/td>508 mm (20 inches) typical<\/td><\/tr>
    Mechanism<\/td>Pump (slide action)<\/td><\/tr>
    Materials<\/td>Steel, aluminum, polymer<\/td><\/tr>
    Sights<\/td>Phantom sight + front sight or rail<\/td><\/tr>
    Weight<\/td>Approx. 3.5 kg<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table>

    Main variants<\/h2>

    Mossberg 590A1<\/h3>

    Designed for military standards<\/strong>, with :<\/p>

    • Thicker barrel (resistance to thermal stress)<\/p><\/li>

    • Reinforced handguard<\/p><\/li>

    • Metal internal parts (instead of polymer)<\/p><\/li>

    • Ghost Ring<\/p><\/li><\/ul>

      Mossberg 590 Shockwave<\/h3>

      Ultra-compact<\/strong>, stockless version with pistol grip. Total length less than 66 cm. Not classified as a rifle in the USA, very popular for discreet carry or close defense. <\/p>

      Mossberg 590 Retrograde<\/h3>

      Vintage design, with wooden stock and handguard<\/strong>, bronzed finish. Restores the look of military rifles from the 60s and 70s. <\/p>

      Mossberg 590M<\/h3>

      Model compatible with detachable magazine<\/strong>, capacity from 5 to 20 shots. Modern solution for fast reloading. <\/p>

      Military and police use<\/h2>

      The Mossberg 590A1 is the only shotgun to have passed the<\/strong> US Army’s MIL-SPEC 3443E tests<\/strong>, making it an official choice for :<\/p>

      • US Navy<\/strong><\/p><\/li>

      • US Marines Corps<\/strong><\/p><\/li>

      • US Army (some units)<\/strong><\/p><\/li><\/ul>

        It is also widely used by American police forces<\/strong>, SWAT units and federal agencies. Its easy maintenance, robustness and compatibility with a wide range of accessories make it the tool of choice for close-in operations. <\/p>

        Ergonomics and modularity<\/h2>

        The Mossberg 590 is designed to be simple, modular and reliable<\/strong>:<\/p>

        • Ambidextrous controls<\/strong>: the safety device is located on the top of the frame, accessible to both left- and right-handed operators.<\/p><\/li>

        • Ergonomic handguard<\/strong>: facilitates quick handling.<\/p><\/li>

        • M-LOK mounts or Picatinny rails<\/strong> (on certain models) for lamps, optics, handles.<\/p><\/li>

        • Compatible with telescopic<\/strong> or tactical stocks<\/strong>.<\/p><\/li><\/ul>

          Comparison with other tactical shotguns<\/h2>
          Model<\/th>Capacity<\/th>Key features<\/th><\/tr><\/thead>
          Mossberg 590<\/td>8+1<\/td>Reliability, ambidextrous controls<\/td><\/tr>
          Remington 870<\/td>7+1<\/td>Solid, more direct trigger<\/td><\/tr>
          Benelli M3<\/td>7+1<\/td>Semi-auto \/ manual mode (hybrid)<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table>

          The Mossberg 590 stands out for its ease of maintenance<\/strong>, versatility<\/strong> and official<\/strong> use by the US military<\/strong>, making it particularly credible in a professional or tactical context.<\/p>

          Conclusion<\/h2>

          The Mossberg 590<\/strong> is the epitome of a tactical shotgun: simple, effective, customizable and extremely reliable. Whether for military, police or civilian use, it offers consistent performance and extensive compatibility with a wide range of configurations. <\/p>

          Its variants, from the ultra-resistant 590A1 to the compact Shockwave, make it a versatile tool for a wide range of missions. A true benchmark in its category, it continues to establish itself as an essential choice for security professionals and tactical weapons enthusiasts alike. <\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"featured_media":3423,"template":"elementor_theme","meta":{"_acf_changed":false},"class_list":["post-3438","wiki","type-wiki","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry"],"acf":[],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/nextgun.ch\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/wiki\/3438","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/nextgun.ch\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/wiki"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/nextgun.ch\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/wiki"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/nextgun.ch\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/wiki\/3438\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3439,"href":"https:\/\/nextgun.ch\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/wiki\/3438\/revisions\/3439"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nextgun.ch\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/3423"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/nextgun.ch\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3438"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}