The Mossberg 500 (M500) is a series of
pump action
Pump action or slide action is a repeating firearm action that is operated manually by moving a sliding handguard on the gun's forestock. When shooting, the sliding forend is pulled rearward to eject any expended cartridge and typically to coc ...
shotgun
A shotgun (also known as a scattergun, or historically as a fowling piece) is a long gun, long-barreled firearm designed to shoot a straight-walled cartridge (firearms), cartridge known as a shotshell, which usually discharges numerous small p ...
s manufactured by
O.F. Mossberg & Sons. The 500 series comprises widely varying models of
hammerless
A hammerless firearm is a firearm that lacks an exposed hammer or hammer spur. Although it may not literally lack a hammer, it lacks a hammer that the user can pull directly. One of the disadvantages of an exposed hammer spur is the tendency t ...
repeaters, all of which share the same basic
receiver and action, but differ in
bore size,
barrel
A barrel or cask is a hollow cylindrical container with a bulging center, longer than it is wide. They are traditionally made of wooden staves and bound by wooden or metal hoops. The word vat is often used for large containers for liquids, ...
length,
choke options, magazine capacity,
stock
In finance, stock (also capital stock) consists of all the shares by which ownership of a corporation or company is divided.Longman Business English Dictionary: "stock - ''especially AmE'' one of the shares into which ownership of a company ...
and
forearm
The forearm is the region of the upper limb between the elbow and the wrist. The term forearm is used in anatomy to distinguish it from the arm, a word which is most often used to describe the entire appendage of the upper limb, but which in anat ...
materials. Model numbers included in the 500 series are the 500, 505, 510, 535, and 590. The Revelation 310 and the
New Haven 600
New Haven 600 is a series of pump-action shotguns manufactured by O.F. Mossberg & Sons on behalf of department stores, most notably the Montgomery Ward Company, Western Auto, and other retail stores. ''New Haven'' is one of O.F. Mossberg & Sons' ...
were also variations of the 500 series produced by Mossberg under different names. By 2021, 11,000,000 M500s had been produced, making it the
most-produced shotgun of all time.
History
Designed in 1961 by Carl Benson, the Mossberg 500 was created mainly for use by hunters, but quickly found itself in use by law enforcement because of its reliability and low cost.
In the 1970s, the M500 was submitted for military use, but failed to meet the
MIL-SPEC
A United States defense standard, often called a military standard, "MIL-STD", "MIL-SPEC", or (informally) "MilSpecs", is used to help achieve standardization objectives by the U.S. Department of Defense.
Standardization is beneficial in achievin ...
3443E protocol,
which involves firing 3,000 rounds of shells with no more than two malfunctions. During the testing, some M500s were created to better match the MIL-SPEC, which came at an increase in cost.
M500s began to be purchased by the US military in limited numbers, with the first order consisting of approximately 5,900 shotguns for the
Navy
A navy, naval force, or maritime force is the branch of a nation's armed forces principally designated for naval warfare, naval and amphibious warfare; namely, lake-borne, riverine, littoral zone, littoral, or ocean-borne combat operations and ...
and
Coast Guard
A coast guard or coastguard is a maritime security organization of a particular country. The term embraces wide range of responsibilities in different countries, from being a heavily armed military force with customs and security duties to ...
.
To maintain its low cost, Mossberg continued to produce the M500 for civilian and police markets, and in 1987, designed the M590 specifically for military use.
In response to a Navy request, the M590 was modified, with a thickened barrel, extended magazine, barrel shroud, and bayonet lug. The new model, designated the M590A1, became the standard shotgun in the United States military.
![Urban Breach Training at Caserma Ederle, Vicenza Italy](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/40/Urban_Breach_Training_at_Caserma_Ederle%2C_Vicenza_Italy.jpg)
Replacement for the M500 came as early as 1999, when the
Marine Corps
Marines, or naval infantry, are typically a military force trained to operate in littoral zones in support of naval operations. Historically, tasks undertaken by marines have included helping maintain discipline and order aboard the ship (refle ...
adopted the
semi-automatic M1014 Combat Shotgun, which became standard issue by 2001. In 1997, the
Army
An army (from Old French ''armee'', itself derived from the Latin verb ''armāre'', meaning "to arm", and related to the Latin noun ''arma'', meaning "arms" or "weapons"), ground force or land force is a fighting force that fights primarily on ...
began to develop the
M26 Modular Accessory Shotgun System
The M26-MASS (Modular Accessory Shotgun System) is a shotgun configured as an underbarrel ancillary weapon attachment mounted onto the handguard of a service rifle, usually the M16 rifle, M16/M4 carbine, M4 family of Military of the United States, ...
, an underbarrel shotgun designed for usage on the
M4 carbine
The M4 carbine (officially Carbine, Caliber 5.56 mm, M4) is a 5.56×45mm NATO, gas-operated, magazine-fed carbine developed in the United States during the 1980s. It is a shortened version of the M16A2 assault rifle.
The M4 is extensively ...
, and which could also be used as a standalone weapon. The MASS first entered service in 2010. Despite the competing shotgun designs, including with other pump action models such as the
Remington Model 870
The Remington Model 870 is a pump-action shotgun manufactured by Remington Arms Company, LLC. It is widely used by the public for shooting sports, hunting and self-defense, as well as by law enforcement and military organizations worldwide.
Dev ...
and
Winchester Model 1200
The Model 1200 and Model 1300 are two pump-action shotguns that were manufactured by the Winchester-Western Division of Olin Corporation. It was produced in 12-, 16- and 20-gauge. The military version of the 1200 has the ability to have a bay ...
, Mossberg shotguns continued to see usage in various American military branches until the end of the 2010s.
M500 and M590 shotguns were first used during the 1991
Gulf War
The Gulf War was a 1990–1991 armed campaign waged by a 35-country military coalition in response to the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait. Spearheaded by the United States, the coalition's efforts against Iraq were carried out in two key phases: ...
, wherein they were used to defend US supply depots. In the
wars in Iraq and
Afghanistan
Afghanistan, officially the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan,; prs, امارت اسلامی افغانستان is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central Asia and South Asia. Referred to as the Heart of Asia, it is bordere ...
, the M500 shotguns were primarily used for breaking locks and hinges during
door breaches.
In 2009,
U.S. Army Special Forces
The United States Army Special Forces (SF), colloquially known as the "Green Berets" due to their distinctive service headgear, are a special operations force of the United States Army.
The Green Berets are geared towards nine doctrinal m ...
Groups procured Military Enhancement Kits to provide a standardized shotgun configuration based on the Mossberg 500. The kits included a collapsible stock, "shotgun retention system", 1913 receiver rail, fore end rail system and breaching barrels. A total of 1301 shotguns were converted with the first unit being equipped in July 2009. The majority of the kits convert the standard issue shotgun to a 14" compact model with a 16" accessory breaching barrel, H92239-09-P-0113.
Model 500 options
The name "Model 500" covers an entire family of pump shotguns designed to chamber "magnum" shells. The standard model holds five or five shells in the magazine and one in the chamber. The Model 500 is available in 12 gauge, 20 gauge, and .410 bore, with the 12 gauge being the most popular and having the most optional features available. A 16 gauge model was introduced in 1963 and later discontinued.
Finishes
The standard finish for the Model 500 is an
anodized
Anodizing is an electrolytic passivation process used to increase the thickness of the natural oxide layer on the surface of metal parts.
The process is called ''anodizing'' because the part to be treated forms the anode electrode of an electr ...
aluminum
Aluminium (aluminum in American and Canadian English) is a chemical element with the symbol Al and atomic number 13. Aluminium has a density lower than those of other common metals, at approximately one third that of steel. It has ...
alloy
An alloy is a mixture of chemical elements of which at least one is a metal. Unlike chemical compounds with metallic bases, an alloy will retain all the properties of a metal in the resulting material, such as electrical conductivity, ductility, ...
receiver and a polished and
blued barrel. Some models come with a
matte
Matte may refer to:
Art
* paint with a non-glossy finish. See diffuse reflection.
* a framing element surrounding a painting or watercolor within the outer frame
Film
* Matte (filmmaking), filmmaking and video production technology
* Matte p ...
black matte-anodized receiver, and a matte blued barrel. Some 500 models are anodized to look
parkerized
Phosphate conversion coating is a chemical treatment applied to steel parts that creates a thin adhering layer of iron, zinc, or manganese phosphates, to achieve corrosion resistance, lubrication, or as a foundation for subsequent coatings or pai ...
, with parkerized barrels. This is also true of the 590 series since an aluminum receiver cannot be parkerized.
Mossberg also offers
camouflage
Camouflage is the use of any combination of materials, coloration, or illumination for concealment, either by making animals or objects hard to see, or by disguising them as something else. Examples include the leopard's spotted coat, the ...
painted models, in a number of different patterns. Stocks are either wood or composite, with the composite stocks being matte black or camouflage to match the rest of the gun. A special model called the Mariner is available with the Marinecote finish, an electroless-nickel finish that is highly
corrosion
Corrosion is a natural process that converts a refined metal into a more chemically stable oxide. It is the gradual deterioration of materials (usually a metal) by chemical or electrochemical reaction with their environment. Corrosion engine ...
resistant. Mariner models use the black
composite
Composite or compositing may refer to:
Materials
* Composite material, a material that is made from several different substances
** Metal matrix composite, composed of metal and other parts
** Cermet, a composite of ceramic and metallic materials
...
stocks.
Model 500 vs. Model 590 vs. Model 590A1
The primary difference between the Model 500 and Model 590 is in magazine tube design. The Model 500 magazines are closed at the muzzle end, and the barrel is held in place by bolting into a threaded hole at the end of the magazine tube. Model 590 magazines are designed to be opened at the muzzle end, and the barrels fit around the magazine tube and are held on by a capnut at the end. The Model 500 magazine facilitates easy barrel changes, as the barrel bolt serves no function other than holding the barrel in place. The Model 590 magazine facilitates easy cleaning and parts replacement, as removing the nut allows removal of the magazine spring and follower.
![USMC-090101-M-6412J-033](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a4/USMC-090101-M-6412J-033.jpg)
Both the Model 500 and Model 590 have polymer trigger guards and safeties, and standard barrels. The Model 590A1 has an aluminum trigger guard and safety, a heavier barrel, and a bayonet lug (although some versions of the 590 also have bayonet lugs), intended for military use under extreme conditions and rough handling; the metal trigger guard was added in response to the 3443G materials requirements, and the heavy barrel was added at the request of the Navy to prevent barrel deformation if the shotgun caught in the closing of heavy steel ship doors. Some 590A1s have a sling swivel on the back of the bayonet lug, some do not. The 590A1 usually has a swivel mount on the stock even when there is no corresponding mount on the forward end of the weapon. The 590A1 is generally sold through military and law enforcement channels, though in most jurisdictions the and barreled models are available and may be legally purchased by any non-prohibited persons. 590A1s with 14" barrels are Title II firearms, and may be purchased only by non-prohibited persons in
NFA-legal states, after completing BATF transfer forms.
The
riot gun
In current usage, a riot gun or less-lethal launcher is a type of firearm used to fire "non-lethal" or "less-lethal" ammunition for the purpose of suppressing riots or apprehending suspects with minimal harm or risk. Less-lethal launchers may ...
versions of the pistol grip Model 500 (Persuader, Cruiser, Road Blocker, and Mariner) are available with an and barrel depending on magazine capacity. The 590 is only available with a barrel and flush-fit magazine tube. The 590A1 is available with a , 18.5-inch, or barrel. One model sold as Model 590-SP (catalog item 51663) is technically a 590A1, as it uses the heavy barrel and military trigger group, but unlike models designated 590A1 it is sold on the civilian market.
Unlike Model 500 and 590 shotguns (with the exception of ghost-ring sight 590 models), Model 590A1 shotguns cannot be easily fitted with the common factory 500 heat shield, due to the heavier barrel. A heat shield and
bayonet lug
A bayonet lug is a standard feature on most military muskets, rifles, and shotguns, and on some civilian longarms. It is intended for attaching a bayonet, which is typically a long spike or thrusting knife. The bayonet lug is the metal mount t ...
are required for military 3443G Type I riot shotguns,
and some 590A1s are so equipped. The 590A1 heat shield, p/n 16335P, is available for purchase from Mossberg for about the same price as the 500 heat shield.
Bantam and Super Bantam models
The standard Model 500 uses a
length of pull
Length of pull (sometimes abbreviated as LOP) is the distance from the trigger to the part of a rifle or shotgun which fits against the shoulder of the shooter. Length of pull is an important ergonomic factor for ease of use; and optimum length of ...
(LOP) for the stock, which is suitable for adult shooters of average or greater size. The Bantam models use a LOP stock and a forend that sits further back than the standard model. The Super Bantam stock includes two
recoil pad
A recoil pad is a piece of rubber, foam, leather, or other soft material usually attached to the buttstock of a rifle or shotgun. Recoil pads may also be worn around the shoulder with straps, placing the soft material between the buttstock and the ...
s and a stock spacer.
By using the short pad, the LOP can be reduced to ; with the spacer and longer pad, the LOP is . A number of different models are offered with Bantam and Super Bantam stocks, or they can be ordered as accessories and fitted to any Model 500.
Model 505
The new Model 505 Youth shotgun, introduced in 2005, is similar to the Bantam but scaled down further. The 505 has a LOP buttstock (compared to a standard model's , or a Bantam's ), a barrel, and a four-shot magazine tube. The 505 is available in 20 gauge and .410 bore. Parts are not interchangeable with other model 500 variants.
Model 535
The Model 535, new for 2005, is similar to the Model 500, but with a lengthened receiver that can fire shells, in addition to and shells. The 535 is a less expensive alternative to the Mossberg 835 Ulti-Mag, but the 535 lacks the 835's overbored barrel. The non-overbored barrel of the 535 does, however, allow the use of slugs, which cannot be used in the overbored barrel of the 835.
Model 535 barrels are not interchangeable with Model 500 or Model 835 barrels, but 535 barrels are available in smoothbore and rifled in a variety of vent ribbed, barrel lengths and different sights. The 535 is also available in a tactical model with
ghost ring sights and a collapsible pistol grip buttstock. Although Model 500 barrels can be used with Model 535 receivers, magazine tubes from the Model 500 must also be used because of the magazine tube length difference.
Magazine capacity
The Model 500 comes in a variety of different receiver configurations, whose main difference is the magazine configuration. The basic Model 500 comes with a magazine tube capable of holding five shells, which is called a six-shot model (a full magazine plus a round in the chamber). The 500 is also available with an extended magazine tube that holds seven rounds, making an eight-shot model. The 590A1 is available with five- and eight-shot magazines, sold as six- and nine-shot models respectively. The Model 590A1 also allows the use of magazine extensions in place of the magazine cap to further increase the capacity of ammunition.
The variants with the extended magazine tubes use different barrels, as the barrel is held in place by attaching at the end of the magazine tube. The shortest barrel length available for the eight- and nine-shot models is , which fits flush with the long magazine tube. A ribbed modified choke field barrel was also manufactured for the 8-shot model 500. The shortest barrel for
Title I
The Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) was passed by the 89th United States Congress and signed into law by President Lyndon B. Johnson on April 11, 1965. Part of Johnson's "War on Poverty", the act has been one of the most far-rea ...
six-shot models is , while military and law enforcement personnel (as well private persons in
NFA states) can also get a barrel (the 590 Compact), which uses a special 5-shot magazine.
Model 500 variants
The Model 500 is available in many variants, for a wide variety of applications. The ease of changing barrels on the Model 500 means that a single shotgun may be equipped by the owner with a number of barrels, each for a different purpose. As sold, the Model 500 is generally classed into two broad categories: field models and special purpose models.
Field models
Field models are the basic sporting models. They are available with a variety of barrel lengths and finishes, and may be set up for waterfowl hunting, upland game hunting, turkey hunting, or shooting slugs. Most smoothbore models come with interchangeable choke tubes and vent rib barrels, while the slug models come with rifle sights or scope bases, and may have smooth cylinder bore or rifled barrels.
Special purpose models
![Mossberg M590A1](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/7e/Mossberg_M590A1.JPG)
Special purpose models are intended for
self defense
Self-defense (self-defence primarily in Commonwealth English) is a countermeasure that involves defending the health and well-being of oneself from harm. The use of the right of self-defense as a legal justification for the use of force in ...
,
police
The police are a constituted body of persons empowered by a state, with the aim to enforce the law, to ensure the safety, health and possessions of citizens, and to prevent crime and civil disorder. Their lawful powers include arrest and t ...
, or
military
A military, also known collectively as armed forces, is a heavily armed, highly organized force primarily intended for warfare. It is typically authorized and maintained by a sovereign state, with its members identifiable by their distinct ...
use. The Model 590 and the eight-shot Model 500s are only sold as special purpose models. Special purpose models have short barrels, either for the six-shot models, or for the eight- and nine-shot models, but the barrels are fully interchangeable with all models of the same magazine tube length and in the 500 family. Most models come with special designations like SPX, Tactical, Mariner, etc.
Special purpose models may be equipped with a variety of specialty parts which may include adjustable stock, "Speedfeed" stock that holds four additional rounds of ammunition, pistol grip,
ghost ring
Iron sights are a system of physical alignment markers (usually made of metallic material) used as a sight (device), sighting device to assist the accurate aiming of ranged weapons (such as a firearm, airgun, crossbow or even compound bow), or l ...
and fiber optic sights,
Picatinny rail
The Picatinny rail ( or ), or Pic rail for short, also known as a MIL-STD-1913 rail, 1913 rail or STANAG 2324 rail (cancelled), is a military standard rail interface system that provides a mounting platform for firearm accessories. It was o ...
,
forearm
The forearm is the region of the upper limb between the elbow and the wrist. The term forearm is used in anatomy to distinguish it from the arm, a word which is most often used to describe the entire appendage of the upper limb, but which in anat ...
band, heatshield,
ported barrel
A muzzle brake or recoil compensator is a device connected to, or a feature integral to the construction of, the muzzle or barrel of a firearm or cannon that is intended to redirect a portion of propellant gases to counter recoil and unwanted ...
,
muzzle brake
A muzzle brake or recoil compensator is a device connected to, or a feature integral to the construction of, the muzzle or barrel of a firearm or cannon that is intended to redirect a portion of propellant gases to counter recoil and unwanted ...
, and even a bayonet lug. All special purpose models come only in black trim with either blued, non-glare matte blue, or parkerized finishes and now come with drilled and tapped receivers for scope and optics mounting.
"Special Purpose" models are not the same as "Law Enforcement" models; the latter have heavier duty barrels, safeties, trigger guards, and will stand up to harder use.
In 2018, Mossberg released the 590M, a pump-action shotgun fed by a double-stack magazine. It is available in three models; one is a derivative of the Shockwave, the other two are variants of the base 590, one having ghost ring sights and a heat shield, the other without. The magazines are available in 5, 10, 15, and 20-round capacities.
Law enforcement models
![Mossberg500LawCombo](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/3f/Mossberg500LawCombo.jpg)
Mossberg shotguns currently designated "law enforcement models" are 590A1s. 590A1s differ from other 500/590 shotguns, in that they have heavy barrels, metal trigger guards, and metal safeties. 590A1s are available in , , and barrels. The 590A1 is also used by the U.S. and allied armed forces, having been designed to meet the stricter standards outlined by the U.S. Army.
Model 500s were also previously sold as law enforcement combos in 12 gauge with both and barrels, birch buttstock, pistol grip and sling.
Home security model
The model 500 HS410, or "Home Security" model, is available in .410 gauge only, and is specifically designed for defensive use. It comes with a youth-sized stock, a vertical foregrip, and a special muzzle brake and spreader choke (to help produce wider patterns when using
buckshot
A shotgun shell, shotshell or simply shell is a type of rimmed, cylindrical (straight-walled) cartridges used specifically in shotguns, and is typically loaded with numerous small, pellet-like spherical sub-projectiles called shot, fired thro ...
) on an bead sight barrel. The .410 gauge round, while by far the least powerful common shotgun chambering, remains a formidable shotgun shell. A 90-grain slug generates energy close to (and in some manufacturer claims, exceeding) a
.357 Magnum
The .357 Smith & Wesson Magnum, .357 S&W Magnum, .357 Magnum, or 9×33mmR as it is known in unofficial metric designation, is a smokeless powder cartridge with a bullet diameter. It was created by Elmer Keith, Phillip B. Sharpe, and Douglas B. ...
when fired from a full length barrel. The HS410 is targeted at the novice user who desires a simple, easy to use, and effective defensive weapon. It is packaged with an introductory video covering use and safety, and some versions have a laser sight mounted in the foregrip.
Mossberg Shockwave
The Mossberg Shockwave is a pump action firearm based on the 590 series of shotguns. It is distinguished from the rest of the 590 series by its barrel and "birds-head" style grip. The Mossberg Shockwave was the best-selling
pump action shotgun
Pump action or slide action is a repeating firearm action that is operated manually by moving a sliding handguard on the gun's forestock. When shooting, the sliding forend is pulled rearward to eject any expended cartridge and typically to co ...
in the United States in 2020.
Design
The action of the Shockwave is taken from Mossberg's 590 series of shotguns. It features the same sliding tang safety on the top rear of the receiver, twin action bars, and dual
extractors seen on other models. The name is inherited from the manufacturer of the grip, Shockwave Technologies. Mossberg claims the grip reduces recoil. The Shockwave weighs empty, holds five rounds in the magazine tube, and has a single brass bead front sight with no rear sight. Production began in 2017 with a 12 gauge model, adding 20 gauge and .410 bore models later.
Legality
In the United States, the Shockwave does not fit the definition of a shotgun as defined by the
ATF
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (BATFE), commonly referred to as the ATF, is a domestic law enforcement agency within the United States Department of Justice. Its responsibilities include the investigation and preven ...
, which says that shotguns have barrels over in length and are made to be fired from the shoulder. It avoids restriction as a
short barrel shotgun
A sawed-off shotgun (also called a sawn-off shotgun, short-barreled shotgun, shorty or a boom stick) is a type of shotgun with a shorter gun barrel—typically under —and often a shortened or absent stock. Despite the colloquial term, ...
under
Title II of federal firearm laws by remaining over in length and not being made to have a shoulder stock. The ATF refers to the Shockwave as a non-
NFA firearm. While legal without a tax stamp at a federal level, regulations also vary by state, thereby prohibiting purchase in some states.
Accessories and combinations
The Mossberg 500 has always been marketed as a multi-purpose firearm. Mossberg sells a wide variety of accessory stocks and barrels, allowing many configurations to be made (including, in the past, a
bullpup
A bullpup firearm is one with its firing grip located in front of the Chamber (firearms), breech of the weapon, instead of behind it. This creates a weapon with a shorter overall length for a given barrel length, and one that is often lighter, ...
configured model 500). Mossberg is also the only company to ever offer a
double-action
Double action (or double-action) refers to one of two systems in firearms where the trigger both cocks and releases the hammer.
*Double-action only (DAO) firearms trigger: The trigger both cocks and releases the hammer. There is no single-action f ...
-only model. The model 590DA offers a longer, heavier trigger pull, to reduce the chance of an accidental discharge by the operator, and was targeted at the police market.
With the appropriate parts, the same Model 500 can be a field gun, a
slug gun, defensive weapon for civilian, police, or military use,
trap
A trap is a mechanical device used to capture or restrain an animal for purposes such as hunting, pest control, or ecological research.
Trap or TRAP may also refer to:
Art and entertainment Films and television
* ''Trap'' (2015 film), Fil ...
and
skeet
Skeet may refer to:
* Skeet shooting, a discipline of competitive clay pigeon shooting
** ISSF Olympic skeet, a variant used at the Olympic Games
People
* Skeet Childress (born 1979), American guitar player in the band Look What I Did
* Skeet Q ...
gun, or .50 caliber (12.7mm) rifled
muzzleloader
A muzzleloader is any firearm into which the projectile and the propellant charge is loaded from the muzzle of the gun (i.e., from the forward, open end of the gun's barrel). This is distinct from the modern (higher tech and harder to make) design ...
.
Mossberg has also sold "combination" sets, with a single receiver and more than one barrel. Common examples included a field barrel packaged with an cylinder bore barrel for defensive use, or a field barrel and a slug barrel, or a slug barrel and a .50 caliber muzzleloading rifle barrel.
A unique item offered by Mossberg for the Model 500 is a line launcher kit. It uses special
blank cartridge to propel a shaft with an optional floating head and a light rope attached to it; a canister hung below the barrel to hold the line spool. A test of the Mossberg 500 with line launcher by the BoatUS Foundation showed an average range of over with the floating head. Distances of are claimed for the non-floating long distance head.
All Mossberg models including the 835, 535, 500, 505 and 590 (except for Special-Purpose and Law Enforcement models) are shipped with a wooden dowel with two rubber O-rings, also called a duck plug, located in the tube magazine. This is to comply with U.S. migratory bird laws. This dowel reduces and regulates the number of shells that can be loaded in the magazine to 2. This can be removed by taking off the barrel, pointing the shotgun downward, and shaking it back and forth lightly until the dowel shows out of the end of the magazine tube. It must then be pulled out, as the O-rings prevent it from just falling out. Except for the Maverick 88, all current production Mossberg models have a pre-drilled receiver for installation of an upper Picatinny rail for mounting various optics such as red dot sights. Some models can be bought with the rail and accessories already installed.
Some Mossberg models, like the 590, have a bayonet lug.
Maverick Arms subsidiary
Mossberg also markets a less expensive shotgun under the
Maverick Arms
Maverick, Maveric or Maverik may refer to:
History
* Maverick (animal), an unbranded range animal, derived from U.S. cattleman Samuel Maverick
Aviation
* AEA Maverick, an Australian single-seat sportsplane design
* General Aviation Design Bureau ...
name, the
Mossberg Maverick
The Maverick 88 is a pump action shotgun manufactured for O.F. Mossberg & Sons. The Maverick 88 is virtually identical to the Mossberg 500. Factory Maverick 88s feature a black, synthetic only stock and forearm, cylinder bore (although interchan ...
88, in blued finish, with synthetic stocks, and in appearance, it is virtually identical to the 500 model. Maverick and Mossberg shotguns share many interchangeable parts, but Maverick shotguns differ in some ways, such as lacking sling swivel studs and having cross-bolt safeties instead of tang safeties, which makes the trigger group non-interchangeable with the Model 500 shotgun. The one-piece forearm can be replaced with OEM or aftermarket parts with the addition of an action slide tube, as the factory forearm has the action bars pinned into place. The Maverick series also does not come drilled and tapped for rail mounts like the 500 models. There are two basic models of the 88, the 88 field and the 88 security, with a cartridge capacity of six or eight shots, and they cannot have their magazines easily extended without machining.
Model numbers
*500A =
12 gauge
*500AB =
12 gauge, Dual Action Bar
*500B =
16 gauge
The gauge (or commonly bore in British English) of a firearm is a unit of measurement used to express the inner diameter (bore diameter) of the barrel.
Gauge is determined from the weight of a solid sphere of lead that will fit the bore of the ...
(has been discontinued)
*500C =
20 gauge and
12 gauge
*500D =
28 gauge (never went into production)
*500E =
.410 bore
The .410 bore is one of the smallest caliber of shotgun shell commonly available (along with the 9mm Flobert rimfire cartridge, and the less common .22 rimfire shot shell). A .410 bore shotgun loaded with shot shells is well suited for small g ...
Military use
Users
Mossberg produced two U.S. military versions of the model 500, the 500 MILS and the 500M MILS, the difference being the location of the upper sling swivel. The model numbers contain a U.S. prefix to the serial number. These particular models (500 MILS & 500M MILS) contain all metal parts, are parkerized with a 20-inch barrel. The magazine capacity is 6+1.
*
*
* :Used by naval infantry 590 in use with Marine Special Operations Battalion and Army Police. 500 Cruiser issued to
BFEsp
*
* :
National Police of Iceland
In Iceland, the Police () is the national police force of Iceland. It is responsible for law enforcement throughout the country, except in Icelandic territorial waters which fall under the jurisdiction of the Icelandic Coast Guard. Police af ...
.
*
*
*
*
* :
Malaysian Special Operations Force
The National Special Operations Force (NSOF) ( ms, Pasukan Operasi Khusus Nasional) was Malaysia's main security force which serves as the first responder to any terror threats on the country's sovereignty. The force covers elements from the Mala ...
and
RELA Corps
The People's Volunteer Corps ( ms, Jabatan Sukarelawan Malaysia), abbreviated RELA, officially the Malaysia Volunteers Corps Department, is a paramilitary civil volunteer corps formed by the Malaysian government. Their roles include: Helping t ...
.
*
* : 590DA1 is used by the
Korps Commandotroepen
The (KCT) ( en, Commando Corps) is the elite special forces unit of the Royal Netherlands Army. The KCT traces its origins to the Second World War with the founding of No. 2 (Dutch) Troop, and the founding of the during the Indonesian War of ...
, Armoured infantry and the Airmobile Brigade of the
Royal Netherlands Army
The Royal Netherlands Army ( nl, Koninklijke Landmacht) is the land branch of the Netherlands Armed Forces. Though the Royal Netherlands Army was raised on 9 January 1814, its origins date back to 1572, when the was raised – making the Dutc ...
.
*
*
* : 50,440 in use by
Military Gendarmerie
The Military Gendarmerie ( pl, Żandarmeria Wojskowa, abbreviated ''ŻW'') is a military police force established in 1990 in Poland as a specialized service of the Polish Armed Forces.
History
The Polish Military Gendarmerie is a military police ...
and 590 in use by
Policja
Policja () is the generic name for the national police force of the Republic of Poland. The Polish police force was known as ''policja'' throughout the Second Polish Republic (1918–1939), and in the modern Republic of Poland since 1990. Its cur ...
since 1994 and probably in use by
Polish Troops in Afghanistan.
*: Used by
Portuguese Marine Corps
The Portuguese Marine Corps ( pt, Corpo de Fuzileiros, meaning literally "Corps of Fusiliers") constitutes the Elite Commando Raid Force and Special Operations branch of the Portuguese Navy . It has roles similar to the ones of the USMC Reconnais ...
.
*
* : Mossberg M-590 is used by
Special Anti-Terrorist Unit.
* : Used by
Royal Solomon Islands Police Force
The Royal Solomon Islands Police Force (RSIPF) is the national police force of Solomon Islands and in January 2015 had an establishment of approximately 1,153 officers and 43 police stations across the country.
Solomon Islands has no military o ...
.
*: Used by the
Army
An army (from Old French ''armee'', itself derived from the Latin verb ''armāre'', meaning "to arm", and related to the Latin noun ''arma'', meaning "arms" or "weapons"), ground force or land force is a fighting force that fights primarily on ...
,
Navy
A navy, naval force, or maritime force is the branch of a nation's armed forces principally designated for naval warfare, naval and amphibious warfare; namely, lake-borne, riverine, littoral zone, littoral, or ocean-borne combat operations and ...
, and
Marines
Marines, or naval infantry, are typically a military force trained to operate in littoral zones in support of naval operations. Historically, tasks undertaken by marines have included helping maintain discipline and order aboard the ship (refle ...
.
*:Was donated to the Ukrainian Army by the
United States government
The federal government of the United States (U.S. federal government or U.S. government) is the national government of the United States, a federal republic located primarily in North America, composed of 50 states, a city within a fede ...
in the
2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine
On 24 February 2022, in a major escalation of the Russo-Ukrainian War, which began in 2014. The invasion has resulted in tens of thousands of deaths on both sides. It has caused Europe's largest refugee crisis since World War II. An ...
.
*
See also
*
Combat shotgun
A combat shotgun is a shotgun issued by militaries for warfare. The earliest shotguns specifically designed for combat were the trench guns or trench shotguns issued in World War I. While limited in range, the multiple projectiles typically us ...
*
List of shotguns
This article is a list of shotguns. Shotguns have traditionally fired iron, stone or lead shot stored in large shells that are normally loaded.
See also
* Assault shotgun
*Automatic shotgun
*Combat shotgun
*List of bullpup firearms
*List of ...
*
List of shotguns of the U.S. Armed Forces
References
*
The tactical shotgun in urban operationsInfantry Magazine, Nov-Dec, 2004
External links
Official websiteMossberg's 410 home defender: a well-targeted shotgun Scott Farrell, Shooting Industry, March, 1992.
Guns & Ammo Magazine, April, 2007
Letter from the ATF A letter from the ATF concerning the legality of Mossberg's Shockwave firearm.
Nazarian's Gun's Recognition Guide (FILM) a highly modified Mossberg 590 which includes a Cavalry Arms buttstock adapter systems and a Knoxx Industries Sidewinder Conversion Kit snail drum magazine (.wmv)
{{Mossberg firearms
500
Police weapons
Pump-action shotguns
United States Marine Corps equipment
Shotguns of the United States
Weapons and ammunition introduced in 1961