MOSSBERG 590S MULTI-SHELL MONSTER REVIEW

A Day at the range with my Mossberg 590S model 51602

This weekend, my brother and I went out the desert area by my home and did some shooting. NC Scout knows this area well, as him and I were out there shooting a few times while he was here in AZ. NC Scout and I shot a few of my AKs, and a NAA Sidewinder with custom grips I had made on it. He was absolutely floored by how easy the little .22 Magnum was to shoot and how accurate he was with that little beasty. According to him, my custom grips made a big difference. (And let me say, if you have any doubts how accurate he is, take it from me, his wallet definitely says “Bad Muther******” on it.) But I digress.

So, as I was saying, the site my brother and I were at this weekend was the same one. We set up multiple targets and plenty of “fun stuff” to shoot at because, if you are going to shoot, you damn well better have some fun. Right? Any who, you will see the targets in the pics, and you will see some stuff that was left out there by other people. Annoying but I’m not the EPA so, whatever.

Any of these 12g shells can fit in and run thru the Mossberg 590S 3″, 2.75″, 2.5″, 1.75″

MOSSBERG 590S BOUGHT & PAID FOR

Moving on, after our targets were set up, we brought out the Mossberg 590S that was bought & paid for by yours truly. Yes, I said PURCHASED. I like to buy the guns I review, but I have reviewed many that were sent to me on loan, etc. Writers with scruples always write from a truthful perspective, but I have heard of writers who don’t for one reason or another. That’s their prerogative, I believe in the consumer knowing everything, the good & bad, because a faulty firearm could mean someone getting hurt or worse.

One of the more interesting things about the 590S is its ability to run 3 sizes of shells in it (Or more, read the specs below). I am a preparedness-minded individual so any firearm I can get my hands on that will run multiple loads is a win-win in my book… or in this case, a win-win-win. The other features I like are the upgrades applied to these Mossberg 590 shotguns, and the 590S shotguns. The redesign of the Anti-jam elevator and the bolt whisper “reliability” to me. These sorts of improvements tell me, a gunsmith, that Mossberg doesn’t like to just rest on their laurels, and bask in their victories… they like to keep pushing forwards.

Let me guess, you want to know the specs of the Mossberg 590S model 51602 don’t you? Well, first off, it’s about $600-$700 retail with an MSRP of $731.00. That is no joke, but you get what you pay for. The other specs are as follows:

• Gauge: 12 (Damn right!)
• Barrel Length: 20”
• Sight System: Ghost Ring adjustable sights
• Shell Capacity: 3” shells = 7+1 … 2-3/4” shells = 8+1 … 1-3/4” shells = 13+1
• Chamber: 3” shells (can run any of the 3 sizes above)
• Length of Pull: Fixed 13.87”
• Choke: Accu-Choke System with Cylinder Choke standard
• Finish: Matte Black Barrel, Black polymer padded stock and black polymer M-LOK forend
• OAL: 41” inches
• Weight: 7.25 pounds
• Trigger Pull: 5 pounds
• Other Features: Sling attachment points front and rear, full length tube magazine, dual extractors, twin action bars, the anti-jam shell elevator that been redesigned along with the bolt, and the one I bought has a bayonet lug… for some reason.
• One other interesting thing, in the description, it says you can run 3″, 2.75″, and 1.75″ shells, but did you know that you can also run the Nobel Sport Italia “Mini Buck” Law Enforcement shells that are 2.5″ OAL as well? I didn’t either, until I tried it. So, 4 sizes of shells. Not bad.

This pic shows the Dual Extractor Bolt of the Mossberg Shotgun

This pic shows the Ghost Ring SIght, sling swivel, bayonet lug of the Mossberg Shotgun

In this pic, among other things, you see the Opsol Mini Clip, Shell Elevator with shell size laser engraved and the Bolt Slide,

Aquila MINISHELLS #7-1/2 SHOT SHELLS 1.75”

The Aquila MiniShells #7-1/2 Shot Shells 1.75″ size were a bit smaller than I thought they were when I first took them out of the box. They are truly everything they say they are… small… cute… and they produce very little recoil. I loaded up just 5 of them to try them out first, and sure enough, I barely felt it. The minishells are great for various purposes, same as the 2.75” shotshells, but with much less recoil. The Aquila minishells come in 3 different load types. There is the #7-1/2 shotshell that carries a 5/8 oz. load and runs at 1200 feet per second. Then there is the Slug shotshell that also carries a 5/8 oz. load, and runs a bit faster at 1300 FPS.

Shooting the Mossberg 590S 12g Aguila #7.5 Shot Minishells

AGUILA BUCKSHOT MINISHELLS

Then finally, you have the Buckshot type shotshell that also carries a 5/8 oz. load just like the other two. The buckshot shell also runs at 1200 FPS just like the #7-1/2 oz. shot load, but the buckshot shell contains 7 pellets of #4 Buckshot and 4 pellets of #1 Buckshot. I just picked up a few boxes of these shells, so we will soon find out just how well these perform.

Keep in mind, if you’re going to buy the buckshot minishells, that the #4 buckshot pellets are .24” in diameter (.25” is ¼” or 1 quarter inch) and the #1 buckshot pellets are .30” in diameter. Whereas the most well-known version of “Buckshot”, which is 00 Buck, carries pellets that are .33” in diameter. This may not seem like a massive difference, and to some shooters it isn’t. But I felt you may want to know regardless. And, in case you were wondering, each pellet of #7-1/2 shot is only 0.095” in diameter. Not very big but I still wouldn’t pick a fight with someone who had it loaded up in their shotgun. Would you?

RIO 9-PELLET 00 BUCKSHOT SHELLS 2.75”

The first 2.75” shells I sent through this badboy were some of these less expensive RIO 9-Pellet 00 Buckshot Shells from the “Tactical 2021” red, white, and blue 25 round box. I sank 8 of those shells into the tube of the 590S and prepared to feel it. As I raised the shotgun to my shoulder, I remembered how I was taught to use the ghost ring sights and let it rip. Shell after shell, it all seemed to go by very fast. I did feel a little something afterwards but the padded stock of the Mossberg 590S makes it easier on your shoulder for a long day of shooting.

Shooting the Mossberg 590S 12g with Rio Buckshot

The Rio 2.75” 9-Pellet 00 Buckshot Shells are well made, have reasonably high brass, and utilize hard lead shot for their projectiles. The muzzle velocity on these shells is nothing to scoff at and runs an impressive 1345 FPS according to the website. I don’t own a chronograph otherwise I would have confirmed this myself. However, my should seems to think each shell was going at least 1345 FPS. And I relished every minute of it.

FEDERAL #8 or #7.5 SHOT SHELLS 2.75”

When it came time to test basic, everyday type ammo, I brought a 100-pack of Federal 2.75” Field & Target shot shells. These Federal F&T shells carry a 1-1/8 oz. load of #8 or #7.5 shot that screams down range at 1200 FPS. Not bad for a $38 box that put 100 shells into my ammo boxes. I’m ok with putting a few hundred of these shells back in my safe. If you want to pick some up, take a look at AMMO.COM to shop for some shells to stack in your own safe. We had both at the range when we tested out the 590S.

Shooting the Mossberg 590S 12g with Federal F&T #7.5 and #8 shot

When I finished firing the Buckshot and the Minishells, I walked back up the hill to the truck and grabbed some of the Federal Field and Target shells. I took my firing position about 20 yards away from the torso target and loaded up 8 of those simple Federal 2.75” #8 shot shells. I raised the 590S to my shoulder, flipped the receiver-mounted safety, and pressed the trigger. That #8 shot handed that target a decent wallop, even at 20 yards (give or take).

As I tore through the full tube of shells, I recall thinking: “I wonder if I could pour wax, or polymer(NOT epoxy), or something else into these shells? Something to hold the shot together for longer?” Of course, we have all heard about this “trick” and I think a few guys have done Youtube videos on it. Although I am not sure how those turned out. But the way I see it, any shotgun load, from certain distances, is going to give whatever you are shooting at a real bad day.

This is the Shot Shell aftermath from all 3 of the shells I tested that day

3 SHELLS, 3 USES?

All 3 of the shells we used today were designed to tackle different scenarios. The closest ones were the Minishell #7.5 shot shells, and the Federal Field and Target #7.5 shot shells. However, those two obviously had a serious size difference, so it was somewhat of a moot point. Meaning, that each one stands on its own. Although, the fact that the Minishells had so little recoil did lend itself to the possibility of being in the field longer, and shooting many more shells.

Whereas the usual 2-3/4” (2.75”) shells with the #8 (Or #7.5) shot loads that weigh 1-1/8 oz. versus the Minishells with their #7.5 shot load weighing only 5/8 oz. tells me that I will be much happier using the Minishells for longer shooting sessions or hunts.

When it comes to Buckshot, the kick is enough to remind you that a shotgun is fun to shoot… but don’t get carried away. And, it’s enough to remind you that you probably shouldn’t let grandma shoot this shell first. Then again, you may have a tough grandma, what do I know?

Then there’s price. I paid $30 for the 100 pack of Federal Field and Target. I paid about $20 for the 20 pack of Aguila Minishells. And I paid  $200 for 250 pack of Rio Tactical 2021 00 Buck shotshells, making them about $33-ish per box. Ammo prices aren’t great right now, but they aren’t horrible either. Right now, I like buying a little here and a little there. I am also open to testing out ammo when it’s sent to me. Either way, the Aguila Minishells are more expensive than the others, and you get less of them. You can get slugs and buckshot in the minis too, it’s your money. I personally think it is worth the cost.

WRAP UP

To sum it all up, would I buy this shotgun again? F*** YES! I don’t buy a lot of guns, I usually build them. If I am buying a gun, I must really like something about it or it has a somewhat unique capability. If you’d like to pick up one of these black and decker target wreckers… a.k.a. Mossberg 590S Model 51602, you can visit any one of many gun sites. You may want one of the two Mossberg 590S shotgun models. Or you may want to snatch up one of the two Mossberg Shockwave 590S shorty models. Or, you can go to the Mossberg Website and shop all the kick-butt offerings in their shotgun lineup.

I may or may not have grabbed the face of the target, or what was left of it after I was done

If you have any questions at all, please feel free to hit me up online or at [email protected] or you can visit my website www.gunmetalllc.com … Hit up the Contact Page, and just ask. Also, I may end up doing an article on the Shockwave. One that would focus on its use for a Truck Gun when in a WROL or SHTF situation. Would that be something you all might want to see? Let me know in the comments or via email. Thanks for checking out the article. Dane out.