noob with a mossy 590

[Recon7]

The title pretty much says it. I am pretty handy with a rifle of pistol, but I am very green when it comes to shottys. Well yesterday I just went out and bought a mossberg 590 (20'' barrel). I paid $300 + tax @ big 5. But now I am starting to wonder

Is this a good all around shotgun?
Is this a good beginner's gun?
will I look like a mall ninja if I take this hunting or to a shooting competition?

I kinda planned for my first shotgun to be my only shotgun for at least a while and would like to try a little of everything with it

 

[cloudcroft]

When you were thinking about getting a shotgun, sounds like you didn't think through exactly what "mission" said shotgun would serve. You then got one and then wondered just what it can be used for.

It's the other way around.

Lots of time spent reading through this forum on the subject -- as well as all the Mossberg 590 specific threads -- would have helped immensely.

The cylinder-bore 590 is first and foremost a Self-Defense (SD) shotgun, not a hunting or "competition" (whatever that means) shotgun. Other applications of the 590 -- other than using it for a SD role -- would be marginally successful.

"Hunting shotguns" (with various chokes, fixed or adjustable) for instance, are great for hunting (of course) but not the BEST choice for SD. A SD shotgun -- with a fixed zero-choke (cylinder bore) barrel, COULD be used for hunting close-range, but definitely is not the BEST choice for that purpose except in a survival situation. As for "competition," I don't know what you mean.

So, if your primary goal was to have a SD shotgun, you certainly succeeded and made an excellent choice. If not, then you should have gotten something else.

No one shotgun, especially a fixed-choke model, can do all things well...you need to decide what particular things you want to do then pick the shotgun with which to do it.

But that's really true with ANY type of firearm, handgun or rifle, too.

-- John D.

 

[Lee Lapin]

It's a great defensive shotgun, and it'll work for 3-gun if you get into that. It won't be the best possible choice for hunting (other than deer or close-flushing game birds) or for clay games, some clubs won't allow barrels shorter than 21" or some other arbitrary length, they say short barrels are 'too loud.' But an open choked short barrel isn't the best bet for clays anyway.

I'm not Mr. Mossbergexpertguy, but in a quick look around the web I don't see that Mossberg makes any longer barrels for the 590. ( http://www.mossberg.com/products/access.asp?type=barrels&section=access ) Seems you're pretty well stuck with the barrel you have. That significantly limits the utility of the shotgun IMO.

One of the reasons I prefer 870s is that there is a plethora, a gaggle, a pile, a barrel of barrels of different types for it pretty widely available, and that makes the gun a lot more versatile for the one-shotgun person.

The 590 is a good solid gun, don't get me wrong. But with a short open choked barrel and no accessory barrels available its utility is somewhat limited.

lpl/nc

 

[rugerdude]

You have a great shotgun, not as versatile as some, but reliable to a fault.

I shot my only perfect round of skeet with a mossy 590 20" cylinder bore. It is not only capable on the skeet field, it is downright fun! When you see a 3,000 dollar skeet gun, they paid 90% of that for guage versatility and a better fit, which is important but not necessary. In fact, I shoot better with an 18" or 20" barrel.......and I honestly have no idea why.

The 590 was my uncle's and I had to give it back, but I liked shooting skeet with it so much that I bought a mossberg 500 with an 18" clylinder bore barrel and it is a blast.

 

[jhgreasemonkey]

Thats a great gun but you will probably end up getting 2-3 shotguns for different purposes. I have yet to be happy with just one "do it all" shotgun.