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Table of Contents
How we tested: Every pick here is ranked against our testing methodology. Minimum round counts, accuracy and reliability protocols, the failures that disqualify a gun.
Review: Mossberg 590S, the 590 That Eats Any Shell You Feed It
Our Rating: 8.4/10
- MSRP: $742 (Optic-Ready models) to $1,064 (Magpul Holosun Micro Dot Combo); $825 for the ghost ring 590S (51602)
- Street Price: $563.99 for the 590S Tactical at Guns.com on September 27, 2026 (Use our live pricing for the best up to date deal)
- Gauge: 12 gauge, 3 in. chamber that cycles 1.75, 2.75 and 3 in. shells
- Action: Pump action on the 500 platform, twin action bars, dual extractors
- Barrel Length: 20 in. or 18.5 in.; 14.375 in. or 18.5 in. on the Shockwave
- Capacity (20 in.): 7+1 with 3 in., 8+1 with 2.75 in., 13+1 with 1.75 in. shells
- Capacity (18.5 in.): 5+1, 6+1 and 9+1 by the same shell lengths
- Choke: Accu-Choke with a cylinder bore tube on 20 in. models and the threaded 51609; fixed cylinder bore on the other 18.5 in. guns
- Weight and Length: 7.25 lb and 41 in. (20 in.); 6.75 lb and 37.75 to 39.5 in. (18.5 in.)
Pros
- Runs 1.75, 2.75 and 3 in. shells mixed, no adapter
- 13+1 minishells in the 20 in. gun
- Often under $600 on the street
Cons
- Most 18.5 in. models have fixed cylinder bores
- Ghost ring model lists $83 higher
- Minishells punish a lazy pump stroke
Quick Take
The 590S is Mossberg’s 590 pump with a reworked feed system. Mossberg says a redesigned elevator and bolt slide, plus an energy-absorbing bumper, let it feed 1.75, 2.75 and 3 in. shells in any combination without an adapter. Shorter shells mean more of them fit, so the 20 in. gun holds 13+1 minishells.
We shot two: the 20 in. ghost ring 590S (51602) and the 18.5 in. 590S Optic-Ready (51605). They ran 550 rounds of mixed shell lengths between them with one stoppage, and it was my short stroke on a minishell.
It’s also cheap for what it does. Guns.com had the 590S Tactical at $563.99, and an 18.5 in. 590A1 M-LOK was $640.99 at PSA the same day.
Best For: Home defense buyers who want more rounds in the tube, and anyone who wants to shoot whatever 12 gauge ammo is on the shelf. Not for buyers who want a duty-grade 590A1 or a semi-auto.
Design Intent: One Tube, Three Shell Lengths
Minishells are only 1.75 in. long, and getting a pump gun to feed them is the problem the 590S was built to solve. Mossberg’s launch announcement for the 590S, archived in February 2022, says the 590S cycles 1.75, 2.75 and 3 in. shells “interchangeably, in any combination, without the use of an adaptor.”
The fix is in the feed parts. Mossberg says the 590S has a redesigned elevator and bolt slide and an added energy-absorbing bumper, a design it calls patent-pending. The rest is the 590 you already know. It’s based on the 500 platform, with twin action bars, steel-to-steel lockup, an anti-jam elevator, dual extractors, a drilled and tapped receiver and the top-mounted ambidextrous safety. Mossberg also gives it a clean-out magazine tube with a cap.
The capacity payoff is big. The 20 in. models hold 7+1 with 3 in. shells, 8+1 with 2.75 in. and 13+1 with 1.75 in. minishells, so the same gun holds almost twice as many rounds with the short shells. For how the regular 590 and 500 line up, see our Mossberg 500 vs 590 comparison.
The $83 Sight Gap and the Choke Catch
Mossberg lists two 20 in. 590S shotguns. The 590S (51602) has a ghost ring rear sight and lists at $825. The 590S Optic-Ready (51604) has a bead front sight and an optic-ready receiver and lists at $742. On Mossberg’s spec pages they share the same barrel, capacity, 41 in. length, 13.87 in. length of pull, 7.25 lb weight and M-LOK forend. The difference is the sights, and it’s $83 at list.
Street prices shrink it. Classic Firearms had the 51604 at $536.74 and the 51602 at $596.49. If you plan to put a red dot on it anyway, the optic-ready gun is the one to buy.
The choke is the other thing to check. Both 20 in. models use Mossberg’s Accu-Choke system with a cylinder bore tube installed, so you can swap tubes. The 18.5 in. Optic-Ready, Compact and Magpul models list a fixed cylinder bore. Only one 18.5 in. gun, the heavy-walled Optic-Ready Threaded (51609), takes Accu-Choke tubes. If you want to tighten patterns for turkey or slugs, buy a 20 in. model or the 51609.
Mossberg 590S Variants
Mossberg’s 590S family page lists eight shotguns. Here they are with Mossberg’s list prices.
590S (51602): 20 in. barrel, ghost ring sight, Accu-Choke, M-LOK forend, 13+1 with minishells $825 MSRP
590S Optic-Ready (51604): 20 in. barrel, bead sight, Accu-Choke, M-LOK forend, 13+1 with minishells $742 MSRP
590S Optic-Ready (51605): 18.5 in. barrel, bead sight, fixed cylinder bore, 9+1 with minishells $742 MSRP
590S Compact Optic-Ready (51607): 18.5 in. barrel, 12 to 13 in. length of pull with spacer, 37.75 in. long $742 MSRP
590S Optic-Ready Threaded (51609): 18.5 in. heavy-walled barrel, Accu-Choke, adjustable length of pull $777 MSRP
590S Magpul Holosun Micro Dot Combo (51606): 18.5 in., gray Magpul SGA stock and MOE forend, Holosun micro dot $1,064 MSRP
590S Shockwave (51600 and 51601): Raptor bird's head grip, 18.5 in. or 14.375 in. barrel, strapped corncob forend $700 MSRP
Guns.com had the Compact at $564.99 and PSA at $584.99. The shorter length of pull suits smaller shooters or anyone wearing body armor or a heavy coat.
The Shockwave versions have a short bird’s head grip instead of a stock. They’re 5.3 to 5.5 lb and 26.37 to 30.75 in. long, and the 14.375 in. gun holds 8+1 minishells. For the original 590 version, see our Mossberg 590 Shockwave review.
Competitor Comparison
Here’s the 590S against the other Mossberg 590s and the semi-auto people step up to.
Mossberg 590A1 ($579.99 to $706.99)
The 590A1 is the Mossberg most people compare the 590S with. PSA had the 18.5 in. M-LOK 590A1 at $640.99, about $77 more than the 590S Tactical at Guns.com. Mossberg sells the 590S as the gun that feeds minishells without an adapter, and on a tube-fed pump that’s a big capacity bump. Our Mossberg 590A1 review covers what the A1 adds, and our 590 vs 590A1 guide explains the differences.
Mossberg 590R ($739.99 to $929.99)
The 590R is the pricier 590, and Sportsman’s Warehouse had it at $829.99, about $266 more than the 590S Tactical at Guns.com. For what the extra money buys, see our Mossberg 590R review. If you want the most rounds for the money, the 590S wins.
Beretta 1301 Tactical ($1,449 to $1,949)
The 1301 Tactical is the semi-auto many 590 owners eventually look at. Guns.com had it at $1,660.99, almost three times the 590S Tactical. It’s faster to run, but it’s a different price class. Read our Beretta 1301 Tactical review if you’re thinking about stepping up.
Verdict: The 590S is the cheapest 590 on this list on the day we checked, and the only one Mossberg sells for mixing minishells without an adapter. For more choices, see our best short barrel shotguns.
Testing Protocol
We tested a 20 in. 590S with ghost ring sights (51602) and an 18.5 in. 590S Optic-Ready (51605). We shot them over three sessions in September, from 58 to 81 degrees, at 10, 15, 25 and 50 yards on the factory sights.
Ammunition Log
- Federal Top Gun 2.75 in. #8 target load, 100 rounds per gun
- Federal Premium Personal Defense 2.75 in. 00 buck with Flite Control wad, 50 rounds per gun
- Federal TruBall 2.75 in. 1 oz rifled slug, 25 rounds per gun
- Aguila Minishell 1.75 in. buckshot, 50 rounds per gun
- Aguila Minishell 1.75 in. slug, 25 rounds per gun
- Federal Power-Shok 3 in. 00 buck, 25 rounds per gun
That’s 275 rounds through each gun, 550 in total. After the first 100 target loads, we loaded the tube with mixed shell lengths in random order for every string.
Phase 1: Break-In
Both guns started on Top Gun target loads after a wipe-down. The pumps were a little gritty for the first 40 rounds and smoothed out after that. Empties came out cleanly from the start.
Phase 2: Reliability
This is the test that matters on a 590S. We loaded minishells, 2.75 in. buckshot and 3 in. magnums in random order and ran them as fast as we could pump. At round 131 on the 18.5 in. gun, an Aguila Minishell stopped short of the chamber. I had short-stroked the pump. A full stroke fed it, and it didn’t happen again. Nothing else went wrong in 550 rounds, including strings that went 3 in., 1.75 in., 2.75 in. back to back.
We also checked capacity. The 20 in. gun’s tube took 13 Aguila Minishells, which matches Mossberg’s 13+1.
Phase 3: Patterns and Slugs
At 15 yards, the Federal Flite Control 00 buck kept all nine pellets inside 3.5 inches from the 20 in. gun with its cylinder tube and 4.1 inches from the 18.5 in. gun. The Aguila Minishell buckshot opened up to about 5 inches at 10 yards. Power-Shok 3 in. 00 buck spread to about 8 inches at 15 yards.
With slugs off a rest, the 20 in. gun’s ghost ring sights put five Federal TruBall slugs into 2.6 inches at 50 yards. The Aguila Minishell slugs grouped 3.1 inches at 25 yards from the 18.5 in. gun’s bead. Our trigger gauge read 6 lb 2 oz on the 20 in. gun and 6 lb 8 oz on the 18.5 in. gun.
Tracking & Observations
After 275 rounds each, the matte blue showed light wear on the action bars and nothing else. The minishells were noticeably softer to shoot than full-size buckshot, and the 3 in. magnums were the only loads that were unpleasant from the 7.25 lb 20 in. gun. The clean-out cap on the magazine tube made the post-test cleaning quicker.
What This Means for You
- Reliability: Mixed shell lengths are fine. Run the pump all the way, every time.
- Ammo Preference: Flite Control 00 buck gave the tightest buckshot patterns.
- Capacity: Minishells take the 20 in. gun from 8+1 to 13+1.
- Accuracy Expectation: About 2.5 to 3 inches with slugs at 50 yards on the ghost ring.
- Model Choice: Get a 20 in. gun if you want choke tubes and the most capacity.
Performance Testing Results
Reliability (9/10)
One stoppage in 550 rounds of mixed shell lengths, and it was my short stroke. The feed system does what Mossberg says it does.
Accuracy (8/10)
Tight Flite Control patterns at home defense distances and 2.6 in. slug groups at 50 yards. The 18.5 in. guns’ fixed cylinder bore can’t be tightened.
Ergonomics & Recoil (8/10)
The top safety works for lefties and righties. Minishells are soft shooting, and the 3 in. magnums bite. The Compact’s adjustable length of pull is worth a look for smaller shooters.
Fit, Finish, and Quality Control (8/10)
It’s a working shotgun, finished in matte blue with black synthetic furniture. Nothing was loose or out of place on either gun.
Value (9/10)
At $563.99 for the 590S Tactical, it cost less than the 590A1 at PSA and far less than a 590R or a 1301. That’s a lot of shotgun for the money.
Features (8/10)
Three shell lengths, eight models and an optic-ready option across most of the line. Choke tubes on only three of the eight is the gap.
Technical Deep Dive
Mossberg’s Eight 590S Models
From Mossberg’s 590S product pages. Capacity is listed for 3 in., 2.75 in. and 1.75 in. shells.
| Model (SKU) | Barrel | Choke | Capacity | Sights | Weight | MSRP |
| 590S (51602) | 20 in. | Accu-Choke | 7+1 / 8+1 / 13+1 | Ghost ring | 7.25 lb | $825 |
| 590S Optic-Ready (51604) | 20 in. | Accu-Choke | 7+1 / 8+1 / 13+1 | Bead, optic-ready | 7.25 lb | $742 |
| 590S Optic-Ready (51605) | 18.5 in. | Cylinder bore | 5+1 / 6+1 / 9+1 | Bead, optic-ready | 6.75 lb | $742 |
| Compact Optic-Ready (51607) | 18.5 in. | Cylinder bore | 5+1 / 6+1 / 9+1 | Bead, optic-ready | 6.75 lb | $742 |
| Optic-Ready Threaded (51609) | 18.5 in. heavy-walled | Accu-Choke | 5+1 / 6+1 / 9+1 | Bead, optic-ready | 6.75 lb | $777 |
| Magpul Holosun Combo (51606) | 18.5 in. | Cylinder bore | 5+1 / 6+1 / 9+1 | Bead, Holosun micro dot | 6.75 lb | $1,064 |
| Shockwave (51600) | 18.5 in. | Cylinder bore | 5+1 / 6+1 / 9+1 | Bead | 5.5 lb | $700 |
| Shockwave (51601) | 14.375 in. | Cylinder bore | 4+1 / 5+1 / 8+1 | Bead | 5.3 lb | $700 |
Check the Threaded Model’s Chamber Line
Every 590S page but one lists a “3 in. chamber with 1.75 in. short shell, 2.75 in., and 3 in. cycling capability.” The Optic-Ready Threaded (51609) page lists only “3 in.” It still gives the same 5+1, 6+1 and 9+1 capacity as the other 18.5 in. guns, and 9+1 only works with minishells. If short shells are why you’re buying it, confirm with Mossberg or the dealer first.
Parts, Accessories and Upgrades
| Upgrade Category | Recommended Component | Why It Matters | Cost Estimate |
| Red Dot | A micro red dot for the optic-ready receiver | Faster than a bead, and Mossberg bundles one on the 51606 | $150 to $350 |
| Weapon Light | An M-LOK light mount and light | The 20 in. models have an M-LOK forend | $100 to $300 |
| Choke Tubes | Accu-Choke tubes (20 in. and 51609 only) | Tighter patterns for slugs or birds | $25 to $60 |
| Ammo | Aguila Minishells | The reason to buy a 590S | $15 to $25 per box |
For stocks, forends and other add-ons that fit the 590 family, see our best Mossberg 590 parts and accessories.
Common Problems & Solutions
- Minishell stops short of the chamber: Almost always a short stroke. Run the pump fully back and forward.
- No threads for choke tubes: The 51605, 51607 and 51606 have fixed cylinder bores. Buy a 20 in. model or the 51609 if you want tubes.
- Stock too long: The Compact (51607) adjusts from 12 to 13 in. with its spacer.
- Buying the Threaded model for minishells: Mossberg’s page doesn’t state short-shell cycling for the 51609. Confirm before you buy.
Who Should NOT Buy This Gun
The 590S is a great-value pump, but it isn’t for everyone.
- Buyers set on a 590A1: The Mossberg 590A1, from $579.99, is the one to look at.
- Shooters with a bigger budget: The Mossberg 590R, from $739.99, is the higher-priced 590.
- Anyone who wants a semi-auto: The Beretta 1301 Tactical, from $1,449, is the step up.
- Buyers who never shoot minishells: The 590S’s big advantage is wasted, so compare it with a regular 590 before you buy.
Final Verdict
The Mossberg 590S does what it promises. Our two guns ran 550 rounds of mixed 1.75, 2.75 and 3 in. shells with one stoppage that was my fault, and the 20 in. gun really does hold 13+1 minishells. Its weak points are the fixed chokes on most 18.5 in. models and the minishell’s intolerance for a lazy pump.
Buy the 20 in. Optic-Ready (51604) if you’ll mount a dot, since it lists $83 below the ghost ring gun. Buy the Compact if the standard stock is too long. For more budget options, see our best shotguns under $500.
Specs and list prices in this Mossberg 590S review come from Mossberg’s 590S product pages (archived March 29, 2026) and its 590S launch announcement. Street prices are what our live cards showed on September 27, 2026.
Final Score: 8.4/10. The most flexible 590 Mossberg makes, at a price that undercuts the 590A1.
FAQ: Mossberg 590S
Is the Mossberg 590S any good?
Yes. Our 20 in. and 18.5 in. 590S shotguns ran 550 rounds of mixed 1.75, 2.75 and 3 in. shells with one stoppage, caused by a short pump stroke on a minishell.
How much does the Mossberg 590S cost?
Mossberg lists it from $742 to $1,064, and $700 for the Shockwave. On September 27, 2026, Guns.com had the 590S Tactical at $563.99.
Can the Mossberg 590S shoot minishells?
Yes. Mossberg says the 590S cycles 1.75, 2.75 and 3 in. shells in any combination without an adapter. The Optic-Ready Threaded (51609) page lists only a 3 in. chamber, so confirm that model first.
How many rounds does the Mossberg 590S hold?
The 20 in. models hold 7+1 with 3 in., 8+1 with 2.75 in. and 13+1 with 1.75 in. shells. The 18.5 in. models hold 5+1, 6+1 and 9+1.
Does the Mossberg 590S take choke tubes?
Only some models. The 20 in. guns and the 51609 use Accu-Choke tubes. The 51605, 51607 and 51606 have fixed cylinder bores.
Mossberg 590S or 590A1?
The 590S costs less and feeds minishells without an adapter. PSA had an 18.5 in. 590A1 M-LOK at $640.99, about $77 more than the 590S Tactical at Guns.com.
What is the difference between the 590S and the 590S Optic-Ready?
On the 20 in. guns, the sights. The 590S (51602) has a ghost ring and lists at $825. The Optic-Ready (51604) has a bead and an optic-ready receiver at $742.
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