Last updated and checked October 31, 2026 · By Nick Hall. Prices are the lowest new listings in our feed of 200+ retailers on October 31, 2026.
If there’s a pump shotgun behind a bedroom door or in a duck blind in America, there’s a good chance it says Mossberg on the side. For more than a century the family company has built plain, affordable guns that just work. The line is led by the Mossberg 500, the mil-spec 590A1, the semi-auto 940 and the blunt little 590 Shockwave. Here is who they are, what they make, and what is worth buying.
Mossberg Deals: 30% Off or Better
Table of Contents
Who Mossberg is
O.F. Mossberg & Sons is America’s oldest family-owned gunmaker, founded in New Haven, Connecticut, in 1919. It’s headquartered in North Haven and builds over 90% of its shotguns and rifles in Eagle Pass, Texas, led by the 500 and 590A1.
Oscar Frederick Mossberg was born in Sweden in 1866 and emigrated to the US in 1886. He started the company in March 1919 with his sons Iver and Harold, after Marlin-Rockwell closed. Its first product wasn’t a shotgun. It was the Brownie, a four-shot .22 pocket pistol, and about 37,000 were built from 1920 to 1932.
Mossberg spent decades on .22 rifles and modest sporting guns. Production moved to North Haven in 1960, and in August 1961 the company introduced the gun that defined it, the 500. In 1989 its affiliate Maverick Arms opened a 40,000-square-foot plant in Eagle Pass, Texas, and that plant grew by another 116,000 square feet in 2013. So here’s the honest picture: this is a Connecticut company by history and address, but your shotgun probably comes from Texas. In January 2019, exactly a century after the Brownie era began, Mossberg returned to handguns with the MC1sc.
Mossberg sits in the value tier, and that’s the whole pitch. You’re buying function over finish: a gun you can afford to shoot, with a huge aftermarket behind it.
What Mossberg makes
The 500 family
The 500 is the backbone, a pump in 12, 20 and .410. Its defining feature is the top tang safety, right under your thumb and fully ambidextrous. A 28-inch 12-gauge field gun was $409.99 at Sportsman’s Warehouse in our feed. The budget Maverick 88 shares the basic action for less, from about $208 at Battlehawk for a field gun, and it has been a first shotgun for a lot of people.
The 590A1
The 590A1 is the serious one, with a thick-walled barrel and metal trigger guard and safety. Mossberg says it’s built to MIL-SPEC 3443 and bills it as the only pump to pass the military’s test. It lists at $861 in some configurations, and an 18.5-inch M-LOK gun was $599.99 at PSA, which is a remarkable price for what you get.
Semi-autos
The 940 Pro is the modern gas gun, $731.99 for the 28-inch Field at Guns.com, and the JM Pro version was tuned with Jerry Miculek. For 2026 there’s a 940 Pro Turkey combo with a Holosun red dot. The newer 990 line added SPX Magpul and SPX AfterShock models with optic-ready receivers, and Mossberg took Maverick into semi-autos with the 12-gauge Maverick SA.
The 590R, rifles and pistols
The 590R and 590RM picked up a Chisel side-folding stock for 2026, and an 11.5-inch AOW version pushes Mossberg into NFA territory. The 590 Shockwave has a bird’s-head grip and short barrel and is legally a firearm rather than a shotgun, though state laws vary. For rifles there are the Patriot bolt gun, from about $270 at Sportsman’s Outdoor Superstore, and .22s like the 702 Plinkster at about $170. The MC2c pistol was $387.99 at Guns.com.
Parts that keep them running
The 500 is everywhere, so parts are cheap. Followers are under $9, magazine tubes $10 to $16, a forend about $33 and a heat shield about $45. A ghost ring sight kit runs about $96. Swapping a 28-inch field barrel for an 18.5-inch security barrel turns one gun into two, which is one of the platform’s best tricks, and it’s a job you can do at home.
Pros
- Top tang safety falls to hand
- Cheap parts and easy barrel swaps
- 590A1 costs far less than rivals
Cons
- Aluminum receiver on the 500
- Plain fit and finish
- Heavier recoil than a gas gun
Build quality and where it is made
Over 90% of Mossberg shotguns and rifles now come from Eagle Pass. The honest trade-off is that the 500’s receiver is aluminum alloy rather than steel. That keeps it light and cheap, and it’s the main reason some buyers prefer a steel pump. The lockup is into the steel barrel, and decades of use show the design holds up. The finish is utilitarian, and at this price that’s the point.
If you’re buying for defense, take the extra step of patterning your load, since a defensive shotgun lives or dies by how your chosen buckshot behaves from your barrel. It only takes one afternoon and a few rounds.
How Mossberg compares
The old fight is the 500 against the Remington 870. The 870 has a steel receiver and many shooters prefer its feel. Mossberg counters with a better-placed safety, an easy barrel swap and, right now, far easier availability, since Remington’s current site shows few models. Check our 12-gauge guide for the current picture. Against a semi-auto Benelli M4, a 590A1 costs a fraction as much and is tough, but the Benelli cycles faster and softer. Winchester’s SXP and Stevens’ 320 are the other budget pumps. Mossberg rarely wins on prestige, and it wins on value most of the time.
Who should buy what
- First-time home-defense buyer: a 500 or 590 with an 18.5-inch barrel.
- Buyer who wants the toughest pump: the 590A1.
- Hunter: a 500 field model or a 940 Pro.
- Competitor: the 940 JM Pro.
- Tight budget: the Maverick 88.
- Bolt-gun hunter on a budget: a Patriot.
If you want a walnut heirloom or the softest-shooting semi-auto around, look elsewhere.
The Mossberg philosophy
Everything follows the same idea: a tool an ordinary person can afford, learn quickly and trust. The tang safety, the easy barrel swaps and the plain finish all serve that. It’s engineering aimed at the person who has to use the gun, not the person admiring it in a case.
How to choose your Mossberg setup
Start with gauge and purpose. For home defense, a 12 or 20 gauge with an 18.5-inch barrel is the classic answer, and a light and sling finish it. A 20 gauge kicks less and still does the job for smaller shooters. For hunting, pick barrel length and choke for your game. Remember that one 500 can wear both a field barrel and a slug barrel, so buy a combo if you’ll use both. If you want the most durable build, step up to the 590A1.
A century of working guns
Mossberg has spent a hundred years as the unglamorous workhorse of American shooting. It chased working shooters rather than prestige, and it’s still family-owned after all that time. The parts on this page are how you keep one of those guns running, and since the 500 has been in production since 1961, there’s every chance your gun is older than you are and still fine.
What Mossberg owners upgrade
The 500 and 590 are easy to modify. Popular additions are a side-saddle shell carrier, an extended magazine tube where the gun allows it, a forend with a light mount and ghost ring sights. A Magpul SGA stock and MOE forend are common swaps, and many owners add a larger safety button. The top tang safety stays usable with almost any stock. Keep spare followers, springs, extractors and firing pins on hand, since they’re cheap and easy to replace.
Not all of that comes from Mossberg, so check the Magpul page for furniture. The carousels below cover factory guns and factory parts.
Facts and Figures
- Founded: March 1919, New Haven, Connecticut.
- Brownie: about 37,000 built, 1920 to 1932.
- Model 500: August 1961.
- Eagle Pass, Texas: opened 1989, over 90% of long guns now.
- MC1sc pistol: January 2019.
- Prices on October 31: 590A1 $599.99, 500 Field $409.99, 940 Pro $731.99, Maverick 88 about $208.
Retail prices in the cards and carousels here are live.
Shop Mossberg Parts & Prices
Live Mossberg products and current prices, organized by department and updated automatically. The gun rows can show trade-ins and used guns.
Mossberg Shotguns
Mossberg Rifles & Maverick Slug Guns
Pistols & Pistol-Grip Pumps
Forends
Stock Parts
Sights
Barrels & Heat Shields
Magazine Tubes & Followers
JM Pro Triggers
Where Mossberg Fits in Our Buying Guides
- The Best Mossberg Shotguns
- Best Home-Defense Shotgun Under $500
- Benelli M4 vs Mossberg 590
- The Best 12-Gauge Shotguns
- The Best Turkey Shotguns
- The Best Budget Shotguns
Mossberg FAQ
Where are Mossberg shotguns made?
Over 90% of Mossberg shotguns and rifles are made in Eagle Pass, Texas. The company is headquartered in North Haven, Connecticut, and was founded in New Haven in 1919.
Is Mossberg the oldest family-owned gun company in America?
It is described as the oldest family-owned firearms maker in America, and it has stayed in the family since Oscar Mossberg and his sons started it in 1919.
What is the difference between the Mossberg 500, 590 and 590A1?
The 500 is the standard pump. The 590 steps up the magazine and controls. The 590A1 adds a thick-walled barrel and metal trigger guard and safety, built to MIL-SPEC 3443.
Mossberg 500 or Remington 870?
The 870 has a steel receiver and a feel many shooters like. The Mossberg has a better-placed safety, an easier barrel swap and strong availability. Both are good, so decide on safety placement and budget.
What does the tang safety do?
It is a sliding safety on top of the receiver, right under your thumb as you grip the gun. It is ambidextrous, and many shooters consider it the best feature of the 500.
Can I swap barrels on a Mossberg 500?
Yes. One 500 can wear a long field barrel and a short security or slug barrel, as long as the gauge and model match. It gives you two guns in one.
What was Mossberg's first product?
The Brownie, a four-shot .22 pocket pistol. About 37,000 were built from 1920 to 1932. Mossberg returned to handguns with the MC1sc in January 2019.
What tier is Mossberg?
Value: affordable, working shotguns and rifles with a huge parts market. A 590A1 was $599.99 and a 500 Field $409.99 in our feed on October 31, 2026.
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