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Infographic which shows differences between Remington 870 vs Mossberg 500 shotguns.

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Differences between Remington 870 and Mossberg 500

Two of the most popular shotgun models that gun enthusiasts love is the Remington 870 and the Mossberg 500. Both are top selling shotguns with similarities and differences. The similarities are they’re both pump action shotguns with dual action bars (Mossberg has just one but then Remington’s patent expired and they started manufactured Mossbeg shotguns with two bars). They are also cheaper than most other pump action shotguns, despite their simple design and versatility. Over 10 million shotguns have been made for each model type. The people who like to use them include hunters, military personnel, law enforcement officers, and home defenders. The best part about the guns is they can be configured in a lot of different ways. You can upgrade the barrels, choke tubes, extensions and more.

1. The shotgun with the most recent U.S. Military pedigree is the Mossberg 500 series pump-action shotguns, including the Mossberg 590. The 590 is the only shotgun that passed U.S.
2. Remington 870 for the win. I like some of the features of the Mossberg over the Remington 870.namely the dual clawed extractor and the top mounted safety. That being said, the Remington feels much more solid and well-built to me. For example, others have mentiont he all steel construction.
3. The 870 is easier to modify as it offers many more options, but as far as reliability either one is reliable. Your best bet is to handle each one to see which one fits you better and find out your preference of control locations.

Mossberg 590 Special Purpose. Mossberg 590 SPX. Mossberg 590 SPX. Mossberg 590A1 XS SECURITY. Mossberg tactical Pistol Grip. Remington 870 Police.

870’s Steel vs. 500’s Aluminum Receiver

As for the differences, there is an aluminum alloy receiver in the Mossberg 500 and a steel receiver in the Remington 870. This makes the Mossberg 500 a lighter shotgun that is easier to lug around.

Remington 870’s received is milled from a solid billet of steel making it indestructible. 870 is the only shotgun which received is still made of steel. All the other shotgun manufacturers are cutting costs by making aluminum alloy receivers. Benelli Supernova has plastic receiver with steel frame. This is another way to make inexpensive shotgun but it has some serious disadvantages.

Of course, steel receiver makes 870 a little heavier than Mossberg 500 but that’s not a problem.

Safety Button Location

Plus, the Mossberg 500’s safety is located behind the receiver, allowing the shooter to disengage it faster. It even makes it easier for left-handed people to shoot the shotgun as well. The safety in the Remington 870 is a small button located in the back of the trigger guard. This makes it a little harder to disengage it.

But Mossberg 500’s safety will be very inconvenient to use when pistol grip stock is installed.

Barrels

When you do fire each weapon, both can shoot birdshot or buckshot at a range of 40 to 50 meters, up to 100 meters with slugs. They both have interchangeable barrels. The barrel length can range from 14” to 30.” Barrels less than 18.5″ require Short Barrel Shotgun Tax Stamp from the ATF.

One Extractor vs. Two Extractors

Mossberg 500 has two extractors which is advertised to be more reliable. Remington 870 has one extractor. It is recommended to replace standard extractor with Non-MIM Extractor. and it improve the reliability of your shotgun.

Shell Lifter

Remington 870 has a classic shell lifter. Stays down all the time, needs to be pushed up to load a round.

Mossberg 500 has patented shell lifter which remains in raised position. Easier loading, friendlier for beginners.

Slide Release

Remington 870 has a slide release on the left side at the fron of the trigger guard. Requires to move hand to reach it.

Mossberg 500 has it on the left side behind trigger guard. Easy to reach without breaking a firing grip.

This is considered as advantage of the Mossberg 500 platform but it doesn’t really add any significant advantage to a shooter.

Bayonet Lug

Need to be purchased separately for the Remington 870. Mossberg 590 (more expensive version of the 500) has it.

Ejector

Remington 870 has ejector attached using rivets. It is difficult to replace but it can withstand thousands and thousands of rounds. So this is not something you are going to do often.

Mossberg 500 has ejector attached with screws. So it is easier to replace but it is not common procedure as well.

Magazine Extension Installation

870 Police version has old style spring retainer and you can easily install a magazine extension. Many of the modern 870s require removal of two dimples in the end of the magazine tube to install the magazine extension. This procedure isn’t difficult and can be done at home but it requires some tools, time and efforts.

Mossberg 500 requires purchase of the High Capacity Shotgun Kit with new barrel.

Advantages and Disadvantages

Both shotguns have their advantages and disadvantages. Both the Mossberg 500 and the Remington 870 are really popular among shooters. These shotguns are weapon of choice by hunters, military personnel, and law enforcement officers. A big reason has to do with the reliability and durability of the weapon. In a life or death situation, it would be important to have a reliable weapon like the pump action Remington 870 or Mossberg 500.

The Mossberg 500 is little cheaper than the Remington 870 because of its aluminum receiver and plastic parts. You can expect to pay about $200 for the Mossberg 500 and around $300 for the Remington 870. It isn’t that much of a price difference but to some people that $100 difference will mean a lot. The shotgun you choose should simply depend on your preferences.

It doesn’t matter if you want to just shoot targets for fun and hunt in dirty environments or you want a weapon for home defense or life-threatening situations, both shotguns will do the job!

Sources:
Remington Arms
Mossberg

Remington 870 or Mossberg 590, What is Better?

One of the frequently asked questions. Both shotguns are used by military and law enforcement. Remington 870 and Mossberg 500/590 are produced in hundreds of thousands and well known around the world. Each of them has its own advantages and disadvantages.

Shotgun Training

What is better: Remington 870 or Mossberg 590? This is very simple question if you fan of Remington 870 or fan of Mossberg 500/590 but very difficult when you try to answer it unprejudiced.

It is difficult to say which one is definitely superior over the other one. So, let’s have a closer look at advantages and disadvantages of each shotgun.

So what are the advantages of Remington 870?

Remington 870 Or Mossberg 590 Tactical Shotguns

-steel receiver
-all parts are tight and solid

Advantages of the Mossberg 500/590 shotgun:
-shell carrier (lifter) comes down when it need to lift a round. All the other time it is hidden and it is easier to load rounds into a magazine tube
-two extractors
-easier replacement of the ejector

Disadvantages of the Mossberg 500/590 shotgun:

-aluminum receiver
-it is impossible to isntall longer magazine tube on Mossberg 500 shotguns without buying kit with new barrel and magazine tube
-you don’t have that feel of solid shotgun when you rack it, forearm rattles
-plastic safety

Disadvantages of the Remington 870 shotgun:
-rough chamber on the newer shotguns
-two dimples in magazine tube
-difficult procedure of ejector replacement

There are also questionable features which may look like advantage or disadvantage depending on what you are looking for:

Safety button
Safety button located on top of the receiver on Mossberg 500/590. Left handed shooters find safety button on Mossberg much more convenient than on Remington 870 shotguns. But it is absolutely impossible to use Mossberg safety comfortably if you have pistol grip stock installed. Remington 870 safety is located behind the trigger guard which is good but not the best location.

Advantages of both Remington 870 and Mossberg 590

There hundreds of accessories available for these shotguns. Remington 870 and Mossberg 500/590 are so popular and easy to customize so many companies manufacture stocks, forends, sidesaddles and other upgrades. Parts are easy to find and available on many sites. It is much more difficult to find accessories, upgrades and parts for less popular shotguns.

Remington 870 Tactical Express 7-Shot vs. Mossberg 590 SP 8-Shot

Join discussion here: Remington 870 Forum

Here are my thoughts and comparisons:
1. The 870 trigger pull is SUPERIOR to the 590. That was the biggest difference by far when comparing the 2. This was the biggest surprise and could be a deal breaker if people are concerned about trigger pull.
2. There is no difference in quality and feel of either. I thought this was going to be the huge difference but to me it wasn’t. The reason why I thought it was going to be a huge difference is because of the aluminum receiver. But the 590 Bolt and Barrel are made out of steel so no issues (think of the AR being the same type of aluminum/steel design).

3. On MY 590 (could be different on other models) you are limited in space to put on a barrel flashlight mount like the Eizenett mount. But a Magpul Forend will solve that (which it did for me).
4. The 590 is harder to break down and put back, however, not really hard to do once you break it down a couple of times.
5. There are about 2 to 3 times more modification and parts available for the 870. The Mossberg (which surprised me) there are parts available, however, not as much as the Remington’s.
6. Loading the 590 is easier than the 870 as their is no magazine cover. However, if you are familiar with the 870 it really is not an issue. To the newcomers of a shotgun it could.
7. The safety location and slide release on the 590 is easier to control than the 870. But if you are familiar with the 870 controls this is a Non issue (to me at least). To the newcomers it might.
8. The 590 holds 1 more round which is a big plus especially if your used to shooting 6 + 1 (it took me a few times to get used to the extra shot). That can be corrected by a magazine extension for the 870.
9. This was a big surprise to me…I shot a little better with the 590 than I did with the 870. My groups were a little better than the 870. But bottom line, if this was a “real” target both shotguns would have obliterated the target with ease.

So which one do I like better….I still can’t decide!! This is the problem!! I can’t decide. So my conclusion is I love them both! I am glad I got both! I am glad I am getting very familiar in break down, cleaning, handling and shooting both. A real easy way to tell which shotgun you have (I tried this in complete darkness) is to feel the trigger guard. The 870 is curved in the front and the Mossberg is straight. I was 100% correct on that test.

But I always wanted a Remington or a Mossberg. With what is going on about Gun Control again (which is utterly stupid it is a Radical Islamic thing) I would highly recommend getting a shotgun ASAP. Our POTUS, Hillary and the Demorats (as well as a few Republicans) are Islam sympathizers and want to take our 2nd amendment away. Since everyone is overlooking the fact that an 870 or 590 or any shotgun is not an AR or as what the idiots refer to an “Assault Rifle” the prices are very reasonable. Shotgun ammo is cheap too!

I do have the AR, AK, Mini-14 and a few other handguns. They are ALL locked in my safe. The only firearm I have at the ready is my 870 as IMO there is NOTHING that can beat a shotgun for home defense….period!

Remington 870 and the Mossberg 500 Comparison

Remington 870

Remington 870

Type of weapon is shotgun, place of origin the United States, and first presented by Remington Arms in 1951.

Models include the Wingmaster, Express, Marine, SPS, SPS-T, XCS, TAC, Super MAG and MCS. Weights range between 7.0lbs (3.2kg) and 8.0lbs (3.6kg) empty. Lengths range from 37.25
to 50.5 inches. Barrel lengths are 18 to 30 inches.

The Remington 870 fires 12, 16, 20 and 28 gauge as well as, a .410 bore. Sights can be bead, twin bead, adjustable open sights and ghost ring sights. The weapons can also be fitted with scopes.

The shell feed system is an internal tube magazine typically mounted under the barrel and capacity can be from a 4+1 to a 7+1 configuration. The 870 is bottom loaded with a side ejector.

The Remington 870 has a steel receiver.

Mossberg 500

Type of weapon is a shotgun and place of origin is the United States presented in 1960 by O.F

Mossberg and Sons. The weapon fires 12 and 20 gauge, as well as, the .410 bore. The weight ranges from 5.5 (2.5kg) to 7.5lbs (3.4kg) when empty. Barrel length is up to 30 inches.

The Mossberg 500 has an aluminum receiver, which accounts for the lighter weight. The Mossberg 500 went to the duel action bars in 1970 whereas the 870 has always utilized the dual action slide. The Mossberg is designed so that it makes it impossible to add a magazine extension without purchasing an aftermarket barrel with the extension built in. You can purchase a barrel and magazine extension to hold up to nine rounds. With the 870, you can add a magazine extension without buying an aftermarket barrel, which adds six rounds plus the one in the barrel (6+1).

However, Mossberg 590 doesn’t have such problem and you can install magazine extension easily.

On the 870 the barrel and magazine are two different pieces whereas the Mossberg 500 has a barrel band that connects the two together, making it impossible to add a magazine extension.

The Remington 870 has a push button safety located on the trigger guard and the Mossberg 500 has a sliding safety on the receiver. It comes down to personal preferences as to what a shooter would prefer. The location on the 500 may be a bit more awkward because typically a safety is located at the trigger guard on many weapons.

The Remington 870 has a steel trigger guard and the Mossberg 500 has a plastic one. New Remington 870 shotguns have plastic trigger guard. You can buy an aftermarket steel guard.

The fore-end on the 860 is tighter and does not “rattle” as does the fore-end on the 500. Some shooters however seem to prefer the looser fore-end and this is possibly because they believe the action or pump is easier to manipulate. However loose or tight either one is, has no effect, according to experts on well the action works. Noise disciple may be a consideration when in a tactical situation, so keep this in mind.

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by Chad

Americans are brand loyal, and Americans also love to fight about our preferred brands: ask any group of guys, “Ford or Chevy?” and watch the fur fly. People are passionate about their tools of choice, from hammers to boat motors, and this goes double for guns.

You will never hear such impassioned, intricate rhetoric and oratory as listening to two shooters debate the merits of their gun of choice while demonizing the failures of the other’s. One of the longest running debates in the gun sphere is that of comparing the Remington 870 to the Mossberg 500 and 590 families. And as well it should! Between those two guns alone more than 22 million have been produced! That is a significant fraction of the total guns in the U.S.

So is one the True King of the Pump Guns? Is one as good as another? If you lack either, which may be best for a new purchase? The answer, as always, is “it depends.” Instead of making this article a mere opinion piece, I will seek instead to equip the reader with a better education on the differences between them, the key features, design quirks and functional considerations that will help you make up your own mind.

Or, at the very least, give you the facts you need to win the next water cooler debate. Before getting into the main event, I will break down the major differences in the variants of both the 870 family and 500/590 family of shotguns so you can make a fair comparison.

Mossberg 500 and 590: What’s the Difference?

Before we go too far into the main event, we should clear up a few items on the 500/590 family of shotguns. In short, they are essentially the same action, with only a few design changes between the 500 and 590 series, and a few upgrades between the 590 and 590A1.

These changes make no difference in the way you’ll operate the gun, but will determine the difficulty of upgrades and add-ons, especially magazine extensions and forends. I’ll detail these below for your enlightenment, and thereafter I will refer to the Mossberg guns collectively as 500/590, except where appropriate.

500 vs 590

The principal difference between the 500 and 590 series guns is in the way the barrel mounts to the gun. The 500 features a traditional barrel lug with a captured threaded screw that is mated into a corresponding hole in the end of the magazine tube. The 590 series guns feature a circular barrel lug that slides over the magazine tube like a hoop, and then is clamped in place with a separate cap.

What this means to you is that on the 500, you are more or less stuck with the magazine capacity it comes with from the factory, unless you want to replace the entire magazine tube and barrel assembly to accommodate it a upgrade, a costly propostion.

The 590, on the other hand, can readily accept any number of thread-on magazine extensions if you want to increase capacity, with no change of barrel required.

The other change is a revision to the magazine follower that, in conjunction with the aforementioned difference in locking cap, makes room for one extra 2 3/4” 12ga. shotshell in the same length of magazine tube. Not a bad perk. Another item is the U.S. military standard bayonet lug, which the 500 lacks.

This is not the end of the world either way, but if you like the idea of simpler modification and a higher total capacity, get a 590.

590 vs. 590A1

The 590A1 is a “heavy-duty” revision of the 590, featuring a steel safety, steel trigger housing and heavier, thick-walled barrel. These enhancements add up to make an extremely durable gun that is resistant to brutal handling. It also keeps the bayonet lug from the standard 590. The 590A1 is noticeably heavier than the 590, but if one desires the most rugged variant available, it is the clear choice.

Note that some forends may rub on the thicker barrel of the 590A1 and require relieving of the material for smooth operation. Double check any prospective aftermarket upgrade before purchase.

Remington 870 Police, Express, Tactical and Wingmaster: What’s the difference?

When examining the Remington 870 variants, you will not be confronted with changes that are as obvious as the one son the Mossberg 500 and 590. Instead, think of the different “trims” as a quality gradient, with better materials, parts, and quality control (QC)and assurance (QA) going into the better grades.

The Express and Tactical grade guns are the lowest end, featuring cheaper machining and finishing of major components, and basic a basic finish applied to the gun itself, leading to a much rougher feeling action. Small parts, such as the extractors, are injection molded metal instead of machined stock.

The guns themselves are not assembled to the same standards as the Police or Wingmaster guns, and not subject to as stringent QC. Magazine and other essential springs are of lower grade. Trigger guards on Express and Tactical 870’s are plastic, but are metal on older Police and all Wingmaster variants.

If considering a gun for serious use or self defense, seek out a Police model or Wingmaster. Note that the Wingmasters as commonly fitted have a long barrel and short magazine tube, and both will need replacement to bring them up to snuff for defensive use.

Remington vs. Mossberg: Two Enter, One Leaves

Ok, it isn’t quite that dramatic. Below is an analysis of the differences in major design elements between the 870 and 500/590. We’ll have a recap and intangibles at the end.

Receiver

All 870’s are steel, where all 500/590’s are aluminum. Both have well-earned reputations as rugged, hard running guns, and the lockup of both is steel to steel, so aluminum is not a disqualifier out of hand. The aluminum will, though wear, faster than steel if we are talking about truly heavy use over the life of the gun, as the action bars (see below) of the 500/590 do mate with the softer surfaces of the aluminum receiver.

Remington 870 Vs Mossberg 590 Shockwave

Action

Both the 870 and the 500/590 feature twin steel action bars. Where they differ is in their attachment systems: the Remingtons have action bars and slide assembly (the “pump”) as a one piece unit, where the Mossberg guns have action bars pinned to a separate slide assembly.

The tendency of the 500/590 action bars to wobble, in addition to its slightly oversized slide assembly makes for an action that feels looser, and less refined than the 870, and is sometimes described as “chattery”. This looseness does nothing to affect reliability however, and the 500/590 guns benefit from easier replacement in the event of a bent action bar.

photo: Remington 870

A lightly used or tuned action is a thing of beauty, and quick. Without significant tuning, the 500/590 guns just tend to feel a little sloppier over time. This is not a practical consideration, but will irk some users.

The 500/590 guns feature twin, machined extractors, whereas the 870 features a single extractor that is either MIM or machined depending on variant. For assured extraction of a stuck or stubborn shell, the Mossberg wins handily.

Also of note here is serviceability of other parts in the receiver: the 500/590 shell stops (the small arms that hold the subsequent shell for chambering in the magazine tube) and ejector are replaceable without special tools or procedure. The 870’s shell stops are staked in place and the ejector is riveted. Replacing either is no picnic for the average owner.

The magazine tubes themselves are likewise affixed: the Mossberg’s is threaded into the receiver, and very tightly. The Remington’s is soldered on. Again, replacement of one is achievable with minimal effort, the other is not.

Old Remington Shotguns 12 Gauge

The 870’s all have shell elevators (lifters) that protrude to the bottom of the loading port, and fold out of the way as a shell is inserted. The 500/590’s all have elevators that fold up flush with the bolt, meaning less clutter as a shell is inserted. This again, makes so little practical difference as to be nearly not worth the mention, but I mention it here for completeness. Some users think the Mossberg is easier to load because of it.

Controls

The 500/590s have a tang mounted safety mounted on top of the receiver; forward is fire, back is safe. It is an excellent design feature, and completely ambidextrous, but does not lend itself well at all to using a pistol grip stock, owing to the need to completely break down the firing grip to reach in that case.

The 870s have a safety located immediately behind the trigger on the trigger housing. It is pressed from right to left for fire, and the reverse for safe. Think “Flush on the right, ready to fight.” The 870’s design lends itself well to pistol grip stocks, but can be awkward for lefties. Neither gun is drop safe.

The forend release for the Mossberg is located immediately behind the trigger on the left, and is pressed up to release. The Remington has the same control on the front left of the trigger guard, and is pressed rearward to release. Both are completely serviceable for lefties or righties.

Intangibles

Mossberg 590a1 For Sale Walmart

Remington has been having some well publicized QA/QC issues since acquisition by Cerberus Capital Management back around 2007, shortly after forming the Freedom Group with many other gun and ammo manufacturers.

There are many accounts, including several witnessed by the author when he was still selling guns commercially, of lower end Remington offerings having substantial extraction and ejection problems, actions far rougher than the 870 was rightly famous for, broken small parts and improperly applied finishes that were vulnerable to rusting.

Mossberg 870 Express Tactical

I would recommend seeking out an older 870 Police model, well-equipped from the factory for a defensive role, or an 870 Wingmaster to tune up if you wanted a quality Remington gun free from their current troubles. This will not be too difficult owing to the great number of legacy guns on the open market.

photo: Mossberg 500 2 barrels courtesy of Fluzwup via Wikimedia Commons

Mossberg has suffered from its share of lemons over the years, but the 500/590 series shotguns never faltered as badly as Remington has due to corporate shenanigans. Remington is also, as of this writing, currently in bankruptcy, and these ongoing issues are unlikely to resolve themselves in the near future.

This is not a knock against the 870 design, but any company can have good times or bad. Remington is currently, and has been for a decade, having a rough go of it.

Both guns benefit from extraordinary popularity, the Remington being considered truly ubiquitous, and both have excellent aftermarket support for nearly any part desired. Sights, lights, stocks, forends, safeties, rails, sling attachments, chokes and magazine extensions, everything you might need to modify either is readily available. The 870 does still have a slight edge, here.

As mentioned above, a pistol grip stock should be discounted entirely with a 500 or 590 due to the placement of the safety. If that is a must have item for you, the Remington is the de facto winner. Lefties, though, will find the 500/590 a boon after a lifetime of being forced into a less than ergonomic world of right-hander’s guns.

If one is looking to tune an action and take it as far as it can go for performance, even with its quirks the Remington 870 will be the best basis for such a project, and there are several gunsmiths who will perform excellent work on them, the great Hans Vang, of VangComp fame is one such smith, as are the wizards at Wilson Combat. The 500/590 lend themselves a little better toward a more “working-class” gun, one that does not have as refined an action, but one that is more easily user serviced.

Conclusion

The Remington 870 and Mossberg 500 or 590 are both iconic American shotguns, and both are more than suitable for any task that may be required of them. Each has its own quirks and perks, but neither is so glowingly superior as to render the competitor the clear loser. Choose the one that works best for you, work to minimize it shortcomings, and get to training with it. They will both shoot as well as you can.

Which is your favorite, the 970 or 500/590? Did you pick a third option? Let’s hear about it in the comments!

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Remington 870 Or Mossberg 590

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