PaulKersey
Marksman
Mossberg Opinion
I own or have owned a few of each of the following models: Maverick 88, Mossberg 500, 590, and 590A1. All were completely reliable. The most expensive gun and the most heavily built is obviously the 590A1. However, I found the action to be very stiff, part of being heavy duty I suppose. It would likely take hundreds of rounds to smooth out, and I didn't have the time to dedicate to that cause so I sold it. The Maverick 88, which can be bought on sale for $179 has a very slick action, at least mine did. It has a cheaper feel, but the action is good right out of the box. It is light, so the recoil is felt more than on the 590A1. The regular 590 is a good model because you can unscrew the cap and switch out the magazine spring, which I did on mine with the Wolff model. I highly recommend you do this on any defensive shotgun. Great gun, though a bit pricey. I guess the sweet spot is the 500 series, specifically the Persuader models. They have a smooth action, and the price is reasonable. The only negative is the mag spring is not easily accessible.
I own or have owned a few of each of the following models: Maverick 88, Mossberg 500, 590, and 590A1. All were completely reliable. The most expensive gun and the most heavily built is obviously the 590A1. However, I found the action to be very stiff, part of being heavy duty I suppose. It would likely take hundreds of rounds to smooth out, and I didn't have the time to dedicate to that cause so I sold it. The Maverick 88, which can be bought on sale for $179 has a very slick action, at least mine did. It has a cheaper feel, but the action is good right out of the box. It is light, so the recoil is felt more than on the 590A1. The regular 590 is a good model because you can unscrew the cap and switch out the magazine spring, which I did on mine with the Wolff model. I highly recommend you do this on any defensive shotgun. Great gun, though a bit pricey. I guess the sweet spot is the 500 series, specifically the Persuader models. They have a smooth action, and the price is reasonable. The only negative is the mag spring is not easily accessible.