Tapping a Mossberg 590-A1 for chokes

What's your barrel wall thickness at the muzzle? That would determine whether you needed the regular or thin wall style choke tubes.

When you get your calipers fixed, give us ID and OD readings. Those readings will let us tell you what choke tubes will fit.

Either would work. Now you just need to pick a smith to do it. Choose carefully. Hacks are coming out of the woodwork.

Any Mossberg in recent history has a thick enough muzzle for choke tube installation.

You need a minimum of .825" O.D. for standard choke tube installation.

Yours is going to be way more then that.

http://www.choketube.com/choke-tube-installation.php

However, more choke may or may not pattern tighter or better with buck-shot.

If you want tight, check out Vang Comp.

https://vangcomp.com

Also, before you panic and start throwing cubic money at it?
Try some different brands of ammo.

Some brands pattern remarkably better then others.

rc

Wall thickness isn't going to be a problem with a 590, especially if it has the heavy duty "sewer pipe" barrel. The walls on that are thick.

I am curious why a tighter pattern is desired. 25 yards is about three times as far as the longest shot possible in my house.

Longer distance with a shotgun is what rifled slugs were invented for.

rc

tmoore912 said:

Why is a shotgun only to be used in a house? Why is a tighter pattern a bad thing at distance?

Click to expand...

A shotgun doesn't have to be used in a house; it has to be used at close range.

I never said tighter patterns are a bad thing. However, no matter how tight the choke, you will soon run out of pattern once you get outside. Given the distance limitations of a shotgun with any choke, I have to wonder if it's really worth the trouble to install choke tubes on a defensive shotgun. In other words, how likely are you to engage a target that's too far for a cylinder choke, but not too far for a full?

A shotgun is terrific at short distances. But if the action is going to take place outside, it's time for a carbine.

We're talking about a Mossberg.

If you want choke tubes, why not buy a barrel that was cut for tubes at the factory?
How expensive is a Mossberg barrel?

This business of having a "gunsmith" auger-out a shotgun barrel for choke tubes does not always go well. Then you're STILL buying a new barrel. Ask me how I know!

If you don't want to keep the old barrel, you can sell it to recoup some of the cost of your new barrel.

Have you tried Federal Flite-Control buckshot, or Hornady Tap buckshot? Before you drop $$$ on choke tubes or a new barrel give a $5-7 box of ammo a try.