Mossberg 590 Shockwave: Not the Shotgun You Need, but the Shotgun You Want – The Mossberg 590 Shockwave 12 Gauge is probably a shotgun you don’t need, but you’ll want it really bad. It’s impractical, hard to control, but it offers unmatched style and a huge bang to go with it. I’m not saying you need to buy it right this minute, but you should definitely pick this shotgun up when you get a chance. I keep mine as an exclusive range toy, but if you’re so inclined it could be used for home defense if it’s the closest thing on hand. I’m ready to talk about this gun so if you want to hear more, keep reading.
This shotgun is all about style and a big bang. If you don’t know already, this thing is pretty small. It doesn’t have a stock and only has a 14-inch barrel, so it’s the closest you’re going to get to a sawed-off while staying within the confines of federal law. Aside from the lack of a stock and the shorter barrel, it’s identical to other shotguns in the Mossberg 590 family.
My Shockwave came equipped with a strap on the pump. It helps you keep a handle on the firearm since the recoil is mighty fierce.
This isn’t an easy gun to control or aim for that matter. The general idea is to aim in the vicinity of your target and pull the trigger. You’ll probably hit it. Either way, there’s not a great way to control kick when operating this gun. It’ll buck hard with normal loads aside from birdshot maybe. It depends on your grip.
I guess that’s why they call it the shockwave. I’m not holding the recoil against it though. I knew exactly what I was getting into when I first saw it and I suspect anyone interested in this non-NFA item knows too.
I’m going to mostly gloss over accuracy for this particular gun since shotguns are typically more “area of effect” type weapons. Just know the spread of pellets is more than your typical shotgun because of the shortened barrel.
What I want to focus on is the fun aspect. This little 12 gauge packs a big punch and is a boatload of fun. What more do you want out of life than spraying a technically-and-legally-not-a-shotgun from the hip?
If you want to fulfill the fantasy of being an 80’s action hero then this is the firearm for you. I thoroughly enjoyed my time with the Shockwave and frequently let my friends and family shoot it once they’ve been acquainted with the basics of firearm safety and some other more controllable guns.
Am I recommending the Mossberg 590 Shockwave? You betcha.
Maybe buy all of your “necessary” guns first like a pistol for concealed carry and a rifle for threats foreign and domestic. After that, I think that anyone would be pretty pleased with the Shockwave. I know I am.
And it only costs $420 MSRP meaning you can definitely find it cheaper if you shop around a little bit.
