Determining Correct Buttstock Length on a 590A1

The conventional wisdom seems to be that the buttstock on a defensive shotgun needs to be shorter than one on a sporting/hunting shotgun. I'm considering getting a Magpul stock set for my 590A1 to try this out.

The conventional wisdom also seems to be that an A2 buttstock on an AR must be replaced with a collapsible one because it's too long...but it's a perfect fit for me. I'm 6'1" and wear 34 sleeves.

I've got a few hundred rounds through the Mossberg and it seems fairly comfortable to shoot, but that's the extent of my shotgun experience, so I'm aware that there might well be something I'm missing. :) I'm retired with a decent but not wonderful retirement income so I can afford to buy something that's worthwhile, but not just because the cool guys have it.

How do you figure this out?

The AR and the shotgun are a little different in their ergonomics and recoil characteristics. The Magpul SGA for the 590 is shorter than factory and should be just fine for a guy your size.

Thinking on short stocks has several factors.

1) wearing body armor and shooting squared up to take advantage of body armor
2) fitting the broadest spectrum of people on issued guns since it is easier to adapt to a stock that is too short vs too long.
3) speed and ease of shouldering in tight spaces and getting in and out of vehicles.

For myself 12” youth stocks are too short. 13” is the sweet spot for me. It really just depends on what performs well for you.

The magpul stock will allow you to try different lengths.

I'm 6'4" with arms to match. I put a Magpul stock on my Mossberg 835 for duck season this year. Started out with 14" LOP but early in the season I dropped a couple of spacers and am now down to 2 plus the recoil pad for an LOP of just under 13.5". I found it much easier to mount the gun quickly on passing wood ducks. This shotgun wears an 18.5" barrel in the off-season and pulls security. I kept the same LOP and intend to play around with dropping another spacer out. My daughter (who is damn near big as me) liked the shorter stock too. Now that I think of it, she kinda latched on to that shotgun mid-season and never gave it back...

The only thing about the Magpul stock that takes some getting used to is the grip angle when tac loading the magazine tube. If you index the butt on your belt and turn the magazine loading port to face your offside, the grip angle is a little janky. This compared to the factory stock which is straighter and thus a little easier to rotate. The Magpul stock isn't horrible in this regard, but it does take a little practice to smooth it out.

The Magpul stock set for the 590A1 comes with a set of spacers to set the LOP where you want it. I love mine. I have it set for the shortest LOP since defensive use does not equal wing shooting. I have some corners to clear in my house and want it as short as possible. But if the need arises I can set it longer in a couple of minutes.

All depends on your use and comfort - I've seen guys who square up super tight and are 6' tall and are perfectly happy with the Hogue 12" LOP -

The shortest LOP on the Magpul SGA is 12.5" (no spacers) - its absolutely perfect for me, the grip angle is much improved, cheek riser options if you use an optic or scope, sling mounting built in, etc - I have one on my M590 18" in Gray with the matching M-lok forend, and one on my Beretta 1301T in black with the awesome Aridus adapter - held side by side it literally looks like it could be rolled over by a tank when compared to the very hollow and thinner plastic of the Hogue stock - its my favorite shotgun stock by far and worth every penny -

IMO - "buy once cry once" - but I do recommend the forend for the additional $25 or so if you do go with the SGA, just in case you want to attach rail and light on forend etc -

I’m 6’ with 35 sleeves. I just put a Hogue 12” on a gun, it needed the extra 1/4” from a GG&G single point adapter to be perfect.

Actually I prefer the Magpul. You can start it out longer and remove spacers if you want or need to.

Square to the target, butt on pec, no armor, push/pull is how I shoot it.

I had 12" hogues on mine but recently switched out to the bantam wood stocks. Just a hair longer.

The real reason for the interest in short stocks is some people just have to have what the "authorities" use. This is why you find guys living in Michigan who just have to have their rifle painted in desert camo.

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Originally Posted by revchuck38

The conventional wisdom seems to be that the buttstock on a defensive shotgun needs to be shorter than one on a sporting/hunting shotgun. I'm considering getting a Magpul stock set for my 590A1 to try this out.

The conventional wisdom also seems to be that an A2 buttstock on an AR must be replaced with a collapsible one because it's too long...but it's a perfect fit for me. I'm 6'1" and wear 34 sleeves.

I've got a few hundred rounds through the Mossberg and it seems fairly comfortable to shoot, but that's the extent of my shotgun experience, so I'm aware that there might well be something I'm missing. :) I'm retired with a decent but not wonderful retirement income so I can afford to buy something that's worthwhile, but not just because the cool guys have it.

How do you figure this out?

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Stock length, or length of pull (LOP) is a bit more critical in wingshooting and clay shooting. Standard lengths on a sporting shotgun are often 14-1/2" to 14-1/2" from trigger face to butt. Going shorter vs longer will impact ease/speed/smoothness of mounting the gun from a low-gun position, will increase or decrease the drop (or eye height relative to bore), and can affect the overall comfort during the mounting & shooting process. The stock length on a non-sporting shotgun is already fairly short, so if you have run several hundred rounds thru your shotgun and it points easily/well and is comfortable, then I doubt that you have anything to worry about adjusting.