Buying an 835 Barrel for my Moss 590 For Hunting / Skeet

[powell556]

I've done a little research and it seems like I could buy a Mossberg 835 barrel that could be used on an existing Moss 590 that I own. This would give me added capability without having to buy a new gun. The two caveats I've found are that the 835 barrels have a 3.5" chamber but the Moss 590 receivers have a smaller chamber (2 3/4" I think). I think this is okay as long as I only shoot 2 3/4" shells. The second caveat is price. It seems like trying to buy an 835 barrel is almost as expensive as buying a complete 835. That's if you buy it new direct from Mossberg or Brownells. It can be cheaper on the secondary market like eBay but I couldn't find the barrel I think I want (28" Vent Rib non-ported). All of the barrels on eBay I've seen have been ported.

I have never been hunting nor shot skeet. I might eventually do both and since I already have a few Moss 590s in my collection, it seems reasonable to add an 835 barrel so if the opportunity arises where a friend invites me, I don't have to try to scramble at the last minute. There's just too much that I don't know and need help with the decision.

Given the price of the barrel is so close to the full gun, the first advice might be "just buy a whole 835" but the reason I want to avoid that is because it's a bit of a hassle to go to the FFL versus direct ship a barrel, gun safe space restrictions on adding a whole new gun, the desire to not have to drop another $200 between Magpul furniture, upgraded steel safety, upgraded follower, upgraded mag spring.

However, one idea that came to mind is buying a full 835 and stripping it down. I throw out or give away the factory furniture. I take the barrel for my purposes. I separate out the mag tube as a spare for one of my 590s. And I keep the receiver in my gun safe as a spare. I did plan to buy a spare trigger assembly to have on hand for my existing 3 Moss 590s because I like spare parts. But I want a metal assembly and I imagine these will be plastic.

If I go this route, maybe I actually swap the 835 receiver for one of my 590 receivers. The 590 receiver becomes the "spare part" and the 835 becomes the main receiver for my 18.5" shotgun. Then when I swap the 835 barrel on there, I could use 3.5" shells. I'm not sure if putting an 18.5" barrel set for 2 3/4" shells in the 3.5" receiver will be a problem as long as I only use 2 3/4" shells with the 18.5" barrel.

Here's what I don't know and need help with:


A) How important and useful are shooting 3.5" shells to hunting? Is it goofy for my only hunting shotgun to be limited to 2 3/4" shells because I'm using an 835 barrel on a 590 receiver?

B) If I buy a whole 835 and "convert" it into an 18.5" 590 for daily use, any problems shooting 2 3/4" shells through the 3.5" reciever? Less reliable or sloppy?

C) Can I get away with a single "hunting" Barrel to expand my capability? If so is the 28" Vent Rib Non-Ported my best bet? If not, which barrels so I need to add? I have 14, 18.5 and 20" currently.

D) Do I need to consider also adding a dedicated rifled slug barrel, or can my 20" smooth bore 590 barrel be good enough?

E) I run ghost ring sights front/rear on my 590s. If I put an 835 VR barrel on there, will it be weird to shoot looking through the rear ghost ring?

F) What if I kept the ghost ring rear sight on the 590 receiver and put the new micro S1 Aimpoint Vent Rib mounted optic directly on the 835 barrel. Would the rear Ghost Ring obsure the red dot?


I have more money than I have gun safe space and buying a new gun safe isn't an option for several years. I definitely will not purchase an 835 full gun and put that in the safe. I am open to buying a full 835 gun and stripping it if that's the most cost effective route and gives me an extra spare receiver or if making a franken 590 with 3.5" receiver makes sense for this project. The main limiting factor is reducing storage volume in the gun safe while expanding capabilities of my shotgun collection.

I'm aware of the magazine tube limitation and I think my 18.5" 590 (6 shot) has the same mag tube as the 835. I don't need to be able to interchange the 835 onto all three of my 590s. Or it might be that my 14" (5 shot) has same magazine as 835. I checked with ATF and I can put a >18" barrel on my 14" Short Barrel Shotgun and temporarily convert it to Title 2, and I have that in writing in an opinion letter. Not that I expect it to jack me up, because it would have a >18" barrel on it at the time any LE saw it, so they wouldn't even think to run it through NFA registry nor would they necessarily care.

[Tensaw]

You shopuld probably call Mossberg customer service and talk with Joe. I tried to go the other direction (590 barrel and on 835) and he advised that was a no-go due to fitment issues where the barrel meets the receiver. Ended up buying an 18.5" "security" barrel for the 835.

[willie]

I bought a 24 inch 835 barrel for my 590a1. It fits and works well. Be aware that the 590 must be one for the 18.5 inch barrel. The 20 inch barrel model will not accept the 835 barrel. The 835 barrel has a do not use slugs inscription because its over bored. The 3.5 inch shell in my shotguns kicked harder than did my 458 Win Mag elephant gun. This shell was designed to compensate for steel shot limitations. I don't think you can swap parts between the 500 series and 835 shotguns.

[Hambo]

A) Not very, unless you hunt waterfowl or turkey. Even then you don't need 3.5".

B) No.

C) I don't have spare barrels, but I have a lot of choke tubes.

D) Do you want/need to use a shotgun to hunt deer? If not, skip it. If yes, try your smoothbore first. It wasn't that long ago that there weren't any rifled barrels for slugs.

E) Probably.

F) No idea.

Shotgun games. You can try your hand at them with a 835, but if you get hooked you'll want something different.

[willie]

The 835 is more clunky than the 500 line and also lacks the other's reliability record. I don't have data but am aware that folks seem to complain more about 835 malfunctions. I bought my 835 barrel online from an auction for $100 shipped. That's a great deal for a new barrel. However, I bought something I never use. Having choke tubes installed in a 590 barrel is an alternative. If you really do desire a hunting shotgun, go to Walmart and buy a 500 which comes with choke tubes. If you are on a tight budget shop box stores for Mossberg's Maverick. It will do the same thing but has a different safety than the 500 line. My opinion is that the Maverick and 500 come out of the same horse so to speak. I've owned numerous copies of both and can't tell the difference. The Maverick has a safety similar to a Rem 870, and its receiver is not drilled and tapped.

[powell556]

Having choke tubes installed in a 590 barrel is an alternative.

If I had choke tubes installed in one or more of my 590 barrels then it would be suitable for hunting birds? Would it matter if I did it to my 14", 18.5" or 20"?

I had always assumed the longer the barrel, the tighter the patterning. But I'm noticing similar patterns out of all 3 of my 590s with FFC #1 Buck. Haven't tried patterning birdshot, my indoor range doesn't allow it.

[willie]

Patterns depend on choke constriction. Barrel length is not a factor. Wing shooters benefit by a longer barrel's heft and balance. Choke tubes in the 590 would allow experimenting with buckshot or any other pellet size. You can buy a new Maverick for $200 or slightly more by shopping box store sales. Academy has them cheap. The Maverick will come with a 28 inch vent rib barrel and 3 choke tubes. You can spend that much having choke tubes installed when you figure in the price of a tube set. But, yes, you can hunt with a 590 with a choke tubed barrel. The 590 original barrel will excel with slugs and Federal Flite Control buckshot which patterns best in a cylinder or unchoked barrel. For hunting the migratory birds like ducks, geese, and doves, the mag tube must be limited to two shots with a plug.

[powell556]

But, yes, you can hunt with a 590 with a choke tubed barrel. The 590 original barrel will excel with slugs and Federal Flite Control buckshot which patterns best in a cylinder or unchoked barrel.

Does having a choke tube threading installed negative impact my ability to use slugs or FFC Buckshot? I imagine there's some kind of "inert" choke thing I can install that acts as a thread protector so the threads don't get damaged when I don't want to use a choke.

[willie]

You would always shoot with a choke tube installed. For slugs you might have a cylinder tube which would be a continuation of the bore itself with no constriction. You may discover that your barrel shoots slugs better with an improved cylinder tube or modified tube. Usually full choke tubes do not perform best with slugs or buckshot. Every barrel is different. All choke tubes are not the same. Perhaps the word inexact applies to shotgun barrels and chokes. We have not even begun to talk about other variables like shot hardness. Do it the easy way. For buckshot, shoot Federal Flite Control shells through cylinder choke.
For slugs use their premium slugs through same choke. You will have best results to start with. For hunting birds with the 590 cylinder barrel, buy Winchester AA trap loads in No. 8 shot and limit range to 35 yards.
If you are serious about hunting buy a box store Mossberg 500. All internal parts will interchange with the 590. The action bars will differ. Safeties will be same. You get a vent rib barrel and 3 choke tubes. You can buy a cylinder tube. This route gives complete compatibility of control, and internal parts will interchange. It's all the same. Not having same action bars means zero. But you can waste money and convert. This is one way that Mossberg simplifies to save money. The Mossbergs are cheap shotguns made by a cheap company. They work. They are easily repaired. They shake and rattle and look clunky and are clunky. But they work. I have several and have owned many. Compared to an old school Rem 870, a Mossberg is a piece of shit. But they work and work. Today the 870 is a cat turd but not the Mossberg. You have a good shotgun that will out shoot you and outlast you. Ditto for any currently made 500, 590, 590a1, or Maverick. Don't overthink this. If you do not hunt, then you do not need another barrel or another shotgun. If you are concerned mostly with shooting buckshot or slugs, then follow the advice above. You will not be welcome at a skeet range with a security shotgun. If you hunt with one, you will be the only guy or gal there with a "riot gun". Enjoy..