The Mossberg Shockwave is not a shotgun technically, but it revitalized the shotgun industry. This little guy gets by as not a shotgun because it has never had and never will have a stock on it. If this gun is not a shotgun it can have a barrel that’s as short as you want it to be, as long as the overall length is 26 inches. The Shockwave was released in 2017 to great acclaim, including my own. In 2018 we saw the unveiling of the 590M series. The 590M series are pump action shotguns that incorporated a detachable box magazine.
Of course, Mossberg thought what you’re thinking now. Let’s combine the Shockwave with the 590M and when we do what do we get? We get the mighty Mossberg Shockwave 590M. The Shockwave 590M comes from the factory with a 10 round magazine, but there are additional options in capacities of 5, 15, and 20. These are doublestack magazines, and they are beefy boys.
They add a lot to the profile of the Shockwave, but they also double, triple, and even quadruple the little gun’s capacity. This level of firepower is not exactly common to see in a little pump action 12 gauge like this.
Ergonomics
The Shockwave series and the 500 series, in general, are very ergonomic guns. The ambidextrous tang safety is easy to reach with the thumb, and the pump release is easy as well. The pump action design is simple, and the pump comes complete with a nice safety strap. Nice is a relative term. The strap does make the gun a little safer, but proper technique is more important.
The strap has screws that hold it to the pump, and a big problem occurs when those screws come back and strike your hand. They can easily break the skin.
The magazine system doesn’t degrade the gun’s ergonomics. The magazine release is ambidextrous and very smooth and easy to use. The magazines rock in just slightly, somewhat like an AK. The bulky magazines give the appearance that a mag change would be hard. However, the properly placed release makes it pretty easy to rock and roll.
Loading ten rounds is difficult, and I can’t imagine what its like to pack a 20 rounder. The last two rounds take some real hand strength. The magazine has gotten a little better overtime but its still a tough ten rounds.
Reliability
A pump action shotgun is already one helluva reliable gun. Manually operated firearms are more straightforward and the less that can go wrong the better. Mossberg Shotguns are in use by the military and police forces for a reason, they work. However, when you throw a magazine into the mix things may change.
I approached the Mossberg 590M Shockwave with caution. I was apprehensive towards it and nervous that they ruined my beloved 590. After loading ten rounds of birdshot, I was legitimately worried. I wanted this gun to work.
Thankfully it did. Round after round the magazine fed the weapon and the gun went bang. Magazine after magazine. I loaded and fired a hundred shots on my first day without a single problem. The only issue I had was hand cramps from loading that large magazine.
Over the next few days, the gun cycled and fired everything I put through it. From the cheapest birdshot to basic buckshot the firearm ate it up, and I never ran into magazine associated issues. I never ran into any problems at all, to be honest.
Potential Uses?
The Shockwave series is a rough gun to handle. The recoil is harsh, and it’s heavy, hard to stabilize and takes practice to be anywhere close to effective with. A magazine makes it heavier and a bit more cumbersome.
For most users, the most important thing is the fun factor. Holy Crap is this gun fun. Shotguns are always fun to me, and the Mossberg Shockwave 590M is a beast. It’s a blast to run, and the challenge it presents is something, unlike any other gun.
Challenge is where the fun lies if you find pleasure in holding onto to something that doesn’t want to be held fun. This is a gun made for fun, and it doesn’t need a real use. The weapon is slightly ridiculous, but it’s well made, reliable, and interesting to say the least. If you go into it with fun in mind, you’ll have plenty of it. If you want an effective home defense weapon go with a regular shotgun. If you want something that gives a middle finger to the NFA, then go with the Shockwave 590M.