My primary home defense

[Smart Pig]

Over the last couple of years, I have been building up my small arsenal. My weapons are geared 100% toward self defense. (I haven't hunted since a teenager, and that was a long long time ago.)
Back in July, a buddy talked me into buying a M590 SP. As the title says, this is my first line of defense: Modified with Magpul stock (to give me better sling attachment) and recoil pad, Magpul Fore-stock with two rails, Ontario OK3S bayonet, Streamlight ProTac HL 3 (1100 lumens), Vickers sling and Magpul QD swivel and rail-attach. The original sling stud protruding from the back of the bayonet mount, was at best .... flimsy. So, because I wanted a sling, that is what necessitated much of the changes.

As the blade is scary sharp, I devised a way to protect it, and me, the family, the pooches, and the furniture.
As I keep the bayonet's original sheath Molle attached to my BOB, I purchased a second sheath to use for when I go hiking, etc. The second sheath is generic and fits most 8" blades.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004WF525C/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

It has a removable heavy duty KYDEX (plastic) liner, so I called the company and purchased another KYDEX liner ($15) to use strictly for the shotty. It was a bit loose, so I used a heat gun to form fit it snuggly.

Regarding the bayonet.
I found that the OKC3S was about 1/8" too long in the handle to mount properly to the 590. So, once again, I set about on a search for a bayonet that would fit my Mossberg. Everyone, including Mossberg says that the recommended bayonet is the M9. I finally ended up calling Ontario and talked to one of their experts. It turns out the ALL OF THEIR BAYONETS have exactly the same distance from the center of the guard to the center of the catch at the back of the handle, and that distance is 5.00". They find that various guns from the ARs to the shottys all have a tolerance error of +(-) 1/16". So it matters not what style of Ontario bayonet you like -- the M9, the M10 Tanto, or the Marine OKC3S, or something else -- the mounting dimensions should be the same.

So, I immediately changed directions and set about trying to figure how to make the OKC3S work on my gun. Turned out to be easier than I thought. The bayonet barrel ring fits over the magazine on the shotgun, which is terminated with a screw-on cap. I couldn't leave the cap loose, because that allows the actual gun barrel to move. So I needed a large washer (or shim actually) with dimensions of 1.0" ID, 1.25" OD, and 1/8" thk. As none of the hardware stores could provide a shim with those exact dimensions, I went online to a specialty hardware company, and the lady gave me two as samples. Problem solved.

 

[old mossy]

Good lookin' 590.

 

[oli700]

the more I see that stock the more it grows on me, and I really like how well thought out it is with ergonomics and adjustability

 

[nitesite]

Did you give any thought to locating the front sling attachmant point off the forend, not on it?

I like the buttstock you chose.

 

[oli700]

Did you give any thought to locating the front sling attachmant point off the forend, not on it?

yeah, you'll be much happier when shucking the action .

 

[Smart Pig]

Did you give any thought to locating the front sling attachmant point off the forend, not on it?

I like the buttstock you chose.

Yes, I originally planned on using the sling stud off the rear of the bayonet mount -- but discovered it is too flimsy and so small it is only held by a couple of threads.

If the bayonet is going to be attached, there really is nowhere else to mount a front sling attachment other than on the forend.

The way I have it ..... even when the sling is under the left arm and taut, the setup is comfortable with the pump action when grabbing the rear half of the forend. This is also the perfect location for my hand grip while using my thumb to actuate the light.

 

[Smart Pig]

the more I see that stock the more it grows on me, and I really like how well thought out it is with ergonomics and adjustability

Yes, IMO the Magpul stock is noticeably more comfortable to grip than the original.

 

[nitesite]

Okay. I am glad you at least considered it. I like people who think things thru.

But I need to comment that your sling point is very unconventional. It borders on... well ~~ I'll abstain.

A barrel/mag-tube clamp featuring a QD swivel just behind the bayo mount is not out of the question is it?

 

[Smart Pig]

A barrel/mag-tube clamp featuring a QD swivel just behind the bayo mount is not out of the question is it?

No -- and that certainly warrents looing into. I've already got the QD swivel and rail.
Just looked at several different versions of it. The only problem with the double clamp (like Magpul's, which does not use a rail) is that you have to disassemble it every time you clean the gun to get the barrel out.
But ... that may be no big deal.

Not sure if I would trust a single clamp version that fits around the magazine tube.

Update (several hours later)
Ok, I've done a compromise for now. I moved the flashlight over to the right side of the forend (previously it was on the left and in front of the sling mount). I now have the sling mount all the way forward on the forend right at the front edge. I can grab the forend perfectly in the middle with nothing interfering with my hand or fingers. I'll take some new pictures tomorrow. I like this -- I didn't think the light would be good on the right side because of not easily being able to hit the thumb button. But as it turns out, it is easy peasy. Also, I just realized that with the light on the left side, I was having to swing the gun up and get my sight beyond the flashlight to line up the ghost sights. Now the ghost sights are in the open. (I hope that is making sense.)

Now that everything is positioned good on the forend, give me some reasons why the sling mount should not be attached to it. (You alluded to that earlier .... "But I need to comment that your sling point is very unconventional. It borders on... well ~~ I'll abstain.".) As this is my first pump action shotgun, I am open to critique.
Parts to clamp it to the barrel and magazine are going to run somewhere between $40 and $65 depending on which brand I choose. And then there is still that issue with having to disassemble it everytime I clean the gun.

 

[Smart Pig]

Here are the updated pics I promised:

Overview of my changes to the forend

Closeup of Magpul sling attachment to rail

Closeup of Magpul Light mount on rail

An M590 with blade spells L-O-V-E

Clean decks

 

[oli700]

that's way too much stuff on the forend for me, but I cant stand anything on the forend. Its like rotational weight, it works against you in several ways.


First moving the weight to shuck the action, might not seem like a lot but its cutting into the efficiency of the stroke.

Second is wear on the action components.
It was not designed to have the stresses on the action bars, pins and guide channels that are getting put on yours, ESPECIALLY the sling mount.....
the stress on a sling and attachment points are much more than people think
You now have the weight of the shotgun, ammo, knife, light and mount suspended from the mechanism that cycles your action, the heart of your weapon, just look at your last picture the gap between the forend and barrel is favoring the right side, the side with the flashlight weight .....pulls it over the other way when you use the sling probably, cycling the action will be effected by friction of all this

Third , once you get some peppy rounds in there your support hand is going to get raped by something in the forend from the abrupt recoil, might not be the first few shots as you are thinking about the possibility of it but as soon as you drop your guard its going to happen, you have taken all the options of hand placement away from your forend and confined it to a four finger wide spot in the back.

You wont be able to truly use the sling for a shooting aid either because every time you shuck the action it loosens the sling and tightens it again when you move it forward........imagine this, you shoot, eject the shell by moving the action to the rear loosening your sling , you go to chamber another round and the loose sling snags something preventing you from reloading in a time you really need a shell......or you have to fight over the gun yarding on the sling might eject , load or prevent a reload or just be too much on the action bars and break them

You went full Magpul , never go full Magpul

anyway, just my obsevations, hell you might just want to take pictures.

 

[GunnyGene]

I gotta agree with Oli. I (and Oli to, I think) like to keep it simple. Rack it and shoot it. I'm not going to be in the mood to mess around with addons if there's gonna be a fight in the house.

I have a sling for my old '89 Mariner, but only put it on if I'm going to be outside hiking around. Other than that, just the heat shield that came with it, and a slip on cartridge holder. Thought about painting it black, but I like that retro stainless look.

Anyway, your gun, your preferences, so whatever you want to do with it is cool.

 

[John A.]

Personally, I like a light on my HD guns. And I have tried those barrel/magazine clamp type from ATI and it royally sucked.

If it doesn't have a light on it, in my humble opinion, it is not suited for night time duty.

I think it is Elzetta brand that Rossignol has recommended on a few occasions that looked good.

 

[aksavanaman]

Personally, I like a light on my HD guns. And I have tried those barrel/magazine clamp type from ATI and it royally sucked.

If it doesn't have a light on it, in my humble opinion, it is not suited for night time duty.

I think it is Elzetta brand that Rossignol has recommended on a few occasions that looked good.

I can attest that the Elzetta light mount is fantastic! I pretty sure it fits any 1" flashlight and it's only around $30. @john beery are you absolutely set on using that front QD sling mount? Would you be able to swap it for a standard sling swivle?

 

[Smart Pig]

that's way too much stuff on the forend for me, but I cant stand anything on the forend. Its like rotational weight, it works against you in several ways.


First moving the weight to shuck the action, might not seem like a lot but its cutting into the efficiency of the stroke.

Second is wear on the action components.
It was not designed to have the stresses on the action bars, pins and guide channels that are getting put on yours, ESPECIALLY the sling mount.....
the stress on a sling and attachment points are much more than people think
You now have the weight of the shotgun, ammo, knife, light and mount suspended from the mechanism that cycles your action, the heart of your weapon, just look at your last picture the gap between the forend and barrel is favoring the right side, the side with the flashlight weight .....pulls it over the other way when you use the sling probably, cycling the action will be effected by friction of all this

Third , once you get some peppy rounds in there your support hand is going to get raped by something in the forend from the abrupt recoil, might not be the first few shots as you are thinking about the possibility of it but as soon as you drop your guard its going to happen, you have taken all the options of hand placement away from your forend and confined it to a four finger wide spot in the back.

You wont be able to truly use the sling for a shooting aid either because every time you shuck the action it loosens the sling and tightens it again when you move it forward........imagine this, you shoot, eject the shell by moving the action to the rear loosening your sling , you go to chamber another round and the loose sling snags something preventing you from reloading in a time you really need a shell......or you have to fight over the gun yarding on the sling might eject , load or prevent a reload or just be too much on the action bars and break them

You went full Magpul , never go full Magpul

anyway, just my obsevations, hell you might just want to take pictures.

Thank you for your critique. You make some good points that will be banked away. However, as I had already said, this setup is probably only temporary until I find the RIGHT barrel/mag clamp. One thing I am not giving up -- and that is my desire to have the three things on the gun -- the blade, the light, and the sling. Now, starting with that -- let me just say that the OEM sling stud that screws into the back of the bayonet lug is pure crap. It is held in place by approx two threads of a very small diameter (maybe a #4). That reason alone is why I invested in the Magpul forend, because of the potential for adding rails. But I am also mulling over some kind of barrel clamp like this one:

http://www.amazon.com/Universal-Tri-Rail-Mossberg-Remington-Shotguns/dp/B00BSENUZ4/ref=sr_1_9?ie=UTF8&qid=1413738253&sr=8-9&keywords=Shotgun Barrel Clamp

You have to weigh the negative reviews against the positive ones. And maybe even make a few phone calls before purchasing. The other aspect of this particular clamp is that it requires a LOT of disassembly when you go to clean the gun.

This gun is NEVER going to see heavy use. It's main purpose (other than practicing at the range) is, as the title of this thread says, for home defense. The odds are heavy in my favor that it will never get put to that use. But if it does, I don't imagine it will be used often for that purpose. So I can totally set aside the wear and tear aspect on "the action bars, pins and guide channels". You make a valid point if the gun were going to see heavy use by another owner over many years -- but it just doesn't apply in my case. My other intended use (and the reason for the sling), is if we end up in a SHTF situation, and I find myself joining some others in defending our neighborhood, or God forbid, actually having to bug out somewhere.

I am a very strong guy, and the extra weight at the end hasn't been a problem for me so far at the range. Admittedly, it doesn't handle like my 6 1/4 lb LC Smith, but what does? (This is not going to be a trap gun where I have to quickly swing through a 90 degree + arch, etc.)

I keep coming back to this clamp:

http://store.magpul.com/product/MAG508/shotgun

But it only takes care of the sling.

 

[Smart Pig]

@john beery are you absolutely set on using that front QD sling mount? Would you be able to swap it for a standard sling swivle?

From what I can see from your picture, it looks like you are using the OEM sling stud on the back of the bayonet lug. I have already ruled that out as being a very weak feature.

 

[aksavanaman]

From what I can see from your picture, it looks like you are using the OEM sling stud on the back of the bayonet lug. I have already ruled that out as being a very weak feature.

Weaker than a QD mount to the forend? Can't say I've ever heard of someone breaking their sling swivel stud on 590... not to say it's impossible but highly improbable. Did you check whether it was loose before you dismissed it so quickly? Sometimes they need indexing with an O-ring or washer to tighten correctly.

That said, isn't that sort of a moot point anyways? You said yourself that it will never see heavy use (although I strongly encourage you to get out and train with your shotgun... not just slap on a flashlight and sling, load it with shells and let it collect dust until the day you MAY need it), and since it won't be seeing heavy use what's wrong with using the supplied swivel?

I'm guessing you haven't shot your 590 yet. I would suggest to go buy a bulk back of target ammo and run the whole pack through your gun, then start to make decisions on how to set up your gun.

 

[John A.]

My replies in red

This gun is NEVER going to see heavy use.

I always run a bunch of rounds through any gun that I plan to use for HD/SD. Whether it is brand new, or not. Could run better with some breaking in, or to make sure there isn't some other unforeseen issue. But blindly trusting a bunch of moving and mechanical parts, I just cannot.

That would be like trying to run the Indianapolis 500 with a car that had never been started. Maybe you'll finish the race, maybe you won't. But odds are you winning the race out of all the other drivers, are even slimmer than simply finishing.

It's main purpose (other than practicing at the range) is, as the title of this thread says, for home defense. The odds are heavy in my favor that it will never get put to that use.

See above

But if it does, I don't imagine it will be used often for that purpose.

You're probably right, but there is an old saying, if you ever need a gun, you'll probably need it badly, so why take a chance?

So I can totally set aside the wear and tear aspect on "the action bars, pins and guide channels".

Don't let that worry you. Those parts last a long time, and if you do happen to ever wear a set out, they're cheap and easy to replace.

You make a valid point if the gun were going to see heavy use by another owner over many years -- but it just doesn't apply in my case.

I think that is the main part that I don't understand. I enjoy shooting and do it as often as possible. Maybe that's why I am having a hard time understanding buying a gun, only to hardly ever shoot it.

My other intended use (and the reason for the sling), is if we end up in a SHTF situation, and I find myself joining some others in defending our neighborhood, or God forbid, actually having to bug out somewhere.

I am a very strong guy, and the extra weight at the end hasn't been a problem for me so far at the range. Admittedly, it doesn't handle like my 6 1/4 lb LC Smith, but what does? (This is not going to be a trap gun where I have to quickly swing through a 90 degree + arch, etc.)

I keep coming back to this clamp:

http://store.magpul.com/product/MAG508/shotgun

But it only takes care of the sling.

 

[Smart Pig]

Weaker than a QD mount to the forend? Can't say I've ever heard of someone breaking their sling swivel stud on 590... not to say it's impossible but highly improbable. Did you check whether it was loose before you dismissed it so quickly? Sometimes they need indexing with an O-ring or washer to tighten correctly.

That said, isn't that sort of a moot point anyways? You said yourself that it will never see heavy use (although I strongly encourage you to get out and train with your shotgun... not just slap on a flashlight and sling, load it with shells and let it collect dust until the day you MAY need it), and since it won't be seeing heavy use what's wrong with using the supplied swivel?

I'm guessing you haven't shot your 590 yet. I would suggest to go buy a bulk back of target ammo and run the whole pack through your gun, then start to make decisions on how to set up your gun.

You are guessing wrong on all counts. First of all -- of course I've shot it. While it is new as of this past June, I've put several hundred rounds of birdshot through it and recently switched over to buckshot, having decided it is broken in enough. As for the stud -- not just my opinion, but that of several others whose opinion I value. A weak link in an otherwise great gun. As for collecting dust -- where did I say that? Did I not say it would be used at the range? As I am retired, I go to the range often.

 

[John A.]

As for collecting dust -- where did I say that? Did I not say it would be used at the range? As I am retired, I go to the range often.

I was under the same impression that it would be used little, but glad you cleared that up.