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New 590a1 owner, questions about modifications

DrWan

.22LR
Hello all, new Mossberg owner here and I have a few questions about modifications.

I'm a slight guy 5'9" 150#, and the factory stock on the 590a1 is a little long for me. I can hold it fine, it just doesn't feel "quite right". So, first the things that I have on order is a Houge Short Stock and a small Limbsaver slip on buttpad. Easy peasey, not problems with that...

Where I've run into a bit of a roadblock is determining if my next two modifications are compatible.

The gun currently has just a bead front sight. I was hoping to add some type of more traditional rifle sights and was wanting either night or fiberoptic sights to make them more useful in the dark. While I'm sure that the bead sights would be sufficient for HD applications, having better sights on it would make it more fun at the range.


I'd also like to add a heatshield. This gun is for HD, but also for fun range time and I can see myself getting the barrel pretty hot at the range. I've "burned" myself more than once with my SKS and would like to avoid that if possible.

I'm wide open on sight suggestions but it appears that the Aimpro Heatshield is the preferred heatshield for this gun. I know that the Aimpro is apparently compatible with the ghost ring sights, but does anyone know if there are any higher visibility sights that are compatible?

So, essentially, any high visibility sight replacements that are compatible with the Aimpro Heatshied?

My 509a1 cam with the L3 Insight lighted foregrip already installed, it's pretty cool. A video below:

Thanks

John

http://youtu.be/K_Zm0fNEfJU
 
Howdy DrWan and welcome to the club. While I am not familiar with the 590 there will be someone around here who is. Thanx for joinin up and see ya soon.
 
Hi DrWan. It looks like we are paralleling each other. I recently bought a 590A1 w/18 1/2" barrel and bead sight. I am 5'-6" and also found the LOP to long and have a hogue on order. I am also interested in adding sights, preferrably night sights. While I can't tell you what exactly will/won't work here is a link to XS sight system. I have also looked into Ameriglo night sights. Replacing the bead with a Meprolight tritium bead is also an inexpensive option. I hope the link works, it's the first I added as a member here. Good Luck and I'll keep an eye on this thread as others with more knowledge will chime in.
http://xssights.com/index.php?nID=sights&cID=Sights&pID=sights&sID=shotgun
 
Heres what I know about the XS sights. There isnt really a Mossberg specific bead available.

The big dot can be epoxied over or onto an existing bead, but theyre sized for the Remington bead. What folks will do is have the barrel tapped for the Remington bead... then install the Rem bead and the XS Big Dot over that.

I installed the Meprolight bead, an equivalant to the Big Dot, but its still a bead sight. However, I'm very pleased with it. It does have the tritium vials.

Switching a bead sight barrel to rifle sights is possible, but with a heatshield ghost ring sights would like suit you better as rifle sights require space on the barrel also occupied by the heatshield. Though we have a member who had it done by AIMPRO. He had the AIMPRO heatshield custom cut to allow for the rear sight on the barrel.

Installing the front post, whether rifle or GRS requires silver soldering the base/pedestal onto the barrel. The barrel then has to be refinished. I've heard of two cases where the silver soldering process didnt go as well as, or wasnt done as well as it was supposed to. The existing barrel lugs were heated, weakening the silver solder and the lugs soon after broke loose after the stress of the 12 ga. recoil.

There are sights that are "banded". These fully wrap the barrel and are epoxied onto the barrel.

Its your goat and youre the only one feedin it, you can dress it for the prom however you want! ;) I know of folks who have had the work done and it looks great! For me, its the more expensive route and therefore the least desirable...

For heatshields;
You already know of AIMPRO, excellent, well made and attractive. Also sometimes the most difficult to get a hold of. AIMPRO can also handle your issues with sights and barrel refinishing. They have a high vis front post for GRS.
ATI. You can get a hold of ATI on here. I have heard both very positive and also negative. From what I have seen, they do whatever it takes to remedy any issues though. They also have a new heatshield available which looks excellent and the ATI heatshield may solve your issues with sights as well. They have GRS models with sights mounted directly to the heatshield its self. The newer heatshield looks very promising. Dont know if their heatshields will fit the heavy barrel of the 590A1 though.
OFM, Mossberg factory heatshields. Theyre made by OFM. They work, but here again, I dont believe they have a heatshield to fit the 590A1.

John, that forend looks awesome! I heard somethin about those around the time of SHOT show this year! Thanks for postin the link to the vid!

I hope the info has helped, let me know if I can elaborate or expand to be more helpful! Welcome to Mossberg Owners John!!! :D
 
Thanks Rosignal for adding what I completely missed...adding sights isn't the easiest or cheapest. Only the Meprolight night bead is a bolt on.
 
No problem, The Meprolight is one of two that I know of that are a 5/40 thread and direct fit for the Mossberg.

The other is the Marble Arms sight. Its essentially the same as the Meprolight, I'd have to lok again, but it may have a generally larger profile.
 
Thanks all for your replies.

I see now, that I should have known all along that GRS would be compatible with the heat shield, but I had come across so many posts that would reference "590a1 not compatible with heat shield" (I guess they were talking about the standard Mossberg shield) and "heat shield not compatible with certain sights" etc... that I had gotten a little gun-shy and was hesitant to order some stuff, get it home and realize that it wasn't compatible.

The XS sights posted by CarbineMike look like winners to me, although they are more expensive than I'd expected.

Hopefully, I'll be able locate an AIMPRO heatshield without too much trouble.

After that, add a sling and I think I'll be all set.

Rossingnol, I'm quite pleased with the Insight Lighted foreend. I'll work up a little review of it soon.

For now, here's a few pictures:

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/5155002/$RN6XP5W.JPG
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/5155002/$R0WMGUT.JPG
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/5155002/$R35IS53.JPG

Once again, thanks all...

John
 
I really like the profile of the forend Wan!!! The sandals look comfy too! ;)

Somethin I forgot to mention. It could actually cost less to get another barrel with the GRS front post and then allso order the rear sight and picatinny rail too. Compared to the gunsmithing anyway.

Another option is to get the regular profile Special Purpose 590 barrel and then the standard heatshield would work too!
 
Awesome on pulling the trigger on your upgrades. Please keep us posted with what it takes to add the sights and heat shield...pictures too! Inquiring minds want to know.
 
I'm hoping to do the heat shield myself. I'll leave the sights to the gunsmiths.

Will keep you updated.

John
 
Oooh, I totally missed those sights, good eye! Those will be sweet and the gunsmithing i mentioned, for the most part, wont be at all necessary. I have no idea what kind of installation will be required for sure though. I couldnt begin to guess costs from a gunsmith...

AIMPRO has the online store up too!

Thats awesome man! I'm excited for you and lookin forward to you gettin everything in!
 
Sights have shipped.

No word from AIMPRO yet, I'll give them a few days before contacting them to see if there is a wait on the heatshield.

Limbsaver was delivered today. Ordered from e-bay. Cheapest I could find after shipping costs.

Houge stock ordered from Optics Planet on Amazon, just got an e-mail that it will ship in two days.

Sweet....
 
Awesome! Optics Planet (and Midway too!) have always been good places to deal with!

Amazon is pretty cool isnt it!
 
Nice...That Limbsaver is exactly what it is.....a limbsaver. I love that thing. It gives my Beartooth pad a run for the money too...
 
590a1 Modifications Step one

Well, I got home early today and planned to go shoot my 590a1, but there was a box from UPS on the front porch that short circuited those plans.

My Limbsaver had been delivered a day or two ago. Super fast!: http://tinyurl.com/cpoacjg. Cheap after free shipping.

Today, my Houge Short Stock got delivered. Just a few days after ordering, despite the fact that the page says ships in 6-10 days. http://tinyurl.com/87ytadz

So, as requested, some pictures of the add-ons and, not as requested, a brief rundown of installation follows:

First a few pictures with the old stock installed compared to the the new uninstalled stock:

Stock%20Change%201%20small.JPG

Stock%20Change%202%20small.JPG

Stock%20Change%203%20small.JPG


Looking like it will be a nice upgrade for me....

Now a closer picture of just the Houge Short Stock. It's mostly smooth, but the area where your trigger hand would rest is rubberized and feels quite good. The Houge Buttpad is softer than the stock buttpad on the 590a1, but does not feel as though it would last very long. More foamy than rubbery seems like it would be relatively easy to damage. But, overall, the stock seems nice quality.

Stock%20Change%204%20small.JPG


All you need to change this out is a Phillips head screwdriver, a 1/2" socket, and a long extension for your ratcheting wrench. Taking the factory buttpad off is easy enough, just two wood screws. Removing the factory stock was easiest with a ratcheting wrench (my weedy arms couldn't get enough torque on my screwdriver to get it started). A long bolt comes out with a washer and locking washer.

Next, remove the buttpad from the Houge stock. The holes for these screws are not visible unless you apply some tension to the side of the buttpad:

Stock%20Change%206%20small.JPG


Apply a little lube or oil to your #2 phillips screwdriver and loosen the pad from the stock. A dry screwdriver might damage the pad during insertion or rotation. Loosen the screws but do not pull them out through the pad, just separate it from the stock.

My Houge stock came with a largeish size silver washer. I removed the mossberg factory washer and replaced it with the Houge washer, leaving the locking washer in place. If I used all three together, only a few threads of the bolt stuck through the business end of the stock. Using only the locking washer & silver washer gave the bolt enough threads to get purchase. Snug it down tightly with your wrench and screw the Houge buttpad back on (don't forget the lube).

Stock%20Change%205%20small.JPG


Slip on Limbsaver buttpad was exactly as described. Slips on easily, perhaps too easily. It fits well but is JUST little looser than I was hoping. Maybe some glue is in order...

Stock%20Change%207%20small.JPG


Overall, very pleased with the progress so far. The short stock alone felt a little too short, adding the 1" of the limbsaver makes it feel just right....

Has anyone glued their slip-on buttpad? Any suggestions regarding the best type of glue? I don't mind damaging the buttpad, but don't want to damage the stock.

Will continue updates when I get the sights and heatshield....

Better quality of all the pictures below:

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/5155002/Stock Change/Stock Change 1.JPG
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/5155002/Stock Change/Stock Change 2.JPG
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/5155002/Stock Change/Stock Change 3.JPG
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/5155002/Stock Change/Stock Change 4.JPG
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/5155002/Stock Change/Stock Change 5.JPG
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/5155002/Stock Change/Stock Change 6.JPG
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/5155002/Stock Change/Stock Change 7.JPG
 
Great pics... I have the slip on limbsaver and it does slip on a little loose. But it stays in place while shooting and I haven't had any complaints or reason to glue it.
 
You could wrap double stick tape around the butt and slip it on and it will still be removable. Goof Off takes the tape residue off , for future reference.

Nice write up and great pix sir!!!
 
Nicely done! Great pics too, its always appreciated!!!

I hope you thoroughly enjoy it!
 
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