Traditional shotgun safeties never really fit quite right on tactical, pistol-grip scatterguns. That’s why Mossberg gave its tube-fed, pump-action 590R shotguns a helping hand with ambidextrous rotary safeties that are both ergonomic and familiar to anyone who has shot an AR-15 rifle.

However, that’s hardly the only enhancement the company made to its new 590R shotguns. Here’s a closer look at all the improved features, along with our top takeaways, after putting 300 shells through the 590R during live-fire testing.

Quick Summary: Mossberg’s rotary safety makes the 590R much easier to shoot with a vertical pistol grip than similar tactical shotguns. The safety is a bit undersized, but it’s a big improvement, along with upgrades to the action release, stock, and heat shield.

Table of Contents

Features
Specifications
Reliability & Accuracy 
590R vs. 590RM
Pros & Cons
Final Thoughts

Features

One of the newest additions to Mossberg’s time-tested pump-action 590 shotgun series, the 590R lineup has the same non-binding, open-end magazine tube that makes it easy to load and allows it to accommodate longer magazine tubes and extensions.

The main differentiator for the 590R is the addition of ambidextrous lever safeties.

These AR-style safeties allow the user to manipulate the safety levers without the need to fully break their shooting-hand grip. That’s a big win for a shotgun that sports a vertical pistol grip.

Traditional tang and forward trigger-guard button safeties are difficult to reach on guns with pistol grips. Even rear-mounted trigger-guard safeties, such as the one found on the Benelli M4, require the user to pull their trigger finger behind the trigger itself to manipulate the safety before shooting. 

Mossberg solved this with the trusty AR-like thumb lever safeties, and an improved action release lever at the top of the pistol grip on the left side likewise allows you to release the pump without breaking your grip.
 

The 590R has several other upgraded features that are far more visually apparent. There is a five-position adjustable stock with a rubber recoil pad and five QD sling attachment points. This is fitted to a faux AR buffer tube. 

Combined with the Magpul AR pistol grip, the stock design gives you the ability to customize the gun with most mil-spec aftermarket AR furniture.
 

Additionally, the barrel features a heat shield that protects your support hand from the hot barrel during high-volume shooting, and the flat-faced trigger is a nice addition that breaks at 5.7 pounds on my gauge. 

Mossberg rounded out the design with loads of space for accessories. This includes a front Picatinny rail on the end of the barrel for backup iron sights and 6 inches of Pic rail over the receiver for optics. The gun ships with front and rear Magpul flip-up iron sights installed. Below the phosphate-finished barrel, there are two slots of M-LOK for slings, lights, or lasers.
 

Specifications

Here’s a quick breakdown of the basic specs for the Mossberg 590R.

Reliability & Accuracy

I have fired more than 300 shells through this Mossberg 590R for testing over multiple range trips. It has had zero issues with 2.75- and 3-inch shells, as long as I ran the pump with authority. 

Unlike many hunting shotgun models, this tactical beast has a long pull distance to get to the sliding forend, so just keep that in mind when shooting. I only had a few short-strokes during my testing, and all came after extended periods of shooting when my arm was fatigued but I was still trying to shoot fast.

Beyond that, this scattergun is a tank, and it will feed and fire every time if you do your part.

I also ran several different sight options on this gun over various range visits. It ships with front and rear Magpul flip-up iron sights, which are perfectly usable for tactical shooting needs. I opted to add a Vortex Defender-XL 8-MOA red dot on my first range trip.
 

For pattern testing, I shot several groups at 15 yards with various shot sizes. That distance is about the maximum I would expect anyone to need to shoot in a home defense situation, and the 590R did well with several popular shotshell options.
 

I followed up this testing with some extended accuracy tests during a later range visit to see just how far I could reasonably shoot the Mossberg 590R and its smoothbore barrel with slugs.
 

At 50 or even 100 yards, you can absolutely count on this shotgun to shoot well within accuracy needs for tactical and basic hunting purposes with the right ammo.

So, what was my final verdict on the rotary safeties after all this shooting? Somewhat mixed. Overall, they are a great addition that makes this shotgun easier to run than other shotguns with button and tang safeties and pistol grips that I have tested.
 

However, if I had to get nitpicky, the safety lever is just a bit too short for my taste. Since the rear of the receiver is wide, the short safety levers become harder to reach once they get close to the end of their 90-degree throw. This would be easily fixed with a shorter 70-degree throw or longer safety levers.
 

590R Versus 590RM

We’ve already done a full comparison of the tube-fed Mossberg 590R and the magazine-fed 590RM. The main difference between the two is that the 590RM uses large box magazines that can hold between five and 20 shells. 

That magazine makes the 590RM significantly heavier, at 8.27 pounds with an empty 10-round mag, and the magazine design limits the gun to 2.75-inch shell sizes.

Here’s a quick comparison video between the two before we compare the basic specs.

If you want to reload quickly but not often, the extended magazines make the 590RM a good choice. However, those mags are bulky and hard to carry around. Meanwhile, the 590R is nimbler and can accept up to 3-inch shells via the magazine tube.

Here’s a comparison of the basic specs for the Mossberg 590R and 590RM:

Why Choose the 590R: For my money, I would pick the 590R because it is nimbler, still offers a 6+1 capacity, and it does not require the magazines to run efficiently. It is also more affordable, and that is especially true if you consider the price of additional 590RM magazines.
 

Pros & Cons

Here are my top pros and cons for the Mossberg 590R.

Final Thoughts

It’s not often that a shotgun hits the market with a truly unique design feature. Boom tubes like the Mossberg 590 shotguns have been around for a very long time, but the 590R finally breaks the mold by adding a common feature that many shooters already love on guns like the AR-15.

Mossberg’s pump-action scatterguns were already reliable, rugged, and easy to use and maintain. Now, they are even easier to shoot with vertical pistol grips, thanks to the rotary safety on the 590R.