Meet Mossberg ‘Compact Cruisers,’ AOW Shorties — SHOT Show 2017

in Authors, Clay Martin, SHOT Show 2017

To purchase one, contact your local dealer on GunsAmerica.

For more information, also check out Mossberg.com

Overview

Meet Mossberg 'Compact Cruisers,' AOW Shorties -- SHOT Show 2017

The Mossberg “Compact Cruisers.”

Mossberg had quite a few new items at SHOT this year, including the introduction of 2 AOWs (Any Other Weapons) based on the Mossberg 500 and 590 family of weapons.

An “ Any Other Weapon” is probably the grayest of the grey areas in the soup that is NFA items. Basically, if you started with a real Mossberg 500 and cut the barrel and stock off, you would have an SBS (Short Barreled Shotgun). And that is a $200 tax stamp. If a weapons manufacturer builds a receiver from day one to be an AOW and sticks to the rules, it is a $5 tax stamp. Pretty cool. Clear as mud? Good, me too.

Specs

Meet Mossberg 'Compact Cruisers,' AOW Shorties -- SHOT Show 2017

The 500 Compact Cruiser AOW (51697) features a 7.5-inch cylinder bore barrel with front bead sight; 2+1 capacity; durable anodized finish on receiver; and Parkerized finish on barrel and mag tube.

500 Compact Cruiser AOW

  • Chambering: 12 Gauge
  • Barrel: 7.5 inch
  • OA Length: 17 inch
  • Capacity: 2+1
  • Grips: ATI
  • Sights: bead
  • Action: pump action
  • Finish: parkerized
  • MSRP: $910
Meet Mossberg 'Compact Cruisers,' AOW Shorties -- SHOT Show 2017

The 590A1 Compact Cruiser AOW (51664) has a 10.25-inch heavy-walled, cylinder bore barrel with front bead sight; convenient cleanout mag tube with 3+1 capacity; metal trigger guard; metal safety button; and anodized aluminum receiver with Parkerized steel finishes.

590A1 Compact Cruiser AOW

  • Chambering: 12 Gauge
  • Barrel: 10.25 inch
  • OA Length: 19.5 inch
  • Grips: ATI
  • Sights: bead
  • Capacity: 3+1
  • Action: pump action
  • Finish: parkerized
  • MSRP: $980

Impression

The long and the short is, if you want a super short shotgun that cannot be fired from the shoulder, Mossberg has you covered. I think this year they set out just to screw with the ATF, which seems to be a hobby in the firearms world. Well played Mossberg.

The AOW models vary just slightly, in capacity. Both feature a pistol grip stock and a folding style foregrip for pumping the action. The foregrip also features a strap, to keep your hand from slipping in front of the muzzle.

Cool stuff!

Price and Availability

Meet Mossberg 'Compact Cruisers,' AOW Shorties -- SHOT Show 2017

What do you think?

As mentioned the price for the 500 is $910 and the price for the 590A1 is $980.

To purchase one, contact your local dealer on GunsAmerica.

For more information, also check out Mossberg.com

About the author: Clay Martin is a former Marine and Green Beret, retiring out of 3rd Special Forces Group. He is a multi-decade and -service sniper, as well as 3-Gun competitor and Master ranked shooter in USPSA Production. In addition to writing about guns, he is the author of “Last Son of The War God,” a novel about shooting people that deserve it. You can also follow him on twitter, @offthe_res or his website, Off-The-Reservation.com

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  • Charles March 3, 2017, 4:24 pm

    Mossberg’s pricing includes the cost of the $200 manufacturing (Form 1) tax stamp of what amounts to an SBS. The $5.00 AOW stamp is the further formality to pass on SBS that also meets the AOW specs(?) (ridiculously short).
    In other words, -Producing/manufacture- of an AOW -STILL- costs that manufacturer an initial $200 tax, the next person in line of possession gets away with a $5.00 tax stamp that has a basis as a transfer (NFA registration) fee.

  • Ronald woodrufff February 10, 2017, 12:16 pm

    Like to have one way to much money / $600 I would pay!

  • Henry Argueta February 8, 2017, 9:25 pm

    So you can buy a mossberg shotgun with an 18″ barrel for $375 new or used for about a hundred less and than cut it how ever short i wanted and pay a $200 stamp to the ATFE and wait for about six month i think is well worth it since we have waited for years for them to come out with this.Plus on my end the waiting time from ATFE is less with the trust letter and all the metal mossberg is saving by making this shorty one full size is enough to make 2.just like everyone here i don’t think so mossberg.

  • Pete Ostergard February 8, 2017, 2:28 pm

    Really cool and I’d love to have one, but not at that ridiculous price.

  • Cot February 8, 2017, 11:06 am

    The price is way to high and the capaitity is only 3 shells who’s kidding who

  • Steven Parker February 8, 2017, 10:43 am

    Mossberg is spending their time and money to come up with more junk than is needed and they are not standing behind the products that they have. No parts instock. Yeah this is way to much.

  • Ricky Price February 8, 2017, 9:51 am

    I would like to have one, but not that price.

  • Allen Lawson February 8, 2017, 8:39 am

    Price is a crock of BS. A fool and his money are soon departed.

  • M. Atkinson February 8, 2017, 7:18 am

    Mossberg is also playing with the consumer, $910-$980? Come on now talk about being raped.

  • M. Atkinson February 8, 2017, 7:16 am

    Yeah, Mossberg is also playing with the consumer, $910-$980?, talk about being raped!

  • JLA February 7, 2017, 4:25 am

    What’s the capacity with the Aguila Mini Shells?

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