The Best Mossberg 500 and 590 Upgrade

Confession time: I love shotguns. 

There is just something about delivering what’s best described as a "payload of lead" with each pull of the trigger. 

Plus, the shotgun just so happens to be the most versatile weapon in my armory.

With a single 12-gauge pump gun, I can hunt deer, birds, and bears. I can defend my home or shoot skeet.

A shotgun is a do-it-all kind of weapon --- as long as it's at close range. 

One of my favorite modern pump-action shotguns comes from the Mossberg 500 series --- the Mossberg 590. The Mossberg 500 series and I go back a long, long way.

Over the years, I’ve swapped some things out on my trusty 590, upgrading it here and there.

And I'm here to share some of my favorite accessories and parts so you, too, can take your Mossberg to the next level.

So let's get started.

Best Mossberg 500 Upgrades

1. Magpul MOE Shotgun Forend

Best Forend

Magpul MOE Shotgun Forend

$24

at Brownells

Prices accurate at time of writing

$24 at Brownells

OpticsPlanet (see price)

Magpul SGA furniture is fantastic for shotguns, and like most Magpul gear, it’s extremely high quality and modular.

The Magpul SGA Mossberg 500/590 MOE Pump allows you to add stuff only where you need it. 

You can attach M-LOK or MOE accessories directly to the pump or attach rails to accommodate any accessory that mounts to Picatinny rails. This allows the easy mounting of lights, lasers, and even chainsaw grips. 

The pump doesn’t overlap the receiver, so it doesn’t interfere with side saddles if you want one. Also, it looks cool as hell. 

To mount it to a short-barreled shotgun or firearm, you have two options.

Option 1 is to Dremel the pump to fit the short action tube. It’s easy but takes a bit of time and the necessary tools. 

Option 2 is an adapter from Hogue. This makes the Magpul MOE Shotgun pump compatible with shorter action tubes. 

And don’t forget some M-LOK Rails to mount your favorite accessories. 

2. Magpul M-LOK Vertical Grip

Best Vert. Grip

Magpul M-LOK Vertical Grip

$16

at Brownells

Prices accurate at time of writing

$16 at Brownells

Magpul (see price)

Rainier Arms (see price)

If you rock a Magpul forend, a Magpul M-LOK Vertical Grip is the perfect addition.

Why? Because with a vert grip, you are much less likely to short-stroke the shotgun. 

You get an excellent grip and a stable platform.

To effectively mitigate recoil, the best method is the push-pull -- pushing forward with the firing hand and pulling rearward with the pump hand.

It’s a lot easier to pull on a vertical grip without worrying about your hand slipping.

Since the M-LOK grip mounts directly to the Magpul pump, it’s not going to slide off the pump either.

On Mossberg 500/590s with pistol grips, a vert grip adds a lot of control to the gun. It makes it easier to aim and helps prevent getting an eye full of shotgun.

What do you think of Magpul's products? Rate them below!

3. XS Big Dot Front Sight

Best Front Sight

XS Big Dot Front Sight

$65

at OpticsPlanet

Prices accurate at time of writing

$65 at OpticsPlanet

Amazon (see price)

Brownells (see price)

Night sights can make a big difference in low-light shooting performance. If you’re like me and still rely on the boomstick for home defense, you want to see your sights.

The XS Big Dot front sight is a combination day and night sight that replaces your teeny tiny bead. It's a massive, high-visibility front sight that’s easy to see regardless of the time of day. 

This sight stands high enough to co-witness with my chosen optic and optic rail. 

At night, it glows bright, and you’ll have no issue getting that rock-solid front sight focus.

The XS Big Dot is a must-have, even if you rock an optic.

4. Nightstick Shotgun Forend Light

Nightstick Shotgun Forend Light

$149

at OpticsPlanet

Prices accurate at time of writing

$149 at OpticsPlanet

Amazon (see price)

The Streamlight TL Racker is great, but having options is always nice. A newcomer to the shotgun light world is Nightstick. Nightstick produces the Shotgun Forend Light for the Mossberg 500/590 series.

Much like the TL Racker, the SFL replaces the pump and offers a combination pump and weapon light. Nightstick designed the SFL to utilize an adaptable attachment system so the SFL will work on the standard long tubes of shotguns and the shorter tubes used on Shockwave and SBS variants.

Nightstick offers a model with a laser if you so choose to take that route. Mossberg owners get 1,200 lumens of light backed by 10,315 candela. It's a light that fills the room from edge to edge and is perfect for home defense.

The SFL has a big ambidextrous button to activate the light and, potentially, the laser. Nightstick’s pump itself is textured and rubberized for a good grip. It's fairly short in length but offers plenty to hold onto. The SFL comes with an optional strap to ensure your hand doesn't leave the pump.

While the SFL is new, it seems promising, and the price point makes it right for most shooters. I've abused one to hell and back, and it still keeps ticking. There isn't much to dislike with the SFL.

5. Blue Force Gear Vickers Sling

Best Shotgun Sling

BFG Vickers ONE Sling

$55

at Brownells

Prices accurate at time of writing

$55 at Brownells

Amazon (see price)

When it comes to sling selection for any weapon, I’m pretty damned biased. I like my Vickers Blue Force Gear slings.

I own a standard issue, an AK limited edition, a Vickers One sling, and even one of the rare Vickers Medic slings. 

The two-point Vicker Tactical sling from Blue Force Gear is my all-time favorite. What makes it interesting is the rapid adjustment tab. A quick pull rearward or forward of this tab tightens and loosens the sling. 

This allows it to be tightened down when climbing, crawling, or running and then, bam, instantly loosened for shooting and maneuvering.

The quick adjustment tab allows for easy adjustment and control over your weapon. 

While traditionally found on a carbine, there's nothing stopping it from being an excellent Mossberg 500 sling.

6. Opsol Mini Clip

OPSol Mini Clip 2.0

$15

at Sportsman's Warehouse

Prices accurate at time of writing

$15 at Sportsman's Warehouse

The OPSol Mini Clip is one of the coolest little gadgets you can add to a Mossberg 500 series shotgun. 

It's a drop-in, drop-out upgrade that allows you to reliably use those Aguila mini shells. 

Those mini shells don’t always run super reliably in shotguns, but this adapter makes them run like a dream in the Mossberg 500. In a standard 5-shot tube, you can load nine rounds of the Aguila mini shells. 

This is the best $15 I’ve ever spent on a shotgun --- especially for those shooting Mossberg Shockwaves. 

7. Magpul SGA Stock

Magpul SGA

$104

at OpticsPlanet

Prices accurate at time of writing

$104 at OpticsPlanet

MidwayUSA (see price)

Magpul (see price)

Magpul occupies the slot of “industry standard” for a dozen different products they produce. One of those products is the Magpul SGA Stock system. Magpul redefined what a shotgun stock could be with the SGA, and everyone else is still trying to catch up.  

The SGA stock does a couple of things right that have made it the industry standard. First and most importantly, it offers adjustment for length of pull to fit shooters. This adjustment is done via a set of spacers that allows adjustment from 12.3 to 14.3 inches overall.

Shotguns often have these lengthy LOPs that make them unwieldy, so the Magpul SGA series was a game changer in terms of ergonomics.

The SGA stock also combines some of the best features of a traditional stock with the advantages of a pistol grip design. This allows for a standard manual of arms that makes it easy to control the shotgun and even hold it up with one hand.

It’s rugged, tough, and ready to be fit with a sling and cheek riser. Magpul makes tough gear, and the SGA is no different – it’s the professional industry standard for a reason.

8. Aridus Industries CROM

Aridus Industries CROM

$124

at Aridus Industries

Prices accurate at time of writing

$124 at Aridus Industries

If you are running and gunning with a Mossberg 500/590 series shotgun with a set of ghost ring iron sights, I’ll point you to the Aridus Industries CROM mount.

CROM stands for Co-witness Ready Optic Mount. This replaces your rear ghost ring and makes mounting an optic easy.

The CROM utilizes a Trijicon RMR footprint, so you can Trijicon optics or a great many alternatives that have settled on the Trijicon footprint.

Behind the optic sits a ghost ring or, by choice, a Rob Haught-style open rear sight. Either way, you can mount a co-witness applicable sight with a set of iron sights.

It’s a great minimalist mount and perfect for those with ghost ring sights, and it lets you get a rock-solid cheek weld before pulling the trigger.

9. Aridus Industries Q-DC

Aridus Industries Q-DC

$185

at Aridus Industries

Prices accurate at time of writing

$185 at Aridus Industries

Have you ever looked at the side of your Mossberg 590A1 and realized you wanted a side saddle as tough as the metal monstrosity of a repeating claymore?

Great, well, we have an option for you in the form of the Aridus Industries Q-DC. Aridus makes a Mossberg 500-specific model, but I prefer the universal model because I hate messing with the bolts inside my shotgun.

The Q-DC Universal uses a crazy sticky adhesive that attaches to the gun and refuses to ever let go. My Benelli M4 has worn one for nearly four years now without a problem. The Q-DC system is a side saddle and is made up of two parts: the base and the carrier.

Its base attaches to and stays on your gun. The carriers can detach and are made up of six loops to hold six shells. They can detach when empty and be reloaded with spare carriers. Carriers fit in an AR-15 mag pouch, but Wilderness Tactical also makes dedicated pouches.

This nearly all aluminum system uses springs for retention and ensures your shells stay put. It's the only carrier I trust enough to run rounds upside down with. It's remarkably well-made, and I've heard it once described as over-engineered. I think that matches the use case for the thick-barreled, bayonet-lug-equipped 590A1.

10. Tactaload Flash 5 Stock

TactaLoad Flash-5 Stock

$129

at Amazon

Prices accurate at time of writing

$129 at Amazon

Stashing extra ammo on your gun is a must, and one new way is the Flash 5.

The Flash 5 is a Mossberg stock with a built-in magazine storage option that allows you to store five rounds of 12-gauge that range in size from 2.75 inches to 3.5 inches.

Its storage setup is essentially a magazine with a spring, follower, and spring-loaded nob to keep your shotgun shells in the stock.

Pull the shell from the stock, and the spring-loaded nub retracts and allows you to draw a shell for a quick reload. The Flash 5 offers numerous advantages over the standard side-saddle.

• Ambidextrous design
• Faster tube reloads
• Shells are entirely secure and protected from the elements.

As a stock, it’s also great and gives you an adjustable length-of-pull similar to the Magpul SGA stock.

It’s super comfy, provides a great cheek weld, and is tough as nails.

11. Holosun 507C

Best Red Dot

Holosun 507C X2

$309

at OpticsPlanet

Prices accurate at time of writing

$309 at OpticsPlanet

Midway USA (see price)

Brownells (see price)

Primary Arms (see price)

I think the little Holosun 507C-X2 might be the best shotgun optic on the market.

Why? Well, it packs a multi-reticle system that utilizes three different reticles.

One includes a 32 MOA circle, and that circle is the very best for shotguns. With the right load, you can pattern your load to that circle at certain ranges.

I use the 507C-X2 with my Federal FliteControl load, and I’ve patterned it at 5, 10, and 15 yards.

I know that within those ranges, no pellets will escape from the 32 MOA circle.

This ensures I have total accountability of my buckshot pellets and know exactly where the shot will land. It’s quite handy for precision-oriented shots.

12. Aridus SMRT Follower

Aridus SMRT Follower

$40

at Aridus Industries

Prices accurate at time of writing

$40 at Aridus Industries

Aridus makes some of the best gear ever if you are a shotgun nerd, and they offer a little bit of everything from side saddles to optics mounts.

Their latest release is the Aridus SMRT follower. A shotgun’s follower is the unappreciated hero in a shotgun’s reliability. Without a good follower, you may risk future failure from your magazine tube.

The SMRT follower is engineered to give you complete reliability. This is especially important if your stock magazine tube features an extension. Extensions can be fickle with followers and cause reliability issues.

Additionally, the SMRT follower features a high-visibility green bottom that it’s easy to see and is also tactile, so you know when your tube is completely empty whether you can visually inspect it or not.

This simple upgrade allows you to ensure your Mossberg 500 or 590 feeds reliably for years to come. It’s a $40 upgrade that’s well worth the investment.

13. Defender Tactical CoSight

Defender Tactical CoSight

$99

at Defender Tactical

Prices accurate at time of writing

$99 at Defender Tactical

To be completely clear in bias, I did have a hand in designing the CoSight. The crew at Defender Tactical and I teamed up. They did 99.99% of the work on the CoSight. I just pitched an idea. With that said, I don't receive a dime if you purchase one, but I still think you should.

The CoSight is an optics mount for Mossberg shotguns. It allows for the direct attachment of your RMR patterned red dot sights and mounts them much lower than a pic rail and pic rail adapter. This makes it super easy to mount the optic and reduces the effect of stacking tolerances. 

The other thing the CoSight does differently is allow you to mount Glock sights to the gun. The front sight goes in front of the dot, and the rear sight behind it.

While it has a short sight radius, it does offer a backup sight option for your red dot. Your bead sight certainly won't co-witness with a red dot.

If you have ghost ring sights on your gun, you can replace the rear sight with the CoSight and install a suppressor height rear sight that will co-witness with a blade front sight.

The CoSight is super handy and easy to use, and it solves some problems with using red dots on shotguns.

Final Thoughts

The Mossberg 500 platform is well-proven, dependable, and as evidenced above, almost endlessly upgradeable.

You can tune and customize a Mossberg 500 almost as much as you can an AR-15. So what are you waiting for? Build the Mossberg of your dreams!

These are my favorite upgrades, but I want to know yours. For more general upgrades like lights...check out our Best Home Defense Shotgun Upgrades.

Latest Updates

March 2024: Added Defender Tactical CoSight, Aridus Industries Q-DC and Magpul SGA Stock