Tag Archives: mossberg shockwave

6 Pounds of Brushstroke Lightning

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Mossberg broke the mold on short-barreled shotguns in late 2016 with the 590 Shockwave pump-action “firearms,” which use 14-inch barrels and bird’s head grips that aren’t SBSs and therefore don’t require federal NFA paperwork for transfers.

(Mossberg)

With its funky hard plastic (or walnut) Shockwave Raptor grip with a sort of clumsy recoil control, and the fact that you could opt for a more standard pistol-grip-only shotgun with a gently longer (16- or 18-inch) barrel that offered more control, some folks never warmed to the concept, and that’s fine. However, those who have reviewed Mossberg Shockwaves, with its proven stainless-steel 590 series action, have warmed to the concept with the proper techniques and loads.

Plus, the new 590 Bliksem brings a few new things to the table that the more basic 590 Shockwave did not, making it easier to shoot.

Observe the 590 Bliksem:

Mossberg 590 Bliksem
With a 14.375-inch steel barrel and AfterShock grip, the Mossberg 590 Bliksem has an overall length of 26.37 inches. (Photos: Chris Eger/Guns.com)
Mossberg 590 Bliksem
Weight, with its steel receiver and heavy-walled barrel, is 6.3 pounds. It has a 5+1 shell underbarrel magazine tube. 

With its AfterShock grip (which actually feels nice), oversized controls, and improved forward recoil strap, the Bliksem performs in the hand better than the Shockwave. Not only does it feel better and shoot better, but it is also flat-out more functional, ready to fill the bill around camp or cottage, veldt or villa.

So, who would the Bliksem appeal to?

First off, it is a great-looking gun that will turn heads, be it on the wall of the man cave or on the range.

For someone who may encounter tight corners and hallways or must move and shoot in a compressed space for high stakes, the Bliksem offers a serious option, especially with the right ammunition. For instance, think about Federal’s X2 9P 00, which helps avoid overpenetration while delivering softer recoil.

Add the included Esstac card and drop a sight atop the Pic rail (Holosun 507C shown), and you have something special, especially when you practise it. We were able to make easy hits on a 3/4 silhouette with reduced recoil buck to 15 yards, and slugs to 25. Loaded weight as shown, with optic, 5+1 in the pipe and 5 on the card, is right at 7 pounds. 

The Bliksem could easily excel in off-road situations such as in a camp environment, especially when venturing overnight in hog or bear country. It is something that can be kept in the truck or tent, stoked with heavy, deep-penetrating solid slugs (think Brenneke’s Black Magic, or Federal’s Tru-Ball Deep Penetrator, et. al.) as a “just in case.” Yes, you might set your tent on fire in the process. Just saying.

Full review in my column at Guns.com. 

New: Mossberg 590 Bliksem 12 ga in Brushstroke Camo

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Mossberg has teamed up with Christian Craighead to produce a new and visually striking Shockwave variant with both premium design elements and distinctive aesthetics.

Craighead, a former British SAS commando known as “Obi Wan Nairobi” for his one-man response in 2019 when Al-Shebab terrorists attacked the mall in Nairobi, Kenya, had direct input on the design of the new Mossberg 590 Bliksem.

Not technically a shotgun, the NFA-compliant Shockwave-gripped 12-gauge cylinder bore firearm features a 14.375-inch heavy-walled barrel, a 5+1 capacity with 2.75-inch shells, and bead sight with a top Picatinny rail for optics.

The aesthetics are off the charts with this one, as it runs a Rhodesian Brushstoke camo, an AfterShock grip with QD point, and a corn cob forend with a leather strap.

The Special Edition 590 Bliksem
Its compact size (26.37 inches overall) and maneuverability are complemented by a clean-out magazine tube, twin action bars, ambidextrous safety, anti-jam elevator, and positive steel-to-steel lockup, delivering the smooth, dependable operation expected from Mossy’s legendary 590 platform. (Photos: Mossberg) 
The Special Edition 590 Bliksem
The bird’s head AfterShock pistol grip is shaped to provide a firm grip and to help minimize felt recoil while the leather-strapped forend keeps the lead hand clear of the muzzle when cycling the action. 
The Special Edition 590 Bliksem
The firearm comes with an Esstac removable receiver-mounted 6-shell carrier card and a convenient clean-out magazine tube with screw-off cap for ease of maintenance.
The Special Edition 590 Bliksem
“Mossberg understands function over flash, and that’s why this collaboration worked,” commented Christian Craighead. “We designed the 590 Bliksem to be practical, durable, intuitive, and some might say most importantly, cool – qualities that matter far more than marketing lines. It’s a solid bit of hardware.”

The Special Edition 590 Bliksem has an MSRP of $728. The less cool standard Shockwave 590 runs about $200 less.

RIP: Serbu Super Shorty, We Hardly Pumped You

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The Willy Wonka of gun craft has officially waved goodbye to one of his most famous offerings. The production of the Serbu Super Shorty has ended.

Tampa, Florida’s Mark Serbu announced on Monday that the final four Super Shorty models were being sent out, some of which had been on the waiting list going back three years. “The main reason we discontinued them is because they take our limited resources away from our main products, the BFG-50, RN-50, and BFG-50A,” said Serbu.

The final four Serbu Super Shorties headed out the door, all crafted from Remington 870 models including a Police Magnum and an 870 Tactical. (Photo: Serbu Firearms)

During a visit to Serbu’s plant in 2019, he told me a bit about the compact scattergun’s evolution.

“There was a group I was involved with– we’d gone to different events– and this one guy I always hung out with we rented cars together we rented hotel rooms, and I owed him a bunch of money. It was like $500 or $600 bucks,” regaled Serbu. “And he says, eh, ‘instead of giving me money why don’t you just make me a really short Mossberg shotgun, make it the shortest you can.”

After a year of tinkering around with the concept (“Because I hated it and thought it was the dumbest idea in the world. You know, if you have something you just hate, and you can’t do it?”) Serbu gave the world the Super Shorty.

For better or worse, the Super Shorty proved his biggest hit for a long time, with the guns going on to show up in dozens of movies and games including the “Crank,” “Fast,” and “Terminator” franchises. Over the past 20 years, Serbu modded both Mossberg 500 and Remington 870 shotguns in both 20 and 12 gauge to produce the Shorty.

“Now, years later, this is like my ‘Freebird,’ my ‘Stairway to Heaven,’ one of those songs that, while it’s a hit, the artists are just so sick of it,” he said.

Back in 2019, Serbu let me run one of his Super Shorty models in his shop– about two feet away from his office!

Another nail in the coffin of the gun was the fact that it was an NFA item due to the fact it started life as a shotgun and was modified into an Any Other Weapon (AOW). While it only required a Form 4 and a $5 tax stamp, it still was wrapped up in ATF waiting periods and red tape. When firearms like the Mossberg Shockwave and Remington TAC-14 came along after 2017, allowing almost the Super Shorty experience without the ATF having you listed in the NFRTR until the end of time, the market dried up a bit.

While the Super Shorty was more of a hacked production shotgun made by other folks, Serbu wants to spend his time on making his own guns such as the BFG-50, RN-50, and BFG-50A. There is only so much space on the workbench. (Photo: Chris Eger/Guns.com)

Still, you gotta love the old-school cool that is the Serbu Super Shorty.

BAT brings it for Shockwave fans

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Black Aces Tactical just dropped a limited run of 6061 T6 Aluminum Quad Rails for the Mossberg 500 series of 12 gauge non-NFA regulated Shockwaves.

I have to admit, they are pretty sweet, although they allow a compact 26-inch, 5-pound scatter gun to become awkward and overweight again if you aren’t too careful! I must say though, I am reviewing Remington’s version of the Shockwave, the Tac-14, and I do find myself wishing BAT was making one of these rails for that crowd pleaser.

The 411 on the rail here

 

Shockwave-style shotguns, err, I mean ‘firearms’ now Texas-legal

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While pistol grip only shotguns have been around for years, the newest idea is the 14-inch barrel “firearm” in 12 gauge that gets the job done without a tax stamp required. Traditionally, shotguns crossed over into National Firearms Act territory when they were under 26-inches overall and/or had a barrel less than 16.

Now, with guns such as the Mossberg Shockwave, introduced at SHOT Show earlier this year, and Remington’s Tac-14, debuted in April at the National Rifle Association annual meeting, manufacturers are taking shotgun-based systems still just over 26-inches long and mounting a 14-inch barrel and, as the receiver used was born a “firearm” and not a shotgun, it’s all good when it comes to the NFA– though some state and local restrictions on short-barreled or “sawn-off” shotguns still apply.

One state that has tweaked their law is Texas, which, is ironically where the Shockwave is produced. You can buy one effective today.

More in my column at Guns.com