Mossberg 590 Shockwave

About the Mossberg 590 Shockwave

The Mossberg 590 Shockwave is a pump-action 12-gauge firearm featuring a 14.375-inch or 18.5-inch barrel and a bird's-head Raptor pistol grip instead of a traditional shoulder stock. Classified as a "firearm" rather than a shotgun under federal law due to its overall length exceeding 26 inches and never having been equipped with a shoulder stock, the Shockwave occupies a unique legal niche that requires no NFA tax stamp. Built on the proven 590 platform, it retains dual extractors, twin action bars, steel-to-steel lockup, anti-jam elevator, and Mossberg's ambidextrous tang safety. The corn cob forend with integrated strap aids in controlling recoil during rapid fire. Available in 12-gauge, 20-gauge, and .410 bore configurations.

The Mossberg Shockwave created a new firearms category when it debuted in 2017, exploiting a legal gray area in federal firearms law. By pairing a 14.375-inch barrel with a bird's-head grip on a receiver that never had a stock attached, Mossberg created a compact pump-action firearm that requires no NFA tax stamp, no short-barreled shotgun registration, and is legal in most states. The Shockwave became one of the most talked-about firearms of the decade and spawned imitators from virtually every major shotgun manufacturer.

Mossberg 590 Shockwave specifications

The Shockwave's non-NFA status derives from the ATF's determination that it is a "firearm" rather than a shotgun, since it was manufactured with a bird's-head grip and never fitted with a shoulder stock, and its overall length exceeds 26 inches. The 7-shot model (18.5-inch barrel, 6+1 capacity) has an overall length of 30.75 inches. The 14.375-inch barrel models have 4+1 (12ga) or 3+1 (.410) capacity. The Nightstick variant replaces the Raptor grip with a more traditional pistol grip. The SPX variant adds Magpul furniture. Weights range from 5 lbs (14" barrel) to 5.5 lbs (18.5" barrel). MSRP: $592-$750.