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

in Authors, Clay Martin, SHOT Show 2017

Updated: February 6, 2017 BY Clay Martin

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

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

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

What do you think?

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