Hunting Handbook

Can I use a Mossberg 590a1 for hunting deer?

I am planning on buying a Mossberg 590A1 model 51668 for deer hunting and home defense. Would this firearm be effective for deer hunting?

Public Comments

1. use a deer slug in it and it's gonna put a hole in whatever you want
2. Personally, I prefer a rifle for hunting deer. Unless I am mistaken, the Mossberg you speak of is a 12 gauge shotgun. Depending on laws in your state, this may or may not be legal. Personally, I suggest a 30.06 or a .308 bolt action rifle, preferably by marlin. The bolt actiion rifle should give you excellent accuracy, the caliber is quite sufficient for deer and even elk. I have a Marlin and it works beautifully. Good luck.
3. Not my first choice for deer but,it will work at close range.
4. With ghost ring sights within a hundred yards the gun would be great. I think most deer hunting shots are taken within 100 yards.
5. If you use rifled slugs only at at distances up to 50 yards would I even consider it. It is illegal in some jurisdictions to use shotguns for hunting and mandatory in others like on Long Island NY because of the condensed population in rural areas. Be careful as the 590A1 is a short barrel only 18-20" the effective distance and accuracy is not as good as would be the case with a longer barrel. My Mossberg 930 12Ga. Semi-Auto is 26" and has interchangeable barrels. You can find a model which will allow you to interchange a rifled barrel for hunting with sabot slugs (better accuracy over long distance than a rifled slug) and 18" for "home defense" like the 590A1 (which is the civilian purpose for buying a 590A1). Look into the 930. I have both the 930 and 590A1. I "use" the 930 for Turkey and Skeet. I hope I never "use" the 590A1 that stands next to my bed with 6 rounds of 00 Buckshot in it.
6. sure, just use rifled slugs and keep the range within 80 yards or so, just to be safe.
7. if it has a folding stock, then no. If the sights are ghost ring or large bead front sights than no as well.