Mossberg

O.F. Mossberg & Sons is an iconic American shotgun and rifle manufacturing company that has been in operation since 1919. The company put its first rifle on the market sometime in 1922. Apart from having carved a firm niche for itself by becoming a household name in context with quality firearms, Mossberg has also distinguished itself by becoming the first long-gun manufacturer in the U.S. to achieve ISO 9001 certification. What this means to the customer is that its manufacturing and quality control procedures are reviewed and upgraded regularly. The company is known for a long and venerable line of rifles and shotguns, some now discontinued, and is constantly upgrading its repertoire. For instance, they are presently in the news with their new line of all-terrain bolt-action, center-fire rifles and five new shotgun models. Mossberg also has an apparel line of shirts, t-shirts and caps designed in tandem with the gun enthusiast culture.

Mossberg International, Inc., located in North Haven, CT specializes in a range of exclusive firearms, including over and under shotguns that are manufactured in a variety of gauges. These cover the Silver Reserve and Silver Reserve Sporting series – rifles that are designed as affordable alternatives to high-end over-and-under firearms. A current favorite among enthusiasts is the .22 LR-caliber 702 Plinkster, which has been adjudged as perfect for both small game hunting and serious marksmanship practice. The company had ventured into military armament, too. In the 1970’s, it developed the Mossberg 590 Military and a variant called the Mossberg 590 ‘Compact Cruiser’. They were adapted for army use from the basic model 500 shotgun, which is a magazine fed, manually operated smoothbore unit that originally designed in different hunting configurations. The ‘militarized’ 590’s are still in use by the US Marine Corps, police departments in the US and law enforcement agencies all over the world. However, there is a lot more in Mossberg’s current arsenal.

The high performance 100 ATR All-Terrain model is currently the only rifle in Mossberg’s catalog. This rugged, reliable and affordable firearm does not feature unnecessary embellishments and is admirably result oriented. The models in this line come configured for .270 Winchester, .30-06 Springfield, .308 Winchester and .243 Winchester calibers and feature free-floating, button-rifled barrels. The 930 Autoloader is a shotgun chambered for 12-gauge 2 3/4" and 3" factory loaded shells. The 535 ATS All-Terrain Shotgun is presently a favorite for turkey and goose hunting and is available chambered for 12-gauge 2 3/4" and 3" as well as 31/2" shells for those who require enhanced stopping power in small game hunting. The 500 Pump Action, meanwhile, is Mossberg’s new line of 12- and 20-gauge pump and auto-loading shotgun combos that are extremely easy on the budget without compromising on performance. The company also carries an exclusive firearm series designed especially for younger shooting fans. Top of the line in this category are the 500 Bantam and 505 Youth Series.

Mossberg firearms are, as a rule, extremely price effective and there is a huge range of models from which to choose. The 100 ATR Bolt Action/Short-Action rifle has four models that cost between $351 and $367. The ten Long Action models in the same line cost between $348 and $425, while its six scoped combo models retail at prices between $403 and $445. The three 935 Magnum Autoloader models are procurable at prices between $565 and $674 – two Grand Slam models in this series sell at $688. Among the hottest items presently on the market are the aforementioned ATR rifles, which are selling at rates ranging between $382 and $425 All other products in the exhaustive Mossberg catalogue sell at similarly affordable prices, the costliest one being the sporting over-and-under models in the Silver Reserve and Onyx Reserve deluxe series – they carry price tags of $795. In a world of escalating costs in everything that spells ‘quality’, Mossberg has maintained its buyer-friendliness and is therefore among the most favored names in firearms today.