Mossberg Kills the Tube: 590 RM Chisel Brings Box-Fed Speed to Shotgun Market
Mossberg released the 590 RM Chisel short-barreled shotgun with a box magazine feed system instead of the tubular magazine that has defined pump shotguns for over a century. The move directly challenges the operational slowness and handling bulk that shooters have tolerated in traditional shotgun designs. This is the company's answer to years of complaints about tube-magazine limitations in tactical and defensive shotgun work.
Key Details
- The 590 RM Chisel replaces tubular magazine loading with a box-fed design, eliminating the need to load rounds end-to-end through a magazine tube
- The short-barreled shotgun (SBS) format positions the gun for close-quarters defensive work and entry scenarios
- Box-magazine feed speeds up reload cycles compared to traditional tube methods, reducing downtime between strings of fire
Why It Matters for Gun Owners
Tactical shotgun users have long accepted reload friction as part of the platform. Tube magazines require proper technique, slow the transition between rounds, and create ergonomic awkwardness—especially in stress or low-light conditions. The 590 RM Chisel's box-magazine system lets shooters maintain handgun-like reload speed and magazine indexing. For law enforcement, private security, and serious home defenders who run shotguns, faster reloads mean faster follow-ups without fumbling. The SBS length suits vehicle work, building entry, and close-range scenarios where a full-length shotgun becomes a liability. This design bridges the gap between shotgun power and practical speed—long overdue in a market where AR-platform shotguns have stolen speed-conscious buyers.
DownRange Analysis
Mossberg's engineering here isn't revolutionary—box magazines have existed in shotgun designs for years—but bringing the system to Mossberg's legendary 590 platform legitimizes the shift for mainstream buyers. The move signals that tubular magazines are finally losing their grip on the shotgun market, despite decades of tradition. This will likely force competitors to adopt similar systems or lose sales to buyers who value reload speed. For shooters, the 590 RM Chisel removes a valid excuse to stick with tube-magazine shotguns. The real question is whether the box-magazine 590 maintains the reliability that made the original a standard, and whether price reflects the added engineering complexity.
