Top-of-the-line issues you are able to do on the planet of NFA objects is make a short-barreled shotgun (SBS). The SBS is a slept-on style of firearm, and it was the primary NFA merchandise I ever owned. If you’ll make one, decide a standard platform—this implies both a Remington 870 or a Mossberg 500/590 sequence. That approach, you possibly can construct one thing actually distinctive, just like the 590A1 “reverse stretch.”
Nothing touches the AR when it comes to modularity, however when you’re on the lookout for one thing related, the 590 and 870 supply loads of choices. As soon as that receiver is serialized as an SBS, you possibly can customise it a ton. Remember that when you completely alter the configuration, you need to let the ATF know, however short-term alterations are effective.
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My SBS mission began once I acquired a Mossberg 590A1 Compact Cruiser elements package. The ten.25-inch barrel, the vertical folding foregrip, and the three-round journal tube have been too good to withstand. One 590A1 receiver and a Type 1 later, and I had a reasonably small and foolish platform. Since then, I’ve experimented with totally different configurations, and my favourite to this point is what I’m calling the 590A1 reverse stretch.
What’s a Reverse Stretch?
The time period “reverse stretch” historically applies to an MP5 configuration—specifically, an MP5 that has been chopped right into a “Okay” mannequin. The barrel is reduce to the shorter Okay size, however the receiver stays the full-sized variant.
I’m calling mine the 590A1 reverse stretch as a result of, properly, take a look at it. The inventory is definitely longer than the barrel. I initially swapped the old-school Retrograde picket inventory onto the gun for fun, however the extra I shoot it, the extra I prefer it. The significance of a correct size of pull doesn’t disappear simply because the barrel will get extremely brief.
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The normal inventory design has all the time been my go-to for shotguns. Pistol-grip shares are effective, however I’ll all the time select a standard inventory when given the choice. The Retrograde shares have a LOP of about 13.87 inches, which is simply good for me. The 590A1 reverse stretch turned out to be a rock-solid design that stunned the hell out of me.
Why It Works
The 590A1 reverse stretch offers us an extremely brief barrel and a compact total size. In the event you’re indoors, the shorter the gun, the higher. Shotguns are close-range weapons, and residential protection is a close-range, “two-way” vary. Shotguns are a bit like battle-axes: in the event that they land their hit, it’s devastating; when you miss, you’ve wasted lots of power.
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This setup is sort of a boarding axe—smaller, however nonetheless devastating up shut. The gun is extremely maneuverable, making it straightforward to maneuver by means of my dwelling. Whereas loads of folks deride shotguns for his or her flaws, nobody denies their skill to cease a combat at shut vary.
The normal picket inventory seems to be extremely comfy. After we trim the barrel, we get a gun that’s a little bit lighter, with a bit extra recoil and extra muzzle rise. Having a stable inventory that doesn’t fold or collapse gives a steady floor to satisfy the meat of my shoulder.
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A cheek weld is all the time a plus, and also you get an ideal one with this inventory. If you combine that with the ahead vertical grip, you possibly can obtain a wonderful “push-pull” approach. As a result of the vertical grip on this setup is pushed pretty far again, it makes it straightforward to take care of a agency grip and push ahead. The tougher I can push, the extra recoil I can mitigate.
I can shoot this factor surprisingly quick for such a small gun. With an ordinary 18.5-inch pump shotgun, I can fireplace two rounds of buckshot in about .8 to .9 of a second into an IPSC-sized A-zone. I matched that efficiency precisely with this super-short reverse stretch.
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The Downsides of the Reverse Stretch
Clearly, downsides exist. The NFA paperwork run-around is all the time a ache. Past that, the brief barrel necessitates a brief journal tube. You get three rounds, and that’s it. I’d add a plus-one extension later simply to achieve commonplace Remington 870 capability, however for now, three rounds isn’t loads.
Sourcing 10.25-inch barrels is almost unattainable, and the brief journal tubes and folding grips are equally troublesome to seek out. Attaching lights can be a problem as a result of you possibly can’t use an ordinary pump, which is usually the simplest mounting level. It may be carried out, but it surely isn’t easy.
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The reverse stretch is a neat concept, but it surely isn’t precisely sensible for the common shooter—except we are able to bully Mossberg into mass-producing these elements. That appears uncertain, however hell, we are able to attempt.
