Tactical Facepalm

I mean lever guns... sorry. My Bad. New from Mossberg

Its all about branding

I guess? Mossberg launches the "Thunder Ranch" 500. AmmoLand has all the specs and this pic:

Apparently, Mossberg is focusing on the market segment that thinks adding an additional brand name to the firearm equals value added.

Exit Question: Who is gonna be the first to slap their signage on the side of their new MMR?

More on that Mossberg MMR

Its on the cover of the newest Guns and Ammo Magazine with a lengthy (and I mean lengthy) write up that includes range testing and some coy-dog hunting. One thing that I didnt realize immediately was that the Hunter models dont have a dust cover or forward assist, and the Tactical model has a dust cover but not a forward assist. They also mention that the hunter versions that they tested are minute of angle accurate.

Mossberg enters the AR game

Ho hum... yet another name to choose from. Well, better late then never, but I am sure that the mossberg fanboys will love this. Billed as the MMR (Mossberg Modern Rifle)... The only really big news here is that they are at least addressing both the tactical and hunting side of things. Its a pretty good price point (about $900 depending on configuration) especially if the quad rail they are offering on the tactical model is a quality one. I will be looking forward to a pistol AR if they ever offer one.

Official press release here

S&W M&P 15-22 vs. Mossberg AR-22

RomeoTangoBravo has a great side by side comparison of these two. He gives us a good run down with his initial opinion of the two as well as some really cool pics............ here

The S&W is about $200 more expensive, but if you are looking for a true .22lr AR trainer you have to pick the S&W in this head to head. I dont like where the safety is located at on the Mossberg, and as RTB notes:

The Mossberg AR-22 is a different animal altogether. Unlike the M&P 15-22 the AR-22 was NOT designed from the ground up to be a ".22LR Trainer"; rather Mossberg took their successful 702 Plinkster design and placed a cosmetic shell over it to emulate the 'look' of an AR-15. The result is that the rifle has no controls even remotely similar to an AR-15 and is a pain to disassemble for maintenace.

Mossberg Tactical .22

The Firearm Blog has a nice little run down and has more reading here and here too.

The lightweight and fast-handling Tactical .22 parallels the look and feel of today’s AR-style rifle while being built around Mossberg International’s reliable .22 autoloader. Taking cues from their proven 702 autoloader, the Tactical .22 matches an 18” barrel to a quad rail forend allowing the operator to fit the rifle with lights, lasers or other tactical accessories. Two stock configurations will be offered in this series: a six-position adjustable and fixed stock. The six-position polymer stock adjusts the length of pull from 10-3/4” – 14.5” accommodating youth and smaller framed shooters up to adults. The fixed position stock has a standard 13” LOP. The Tactical .22 is integrated with an A2-style carry handle and an adjustable rear sight aligned with a front post sight. The Picatinny handle mount is included, allowing versatility in scopes and other optics while providing the clearance necessary to utilize the AR-style sights. Other features included with the Tactical .22 are sling mounts and a ten round magazine.

I will note that Bud's has had the item for sale for some time now and you can get it for $229 with free shipping.