I am looking to get myself a 590A1 with some of my tax return, and am not sure what model I want exactly. Hell, I’m not even certain on the 590A1 as I’m still kinda debating it and a 930. Anyway, pretty sold on the pump model if only because I’m trying to make it as versatile as possible. If I get the 590A1, I am sure I want the 18.5" model so I can get an 835 barrel or two later to maximize the versatility of my only shotgun. So, back to the question at hand… The 590A1 with 5 shot mag and 18.5" barrel is available with a few different sight options. The two I’m interested in are the factory ghost ring sights, and the rifle sights. I would like to get tritium replacements for them at some point and I’m pretty sure you can get them for either setup, but please correct me if I’m wrong. What I want to know is either system faster than the other? More accurate? I have looked through the mossberg GRS before and like them, but have not found any shops around me with a rifle sighted model in stock to fondle and compare. I am not in any way a HSLD type, and this will just be used for HD, and bug out purposes. I do plan on SBSing the thing down the road and getting a 14" barrel and a youth stock (hogue overmold) to make it as compact as possible without doing anything silly such as a pistol grip…
As an OLD shotgunner who used only gold bead front sights for umpteen years on hunting shotguns, I found the ghost ring sights on my 870 easier to use than the rifle sights on our duty 870’s. Your eye automatically centers the front sight in the rear aperture. That’s just me though. You’ll have to try them yourself. The LOP & drop of the stock will make a difference too.
Ghost rings are not as accurate as rifle sights, and not as fast as bead sights, but IMHO you get about 80-90% of each. I don’t see any reason to have rifle sights except on a dedicated slug gun, or beads except on a skeet/bird gun (and I do just fine with my ghost rings on the skeet range).
i think ghost rings are the middle ground between the bead and rifle sights. as to ghost rings being noe that accurate, i was able to hit a 12" x 18" plate rather easy at 200 yds. w/fed. reduced recoil slugs during a FBI FI school at West Point a few years ago. With the bead sight i was able to conect quite a bit on a 12" x 12" plate w/slugs at about 125 yds.(i say about because i was across the road standing in the ditch. we ran out of range). So all the sights have merit just pick what fits your shooting style or needs.
Ghost sights slowed me down. I’d recommend a rib and bead but if you must just use the rifle sights.