I love shotguns; they are my favorite firearm genre, and the only reason I ever dealt with the NFA. With that in mind, shorter shotguns are better, even when they aren’t technically shotguns anymore. Legally, the 990 Aftershock is a firearm, a 12-gauge, semi-auto, tubular magazine-fed, gas-operated firearm. It fits between a shotgun and an AOW by being longer than 26 inches and lacking a stock.
This puts it in the “other” category, just like the Shockwave. It took Mossberg six years to get into the semi-auto 12-gauge firearm game, but I’m glad it’s finally here. That market has been dead since Remington seemingly stopped producing the TAC-13 after going bankrupt.
Mossberg 990 Aftershock
Live Inventory Price Checker
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Mossberg 990 Aftershock 14.75" 12 Gauge 5rd Shotgun - 83001 | Palmetto State Armory | $ 1120.99 $ 899.99 |
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Mossberg 990 Aftershock 18.5" 12 Gauge 5rd Shotgun - 83002 | Palmetto State Armory | $ 1120.99 $ 899.99 |
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990 Aftershock 12 Gauge Semi-Auto Shotgun - 990 Aftershock 12 Gauge 14.75'''' Bbl 5rd Black W/Lasersaddle | Brownells.com | $ 1059.99 |
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990 Aftershock 12 Gauge Semi-Auto Shotgun - 990 Aftershock 12 Gauge 14.75'''' Bbl 5 Round Black | Brownells.com | $ 899.99 |
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Mossberg had the 930 and 940 series, but those two guns required parts in the stock to function; this made it difficult to turn those guns into pistol-grip-only formats. Mossberg couldn’t simply adapt those guns, so they produced a gas-operated design that fits entirely under the handguard.
Since the 990 Aftershock didn’t require a special stock design, Mossberg made a major consumer-friendly move and designed the receiver to accept Mossberg 500/590 furniture. This makes it easy to take an Aftershock and equip it with any Mossberg stock, after you get your tax stamp, of course. With that said, the variant I’m reviewing has the 14.75-inch barrel, but that’s not the only model Mossberg released.
They also released a model with an 18.75-inch barrel. It comes with a pistol grip, but doesn’t require a stamp to add a stock. If you want a semi-auto Mossberg platform that takes Mossberg 500 stocks, then your dream has come true.
The 990 moniker is a reference to its combination of 590 and 940. The receiver features the same controls you’d find on the 940 with the ability to use some 590 furniture.
A Long Look At the 990 Aftershock
Let’s start at the front and work our way back. We get a high-visibility front sight similar to the 940. It’s red, easy to see, and easy to use. It provides the same sighting system as a dead (assuming “ebad” is a typo for a term like “bead” or “sight,” replacing with a common term for context, or leaving as is if “ebad” is specific jargon), but it’s a little easier to see.
The 990 Aftershock comes with a polymer magazine clamp that features an M-LOK slot. It’s not the best for mounting lights, and it’s somewhat thin. It’s best used as a sling point. From there, we have a polymer forend with an added strap to keep your hand in place.
The controls are absolutely massive. The charging handle grips you back with a knurled design. The bolt release is huge and easy to activate. Up top, we have the traditional Mossberg tang safety, but it’s the newer Gen 2 model that’s much bigger and even easier to use. The gun is drilled and tapped for optics, so adding a red dot is simple.
Mossberg has designed a new Shockwave-style grip. It’s rubberized for better recoil management and a grippier design overall. It’s thinner and features a more prominent hook at the rear end of the gun.
The 990 Aftershock can hold five rounds of 2.75-inch shells, and not for the love of God, it can’t cycle mini shells.
Going Live With the 990
These PGO firearms do require a little upper-body strength to wield. The 12-gauge cartridge has never been shy about its recoil. The 990’s semi-auto action makes it much easier to handle. It absorbs some of that fierce recoil and makes the gun easier to hold than the traditional pump-action Shockwave.
With that said, if you hold it tight and exercise a good push/pull, the gun can be a controllable repeating claymore. With some practice, I was able to put two rounds of buckshot into an ISPC torso at ten yards in under a second. For a stockless 12 gauge, that’s fast. If I added a stock, I could cut that down to under three-quarters of a second.
I shot the entire Lucky Gunner Shotgun Skills test with the 990 Aftershock and scored mostly Advanced. When it came to stage 3, which requires a reload, the gun shows its weakness. Without a stock, your firing hand is supporting the entire weapon while your secondary hand conducts the reload. This makes reloading slower and more difficult to reload.
Maneuverability
When we moved to stage 4, which requires a compressed shooting position and a transition to an aimed position, the Aftershock shines bright. It’s easy to tuck the gun close to your body, fire a shot, and instantly move to an aimed shooting position.
When it comes to maneuverability, the 990 Aftershock rules. The uber short nature of the weapon makes it easy to use around cover and inside a home. I still prefer a stock for home defense, but if I was in a tent, an RV, or some other tiny dwelling, the 990 Aftershock would work extremely well.
The ergonomics are mostly a high point. The loading port is beveled and easy to quickly load, and you can even violin-load the gun. The massive charging handle and bolt release make operating the gun easy. We get a large tang safety, which has always been the superior safety.
That doesn’t mean it’s all rainbows. The straps designed to contain your hand will eat your hand. Specifically, the screws sitting inside the strap. They slam into your hand at times and become painful rather quickly. I’ll probably ditch the strap entirely in the near future.
Spewing Lead
I’ve fired close to seven hundred rounds through the gun without cleaning it. I’ve run a case of cheap birdshot and a case of cheap buckshot, mixed with some Federal Tactical slugs, Federal reduced recoil Flitecontrol, and Fiocchi reduced recoil loads without a single malfunction.
The cylinder bore choke patterns like you’d expect. It’s more dependent on ammo than the choke. Federal Flitecontrol always patterns the best, and was the size of a 50-cents piece at ten yards. Basic buckshot hit at around half an inch per yard. With a red dot, I could throw slugs out to 50 yards against IPSC steel.
The accuracy and patterns are perfectly suitable and will work without a problem for defensive use.
The 990 Aftershock
As a short 12-gauge enthusiast, I love the Aftershock. It’s a total blast to shoot, and the semi-auto action takes some sting out of a PGO shotgun. It’s fun, but could also be an effective defensive option if you’re willing to train hard at the range and master the PGO 12 gauge. What do you think of these weapons? Let us know below!
About Travis Pike
Travis Pike is a former Marine Machine Gunner, a lifelong firearms enthusiast, and now a regular guy who likes to shoot, write, and find ways to combine the two. He holds an NRA certification as a Basic Pistol Instructor and is the world’s Okayest firearm’s instructor.
Thank you for your patriotism, self sacrifice, and service all veterans here on Ammoland!
That’s a very cool shotgun, but I have to ask about your reference to mini-shells. Do you dislike them in general? If so, why? Or are you just sick of people asking why they won’t cycle a semi-auto? I keep them in both of my 12ga pumps at home.
Happy Birthday, Marine. 250 Years and going strong. Semper Fidelis
And great article. We have a Shockwave, Chainsaw variety in our dafe room. This one may find its place in there as well.
Funny. $1000 for a $300 shotgun.
Mossberg is the Hyundai of shotguns.
Waste of money.
Invest in Beretta or a Benelli