One thing (well two things actually) I really prefer on the Mossbergs over the 870 and it's clones is the shell elevator. It stays out of the way so you have much easier access to a quick top off of the mag tube. The shiny shoe horn looking ones on the 870 as well as my old Smith 1000P ghetto gun has to be pushed out of the way with each shell. But the best feature is the placement of the slide release. It's just right on the Mossberg. I don't dig the forward front of the trigger guard position of the 870 style.I straight whored a M590 pistol grip during my first deployment especially when riding in a turret. It was the “get back” gun for vehicles. Dropped, scratched, covered in sand, blown up, dragged never had not one break.