Mossberg's Thunder Ranch Series of defense-ready tactical shotguns and rifles is designed in collaboration with Clint Smith, a Marine Corps veteran, former SWAT team member, and current President/Director of the Thunder Ranch training facility in Lakeview, Oregon.
With the pump-action Thunder Ranch 590 and the semi-auto Thunder Ranch 940 Pro, the U.S. manufacturer is now adding two further shotguns that are purpose-built for personal defense. In particular, these 12-ga platforms that sport the Thunder Ranch logo feature patent-pending receiver cuts for improved eye alignment and target acquisition that accept low-profile direct mounting of Shield RMSc-pattern micro dot sights and Cerakote finishes on both barrel and receiver.
Mossberg Thunder Ranch 590
Let's start with the Thunder Ranch 590: this is a 12-ga pump-action featuring Patriot Brown Cerakoted barrel and receiver, microdot optic cut (Shield RMSc-Pattern), front fiber-optic sight and cylinder bore barrel. A compact Length of Pull, clean-out magazine tube and drilled and tapped receiver are also part of the package, as well as the standard pump-action with dual extractors, steel-to-steel lockup, top-mounted ambidextrous safety, twin action bars, and anti-jam elevator. Chamber is 3" (76 mm), or “magnum”, and barrel is 18.5" long. Capacity is 6+1 rounds. Priced in the U.S. at $662, the Thunder Ranch 590 comes with a fixed fiber-optic front sight, and a black synthetic compact stock and forend.
Mossberg Thunder Ranch 940 Pro
At $1,295 (MSRP in the U.S.) the semi-automatic Thunder Ranch 940 Pro is more expensive but more complete: just like the model 590 it is optic ready and comes with a fiber-optic front sight, 3” (76 mm) chamber and 18.5" barrel.
But besides the 7+1 capacity, it also features Patriot Brown Cerakoted stock/forend/barrel and receiver, a barrel clamp with M-LOK mounting slots, QD sling mounting points, quick-empty magazine release, adjustable length of pull and is adjustable for drop at comb/cast.
Mossberg actually claims that the Thunder Ranch 940 Pro is equally well-suited for a day at the range or put to use for home security needs.
