While looking at what Gunbroker listed for Mossberg 500 smoothbore slug barrels. I noticed that one seller in his info stated that his barrel was made in Torreon, Mexico, that & production had been there for some time. A quick trip to Google turned up this interesting article from way back in '89: https://www.thefreelibrary.com/Mossberg ... -a07396559

Like many, I was aware that Mossberg was making some of its parts south of the border, but I didn't know where or for how long (I had assumed that it might be taking place in Piedras Negras, right across the border from Eagle Pass - some may in fact, I don't know). I'm not sure what & how many of their parts for various guns are made there, but it would seem most, if not all, of their shotgun barrels are; I have no idea about their centerfire rifle stuff, but I'd guess most of that is stateside production...

Not sure how much interest this is to folks here, but I found interesting & thought I'd pass it along

Kind Regards,

~ SH ~

Well if that's the case. I'm not buying another Mossberg product again. I try my utmost to not buy anything made in Taco land. I try to stick with American made if i can. Some times I can't.

My understanding is that their Maverick has parts made in Mexico and then they assembled in the US.

Wow ! I bought a Maverick in 2003. Gun say's it's U.S.A. made. Learn something every day. I love the gun for squirrel hunting. But if i would have known that at the time I would have gotten something else. Have a Merry Christmas.

Sorry , Double post ?

I said that was MY understanding; doesn't mean my understanding was right. But then again my car was made in the US of foreign and domestic parts.

Today, the odds of getting a product assembled in one place from parts sourced from others is very high. As noted, good luck finding a vehicle made anywhere near 100% of one country's parts

I remember Consumer Reports did an article on the "Made in USA" subject a while back. The general consensus I got from it was that the term is rather vague, the definitions loose, and that the above point is very common among such things. The whole concept has become convoluted, and deception in descriptions and advertising common...

Obviously, Mossberg isn't going to put "Assembled in USA with Mexican parts" or "barrels proudly made in Torreon" on their guns. My older 500AB says "Made in USA" on it, but no modern Mossberg shotgun I've seen does, outside of maybe a hang tag or sticker (which clearly take advantage of the American-assembly concept, as was noted by someone else on this board once).
I can understand why Mossberg has taken a good chunk of production to Mexico (and it does benefit workers there of course) but it is unfortunate they play with the terminology in their advertising. They aren't the only ones to do this of course, and you'd have a hard time finding many manufacturers (of firearms or otherwise) that would readily disclose where their parts come from, in what percentages, etc. That is one thing I do like about SOG Knives - they label numerous knives as "assembled in the USA" but readily admit that their blade steel comes from Taiwan.

Kind Regards,

~ SH ~

P.S. I believe the startup of Mexican parts/barrel production coincided with the introduction of the Maverick line.

Actually, an old topic: viewtopic.php?f=58&t=46161 .

Randy, Thank's for the read. I have Italian made , Turkey made, and lot's of American made ,( so they say) shot guns. I just feel bad for the people that were making the BBl's here. I have a jeep, who know's were all the parts come from. I hear soon , Chrysler is shipping Jeep production to china. If so , last jeep i will own. Have a Happy Christmas to u all.

I have a rather new 930, bought in May of this year. On the bottom of the receiver is stamped: Made in USA, North Haven, Conn.

Not sure, but I'd be willing to bet the barrels for these are Mexican-made as well; Mossberg's CS might be able to confirm or deny this.

Kind Regards,

~ SH ~

Is a making a steel tube making a barrel? Or, is taking a steel tube, polishing it, adding the barrel extension, welding on a rib, machining ports, machining the chamber, threading the muzzle for screw-chokes, then bluing it or adding a camo dip, then adding a bead or beads making a barrel?

Beretta USA has used Turkish barrels on their "Made in USA" shotguns. Beretta has a plant in Turkey. Browning has used Turkish, Japanese, Portuguese, and Korean barrels.

What is the difference?

All of Mossberg's pump shotguns are made in Eagle Pass, these days. Have been for a few years. You can check the FBI records to see how far that goes back but it's years. To the best of my knowledge, ALL parts are subbed out from Mexican makers except the wood stocks and the actual receivers. The wood comes under some obscure law somewhere about importing wood that makes it more expensive to bring in than to make here....and the key part, the receiver, comes under Mex law about making firearms. The receiver is made in the US and that part *is* the gun so it's "made in the US".

On a side note, Mossberg is supposedly planning to expand the Eagle Pass factory again. Third time in five years?

That's why i love this forum. You learn something all the time.

.............and I understood the barrel blanks are made in Mexico, then finished at Eagle Pass. Maybe this is like all those folk's who wouldn't buy a "foreign" car, who buy American cars.......made in Mexico and Canada.