It’s been several years since O.F. Mossberg first introduced the 940 semiauto shotgun, an updated version of the company’s venerable 930. Since then, the 940 line has branched out into sporting, competition, field, waterfowl-specific, turkey-specific, tactical and even bantam models. One a recent media trip, I tested one of the newest in the 940 line, the 940 Pro Tactical SPX. What’s this gun all about? “When Mossberg introduced the optic-ready 940 Pro Tactical semi auto shotgun in 2022, it set the standard for defensive shotguns for its reliability, functionality, and adjustability,” said Mossberg’s Linda Powell. “Now this highly popular semiauto has been refined with some of the most desired tactical features, providing added value for the end user, and as some have described the 940 Pro SPX, it’s a true fighting machine.”
The original 940 Pro Tactical was an excellent shotgun that I’ve got a lot of rounds through, but the new SPX version kicks it up a notch or two with a host of new features. The new forend design integrates a heat shield as well as two QD cups, three MLOK mounting slots (3, 6 and 9 o’clock) and texturing for a sure grip. Mossberg’s also added a rear ghost ring and front fiber optic sights with protective, low-profile wings. Of course, you can remove the ghost ring and the receiver is optics-ready for the direct mounting of a micro red-dot sight with the RMSc footprint, with adapter plates provided for the RMR, Docter and Leupold footprints. You can also get this gun in a combo configuration that comes with a Holosun red-dot already installed.
Mossberg has designed this gun to be easy to handle, whether the user is wearing gloves or is just under pressure in a high-stress, adrenaline-fueled situation. The safety (ambi, located on the tang as Mossberg is known for) is oversized, as is the bolt handle and the bolt release, which isn’t a button but more of a paddle. It took me a couple of hours of shooting to really get used to the paddle, having spent many years fumbling for a little release button with my index finger. Once I got used to the new, larger design, I found I greatly prefer it — it’s easy to find with your off-hand, with any finger, or it’s easy to just slap with the heel of your hand if you’re in a stressful situation and are relying on gross motor skills.
The company has also redesigned the one-piece magazine tube, making it easier to maintain and more reliable than ever. The magazine spring is easily retained for ease of removing and attaching the barrel after disassembly. They’ve also enlarged and beveled the loading port and added an elongated, pinch-free elevator with a bright-orange follower. While it seems like a cosmetic detail, that orange follower turned out to be really helpful in quickly determining when I was down to a single shot, and it served as a “you should have reloaded by now, you big dummy” reminder to me more than once during drills. And while I can’t say I didn’t scrape my thumb a couple of times while loading, I do think the “pinch-free elevator” lives up to its billing for the most part.
The gun is compact, with a barrel length of 18.5 inches and an overall length of 37 inches. The adjustable length of pull can be set from 12.5 to 14.25 inches. That’s a pretty decent range, and 5’4” me was grateful to be a shooting a gun that actually fit and didn’t beat me up all week. The stock is self-draining, which I didn’t have a chance to test during a mostly dry week at Gunsite, and is also adjustable for cast and drop at comb. Unloaded, the gun weighs 7.5 pounds, and Mossberg has included a removeable hook-and-loop six-shot Vang Comp Systems shotshell carrier. When the gun and the carrier are both loaded (the gun will hold 7+1 2 ¾-inch shells, although it has a 3-inch chamber if you prefer), we’re talking substantial weight. For our course, we used Blue Force Gear’s Vickers sling, which made the weight considerably more manageable during downtime on the range.
Keeping in mind the the demanding conditions in which tactical shooters operate, Mossberg has built this gun for durability. Many of the internal parts and finishes are corrosion-resistant, including a nickel boron-coated gas piston, magazine tube, hammer and sear. A major hallmark of all 940 Pro models is a cleaner-running gas vent system that allows users to go longer without cleaning and still expect smooth, reliable operation.
And let me tell you, this gun didn’t let me down. If you want to really run a gun through its paces, Gunsite Academy is the place to do it — first because the harsh desert environment pulls no punches, and your gun will be exposed to dust, dirt, sand, extreme temperatures, and sometimes, as happened on the third day of our defensive shotgun class, even snow and ice. Secondly, Gunsite is as versatile as ranges come, with a huge variety of ranges, distances, targets, shoot-houses and indoor and outdoor simulators as you can imagine. If you’ve heard someone call it “Disneyland for adults,” they weren’t lying. You can run a gun in all sorts of situations here — in just three days, we spent time on the range shooting paper targets and steel poppers, but we also spent a lot of time in simulations, practicing the use of terrain (which Gunsite has in wide variety) and vegetation for natural rests, working on clearing houses and navigating tight quarters, and training in and around vehicles, including using them as cover.
We spent three days shooting birdshot, buckshot and slugs, and I had no failures to fire with any loads. The gun cycled even the light birdshot easily. I did, on the third day, use a squirt or two of oil to keep the bolt running smoothly, particularly when loading an empty chamber. Even a clean-running gas system is still gas system, and gunk happens — it’s going to need cleaned every once in a while, but I’m confident this gun wouldn’t let me down even after extensive shooting.
The little touches make this gun pleasant to shoot (OK, in the case of slug after slug on the range, “pleasant” might be pushing it), from the paddle-style bolt release to the pinch-free elevator and the incredibly convenient shell carrier. The adjustable size allowed it to fit me nicely, and the compact overall size made getting in and out of vehicles, maneuvering through hallways, pieing corners and entering rooms without my barrel preceding me much more manageable than it would have been with a longer shotgun.
While the ghost ring is great, a red-dot is a must for me on a defensive shotgun, so I strongly suggest stocking the Holosun combo model (MSRP $1,371) as a buy-it, shoot-it solution. Other models come without the red-dot but are all optics-ready: a black synthetic version with matte blue metal finish, available in the standard eight-shot version or a five-shot version, both for $1,190 MSRP; and two black synthentic models Cerakote on the barreled actions for added wear and corrosion protection — FDE and OD Green available ($1,246 MSRP). All models use Mossberg’s Accu-Choke system, with a cylinder choke tube included. All are 12-gauges with 3-inch chambers.
When it comes to selling the Pro Tactical SPX, Mossberg has your back. The company supports its dealers by promoting Mossberg firearms in print publications, online and through nationally recognized personalities. “Additionally,” Powell adds, “our sales team is available for in-store training, event support, and to work directly with dealers on promotional opportunities.”
Be sure to point any customer who buys a 940 Pro Tactical SPX to your stock of red-dot optics and tactical slings — a sling is like a holster for a long gun, and it’s incredibly handy on a home defense or tactical shotgun. This is an ideal opportunity for an upsell.
At over a thousand bucks, this isn’t a cheap shotgun, and it’s not meant to be. It’s meant to be a premium, durable, reliable, and effective machine your customers will be staking their lives on. And for the money, Mossberg has built in a pile of value-added features that are practical and functional, making the 940 Pro Tactical SPX an excellent value for any shopper looking for a semiauto tactical shotgun.
