Mossberg: A Family-Owned Company That Lives On

by
posted on February 26, 2022
** When you buy products through the links on our site, we may earn a commission that supports NRA's mission to protect, preserve and defend the Second Amendment. **
O.F. Mossberg & Sons logo yellow cross blue oval yellow crowns

O.F. Mossberg & Sons, more affectionately known as simply Mossberg to gun owners, is America’s oldest family-owned and -operated firearm company. The great-grandson of Oscar F. Mossberg, who founded the company in 1919, is CEO today and still delivers on the firm’s original pledge — “More gun for the money.”

Oscar F. Mossberg was born in Sweden and emigrated to the United States in 1886. His first job stateside was at a boiler factory in Fitchburg, Mass., but by 1892, he was machining bicycle parts for Iver Johnson Arms & Cycle Works. Supervisors quickly recognized his mechanical aptitude for firearms, however, and in 1893, his name appeared on the first of many patent applications.

By 1900, he was production supervisor for C.S. Shattuck Arms Co. Two years later, J. Stevens Arms & Tool Co. hired him, and it wasn’t long before his name appeared on more patents. World War I signaled a big change for Mossberg, who moved to New Haven, Conn., in 1916 to help produce machine guns for Marlin-Rockwell.

Oscar established O.F. Mossberg & Sons in 1919. The fledgling firm began by renting a small space in New Haven, with three employees—Oscar and sons Ivan and Harold. The company’s first firearm was handgun called the Brownie. It was chambered for .22 rimfire, had four barrels and a rotating firing pin that allowed it to deliver single shots until ammunition was exhausted. To reload, a lever atop the “backstrap” was depressed, which allowed the trigger, barrels and chambers to rotate down as a single unit.

Word quickly spread about the handgun and keeping up with demand proved to be a challenge for Mossberg. Thirty-seven thousand were made before it was discontinued in 1932. It set enthusiasts back roughly $5 initially but—in the spirit that still lives at Mossberg—MSRP dropped once the company was able to tool up to fill the orders.

The Great Depression shuttered many companies across the nation, big and small, but the quality and value offered by Mossberg saw the firm survive. During World War II, it manufactured a variety of firearms for Allied forces. Its venerable Model 500 shotgun first appeared in 1962, quickly becoming the company’s most popular model and one that continues to sell well to this day. It opened a modern manufacturing facility in Eagle Pass, Texas, in the 1980s, where it produces most of its firearms, along with its Maverick line. 

“When my great-grandfather opened the door of O.F. Mossberg and Sons in 1919, he instilled a set of corporate operating values that we still live by today,” Iver Mossberg wrote in the company’s 2019 catalog celebrating its 100th anniversary. “Always take care of your employees; always embrace change; always listen to your customers. He coupled those operating values with a commitment to a simple philosophy of providing customers with ‘More Gun for the Money.’”

Latest

Kimber 2K11
Kimber 2K11

Review: Kimber 2K11

The 2011-style pistol was designed to address the capacity limitations of the single-stack M1911 platform, and Kimber's approach to the concept is its 2K11, a competition-ready offering with several notable features.

Favorite Firearms: A High-Flying Hi-Standard “A-D”

Manufactured in New Haven, Conn., in late 1940, this Hi-Standard pistol was shipped as a Model “A,” but a heavier Model “D” barrel was installed later to replace the original, light barrel, leading one American Rifleman reader to call it a Model “A-D.”

Ruger Helps Families In Need Through The Kids & Clays Foundation

In the effort to help tens of thousands of critically ill children and their families across the nation through local Ronald McDonald Houses, Ruger is among some of the industry’s foremost Platinum-level sponsors of The Kids & Clays Foundation.

Unlocking The Future: Smith & Wesson's "No Lock" Revolvers

The future is shaping up to be a good one for fans of Smith & Wesson revolvers. The iconic American company had released 14 new models thus far in 2025 at the time this was written mid-year. And, with one exception, they have all shared a common feature—no internal lock.

The Armed Citizen® Oct. 6, 2025

Read today's "The Armed Citizen" entry for real stories of law-abiding citizens, past and present, who used their firearms to save lives.

FEMA Notes Decline In Disaster Preparedness

A recent report from the Federal Emergency Management Administration (FEMA) noted a decline in local government preparedness for natural disasters, putting increased pressure on individuals to prepare themselves for emergencies.

Interests



Get the best of American Rifleman delivered to your inbox.