"Tactical" is probably the most overused and ill-applied word in the firearms industry.

What's next, an inline muzzleloader with a black synthetic collapsible stock and a rail system? Maybe PSE, Hoyt or Bowtech ought to look into this, too? The gamers are no doubt waiting for this one to show up in MW4?

Mossberg took a perfectly useful rifle and slapped a bunch of plastic on it to tap into the money people will spend on something because it looks cool. Lipstick on a pig.

I don't hold much hope that this one will ever be seen on the 3-gun circuit (or SASS, for that matter, either). It's quite often that "tactical" implies a level of "practical," and this isn't.

Where have you been? The Bowtech Assassin and Bowtech Specialist are offered in a black finish for that very reason. Haven't you ever seen a Mathews z7 Xtreme Tactical?

Marketing gimmicks only work because people want them, not the other way around. If people weren't BUYING "tacticool" stuff, then there wouldn't be "tacticool" stuff to buy.

I'd absolutely agree, but I don't know that it's really relevant? That's kind of like saying "well I don't hold much hope that you'll see one show up at a nascar race".

A levergun will never keep up with a semiauto, whether you're talking shot 2 shot splits or especially talking mag changes/reloads. So no, it doesn't make sense as a 3gun rig.

SASS is a traditionalists game, so no, nothing with ANY plastic on it (except plastic gunfighter grips on pistols) will ever be SASS legal. And the .30-30 is only legal for SASS in long range rifle side matches, and not even favored at that, and definitely nothing with a 16" barrel, and flash suppressors aren't allowed (not even on Win '97's). So again, the point is kind of moot.

But what I CAN see this selling for, would be a decent choice as bear medicine, and for home protection. Quite frankly, I used a Marlin 1894 .44mag for my home protection gun for years. My old man still does. A few of my uncles have Win 94 .30-30's loaded in the closet for that purpose. But then again, we're cattlemen, so having a "cowboy rifle" suits us. But say my dork cousin that lives in CA wants a home protection rifle. This really wouldn't be a bad choice.

Being adverse to a levergun with rails and a telescoping stock is really the same thing as simply being adverse to rails and a telescoping stock, because if we're 100% honest with ourselves, they make just as much sense on a lever gun as they do on an AR-15 or Rem 870 (which is to say they don't make much sense in general, but people buy them anyway).

Marketing gimmicks don't work BECAUSE people fall for them, they work because the people who will fall for them exist in the FIRST place. Manufacturer's are betting on it.

I'll concede that I did not consider your "dork cousin" in the People's Republik of Kalifornia. He may very well have a reasonable use for such a firearm, given fewer alternatives than the rest of us elsewhere enjoy.

Really though, it doesn't matter what I think about something like this. Or a Monte Carlo with "The Intimidator" appliqued to the trunk, for that matter. I see "boutique tactical" at the range quite often. Those are the guys it's fun to send off to the RO for some "muzzle blast" to clean their barrel with. Guess I'll have to start watching for them at the archery range now, too? I suppose I should just be happy that I can find amusement in the logic behind some of these kinds of purchases? I'd prefer my hunting brothers and sisters not spend their hard-earned money on stuff they don't need, but it IS their money, after all.

Knock yourself out. When you move to Kalifornia, start wearing IBA and plates or hunting turkeys with this thing, I might reconsider.

There's always going to be stuff that makes sense, and stuff that just looks cool (beauty in the eye of the beholder). When I lived in town, most of my neighbors owned pick-up trucks. What for? I don't know, all they did with them is commute to work, or park them in their drive-way.

The only thing that doesn't really make sense to me about this Mossy is the triple rail, which I don't think makes sense on any rifle.

I have a Win 94 trapper with an 11" trigger pull and a 16" barrel in .30-30. The only reason I own it is because it's short and portable, so it would fit in the truck easily while driving around the ranch. Having a 16" barrel on a telescoping stock, yeah, that'd be a step up, since that short 11" pull SUCKS for me. With a tele-stock, I'd get all of the convenience for storage, but a comfortable fit for shooting as well. Best of both worlds.

Not saying it's not just a dumb marketing gimmick targeted at wannabe's, but there ARE guys out there that will have a practical use for this rifle.

Here's what makes me suggest that this IS a dumb marketing gimmick - peruse your favorite catalog. Don't care if it's something popular like Cabela's or Outdoor World, or if it's something more dedicated like Midway's annual catalog or Brownell's. How many TACTICAL aftermarket accessories do you find for the M94 and clones?

I'll be you find improvements to iron sights, or provisions for optics, both pretty common anymore - but I'm guessing you won't find collapsible stocks or rails in the mix? In fact, the M94 itself was modified as the AE by Winchester to facilitate optics because so many people couldn't make the top eject work with a scope. Demand-driven marketing decisions.

In contrast, look up how many aftermarket accessories there are for the AR. Twenty-five years ago, the few manufacturers out there sent them out of the factory in what we'd call "bone-stock" configurations. Today, manufacturers/assemblers offer them with many of the accessories as "factory options" - charging handles, BUIS, rails, specialized stocks and grips, night sights, upgraded barrels, etc. People were buying their rifles and adding them later, why not cash in on the trend? Heck, I've even seen aftermarket walnut furniture for the AR, but I doubt it sells in any quantity to suggest a maker offer one from the factory that way. Demand-driven marketing decisions.

No slight intended to Mossberg, but this thing is a market segment just looking for a place to happen. I'm going to predict that most independent firearms retailers aren't going to want to tie up inventory in something like this. If someone wants one, they'd better buy it now - this kind of marketing experiment may not be in the lineup next year.

I own a 16" M94 as well, but in .44 Magnum. It's not scoped, nor do I want it to be. Given its caliber and barrel length, I'm not inclined to add a receiver sight. Ghost ring sight could be in the future, as well as lifter not made of pot metal if anyone ever came up with a replacement. Not interested in even an aftermarket collapsible stock or rails.

Those are but a few of the reasons I'm not a fan of the Win 94's. Marlin 1894 all the way baby (or 336/1895 for rifle cartridges)... Far superior weapon to the Win 94's.

I loved that little 94 Trapper, but if Marlin had offered a comparable model at the time (11" pull stock, 16.5" barrel), I'd have opted for the Marlin instead.

Ya know, I actually do appreciate that some of these aftermarket components are available. My short-range coyote rig looks strikingly similar to the "tacticool" AR's that I make fun of at the range on a regular basis (telescoping stock + Cheekpiece, vertical foregrip, bipod adapter and bipod, single point sling mount, and carry-handle scope mount). I only have 2 rails, one on the bottom of the handguard for the vert grip and the bipod, and one on the carry handle for the scope.

Was I trying to make it "look cool"? No. Was I trying to make it more and more functional for a run-and-gun style of coyote hunting? Yes. Do I roll my eyes when I see guys at the range with decked out "tacticool rigs" for home defense or zombie apocalypse? Yes. Do I expect to be immune to OTHER shooters rolling their eyes as I drop my tactical looking rig on the bags at the range? No. BUT, do I appreciate that the components I've picked up to make my rig a better shooter were available off the shelf? Yes.