A Brief History of the Early Years

Iver, Oscar & Harold

    Oscar F. Mossberg, a native of Sweden, came to the United States in 1886.  Soon after his arrival he joined with the Iver Johnson Corporation in the bicycle plant.  Fortunately his interests lied more in the firearms side of the plant and his unique development of the "Hammer the Hammer" action that made Iver Johnson revolvers famous.

    After a few years Mossberg left Iver Johnson for a job as Superintendent of the Shattuck Arms Company, maker of fine palm pistols, revolvers and shotguns.

    In 1900 he signed on with the Stevens Arms Corporation and stayed there for the next 14 years.

    In 1914 he joined the newly founded Marlin-Rockwell Corporation in the manufacture and development of light machine guns.  He stayed until the company went belly up in 1919.

    In 1919 with the partnership of his two sons Iver and Harold, O.F. Mossberg and Sons was born.  The motto of O.F. Mossberg and Sons has always been to put out a quality product at an affordable price.  In their infancy that rule always applied.  The profit margin was only pennies but the product was so good that the company grew in leaps and bounds.

    Mossberg was a firearm innovator and had many firsts...

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    First to produce a man sized rifle for an affordable price.
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    First to offer a complete rifle and telescopic rifle sight package for one price.
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    First to offer a rifle with all the necessary accessories, sling, swivels, peep sights, telescopic sight, etc.
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    First to drop the military finger grooved forearm styling.
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    First to produce a spotting scope with stand at an affordable price.
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    First to produce a range finding telescopic sight.

    In 1937 the world lost a great innovator but Oscars sons continued to follow their fathers philosophy and produce reasonably priced quality firearms and accessories for years to come.