Ok many brands out there.. obviously we all know the 870 and Mossburg 500's of the world. Many of you will have experience with many varieties of 12 gauge so I'd like to hear what you feel is the best setup for all around use. The more versatile it is the better IMO
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Beginning my search for a quality 12 gauge
- Thread starter 1st4040
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Don't care what anyone says...love my JMPRO 930 Mossberg. Also have a Belgian Made Browning Auto 5 i will give to my future unborn son...or perhaps a nephew if i stay smart and don't reproduce.
I just cant nock my 870 bought it when I turned 18.... has taken everything I dished out and yet to fail me 20yrs.....YMMV.
I also have a old pos 311 sxs in 12 and 20 taken countless birds God knows how many rounds......
I also have a old pos 311 sxs in 12 and 20 taken countless birds God knows how many rounds......
The 870 and Mossbergs are like Chevys and Fords - solid performers and with a lot of options for barrels and accessories. Check out the new Ithaca 37 guns - higher priced but supposed to be of high quality. My Model 37 12 gauge was built in the '40's, and it still goes into the field with me in bad weather and never misses a beat. Guys seem to like the Italian guns, too. Don't pass up a good deal on a clean used gun. Some have low round counts and may be built better than a new one.
I have a buddy that has 3 mossys - 2 are parts..
Everyone I know that owns a Remy pump, owns 1 - if they have more than one, it's because it's in a different gauge...
Vintage Savage - depending on your needs - are worth a look. I've had a couple that are late 70's or older - worth a look and underrated.
Good luck
Everyone I know that owns a Remy pump, owns 1 - if they have more than one, it's because it's in a different gauge...
Vintage Savage - depending on your needs - are worth a look. I've had a couple that are late 70's or older - worth a look and underrated.
Good luck
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Remington 1100. Great gun. Low recoil. Lasts forever.
White Feather
White Feather
In God We Trust
NES Member
Mossberg 500 has been in use by military and police for a long time for a reason. Can't go wrong with an 870 either. I like the position of the safety on the 500 better but aside from that they are basically the same gun.
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JuergenG
NES Member
While the 870 is as reliable and sturdy as can be, when it's about speed and versatility then go and look for a Benelli Nova/Super Nova.
I say this as a proud owner of an 870 Marine Magnum.
I say this as a proud owner of an 870 Marine Magnum.
Enzo
NES Member
Love the 870's and the 590a1's more but bought a Benelli Supernova Tactical with their comfort tech (non- pistol grip) stock.
Takes everything from 2 3/4 to 3 1/2 shells, oversized trigger guard and I like that you can clear and unchamber a round by depressing a release button on the bottom of the forearm.
Only addition was a nordic components +2 extension that actually gives you 3 extra rounds.
Price is around a 590a1 and less than some 870's.
Takes everything from 2 3/4 to 3 1/2 shells, oversized trigger guard and I like that you can clear and unchamber a round by depressing a release button on the bottom of the forearm.
Only addition was a nordic components +2 extension that actually gives you 3 extra rounds.
Price is around a 590a1 and less than some 870's.
JuergenG
NES Member
On your side of the pond. Over here sticker is just shy of 900 EUROS ~ $1,200
![[shocked]](/xen/styles/default/xenforo/smilies.vb/007.gif "Shocked [shocked]")
pump or semi auto?
theyre apples and oranges. You gotta steer us in 1 direction.
if you want a super versatile pump, get the mossberg flex model. It has variable chokes, swapped out grips and forends in like 5 seconds. It dont get much more versatile than that. My turkey gun is a mossberg 500 flex and im super happy w it.
mossbergs arent extra fancy or top notch quality, but i find the ergonomics to be great and they are very reliable as a pump gun. The 930 semi auto is another matter as ive steered away from it based on some friends' experiences
my feeling on mossberg is A+ for pump shotties or bolt action rifles. However i just dont trust their abilities when it comes to an autoloading gun. Im not saying they make junk....but their history doesnt tell me that theyre experts on autoloaders like remington, benelli or FNH.
Just my 2c
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I would have said Remington 870 at one time but there are just too many bad reports out there about Remington QC these days to make me leery. I'd default to Mossberg. The Savage Stevens line offers some budget grade shotguns that are Chinese imports. I've handled them, not shot them and they appear to be well made guns for the money, but I don't know much about them.
Most versatile pump shotgun. I own one and love it. Very convenient.
http://www.mossberg.com/products/shotguns/mossberg-flex/flex-500-all-purpose
only downside is i dint think they make a higher capacity flex model.
the 590 A1 is nice but IMO too heavy.
the 500 models are nice too.
i have a 500 w mako tri-rail forend and its an awesome little shotty.
if you intend to hunt then definitely go w the flex model because far more modular and adaptable.
http://www.mossberg.com/products/shotguns/mossberg-flex/flex-500-all-purpose
only downside is i dint think they make a higher capacity flex model.
the 590 A1 is nice but IMO too heavy.
the 500 models are nice too.
i have a 500 w mako tri-rail forend and its an awesome little shotty.
if you intend to hunt then definitely go w the flex model because far more modular and adaptable.
870 and 500 are kings in the affordable pump arena. Can't go wrong with either one.
I went with the 500 for several reasons, in no particular order:
-cheaper than the Rem 870
-tang safety is a more logical location, imo, and means there's one less switch by the trigger guard
-slide release on the 870 is in front of the trigger guard; on the 500 it's behind the trigger guard, right where your middle finger can easily hit it - I think it's a better location than on the 870
-shell lifter on the 870 stays in the down position - the one time I shot a Remington (it was an 11-87 but same lifter as 870), my glove got caught in the lifter while inserting shells; when I took the glove off, I pinched my finger. No, not a huge deal, but still nowhere near as convenient as on the Mossberg where the lifter stays up.
I went with the 500 for several reasons, in no particular order:
-cheaper than the Rem 870
-tang safety is a more logical location, imo, and means there's one less switch by the trigger guard
-slide release on the 870 is in front of the trigger guard; on the 500 it's behind the trigger guard, right where your middle finger can easily hit it - I think it's a better location than on the 870
-shell lifter on the 870 stays in the down position - the one time I shot a Remington (it was an 11-87 but same lifter as 870), my glove got caught in the lifter while inserting shells; when I took the glove off, I pinched my finger. No, not a huge deal, but still nowhere near as convenient as on the Mossberg where the lifter stays up.
i used to have a 870, i sold it. the finish and the wood seemed cheap to me. it was a new production one from 2010/2011. on the flip side drgrant bought an older police 870 and that is a very nice shotgun.
i also used to have a 500 persuader which i traded in on a 590a1. i love the 590a1 and mossbergs in general. i like the safety position better than the remington setup. i've beat the shit out of that gun, too. shot melons and pumpkins off the bayonet attached to the end of it, shot crazy shells through it, and the only time it's malfunctioned was when i was shooting trashed 12GA ammo which i shouldn't have been shooting anyway.
i also used to have a 500 persuader which i traded in on a 590a1. i love the 590a1 and mossbergs in general. i like the safety position better than the remington setup. i've beat the shit out of that gun, too. shot melons and pumpkins off the bayonet attached to the end of it, shot crazy shells through it, and the only time it's malfunctioned was when i was shooting trashed 12GA ammo which i shouldn't have been shooting anyway.
knoxy
NES Member
Good advice. I picked up an older 870 Wingmaster from another member here. I'm not a huge shotgunner but I love that thing. Never had an issue with about 200 shells through it, buck shot, slugs, or target loads. Very smooth action.
OTOH, perhaps anecdotal, but my buddy brought his new Mossy 500 out to the range and it stopped feeding after about 10 rounds. Ended up using my wingmaster the rest of the day.
You say all around use is your benchmark. Mossy 500 combo are relatively inexpensive and generally come with a 26 or 28 inch bird barrel and a cantilevered mount rifled slub barrel. I paid well under $400 for this set up brand new last year for my kid and it works very well for him.
My current all around shotgun, however, is a mid 1990s manufactured mossy 500 12G 30 inch barrel fixed full choke. Shoot trap and hit in the 20s all day long with it.......hunt turkey, hunt pheasant, throws a slug just using the front beed straight enough to hit a paper plate at 75 yards so I took it for deer hunting as well (not a successful hunt yet but only got out one time....this fall/winter I'm gonna get one and this will be the gun I use). Only down side to my mossy is for home defense it is not gonna work cuz the barrel is too long at 30 inches. Lucked out on this gun and got it from an acauaintance 2 years ago......he won it in a raffle in 1994 and it sat in his safe unfired for almost 20 years........sold it to me for $150! Thousands of rounds through this thing now.....trap twice a month, slugs for practice, bird shot for pheasant........buckshot for shits and grins......it has gone bang every time I have pulled the trigger and never jammed.....not once.
Get the mossy combo in 12 or 20 ........you'll love it!
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I have a 1994 manufactured mossy 500 and my son's 20G is a mossy 500 new last year......the wood and blueing are not at all the same quality on his newer mossy 500.......but the guts are the same from what I can tell.
Ive heard this from MANY people.
i try very hard to be a mossberg loyalist since i love my 500 so much, but i gotta say i just have no faith in mossbergs ability to produce an autoloading firearm of any variety.
AllaSnackbah
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i have an 870 express and it is honestly a pile of junk, i bought it a long time ago when i was a kid, the MIM extractor and cheaply honed barrel cause it to jam on ejection. Im actually tearing it down and trying to fix it this weekend. 870's are great guns, but the express models are not as quality as the police or wingmaster ones.
i would like to pick up an FN SLP someday
i would like to pick up an FN SLP someday
