Guns, Bows, Shooting Sports, and Hunting Which 12 gauge should I buy?

[MEby]

I am planning on buying a shotgun this year and need opinions. Mossberg or Remington express? I want something universal, meaning it needs to do home defense duty and maybe some deer hunting. A folding stock is likely along with an extended magazine and maybe a heat guard. What do you guys think?

 

[JCyrbok]

I am planning on buying a shotgun this year and need opinions. Mossberg or Remington express? I want something universal, meaning it needs to do home defense duty and maybe some deer hunting. A folding stock is likely along with an extended magazine and maybe a heat guard. What do you guys think?

Hard to beat an 870. We gott'em at work and they are put through hell and keep going. I turkey hunt with an 870, have deer hunted with an 870, have shot skeet with an 870, have goose hunted with an 870 and there is an 870 at the ready at my house "just incase. " Price, fit/finish, durabilty and reliabity are all plus points.



If I were to be stranded on a deserted island and could only take one gun, its would be an 870.



I would get a speed feed tactical stock before I got a folding stock. I Got a speed feed on my 1187 that I use for three gun shoots and it is very nice at controlling the gun.



SPEEDFEED® | PRODUCTS



The one I have is towards the bottom something like the speed feed III.



Extended tubes are great for home defense but check your hunting regs, in Michigan you can only have 5 in the gun for deer or 3 for water fowl.



In my opinion the heat gaurd is for looks only, if you are cranking off so many rounds at a deer or person,for that matter, that the barrel gets too hot, you have other problems going on than getting burned, LOL. Plus its one more thing to snag on something, which trying to be stealthy, either in the woods or while defending your house.



Just my opinion's based on experience.



J-

 

[jray]

Hard to beat an 870.

The 870 is a great gun. The 870 express is a parts gun. Some of them work and some don't. Given the choice I'd buy the Mossberg 500.

 

[KLockliear]

Mossberg 590A1 is my choice. Metal trigger group version of the 590 (which has plastic). I like the thumb operated safety of the Mossy better than the Winchesters and Remmingtons.

 

[TRAMPLINEMAN]

870 express vote here.

 

[cksh8me]

Remington Model 870™ Express® Synthetic Deer Gun



If you are looking for a gun to use for HD and shoot deer the link above is the gun I'd choose. The folding stock, heat shield, pistol grip only are generally lame. You could make a case for those parts but most people would be streaching it.



If you want to build a ghetto blaster then I'd get the 870 police then the 870 HD.



Good luck and let us know what you decided on.

 

[MEby]

Good luck and let us know what you decided on.

Will do, thanks for the input guys.

 

[MKinner]

Don't rule out this company... . Home of The Ithaca Gun Company

 

[MEby]

You know, i've thought about Ithica, but I think they are going to be a little pricey for me.

 

[Paddy McMahon]

Another vote for the 870. Other than the discontinued Win Model 12 the Rem 870 is truly the #1 die hard, well made, reliable firearm. The heat guard is a novelty unless you are firing more than a couple of boxes at a time. The magazine extension will probably require a special plug for bird hunting purposes to limit to three shots.

 

[MEby]

Another vote for the 870. Other than the discontinued Win Model 12 the Rem 870 is truly the #1 die hard, well made, reliable firearm. The heat guard is a novelty unless you are firing more than a couple of boxes at a time. The magazine extension will probably require a special plug for bird hunting purposes to limit to three shots.

Its not likely that I will be using it hard, so I reckon the heat gaurd business is probably to much. I don't plan on bird hunting so the extended magazine shouldn't be a problem.

 

[Thunderbolt]

Benelli Super 90. Great tactical shotgun. Extremely reliable, acurate and FAST! 8 empties in the air before the first one drops. Slugs through a 14" tactical barrel hit a 3" circle at 50 yds.

 

[AMink]

I've had an 870 Express that I bought used about 20 years ago. It looks like a beater (camo paint:-laf) but shoots every time the trigger is pulled. There is a huge aftermarket for the 870. You can put longer "goose" barrels on it, cantilever scope barrels for deer, etc. A great gun.

 

[MEby]

You can put longer "goose" barrels on it, cantilever scope barrels for deer, etc. A great gun.

I was thinking more along the lines of shorter so I can "move about my house in the dark easily in case of people in the house that aren't supposed to be there".

 

[AMink]

Just don't go too short. They'll Ruby Ridge you!

 

[Turbo Tim 1]

Remington 870 vote here but go for a quality one like the wingmaster. With that said I have a 870 express combo which comes with two barrels and I have never had any trouble with it at all.

 

[Paddy McMahon]

Benelli Super 90. Great tactical shotgun. Extremely reliable, acurate and FAST! 8 empties in the air before the first one drops. Slugs through a 14" tactical barrel hit a 3" circle at 50 yds.

I am a huge fan of Benelli. I hunt ducks with a Benelli SBE. I don't think the Benelli and Remington are in the same league because the Super 90 costs at least twice as much as the 870. Kind of a bummer to drop a mortgage payment in to a gun devoted for home/self defense.

 

[Hammer]

I have a Remington Model 870,A Browing Auto-5,Winchester Super X2 Turkey Federation model and a Ithaca Model 37 Featherweight all in 12ga. I have shot them all about equally but my all time favorite is my Ithaca as its easy to handle and shoots very well... ... Andy

 

[tmh1955]

I have both. The 870 Express is corroding on the receiver and I can't seem to stop it. The Mossbert is just as shiney as every.



Both operate flawlessly

 

[icman95]

I shot a Rem once or twice-wasn't mine-but it did just fine.



Currently have a Mossberg 500 and love it. Can be converted easily to a really good defensive piece with a short barrel and a pistol grip. Takes about 10 minutes. Change it back for hunting. A buddy of mine has one he used to use as his service shotgun as a reserve sherrif's deputy. Said that's what most people used in that department.