Semi-Auto Shotgun for HD

[DArBad]

Hello Shotgun people,

Need some feedback/suggestions. I am in the market for an affordable heavy duty, kick hard, semi auto shotgun, with plentiful aftermarket parts for repair and/or upgrading. Budget is around $500.00, give or take.

I will not hunt ducks, geese, turkey, rabbits, etc. I will use this shotgun for range fun, home and personal defense, and as companion to my Remington Express 870. I have no problem with tinkering to make jam problems go away, but I prefer not to, hence prefer a durable, reliable piece as much as possible.

The following are in my radar screen:

A) Mossberg 930 Turkey Shotgun (85222). It has a 24 inch ported barrel, an extended XX full turkey choke, a fiber optic front sight and an adjustable one mid barrel, 4 +1 capacity, and a MO obsessive finish. I like the camo finish a lot as I have never had a gun with camo finish. Its an interesting novelty for me. This is gas operated.

B) Mossberg 930 Security (85322). This one has an 18.5 inch barrel, just cylinder choke, plain bead sight, has 7+1 capacity, and synthetic black finish. Needless to say, this is also gas operated.

C) Stoeger M3K. This has a 24 inch barrel, fiber optic front sight, a 4 + 1 capacity, an extended choke, enlarged loading port, enlarged blue color bolt handle and release, and black finish. This shotgun is very refined, lighter to carry and hold, and fast in pointing. This is inertia driven.

D) Beretta A300 Outlander. This has a 26 inch barrel, fiber optic front sight, a camo finish, a 4 + 1 capacity, an internal screwed choke, and enlarged loading port. This shotgun is also gas operated. It is the most expensive amongst the three at over $700.00.

I am anticipating this could be the last firearm purchase I may have to do for a very long time unless some unforeseen circumstance crop up. I like them all. I understand " B " has the least amount of accessories compared to the others, but it is also the cheapest. It has the most capacity too. Also understand that except for " B ", all the above come with shims to adjust drop and comb to fit.

I brought my son with me to see and handle them all at Sportsman Warehouse. He prefers the Stoeger M3K. I am still unsettled, hence this thread.

Thank you all.

[M76]

For HD?

you want an 18.5" barrel, Mossberg 7+1 is it...

[etwinam]

I'm a huge Mossberg fan and I love my A300. For best all round range HD gun, Mossberg is it for sure. 930 has lots of accessories. You can get a fiber optic sight for 10 dollars If you want, side sadlles, furniture options.

If you want something that will be more than a HD gun though the A300 takes the cake. It's much lighter than the 930, I thin you said you wanted a heavy thumper, so it may not be the right fit. Aftermarket options aren't as prevelant but you don't really need them. I put a Fiber optic sight, extended bolt release and extended choke. You really don't need the accessories but I wanted mine fit to me and coming from a 930 jm pro I was used to the oversized controls and FO sight.

A300 is my favorite shotgun by far. I wouldnt want to clear the house with it though. Not that I couldn't just that there are better for guns for that purpose.

590A1 is your breacher barrel house clearing gun or 930 SPX. Have you looked at those options yet?

[DArBad]

.

590A1 is your breacher barrel house clearing gun or 930 SPX. Have you looked at those options yet?

I have. I already have a pump, the Remington 870 Express. Don't want anymore pump in that regard.

As to the Mossberg 930 SPX, they cost more than what I feel is necessary. I am not much of a fan of the Ghost Ring nor the high front sight with wings.

Between the SPX and the simpler and cheaper Security, the Security will free up some funds to enable me to upgrade.

How's your JM Pro holding up to rigorous shooting? Do you have to buy any OR3Gun parts to effect reliability?

[hermosabeach]

I have the JM Pro. I had it crap out and would not trust it for HD

The only one on your list I would trust is the Beretta A300

[etwinam]

I have. I already have a pump, the Remington 870 Express. Don't want anymore pump in that regard.

As to the Mossberg 930 SPX, they cost more than what I feel is necessary. I am not much of a fan of the Ghost Ring nor the high front sight with wings.

Between the SPX and the simpler and cheaper Security, the Security will free up some funds to enable me to upgrade.

How's your JM Pro holding up to rigorous shooting? Do you have to buy any OR3Gun parts to effect reliability?

My JM Pro is great. I've never had an issue. I've hear Bout QC issues though so I think it's all a matter of which one you get. Mine happened to be a good one I guess.

[DArBad]

I have the JM Pro. I had it crap out and would not trust it for HD

The only one on your list I would trust is the Beretta A300

I've read a lot of negative remarks about the JM Pro even in the " Mossbergowners.com " website. I also have a friend who participates in 3 gun competition and has given me negative feedbacks. I don't know if problems with the JM Pro shows up more on earlier models and not so much on newer ones.

I also liked the A300 and if price would come down, it surely would be a strong contender to my purchase list.

[BarrettM99]

Rather than trying to find an affordable semi auto, you could really use that money to mod the 870...just a thought.

But if you must, go with an established company with a good customer service history.

[Bainter1212]

Whatever you get OP, make sure you put it through it's paces.

I took a 4 day Defensive shotgun class at Front Sight this spring. If there is one thing that type of class will do for you, it is to get you intimately familiar with your gun.

What ammo it likes or doesn't, how it behaves while shooting in different positions, or when performing an emergency reload or maybe a slug select drill....I really got to know and trust my gun.

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[Red9]

I have a mk3. I doesnt like certain loads. 99 percent of ammo runs great, but the Winchester white box it chokes.
I got the 10 round tube, so 2 floaters makes a 12 round semi. My vote for the stoeger

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[crosseyedshooter]

I have a Mossberg JM Pro and it took some work to get it running reliably. Semi-auto shotguns in general are ammo sensitive and are less reliable than pump-action shotguns. Even the high-priced Benellis need to be run through a few hundred rounds and broken in for reliability. For low-priced semi-autos, the challenge will be testing it and personally going over every part to make sure it is reliable.

[FatCaliberBuddha]

I don't knows the layout of your home, but swinging a 24+ in barrel indoors and around corners sounds pretty terrible. Walk around with a 3ft pole in your house see how cumbersome it can be, and imagine how it'll be in a high stress situation.

Also, anything which a choke will prevent you from using slugs, limiting your HD round options. And I've heard full chokes don't do well with 00 buck.

Furthermore, how dead set are you on semi auto? Because in some cases, a low recoil round may not fully cycle. And low recoil rounds offer many advantages in a home defense situation.

That all being said, the only one on your list I'd personally ever consider for a HD gun is option B. But I went with a 590A1 for my HD shotgun myself.

Ps. I'd also avoid pistol grips on Mossbergs so if you decide to go up to the SPX, I say dont get the pistol grip version.

[Bainter1212]

I don't knows the layout of your home, but swinging a 24+ in barrel indoors and around corners sounds pretty terrible. Walk around with a 3ft pole in your house see how cumbersome it can be, and imagine how it'll be in a high stress situation.

Also, anything which a choke will prevent you from using slugs, limiting your HD round options. And I've heard full chokes don't do well with 00 buck.

Furthermore, how dead set are you on semi auto? Because in some cases, a low recoil round may not fully cycle. And low recoil rounds offer many advantages in a home defense situation.

That all being said, the only one on your list I'd personally ever consider for a HD gun is option B. But I went with a 590A1 for my HD shotgun myself.

Ps. I'd also avoid pistol grips on Mossbergs so if you decide to go up to the SPX, I say dont get the pistol grip version.

I concur with this.

The only semi auto shotgun I would use for my HD is my old A5 set up as an 8+1 at 18" barrel length, and that only because it has proven reliable with low recoil buckshot.

My other two HD shotguns are an 870 and a Mossy 500.

It has to prove itself over at least 500 rounds or so, and unfortunately a lot of SA shotguns drop out of this reliability category.

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[trackcage]

I would trust my A300 for HD use if it had a shorter barrel. More capacity would be nice too although you cannot add an extension due o the piston/fore end configuration.

Also from your list, I would not want to shoot a ported gun inside a house without hearing protection...

[DArBad]

Thank you all for your feedback and suggestions. I am reading them all.