help me select a shotgun, cuz i'm a noob...

[Hornet_RN]

my father and i are wanting to get into three gun competition, but i also want to get into trap and skeet shooting too. so we have been discussing on buying a shotgun in the coming months but haven't really decided what to get.

i was planning to get a Remington 870 pump shot gun. however, my father wants something smaller, shorter, and more tactical looking for three gun competition. but i'm looking more into a sport shotgun with a longer barrel so that i could possibly shoot trap and skeet (hence making it NOT look bad***** and tactical...heh heh). but we also both agree on wanting a shotgun that is capable of shooting slugs too...and that it should be a pump shotgun!

What shotgun to get? Remington 870? Mossberg 500? Mossbert 590?

[AlexB]

20" Remington 870. IIRC, it comes from the factory with a magazine tube extension as well, so you should be set if you're trying to keep it simple.

[SuperSet]

If you're shooting 3-gun for fun, a pump will do just fine. If you get serious and want to stay competitive, you'll want a semiauto (unless you shoot Heavy Metal).

[felixthecat1]

a Mossberg 590A1 with bayonet lug, and an SPX tactical light..

oh wait, ur shooting targets, not zombies... ummm, having shot the 500, 590, and Win's 870, I reallyliked the 500 for simplicity. But for coolness, I gotta say, i luv the 590 a1.

[eccvets]

go out and shoot them all and pick the one which feels the best to you. It's really no secret and everyone is built differently so pick the one which you like the best.

personnaly I like my 590 + knoxx specops+limbsaver+holosite but thats just me.

[.40Cal]

I'm in the same boat as the OP. I would like to introduce myself too, and am also looking for my 'First Shotgun' ever.

I've been reading up on different loads, barrel sizes, functions, and usability.

From what I've discovered, the Remington 870 (being most popular/used by cops, HD and service), and the Mossberg 590 (meeting and being used by U.S military and Navy). Both being really good weapons. I'm also considering no more than 18.5" barrel for HD. If I get a gun with a 20", I would probably have it cut to 18.5", with 9 round magazine. Nothing fancy like bayont on it or anything that might get caught, or folding stocks, etc. I would put a flash light or laser on it, for dark situations in HD.

Now, my only (BIG) issue is that I'm not really decided on which one of the two to get. And where's the Best price? Hope some other guys will pitch in soon...

Rog.

[AlexB]

I'm in the same boat as the OP. I would like to introduce myself too, and am also looking for my 'First Shotgun' ever.

I've been reading up on different loads, barrel sizes, functions, and usability.

From what I've discovered, the Remington 870 (being most popular/used by cops, HD and service), and the Mossberg 590 (meeting and being used by U.S military and Navy). Both being really good weapons. I'm also considering no more than 18.5" barrel for HD. If I get a gun with a 20", I would probably have it cut to 18.5", with 9 round magazine. Nothing fancy like bayont on it or anything that might get caught, or folding stocks, etc. I would put a flash light or laser on it, for dark situations in HD.

Now, my only (BIG) issue is that I'm not really decided on which one of the two to get. And where's the Best price? Hope some other guys will pitch in soon...

Rog.

Both guns function very well. I've shot both the 870 and 590 quite a bit and in the end of the day, for me, the only real significant difference for me would be the placement of the safety.

Just remember that if you plan on changing out the stock on your shotgun that if you decide to get a pistol grip, the safety on the 590 is going to be awkward to actuate versus the 870.

It is going to come down to personal preference when choosing between the two.

[5150bronco]

do some searching. i have did several threads on different shotguns. that will help.

[too old for this]

If you want to do both 3 gun competition as well as trap shooting, it is probably best to get 2 guns. The Mossberg 500 is an okay gun and the Rem. 870 is probably a bit better gun. Both very good for home defense and 3 gunning. But neither is very good at trap shooting. For trap shooting you should a barrel of at least 28 inches and it must be able to use a wide range of chokes. In trap shooting you will fire a 100 plus shells in a single day which is more than many hunter will use in a year. Because of that, Trap guns are built stronger and cost more. For trap I use a Benelli semi-auto that costs about $1700 which is about 3 times the cost of a 500 or 870, but it is a great trap gun with much less felt recoil that either a pump or double barrel. I could, if I needed, use the gun for home defense it holds 5 shells. In April, I'm taking the gun out to Foresight for a 2 day tactical shotgun course. But the real use of the gun is trap shooting which I find to be more fun that IPSA shooting. Fast moving targets are a real challenge. For skeet and sporting clays, double barrel guns are better because you can have different chokes in each barrel, but I like the reduced recoil of a semi-auto.
What ever you do, have FUN.

[5150bronco]

If you want to do both 3 gun competition as well as trap shooting, it is probably best to get 2 guns. The Mossberg 500 is an okay gun and the Rem. 870 is probably a bit better gun. Both very good for home defense and 3 gunning. But neither is very good at trap shooting. For trap shooting you should a barrel of at least 28 inches and it must be able to use a wide range of chokes. In trap shooting you will fire a 100 plus shells in a single day which is more than many hunter will use in a year. Because of that, Trap guns are built stronger and cost more. For trap I use a Benelli semi-auto that costs about $1700 which is about 3 times the cost of a 500 or 870, but it is a great trap gun with much less felt recoil that either a pump or double barrel. I could, if I needed, use the gun for home defense it holds 5 shells. In April, I'm taking the gun out to Foresight for a 2 day tactical shotgun course. But the real use of the gun is trap shooting which I find to be more fun that IPSA shooting. Fast moving targets are a real challenge. For skeet and sporting clays, double barrel guns are better because you can have different chokes in each barrel, but I like the reduced recoil of a semi-auto.
What ever you do, have FUN.

good points. how would benelli m1 work for trap?

i was thinkin of using 870 than putting long barrel in and I guess I would have to change choke too.......? What choke?

[Bellehood]

The mossberg 500 home/field combo is the cheapest and most efficient way to fulfill both your needs. Its worth far more than the $279 they sell it for at my Big 5. You can get a similar setup for the remmy 870, but barrels are a lot more.

If I get a gun with a 20", I would probably have it cut to 18.5", with 9 round magazine. Nothing fancy like bayont on it or anything that might get caught, or folding stocks, etc. I would put a flash light or laser on it, for dark situations in HD.



Rog.

I dont know of a shotgun that has a 9 shot magazine and can have a 18.5 inch barrel. The 2 mossberg models (500 8-shot persuader, and the 590's with the extra large tube) that have the extra large magazine can NOT have their barrels cut down from 20" to 18.5"

[tonelar]

Everyone else is going to say this, get the mossberg 500 from big 5 with the two barrels one is 18 inches and the other is 28. Best of both worlds there.

Not necessarily. If you're going to see occasional use, the Mossbergs are great. Plus the package deal with the two barrels is pretty neat.

However it sounds to me like this shotgun is going to see a LOT of use. So, I'd go with the 870. It's the bar by which all others are measured for a reason.

[antonio]

Go for the the Moss 500 I have a had mine for 15 years and its been very reliable. I have hunted all upland game and ducks and trap, I just recently upgraded to the Winchester SX3.

Just my opinion

[5150bronco]

Not necessarily. If you're going to see occasional use, the Mossbergs are great. Plus the package deal with the two barrels is pretty neat.

However it sounds to me like this shotgun is going to see a LOT of use. So, I'd go with the 870. It's the bar by which all others are measured for a reason.

I have been doing lots of research and by far this statement has been common. I would go with 870 too.

[shooterdude]

my father and i are wanting to get into three gun competition, but i also want to get into trap and skeet shooting too. so we have been discussing on buying a shotgun in the coming months but haven't really decided what to get.

i was planning to get a Remington 870 pump shot gun. however, my father wants something smaller, shorter, and more tactical looking for three gun competition. but i'm looking more into a sport shotgun with a longer barrel so that i could possibly shoot trap and skeet (hence making it NOT look bad***** and tactical...heh heh). but we also both agree on wanting a shotgun that is capable of shooting slugs too...and that it should be a pump shotgun!

What shotgun to get? Remington 870? Mossberg 500? Mossbert 590?

Consider the Mossberg 930. They have so many versions with different barrels and combos such as the model 85325. The tactical SP/SPX versions come with extended magazines or you can add the Choate extension yourself.