shotgun for a poor man.

[smittty]

590 is too heavy. Most People won't wear out a 500 or 870 express so the 590 is overkill IMO.

[XVIga_Rob]

You can't go wrong with an 870. While you have it broken down to clean it, go over it with 0000 steel wool and some oil. You will love this gun!

[21SF]

I want the benelli, to me having the reciever in a polymer shell is a plus, the 3 1/2 shells is just a bonus.

[whipkiller]

The "economical" Mossbergs and Remingtons are junk LITERALLY. Weak MIM parts. Plastic parts. Unreliable. And not exactly cheap ($350+). You will regret it.

Get a IAC shotgun. Strong steel parts. Very affordable ($170-250).

I got a 870 clone that is stronger than the 870 express. Pumps/Shoots great and takes almost all 870 accessories other than barrels. Came with very accurate GRS all for $179.

After cleaning out the grease, it shot 100% reliable first time out.
Added +1 mag extention and Hogue fore grips and stock and it feels fantastic.

If u are hell bent on a name brand, then no one can help you. Because u will have to spend more money or get cheap unreliable junk.

Pffffttt!!!

Good one!

[Sicarius]

Honestly, it is hard to beat a mossberg 500 for the price. Don't believe everything you read. The internet is full of bad reviews and a few geat praise. The typical person doesn't write a review for a product that works as advertized. The combo is in your budget and after tax and dros, you should be under 400. I have a 590 and it is a bit overkill for hunting I would say and out of your price range out the door. I have a 870p and I am personally more fond of it than the mossbergs. They do cost more though. Try to find a police trade in. They go for around 300ish so they are within budget and a great shotgun. Finish may be a little worn and the stock may have a couple dings but at least they are well broken in.
Kevin

[delisle]

I have a Mav 88. I have used it to hunt duck(Salton Sea, limited 5 times), dove, and shoot skeet. I also install a 18.5 inch barrel for HD. I have not had a failure from this shotgun.

The Mav was $220 out the door. The hunting barrel was 160 with chokes. That whole package keeps you well under budget and leaves money left over for a couple boxes of shells.

[hcbr]

Mossberg 500 or a Remington 870. You can't go wrong with any of those.

[The_Tinman]

I bought the 870 with a 20" barrel because I wanted 7+1 capacity. Yeah it has the fixed cylinder choke, I like it because after I learned the pattern I've been experimenting with my accuracy at different ranges. For hunting it must be blocked to accept no more than 2+1. If you go this route be ready to have your firearm checked for compliance.

[1911su16b870]

Remington 870 Express Tactical in the $300 range at Big 5.

Steel receiver.

[IrishPirate]

also the 590 has a 20in barrel with a 8+1 capacity, a heat shield, and bayonet mount, versus the 500 combo with a 5+1 nothing else but has a 28in vent/ribbed barrel (i think sights are different too?) for field and hunting would i need a higher capacity mag with a shorter barrel and heat shield?

and are the 590 or 500 security/field barrels able to switch out chokes? i keep hearing different things from people, some people say its a fixed choke, but some websites say they can use mossberg acu-chokes

If you're hunting waterfoul you have to block your tube so that there's no more than 3 rounds in your gun at any one time so capacity isn't an issue in that case. If you're hunting other things, then you need to ask yourself why 6 rounds isn't enough to take down your prey....and unless you're planning on taking out really high flying birds or ginormous beasts, a 3" shell is plenty. 3.5" really isn't going to give you much of an advantage unless you're a seasoned hunter with the know how and appreciation to implement a 3.5" shell.

the 500 is a tank. Don't listen to all the people who talk bad about one but have never owned one. They are simple and reliable. The Big 5 version might not be the most astheticly pleasing version to your eye, but after a few months of saving up, you can make it look like whatever you want it to!!! You can buy a barrel for whatever your heart desires, and the prices are so competative on mossberg 500 parts that they are usually cheaper than most other makes/models of shotgun.

At $270 it's a great first shotgun to fit all your needs, and it's built well enough that even if you go out and buy other more expensive shotguns, you'll probably still have the 500 sitting in your safe for years to come, and you're very likely to find a time when you'll pick the 500 over whatever else you have.

and if you want to go with Remington, the only problem with the 870 is it's not a 500....both are great guns, i just happen to prefer the 500 (because it's a better gun )

[DavidR310]

Hey Steve, where are you out of? Maybe we can meet up and you can try my combo 500 and winchester 1300 defender, then you can REALLY see what you like. I have never fired/operated an 870 before.

[redrex]

I picked up a used Maverick 500 but with wood furniture and field barrel with adjustable chokes for $200 at a local shop. Then went to the forums and got a 18.5" security barrel for $50 with shipping.

$250 for a Mav 500 combo but w/wood and adj chokes is about the best you are going to get for your money. Take your time and watch the boards there are similar deals all the time.

[2nd Shot]

I bought an 870 because I liked the idea of a rugged steel receiver and proven reliability. It's probably one of the most costly options.

I'm going to pitch you a curveball though. Have you ever checked out the Baikal MP-153? People have been raving about them for the "budget shotgun" role. It's a Russian made, gas operated semi auto that looks and works like an 11-87 Supermag on steroids. The similarities end there though.

Pros:
- Cheap, they're usually under 400 bucks, about the same as an 870 or 500/590
- Bomb proof, they're commonly referred to as the "Russian Tank" and are built like a brick ****house.
- Ultra reliable, they're made by the same factory that makes the AK. Documented 50,000 rounds in 5 days, while being dunked in water between mag dumps to cool it off. I believe they broke one tiny spring or the like. Mine has been flawless.
- Comes in 24, 26, or 28" barrel lengths with 4 chokes.
- Will fire 1oz bulk ammo, to 3.5" Supermagnum without adjusting the gas.
- All gas system parts, bore, and chamber are chrome plated.

Cons:
- Not a "fine" shotgun by any means. Has some rough edges and parts sanded smooth by hand.
- You'll have to order one, I got mine from www.jetguns.com
- You're committed to the barrel it comes with, as they're individually set up at the factory.
- You'll need to adjust the gas down or up if you plan to shoot ultra light 7/8oz loads, or full power 3.5 lead loads all day.

[Richard Erichsen]

Hey guys and gals, i've been looking into some shotguns but im on a very strict budget and indecisive, and im hoping this will help. anyways, this is what im looking at:

benelli nova - i really like this shotgun, but its a little pricey, can i justifiy the price of this over, say a mossberg 500? also like being able to chamber a 3.5 in shell

mossberg 500 - i like this gun, cheap, proven, but does not appeal to me aesthetically, but yet again it is a shotgun it just needs to go bang all the time.

mossberg 590- i dont know too much about this, but this seems to be a hefty version of the 500, with plastic parts being replaced with some kind of metal

remmington 780 - same as mossberg 500, but i dont really like fighting the elevator to get a round in the magazine tube, before these were the work horses (from what ive read) but now i hear alot of people say remmington has let themselves go when it comes to QC.

remmington 887- for the price i thought this was a good inbetween of a plain jane and a nova, but from what ive read these 887 have alot of problems. so this is probably a no go.


what i want: nice aesthetics (but not a must, especially if it will burn a hole in my wallet)

-reliability

-ability to mount a scope

-availability of upgrades and add on's as i please

-good fit and finnish


from what i'm seeing from the strict budget i have the 780, 590 or 500 are the way to go, but the 500 i hear has some trouble when it comes to fit, and remmington has been going down the hole. and there are so many other pros and cons between the two like saftey placement, aluminum vs steel recievers, saftey placement, etc.

i will be using this for hunting, and would like to make it as versatile as possible hence the wanting of a scope mount, as well as interchangeable chokes, from what ive seen at big 5 the mossberg 500 combo has a fixed choke.

the max i'd like to spend is 400 after tax and fees, but if there is a good deal out there, im willing to stay home and eat top ramen for a week or two

Have you considered a used Win 1300, or a Moss 500, or Rem Wingmaster? They regularly go for under $200 depending on condition. Buying new gives you some warranty, but you can read up on the mixed experiences folks have with that. If the weapon checks out, you can be assured it will probably continue to.

R

[dooodstevenn]

Thanks for the replies guys! I did take out my 870 today to the range, and got my friend with the 500 combo to come out as well.

Recoil: 870 felt better, it's hard to describe. its more of a solid? kick? and the heavier shotgun does not feel as harsh of a recoil.

Problem: Shells jammed when i tried to pull back to eject them, the slide would come back half an inch or so, get stuck, and not move anymore. I would have to push the slide back forward to its original position, then slide back hard to get the shell to eject. Im guessing there may have been some plastic that got caught somewhere within the gun?

Loading and Ejecting: As i fired it jammed quite a few times, got some stove pipes from racking it gently. as i went on it began to happen less and less but before i left i put another 10 shells through it, and all shot flawlessly. Im hoping this was just a break in thing.

Overall, i do like the 870 better than the mossberg 500 because of the way it shoots and feels. But i still like the mossberg's elevator system, but i'm getting pretty used to the elevator in the way on the 870.

I probably put about 100 shells through it today, between my friend and myself. So far im only feeling a little sore, but lets see what happens tomorrow.