Choosing a trap/skeet setup "Poll"

[Titans]

Here's the link to my original thread: http://www.calguns.net/calgunforum/s...d.php?t=119115

I think I will be going with the Remington 870 Express since it is on sale at a local shop for $289. Now earlier today I went to the shop and they have two choices:
1) Rem 870 20ga with 26" barrel
2) Rem 870 12ga with 28" barrel.

Which one would you choose between the two? I'm also throwing in some other choices that were brought to my attention in the previous thread. (I'm allowing two votes...one to decide between the two 870's and one for any other you may choose.)

But if anyone has a better option by adding a couple hundred more and getting me more bang for the buck then please fill me in. I am looking to spend $500 or less on a trap/skeet setup. Thanks.

[Thefeeder]

Poll

Lets add some of the others in the poll

[CHS]

Voted for the 20ga 26" 870. The reason is that it's a smaller receiver, lighter gun, with slightly shorter barrel and because of this it points easier and faster while trap shooting. Also, with trap/skeet loads, 20ga and 12ga are practically identical. 20ga isn't just a smaller/whimpy gun.

[Titans]

Voted for the 20ga 26" 870. The reason is that it's a smaller receiver, lighter gun, with slightly shorter barrel and because of this it points easier and faster while trap shooting. Also, with trap/skeet loads, 20ga and 12ga are practically identical. 20ga isn't just a smaller/whimpy gun.

Thanks for your input. I was leaning toward the 20ga for the lighter/ less recoil on the shoulder reason but I was curious to how the 20 and 12ga would perform on clays. Thanks for answering that.

[sargenv]

I prefer the 28 inch barrel overall as a compromise between the shorter 26 and the longer 30. I don't feel at all handicapped by it. The 12 gauge is a better choice since you can easily load it up to 1 1/8 ounces for trap and skeet if needed and you can still download the 12 down to 7/8 of an ounce for lighter recoil if you want. I know that Winchester sells the lighter 7/8 ounce load in the 12 also. For the 20, you would generally be limited to 7/8 of an ounce for standard loads or an ounce at a slightly lower velocity in the 20. You can load 1 1/8 in the 20, but with the lighter gun, recoil will be appreciably different than the 12 would be. The 870 is a great starting platform that you could shoot for many many years.

[scr83jp]

Voted for the 20ga 26" 870. The reason is that it's a smaller receiver, lighter gun, with slightly shorter barrel and because of this it points easier and faster while trap shooting. Also, with trap/skeet loads, 20ga and 12ga are practically identical. 20ga isn't just a smaller/whimpy gun.

I have a 12g Remington 870 Wingmaster with a 30" Trap barrel & a cylinder bore Skeet barrel plus a 28" field barrel with Rem chokes, also have a Rem 11-87 field 12g & a custom built 1924 Win Mod 12 12g Trap Shotgun.I use 12g for everything birds,squirrels,clays,etc When I was looking for some shotguns my club members told me to check the Inland F&G bulletin board in Redlands I did and found an ad for 2 Rem Wingmasters 20g & 12g with trap & skeet barrels being sold by the widow of a club member.I bought both with some reloads for $225 in the late '70's,after my son outgrew the 20 I sold it to a club member and bought him a 12g Rem 870TB to shoot trap birds & squirrels. FYI the Rem 870 shotgun is easy to repair or install new parts in and one can find parts for these very popular shotguns in out of the way places where you'll never find parts for most shotguns example a friend broke an 870 firing pin while dove hunting near Blythe he drove to the nearest hardware store & bought a new firing pin & was back dove hunting.

[CHS]

Thanks for your input. I was leaning toward the 20ga for the lighter/ less recoil on the shoulder reason but I was curious to how the 20 and 12ga would perform on clays. Thanks for answering that.

For what it's worth, I have the 12ga 28" 870, and I've shot trap with it for many years. Now I'm using a mossberg silver reserve O/U (it's kinda crappy, but points well). My next trap gun is going to be the 20ga 26" 870 for exactly the reasons I stated above

My girlfriend shoots trap with a custom fitted 20ga youth model 870 w/hiviz site. It's only got a 21" barrel though.

[Black Majik]

I chose the 12 ga. 870. You can buy a wide range of loads that'll include very light loads to be easy on the shoulder. Good choice on the pump, you can run really light loads that sometimes won't cycle in a autoloader.

I believe they also make 26" VR barrels for the 12 ga. 870, it'll help with the swing so it won't be so front heavy.

[Titans]

I went to check the feel on all of these today and man that Remington Spartan was so stiff I almost couldn't close it and the safety was dang near impossible to switch back and forth. Are they all this way? The salesman said they are like that fresh out the box when put together. The Silver reserve was smooth in every function. The Rem 870 was simple lock and load ready to go. Choices choices...now I need to decide if I should go with wood or black?