I knew before I started this thread that opinions vary!I am really sure that we helped Delmar out a great deal. Now he knows exactly what to buy and what to stay far away from. After reading through all of the comments I do not know whether to take out my 500s and my Winchester and wrap them around the nearest large oak tree. I am just going to have to save my money up longer so that I can quit buying junk shotguns and get one of those Remington 870s. However, I do remember when I bought my first shotgun which happened to be a 500, that I compared it side by side with an 870 and for some reason bought the 500. Maybe it was because I was wanting to save a little money, or maybe the salesman recommended the 500 or maybe I just thought that it felt better in my hands. We need to make some site rules that if you are going to trash a particular gun, you have to provide details, details, and more details. Without details, it is only opinion and you know what those have been compared to. A good friend of mine has an 870 (I forget which model) and really likes it and has brought down a lot of game with it including waterfowl and deer. It is a nice shotgun. I just do not like it as well as I do my cheap old, unreliable and probably unsafe to shoot Mossberg 500s.
Delmar, I would second the buyer beware when looking at the Chinese copies... besides for the money the brand name shottys can be had for a reasonable amount of cash.. new or used...
The 870 is a solid performer and a bit heavier than the 500 because of the steel versus alloy receiver. The 870's have a solid elevator so they will cycle the shorter shells if need be. The 870 is probably a better option for a pistol grip stock option as the safety position is in the trigger guard versus the mossy on top of the receiver. The 870 has been around long enough to make parts, barrels, and used models widely available and shouldn't break the bank to obtain.
The Mossy 500 as I stated earlier is less weight because of the alloy receiver and better used with a sporting style stock rather than a pistol grip style one because of the safety position. The Mossy is also alittle more difficult to do slug drills with than the 870 and the elevator on the mossy's are completely open on the bottom making the use of shorter shells a bit hard to cycle through it. Otherwise it's all the shotty you can handle and I believe just as reliable as the 870. The other little item on the 500 is the in-ability to add a mag tube extension which you can do on most of the other pump shotty's out there.
Ditto on the 590 but it's a bit more than the 500's generally and you can add to the mag tube...
The maverick's are just mossy 500's with a better safety position as they normally have the safety on the trigger guard... ala 870 style. They have the rest of the 500 characteristics...
The Benelli's Nova and Super Nova are very nice performers and have the standard option of using 3.5 inch shells added to the ability to handle all the other smaller shell length's. The Nova has the sporting stock style, but the Super has the option to change out the stock for a tacticool pistol grip configuration... Can't do that to the standard Nova.. Also the Nova's have a handy button on the stock that keeps the next shell from loading into the elevator when you slide the pump back... which allows you too save ammo and load a slug when needed... The Nova's are really light weight and you can feel the recoil readily... but you can heff that thing all day without much notice...
The Ithaca 37's were really reliable and kind of cool the way they feed shells from the bottom loading port and send the empties out the same location... Their getting a little scarce to find these days though for a low price... New ones are around though. They also have the ability to keep the trigger pulled and as you cycle the action of the pump on them it will fire the shell as it closes on the chamber, making it a quick to unload shotty... for a pump that is...
The Browning A5's can be picky about ammo, as most auto's can be...
There's a whole slough of other manufacturers out there but you will find them hard to find parts for and un friendly too the ability to change out barrel, etc...
Now you ask, how do I know this stuff, well everything in this list I own or have owned and put as much ammo as I could through....
I'll try to make it. I have a fair amount of #7 12 ga to bring.You know me if you want to try one of these out come out to the next INGO meet and shoot in March and bring some 12 guage ammo and shoot to your hearts content...
I'll also have the Saiga 12 out again....
I give up.What's wrong with the Express 870?Just get a used 870 wingmaster not an express and you can be happy for a few lifetimes.
Are you saying the Winchester is more of a big guy gun? If so you may be right. I really love my Stevens 5100 SxS, but SxS is not the best thing for shooting trap and I would like something that holds more rounds for home defense.Based on OP's pic, I would predict he would prefer the feel of a Winchester in his hand.
Besides Chinese made, the only gun I say no way to is Ithaca, if this is for HD use. Watched way too many jam. Even those that have "never jammed in 30 years". I use Full choke when I hunt with Ithaca owners, so when it is obvious they can't shoot...........gun has jammed.........I can shoot the bird so my dog has something to retrieve.
I give up.What's wrong with the Express 870?
Don't buy into all the hate on the Mossberg or Remington or Winchester shotguns. There are thousands and probably hundreds of thousands or the Remington and Mossberg shotguns that have been produced. You never know how someone you see at the range or in the field takes care of their equipment and keeps things taken care of.
Mossberg 500 and 590 models are both great as well as the Remington 870 in any form. Also, like others have mentioned....buy the American brands when it comes to quality shotguns for a good price. If you want to spend bigger money then Benelli and Beretta are nice but for sub $400 you will be great with any 500 or 870. Good Luck!!