Tactical style shotgun or regular?

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Albo28

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Hi,

I want to buy a shotgun, it would be my first one, so far I have found that the Maverick 88 is a good reliable and cheap starter shotgun, but while I do not hate the way it looks, I do not love it.

I think a canuck enforcer looks pretty cool when you put a tactical stock on it, but I also know that turkish made firearms really go through a cheap manufacturing process to keep prices low.

So I am wondering if there is something in between, ideally that is american made so it can be of high quality, that maybe I have not yet found and I would like to see what suggestions you all have.

Thanks
 
Nothing wrong with the Maverick (although some complain about the action). It's about as good as you'll get for a cheap pump.

I'd get the version that comes with the short and long barrels if I were to do it again though.
 
Buy an 870 and set it up one of a million ways, it’s literally like the Honda Civic of shotguns with regards to parts support. Go look through the tactical shotgun pic threads and you’ll see a million of them in different configurations.
 
Mavericks are made in Mexico and assembled in Texas which many Texans believe to be their own country. If you want American made, try Ithaca or a Rem 870.
 
OP, what do you want to do with this shotgun????

People will throw their favorites out to you but what are YOU LOOKING FOR? and WHY??

Are you planning on shooting rocks, target clays, real birds or Deer?

If you want to shoot game, and the shotgun will be your only firearm, then go for a shotgun that comes with a set of barrels appropriate for your needs.

One with either a modified choke or interchangeable chokes and another barrel with rifling for slugs.

The Turkish offerings are fine unless you can afford to shoot them so much they're beaten to death or insist on magnum loads. I know a lot of people that own them and like them.

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Mossberg 500 Pump Shotgun, 3 Barrel Combo, 12 Gauge 3"
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The next level up would be the gun you mention or a Mossberg 500 Pump shotgun with a barrel set and interchangeable chokes.
 
The poster mentions cool and tactical so I'll say this.........
for the level of competition 95% of people see and participate in a bone stock Rem. 870, Moss. 500 with a 18½" barrel will suffice.
 
Like bearhunter, I think the goal is to start with figuring out what your intended purpose is for the gun. Tactical-looking guns with short barrels and no choke are effective for some applications, definitely not clays or wingshooting/shooting at moving targets, etc. Longer barrels with vent ribs and interchangeable chokes rule the day if you're doing that.

I've read the glowing reviews of the 88 but have only handled one, not shot it. If it were my $, I'd rather kick-in a few more dollars and get a 500 (2-barrel set) new or even used. Can't say anything good or bad about an 88, but can say that any 500 I've had my hands on ran great.

Guess I'll back-up one more step and say that unless I wanted to live in a 1-gun world...I'd probably just start with a 28" VR-barreled 500-new or used, whatever I could afford. Just not camo. Interchangeable chokes or if it's an older gun with fixed, something with a MOD barrel. Not allot of shotgun applications that wouldn't cover-off.

Some might be tempted to say "get a 590 or 590A1" when the time comes for a tactical-looking gun. Maybe, but Mossberg has such a huge number of offerings that you might want to read the fine print on some of the black shotguns they offer. Seems to me that some 500s became 590s with nothing more than a change to the finish. Lots of options out there, new and used. 870s are great guns as well, I have more experience with them. They may look similar, but don't shoulder/cycle/feel like a 500 either. I might suggest the OP go handle some of these.
 
Hello, thanks for all your responses, I have pistols and rifles but no shotguns. My only intention in buying this first shotgun is to take it to the range or out on crown land and just have some fun with it. I have only ever fired a shotgun one other time and I remember it being quite fun, so now I would like to have one of my own and rip it for real instead of shooting just once.

I know there are expensive shotguns out there that each best serve their own specific purpose, but for my intended use all I really want out of it is something that looks cool and is fun to shoot, in essence I just want to dip my feet in the world of shotguns.

Thanks
 
One thing no one has mentioned, comfort. What feels more comfortable? The traditional configuration or a pistol grip. Full length or bullpup? Pump or semi?
Remington 870, Mossberg 500, Winchester Defender. All very popular and modifiable.
Have fun.
 
My vote goes for the 870. That was my first pump shotgun. This is going back quite a few years but my brother had a Maverick and the 870 was much nicer in my opinion. I will add that my brother has had that maverick for over 30 years and pretty much neglected in the care department and always seems to work fine.
 
If you’re choose between enforcer and maverick go with the maverick. I had an enforcer and while it was alright, I much prefer mossberg. So I sold the Canuck and got an maverick 88 18” instead. A mossberg 500 is always a solid choice too.
 
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I personally don't have much of a want for tactical models but that's just me. Most mine get used for hunting so the tactical stuff isn't much of a selling factor for me but everyone likes something different. I'm a massive BPS fan, but they aren't really budget shotguns. I also enjoy the Ithaca model 37, which is one you could probably find used for close to a budget gun while maintaining that good old world build quality that Mr.Browning was so well known for designing. If your looking for a cool tactical one with a classic look, I'd try the Mossberg retrograde series, though they too aren't a budget gun like a Maverick 88. There is nothing really wrong with the shotguns coming out of turkey, so you could look into the various Benelli M4 clones, bit cheaper then the real deal. But I kind of agree with the idea of a three or two barreled combo Mossberg 500, as it gives you a wide range of use cases. From what I've seen online recently while doing research for my own purchases the three and two barrel combo's are getting much harder to find, we must not be getting them into the country as much as we once did.
 
A fun gun and reliable. I would look for a Winchester, Remington, Mossberg, or Ithaca. A mod choke will serve u well. An 870 or 500 can be had for +-500$. They should last years. A normal style will still be lots of fun shooting cans rocks or crows. A tac might be limiting for all around use.
 
I actually just watched that video last night thats why I was contemplating the 88, and ya I am looking for something cheaper but by the sounds of it everyone seems to like the 870 and the 500 or 590, and I would likely customize them regardless so really right now its looking like its going to be one of those options since I can likely keep everything under a grand which is ideally my budget for a shotgun.

Regardless thanks for all of your responses and input it was very helpful
 
Albo28 said:
Hello, thanks for all your responses, I have pistols and rifles but no shotguns. My only intention in buying this first shotgun is to take it to the range or out on crown land and just have some fun with it. I have only ever fired a shotgun one other time and I remember it being quite fun, so now I would like to have one of my own and rip it for real instead of shooting just once.

I know there are expensive shotguns out there that each best serve their own specific purpose, but for my intended use all I really want out of it is something that looks cool and is fun to shoot, in essence I just want to dip my feet in the world of shotguns.

Thanks
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If you aren't overly concerned about the shotgun being new, there are several BANNER supporters at the top of the page that have a lot of discounted shotguns of every venue, SXS which I like a lot, just classy, pumps, semi autos and single shots at very good entry level prices that would all suit your application.
 
Albo28 said:
I actually just watched that video last night thats why I was contemplating the 88, and ya I am looking for something cheaper but by the sounds of it everyone seems to like the 870 and the 500 or 590, and I would likely customize them regardless so really right now its looking like its going to be one of those options since I can likely keep everything under a grand which is ideally my budget for a shotgun.

Regardless thanks for all of your responses and input it was very helpful
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Get on to the EE, lots of lightly used 870’s for sale. You can make them as plain Jane or as tac’d out as you like, last one I cobbled together I bought a cheap complete action for $250 and put the rest together with take off barrel and stock set I had in the parts bin. All leftover bits from swapping out sticks etc on other guns.
 
I really enjoy my "Turknelli" (Canuck Operator). It's a great semi-auto and doesn't beat your shoulder up as bad as a pump gun (which generally isn't too bad either). I have both a Mossberg 590 and 590A1, both Retrograde models and like them both a lot too. Think about whether you like making big booms or like making big booms and a cool-ass "shuck-shuck" sound. Hope that helps, haha!
 
What is your budget?

Sub $500, I would go with either the Maverick or a Norinco 870 clone. The norinco 870s are tough as nails and will take most, if not all 870 parts.

Over $500, get a real 870 or a 500/590.
 
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