Lookingh for recos: Best first shotgun?

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thefaculty

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Hey everyone

I just got my RPAL and am looking to get my first rifles. I am thinking a Ruger 10/22 simply to get a lot of ammo downrange at an affordbal eprice but I also know I will get bored fast so am considering a Mossberg 88 or 590. Would love any thoughts or reco's on a good first shotgun as my knowledge right now is slim at best buyt expanding rapidly.

Cheers
Dan
 
Honestly can't go wrong with a Mav 88 as a starter shotgun. It's pretty no-frills, but it's affordable and always goes bang. It's not made to stand up to an extended campaign on Peleliu like the 590, but it'll handle any abuse the average fella can throw at it no problem.
 
What the youtube video by reeves of the 500 round burndown of each. The 88 can take alot of 500 parts. I've sold off most of my mossbergs but I still keep a 535 ats and a mav88 cruiser. Just love the look of the cruiser and know it will always work even if it isn't awe inspiring
 
brybenn said:
What the youtube video by reeves of the 500 round burndown of each. The 88 can take alot of 500 parts. I've sold off most of my mossbergs but I still keep a 535 ats and a mav88 cruiser. Just love the look of the cruiser and know it will always work even if it isn't awe inspiring
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I watched that one and it's one of the videos that put me in this direction! Thanks!!!!
 
Main differences between Mossy 500 and Mav88 is the safety (tang vs crossbolt) and the 500 comes drilled and tapped for a scope mount, the 88 doesn't. Slightly different furniture too, at least between the two I owned.

Mossberg 500 can be bought with multiple barrels, great way to cover your bases for multiple use cases. I bought a 2- barrel combo, came with a 28" vent rib barrel for busting clays and shooting birds, and a 18.5" security barrel for bear defense. They also make rifled barrels for slug hunting big game, and turkey barrels that are smoothbore with rifle sights.
 
The mossberg 400 is compatible with the 500 as well. I had one done up with tac star pistol grips and a heat shield with a side saddle. Was a great gun. Super smooth

Tac star pistol grips to me were some of the most comfortable after market vertical grips



With barrel swapping the length of the mag tube is the issue. For instance my cruiser 8 shot can not take regular 500 barrels. My 535 can not as well because it's 3.5" chambered.
 
brybenn said:
The mossberg 400 is compatible with the 500 as well. I had one done up with tac star pistol grips and a heat shield with a side saddle. Was a great gun. Super smooth

Tac star pistol grips to me were some of the most comfortable after market vertical grips



With barrel swapping the length of the mag tube is the issue. For instance my cruiser 8 shot can not take regular 500 barrels. My 535 can not as well because it's 3.5" chambered.
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Good point - the 8 round mag needs different barrels. Most mossberg 500 barrels are designed around the 5 round mag tube but it's certainly something to be aware of.

590 barrels are also a different setup and not interchangeable with 500 barrels.
 
You might find yourself replacing a budget / cheaply made / gimmicky shotgun rather quickly. May I suggest you look a little further up the ladder at Beretta/browning/Benelli etc?
I had bought an old guys collection at one point made up up all the low end stuff / milsurp etc but ended up selling all of it and bought a few decent quality guns.
 
CamV said:
You might find yourself replacing a budget / cheaply made / gimmicky shotgun rather quickly. May I suggest you look a little further up the ladder at Beretta/browning/Benelli etc?
I had bought an old guys collection at one point made up up all the low end stuff / milsurp etc but ended up selling all of it and bought a few decent quality guns.
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I love this idea actually. I just am not very familiar with some of the other shotguns (lots of reading and research ahead for me on this new journey). If you have any model specific recommendations I would be very keen to hear them!
 
thefaculty said:
I love this idea actually. I just am not very familiar with some of the other shotguns (lots of reading and research ahead for me on this new journey). If you have any model specific recommendations I would be very keen to hear them!
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I bought an old 686 special to try and over under as I was at a point where I was about to give up on shotguns, I was near useless with one. I kept reading you generally fit a Beretta or browning so I bought the Beretta with low expectations.

My first 25 were ripping fast hand thrown birds at ALL angles, including angling upwards backward over my head.
Of the 25, 23 broke. Was it fluke? Possibly, likely, but I was hooked.
Im in the camp of buying something decent/ good once. Not buying cheapies over and over.
What you could do is go the range and watch and learn and respectfully ask to try use others firearms?
 
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