Buying my first shotgun

bigred85

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So, I'm a new shooter and hunter, but I am looking to buy my first shotgun, looking for some feedback.
I would like something I can hunt turkey, waterfowl and deer with. I've been out to the shops and checked out a lot of nice stuff.
I looked at 12 gauge pumps, the Remington 870, Mossberg 500, Weatherby PA-08, Winchester SXP and the Benelli Nova.
Anyone have any experiences shooting the above shotguns that can give me some insight into my first purchase?

Thanks
:canadaFlag:
 
There are a million of these threads type first shotgun in the search this forum bar on the right hand side.

Learn about shotgun "fit" because all those guns fit different. Buy what fits you who cares what name is on it.
 
The best buy, for a "do it all" shotgun that can be re-purposed with readily available parts and barrels, is an 870 variant. They are bullet proof and have, hands down, the most extensive after-market accessory support. I have 4 of the darned things, all set up differently, since they are so cheap, it's convenient not to have to change parts around between them.

My current stable:
- A 12.5" shorty with rem-chokes for all-purpose utility when I walk my woodlot
- A 28" Wingmaster Magnum as my backup/loaner waterfowl shotgun
- A 28" Express Magnum I don't really have a good reason to own, because I'm too lazy to sell it and at some point it might get rebuilt into a deer or turkey gun
- A 16 gauge Wingmaster for upland

There are probably some really good deals in the EE right now. If you only need 2,3/4" shells, an older Wingmaster is a beautiful pump gun. If you need interchangeable chokes and can live with a cheaper sand blasted finish that will need to be more carefully oiled after every outing, then a used 870 express with a 28" vent rib barrel and removable Rem-Chokes is really tough to beat for the money.

There are some really great automatics out there that will shoot and feed everything, but you would spend a LOT more for a good and reliable gun than you would for a pump shotty.

If you want a really reliable semi, don't overlook the Beretta offerings (A391 or A400 series).
 
By the way, for the guns you specifically mentioned:

Remington 870 - see my above post. I think this is the best option, hands down. They are made in the USA and parts support is second to none. They have made over 11 million of these to date, for a very good reason. Some newer guns have plastic trigger guards, which is not a big deal, but be ware they come in either plastic or aluminum. Both types are robust and heavy-built. As a side note, these all-steel guns have more refinishing options, such as bluing, than the aluminum receiver guns below which are anodized. For those guns, to re-finish, you would need to look at something like paint or cerakote.

Mossberg 500 - the "other good american pump". These have aluminum receivers, which might matter if you shoot 40,000 rounds through it. Practically, it will be fine. The biggest differences are the top-mounted safety, which works well, but is a PITA if you want to use a pistol grip stock. Some mass berg variants are single action bar, which some people thinks make them pump a little less smoothly than the Remington variants. I doubt most people will notice or care. Also, most modern variants have a plastic trigger guard that is not as robustly built as the Remington plastic trigger guard. If you go with a Mossberg, check a few out and make sure you buy one with a trigger guard you think will stand up to the use you are planning.

Weatherby PA-08 - these are made in Turkey and don't have a lot of aftermarket support yet, but spare parts seem to be obtainable. The design and control layout share many similarities to a Remington 870, including the bolt design, but they are not parts-compatible. The receiver is aluminum like on a Mossberg. They also have not been around long enough to compare long-term staying power in the marketplace and durability compared to Mossberg or Remington. For that reason alone, I would not personally buy one when an 870 is about the same money. YMMV.

Winchester SXP - these are also made in Turkey, but unlike the Weatherbys, parts are basically non-existent in Canada as of this writing. My local gunsmithing shop refers to these as "disposable guns" as the distributor never seems to have needed parts in stock when these guns come in broken, which they told me is a regular occurrence when I talked to them about this last month. These are also aluminum-receivered. I don't have any PERSONAL experience with these, but I trust the local dealer, and he advised to stay away.

Benelli Nova - these are really well made, bullet-proof, and most exposed surfaces are either polymer or polymer coated. On the down side, they are bulky and have a cheap clackety-clack feel to them that does not affect their function. All the Nova's I've used were utterly reliable tanks, but they always felt too big, in almost every dimension, when used in-hand. YMMV.
 
Love my SXP but Claven is right about the lack of parts availability. I only use it to shoot clays at the range now. Ive moved to the Rem870 as my go to utility shotgun because I can get replacement parts just about anywhere
 
I would second Claven2's points. I would recommend a Remington 870 but you really can't go wrong with a Mossberg 500 either. I own both and they are extremely reliable. If you shoot left-handed, I would definitely recommend the Mossberg (which, by the way, also comes in at a cheaper price point). Like earlier stated, parts are readily available for both. Good luck on your purchasing decision.
 
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