Help on first shotgun

chadeech

chadeech

CGN Ultra frequent flyer
Rating - 100%
63   0   0
Location
Montreal Quebec
Hey folks
well thinking of a pump 12 gauge to try
i dont hunt but i figure everyone needs at least one shotgun
who knows when you might go clay shooting or coyote defense
or the forever talked about shtf scenario not to mention those
ever threatening zombies
so im pretty much a noob so far have a few 22's looking at my first sks next
but a 12 gauge is also on the wish list
Cost is important balancing value ive been looking at a maverick 88
any opinions or suggestions
 
I was in exactly the same position you are about 2 weeks ago. I don't hunt but felt that a 12 gauge shotgun was missing from my safe. I have an SKS, a .22 and a Mini 30... but a 12 gauge was needed.

I wanted something I could have fun shooting clays with, shoot some targets and just basically blast away. But, i wanted something I COULD hunt with if I ever decided to. And of course, something that looks cool and intimidating both for my own ego and for home defence situations.

I looked on the shotgun trading section here and found an already "tactical" Remington 870 Express with an 18.5 inch barrel, door breecher choke, pistol grip and adjustable stock. It is in nearly brand new condition. I paid $400 shipped for it and think it was a great deal for a gun I don't have to mess with or modify at all.

If your looking for something fun, Id suggest making sure it has a good list of accessories and upgrades available so you can tweak it to suit you both in fit and looks. Mossberg 500 and the Remington 870 were high on my list because they are both well thought of and have PILES of upgrades and accessories to make it as "tacticool" as I wanted. Heres a pic for fun:
IMG_4924.jpg
 
Maverick 88 is a great option. It is a stripped down version of the Mossberg 500 (Maverick is pretty much the economy line of Mossberg). You can feed it just about anything in 2&3/4" or 3" shells.

I have the 18.5" barrel version. It holds 5 in the tube magazine + 1 in the chamber, and that applies to the 3" shells as well. It was dirt cheap, too. I have had no issues with mine.

So here are the pros and cons, as I see them:

Pros:

1 - Based on the tried and true Mossberg 500 design
2 - durable, reliable
3 - very inexpensive. Big bang for the buck factor
4 - some aftermarket accessories that are decent quality if you are looking to customize and upgrade, just beware of some cheap crap too (see cons)
5 - Barrels and many other parts are interchangeable with Mossberg 500.
6 - Depending on the barrel length, it will likely be sold with some extra goodies like an additional pistol grip or an additional 26" vented barrel.

Cons:

1 - Does not come with ghost ring sights, only bead sight. The bead sight is not for me.
2 - Forend is one piece, and therefore there are no customization options.
3 - There are a lot of crap accessories out there for the Maverick 88, particularly in the area of "ghost ring upgrades". Most options will not stay in place without serious modification, some are just cheap plastic crap.

In summary, I love my 88. It is a no frills bargain that get s the job done, and if you feel like throwing some extra $ at it, you can find some quality upgrades. If I were buying again, I would likely go with the 20" barrel version for looks and capacity (8+1 shells I think). My only complaint is the lack of decent ghost rings. I recently purchased an ATI heat shield with ghost rings, but it moves around a bit on the barrel once it gets hot. Too bad, because it looks bad ass. I'll post a pic or two tonight if I get the chance.
 
Sadosubliminal said:
Maverick 88 is a great option. It is a stripped down version of the Mossberg 500 (Maverick is pretty much the economy line of Mossberg). You can feed it just about anything in 2&3/4" or 3" shells.

I have the 18.5" barrel version. It holds 5 in the tube magazine + 1 in the chamber, and that applies to the 3" shells as well. It was dirt cheap, too. I have had no issues with mine.

So here are the pros and cons, as I see them:

Pros:

1 - Based on the tried and true Mossberg 500 design
2 - durable, reliable
3 - very inexpensive. Big bang for the buck factor
4 - some aftermarket accessories that are decent quality if you are looking to customize and upgrade, just beware of some cheap crap too (see cons)
5 - Barrels and many other parts are interchangeable with Mossberg 500.
6 - Depending on the barrel length, it will likely be sold with some extra goodies like an additional pistol grip or an additional 26" vented barrel.

Cons:

1 - Does not come with ghost ring sights, only bead sight. The bead sight is not for me.
2 - Forend is one piece, and therefore there are no customization options.
3 - There are a lot of crap accessories out there for the Maverick 88, particularly in the area of "ghost ring upgrades". Most options will not stay in place without serious modification, some are just cheap plastic crap.

In summary, I love my 88. It is a no frills bargain that get s the job done, and if you feel like throwing some extra $ at it, you can find some quality upgrades. If I were buying again, I would likely go with the 20" barrel version for looks and capacity (8+1 shells I think). My only complaint is the lack of decent ghost rings. I recently purchased an ATI heat shield with ghost rings, but it moves around a bit on the barrel once it gets hot. Too bad, because it looks bad ass. I'll post a pic or two tonight if I get the chance.
Click to expand...

Thank you very much for this solid feedback ,lots to think about and yes i would love to see some pics
 
OK, here's a few pics of the beast:

Pic 1 - 3: Give you an idea on length

881w.jpg


882ai.jpg


883j.jpg


Pic 4 - 6: You can see the heat shield in the front, the optic, and the rail it was mounted on:

884t.jpg


885vd.jpg


886p.jpg


Enjoy! I'm going to go stick these up in the tactical shotgun thread now.
 
Psh! All that tactical stuff. Get yourself a nice old school pump shotgun. 5+1 capacity, slam-fire capable, built to last forever, cheaper than a lot of modern guns, and reliable. They got it done in the two world wars, Korea, Vietnam, and in the arsenals of cops, gangsters, and prison staff all over. Look for a Win 97, 12, Ithaca 37.

DSCN4770-1.jpg
 
Lol, well, if you wanna be a fudd about it, the Mav 88 is a great, inexpensive shotgun right out of the box. Cost me 200 even. All the extra crap I threw on is just eye candy for my benefit only, with the exception of the Burris red dot. I do not like bead sights.

I just wanted to show you that you can go pretty wild with the 88 without spending a ton. All in, I've only blown 600 on it. You'll pay more than that on the sister model Mossberg 500 to get the ghost rings, 6 position stock, and a decent red dot. The burris cost me over 200.
 
What about the mossberg 500 combo, comes with both a 28" and 18.5 barrel for under $300. I have one and very happy with it for the price. Just be aware it still has a one piece forestock like the 88 so it limits custom options...was not a deal breaker for me.
 
My vote is for the mossburg 535. That was my first gun and still like so much that I bought two of them. Comes with three chokes, I've up graded since but really still like them. Or like the other guy said a nice model 12 winchester they are great to.
 
If you are leaning towards wingshooting, steer away from the tactical format towards a more traditional gun.

If you intend to use a shotgun more like a rifle, by all means go that way.

Just letting you know, it does make a difference.
 
Sadosubliminal said:
All in, I've only blown 600 on it.
Click to expand...

Dear God, I've got a 1970 Remington 870 Wingmaster that I've done up in the tactikool-aid. I've got maybe $300 into it. But I cheated and found the donor shotgun for $80. It's a shame, it's in beautiful shape, came with a 26" fixed modified vent rib barrel. I never should have chopped it to 20". But we live and learn. But I'm just gloating, yours looks pretty b****in'.

rancidjo said:
What about the mossberg 500 combo, comes with both a 28" and 18.5 barrel for under $300. I have one and very happy with it for the price. Just be aware it still has a one piece forestock like the 88 so it limits custom options...was not a deal breaker for me.
Click to expand...

A friend of mine possesses one of these, my only beef is that the 28" VR is NOT threaded for choke. I know it's under $300, but no choke threading really killed it for me. It's a great gun otherwise. Another friend of mine has one of the 3 barrel sets [28"VR, 24" turkey and 24" rifled slug/cantilever] in camo that he got for $550. Another great option to look at.

I personally, am looking to get a decent, inexpensive multipurpose shotgun. I'm pretty well sold on the Mossberg 535 2-barrel deer/waterfowl combo. it suits my needs best and I've seen nothing but good things come from the Mossberg "realistic" line [meaning not all that goofy s**t they've been making]. I don't really need the 3 1/2" capability, but it's nice to know I've got the option, and I couldn't find a combo that wasn't in camo and didn't have a slug barrel that required optics.
 
Farva said:
A friend of mine possesses one of these, my only beef is that the 28" VR is NOT threaded for choke. I know it's under $300, but no choke threading really killed it for me. It's a great gun otherwise. Another friend of mine has one of the 3 barrel sets [28"VR, 24" turkey and 24" rifled slug/cantilever] in camo that he got for $550. Another great option to look at.
Click to expand...

Great point, the more I shot it, the more I wish I had choke options. I will be in the market for a semi-auto shotgun come fall and I will only buy one with screw in chokes.
 
The mossberg will do the job but for a 1st gun I think I would save a bit longer to get something with better quality. Yes I have owned them including a new 535 and they go bang but the action is not smooth, the forearms rattle and loose and the resale sucks.
I lost over 300 vs new on a three barrel set 535 camo that was as new and I said never again will I buy a mossberg that I am not going to die owning. Also they kick like a mule with 3 1/2"
 
i would recommend u buy something with at least a 26 inch barrel
the shorter barrels arent much use with clays and ull probably be better off with a longer barrel for hunting also
 
kelmar87 said:
My vote is for the mossburg 535. That was my first gun and still like so much that I bought two of them. Comes with three chokes, I've up graded since but really still like them. Or like the other guy said a nice model 12 winchester they are great to.
Click to expand...

this looks like a pretty good option anyone else have experience on this one
reasonable price comes with 3 chokes full length sounds like a good all around
at only about 100 more than the maverick id rather wait and be happy than settle ,hows the kick ?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom