lookn at getting my first shotgun

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andrewg

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i know this kind of question must have been asked a few thousand times.
i have been looking around a lot lately at entry level 12 guage shotguns, or what i would call entry level. feels like i have read a thousand reviews both bad and good. main thing i would use it for is water foul, and upland. i got it narrowed down to three.
mossberg 500
remington 870 express
winchester sxp
if you have shot any of them what are your reviews of them and what would you recommend?
 
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It's hard to argue against the 870. It's really the 350 Chev of the shotgun world. Want a barrel anywhere from 12.5" to 32"? You can get it. Different stocks from laminate to wood to composite? Yup. Want to shorten the LOP for your kid? That's doable. Want a bigger safety, different follower or to mount a scope? Easy. Take a gander at Brownell's website and see just how many mods you can do to the 870. It's like a Harley...the rarest one you will ever find is a stock one. Even gently used examples show up in the EE at a very reasonable price and with an older Wingmaster you get an awful lot of gun for that small outlay.

Personally I own 2 870s and an Ithaca Featherlight. I had another 870 that I sent down the road because I didn't like the ghost-ring sight that the previous owner had added. I traded it and shortly thereafter traded the Fabarm that I got for it for another 870. Now I can go from a 12.5" barrel for wandering the countryside in bear country and within a matter of a minute I can have my 28" choke tubed barrel on and be ready to go out and hunt everything from rabbits to waterfowl. The versatility is worth it.
 
BigUglyMan said:
It's hard to argue against the 870. It's really the 350 Chev of the shotgun world. Want a barrel anywhere from 12.5" to 32"? You can get it. Different stocks from laminate to wood to composite? Yup. Want to shorten the LOP for your kid? That's doable. Want a bigger safety, different follower or to mount a scope? Easy. Take a gander at Brownell's website and see just how many mods you can do to the 870. It's like a Harley...the rarest one you will ever find is a stock one. Even gently used examples show up in the EE at a very reasonable price and with an older Wingmaster you get an awful lot of gun for that small outlay.

Personally I own 2 870s and an Ithaca Featherlight. I had another 870 that I sent down the road because I didn't like the ghost-ring sight that the previous owner had added. I traded it and shortly thereafter traded the Fabarm that I got for it for another 870. Now I can go from a 12.5" barrel for wandering the countryside in bear country and within a matter of a minute I can have my 28" choke tubed barrel on and be ready to go out and hunt everything from rabbits to waterfowl. The versatility is worth it.
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^^ This! ^^

26" 870 Special Purpose with extra 20" Rem Choke bbl lives here. Synthetic stock upgraded to walnut for added FUDD value.
 
I have had a Mossberg 500 for about 5 years, no major issues and i haven't been gentle with it. I love it.

This year I decided to see what all the hype was about the 870 express. First round of skeet, stove pipe. Second round, spent shell and new shell jam in receiver. Third round, stovepipe. Fourth round, stovepipe....... This is the heaviest, worst gun I have ever used.
Speaking with another customer at gun store about his 870, he tells me how great it is. All he had to so was install over sized safety, polish the chamber so it would stovepipe less. He said the only issue is it doesn't extract and tears the rim of the shell, oh and it only likes certain shells. I look at him like he has 3 heads and say "my Mossberg didn't have any of those issues.

Not liking the 870 I got an SXP. I love this gun, shoulders and points like a dream, hit what I point at. Only issue so far is the finish. The black on the receiver scratches easy, loading shells the rim of one brushed against the receiver and scratched it.
I loved the SXP Field so much I didn't want to bring it duck hunting in the marsh or drill the nice wood for swivel mounts, so I got the SXP Waterfowler.
The waterfowler is heavier and doesn't point as well as the field, for me at least. I bought it last Friday ro use Saturday for the duck opener. Used it for 3 hunts and went to clean it Sunday night only to find the camo finish peeling badly. It was clearly not appled properly. I'll try and post pics later.

My experience dealing with Mossberg for minor issues has been great and hassle free (no swivel studs for 3 barrels and a broken fiber optic sight i broke dropping the gun) looking forward to the last 5 years of my 10 year warranty.

Dealing with Winchester and Remington is a nightmare. Well I can't say that, Remington won't even reply. Winchester has given me the runaround and is not reaponding to my emailed pictures requesting this be covered by Warranty. The best was Winchester Canada's answer "well It's going to peel eventually" to which I replied "my 5yr Mossberg 500 in camo isn't peeling yet"

So in conclusion, stay far away from the 870. A friend offered to buy mine but I wouldn't sell it to a friend, It's that bad. I didn't even touch on the other issues, I will be posting a review of all 3 in detail once hunting season is over.
The SXP is nice, especially the Field model. the finish on both is bad, the waterfowler is terrible. The customer service is terrible, unacceptable.
The Mossberg 500 is my go to dependable shotty. I actually brought it as back up last weekend. Only issue with it is the rattling of the fore grip, my only complaint. Everything is better, right down to safety and action release location, your hand doesn't leave it's natural shooting position to work both. The SXP is a close second with its safety in the front. The 870 you have to release the grip to release the action lock and safety is behind the trigger.

Get a 500 or a SXP Field, speaking from experience and not hype and history. Remington is not what it used to be.

EDIT: To be fair, I have to say the action on the 870 is very nice. I just got home and was palying with it and want this thing to work, I'll keep at it.
 
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Go handle them all. 870 is the obvious reliable go to. But the sxp I think is the new better of the three, but mossberg has a good american reputation!
Whatever one fits you beat is the best choice.
 
Just finished shopping for my shot gun, and made it even longer. I gotta stop handling this stuff or I'm gonna go broke. I ended up getting the Winchester. Handled all three and I liked the way the Winchester shouldered. I got the 12 guage black shadow. Can't wait to use it.
 
I was just in your situation picking up Wifes and my first shotgun. The mossburgh 500 was the one we where after but I was quite aware of Hatsan shotguns made in Turky and are becoming more available here by the week. I liked them especialy there tactical ones. But week ago we where at a show and a few venders had big selections of them.Picked up a escort WS and fell in love. IT fealt really good in the hands and the price was good. So ended up coming home with us. We also liked that it comes with shims for the stock so we can customize it.

Would I put this above the 500, nope I think they are n the same league. But this one just felt that much better to us. To you it may not. My suggestion is to go and try them out in a store.

http ://www.hatsan.com.tr/en_escort_shotguns.html
 
Did all my research, all three fit similarly to my shoulder, so it came down to which one was the best. I bought the winchester SXP, I have shot a few boxes through it including some slugs. Settled on cheap winchester bird shot and RWS brenneke rounds. This thing is FANTASTIC. I thought i'd have to get some new choke tubes, as the stock invector plus choke tubes get a bad rap online.. But this thing patterns where it should, and the slug groupings touch each other at 25 yards, which is minute of deer/coyote to me.

My close second choice is the Mossberg 500, which is great with the top safety.
 
I own a Winchester 1300 Ranger and it is the smoothest, fastest cycling pump I have ever shot. My friends will tell you the same. I have owned a Mossberg 500 Persuader and I have had a few failures to feed. It would not grab shells in the magasine tube. I have found that the dual action bars were a PITA when doing a full disassembly. To be honnest, my opinion may of changed with time, if I had not sold it before it was fully broken in. I have handled and seen in action many 870's and they are reliable.

I chose the Ranger after I had handled the Express. The finish was just plain better. I'm sure that the newer SXP will be just as good.

Brand competition aside, if this is your first shotgun I highly recommend the purchase of a combo. If you don't, you are bound to later buy another barrel or seperate shotgun. Save yourself some money down the road...

Edit: I just noticed that you already bought the SXP, glad to see you like it!
 
I was in your same boat a few months ago. Read all the review and couldn't decide. Went to cabelas barrie and handles them all in my price range. I went with the mossberg 500, felt the best for me and really prefer the location of the safety and slide release( my girlfriend got a 870) so far I love the gun, only issues I've had are a couple FTEs but it getting better the more I use the gun, I think it just needs to be broken in more. In comparison to my girlfriends 870(20ga compact) my full size 500 is much lighter and I am happy I bought it.
 
If it was my choice in buying, I'd go first pick with a Benelli Nova, then an SXP. I'd also choose a Hatsun over a Mossberg, and avoid any newer 870's
 
andrewg said:
Just finished shopping for my shot gun, and made it even longer. I gotta stop handling this stuff or I'm gonna go broke. I ended up getting the Winchester. Handled all three and I liked the way the Winchester shouldered. I got the 12 guage black shadow. Can't wait to use it.
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I missed that post, you won't be dissapointed with it. Very nice shotgun.
 
Slaymoar said:
Did all my research, all three fit similarly to my shoulder, so it came down to which one was the best. I bought the winchester SXP, I have shot a few boxes through it including some slugs. Settled on cheap winchester bird shot and RWS brenneke rounds. This thing is FANTASTIC. I thought i'd have to get some new choke tubes, as the stock invector plus choke tubes get a bad rap online.. But this thing patterns where it should, and the slug groupings touch each other at 25 yards, which is minute of deer/coyote to me.

My close second choice is the Mossberg 500, which is great with the top safety.
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I have found similar results with my SXP combo..a great buy and smooth operation
 
Good choice, I love my sxp. Had a few jams with some orange shells can't remember brand but have put hundreds of winchester slugs and buckshot through it and never an issue.
 
tipper said:
Good choice, I love my sxp. Had a few jams with some orange shells can't remember brand but have put hundreds of winchester slugs and buckshot through it and never an issue.
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I had a few loading issues with low brass shells, but that was only for the first box. Now its fine.
 
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