Mossberg 500 or 870 Express?

What is "harder"? I could give you 5 Canadian sites, mostly sponsors here on CGN that carry parts. Not to mention you can check the EE and put out WTB ads as well. You can buy NEW mossberg 500s that comes with 2-3 barrels for a great price. Lastly many USA sites can and so ship parts to Canada, legally.
 
HK45auto said:
What is "harder"? I could give you 5 Canadian sites, mostly sponsors here on CGN that carry parts. Not to mention you can check the EE and put out WTB ads as well. You can buy NEW mossberg 500s that comes with 2-3 barrels for a great price. Lastly many USA sites can and so ship parts to Canada, legally.
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You just have to do more searching to find a 500 barrel in a specific length, the 870 barrels come up very easily.
I've only been able to find rifled barrels so far from retailers in country. They do pop up on the EE though. Haven't looked into US sites much, or ordering one in.
But the 2 or 3 barrel combos are a great deal.
 
last Friday I was I a goose blind at minus 26 beside me were a maxus a beretta and a sbe2 and sx3 ,I had a new rem 870 express that cost me 289$ with tax ,bass pro sale ,the maxus was torn down in the blind it would not fire in the cold we finnaly got it running with a good shot of g69 . I shot just as many birds as the rest of the 1000$ plus shotguns ,and the 870 never had a single hikup not one .I have a 500 as well and have shot the living day lights out of it and after 6 years I did wear it out ,so I got another one ,both guns will work and keep working as long as you take a little care .find one that fits ,D
 
870 Express. Expect issues at first, but it will break in. To speed up the process, do a little bit of handy work, by smoothing the sharp edges. There's lots of info online and on YouTube to help you out. In 1994, when I bought my new 870 Express, I didn't have the info that is available today. There was a break in period of approx 100 rounds. It cycles like a dream:)
 
wd123 said:
that US Army test seems to speak for the mossy. 3000 rounds fired without a single problem. only shotgun to ever pass that test.
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That's true ... if "sand immersion" is a qualifier the average guy needs. The US Army's Mossberg 590A1 is however not too well designed for sporting use.
Almost any high quality shotgun will malfunction if filled with sand, but they don't rattle & clunk like the late 50's Fords still in use in Havana.
3000 rounds in "normal" sporting or target shootin use is nothing. I have a 70's vintage Wingmaster 870 that's exceed that by easily 10x or more without
a single parts breakage or mechanical malfunction. I don't believe I've ever seen a Mossberg in competition at any local Club, ATA, NSSA or NSCA shoot I've ever
attended. I've seen lots of 870's though. Each to their own, and whatever floats your boat !

And by the way, the US Army also has Model 870's still in "active service" ... and have been ever since the Vietnam era. Their Mossbergs (as of 2011) are in the
process of being replaced by the M26 MASS shotguns as accessory to the M14/M4 family of assault rifles.
 
Hey berretta boy not sure why you'd like to argue but I have put 5-600 round through my 500 in the past 3yrs or so. Kill lotsa. Critters with it. But regardless. I like my 500 better then the 870 or my 1300 just a personal preference thing. I feel the mossberg is a better value then the 870 and it has proven reliability. If you notice in my other post.... I apologized to the op for being one sided. And suggested that he shoulder a few different guns and see what feels best for him. I rest that for shotguns the fit is what counts. I can see by your name your used to overpaying for those pos berettas. So be it.... To each their own
 
I own the 870 and absolutely love it, tried my friend's 500 one day and thought it was junk but I am obviously biased by the 500+ rounds shot compared to the 25 out of the mossy.
 
I have a couple of each, 500, 870 express and SXP.
I love my 500, it has been a good solid gun for over 5 years, seen lots of abuse and use.

The SXP is possibly my new favourite, it just needs some more time to confirm this. It seems like a better gun, but looking at the internal parts they don't seem as well made as the older Winchester 120/1200/1300, time will tell.

The 870 is by far the worst shotgun I have ever shot. I got one and it was very selective in what it shoots, lots of stove pipes and jams (yes I polished the chamber and all the other stuff that is needed to make the 870 somewhat reliable. Funny I didn't have to do that with the 500 or SXP). The 870 is heavier as it's steel, which also rusts more than the aluminium of the 500 and SXP. Got a second 870 to see if it's as bad, but I haven't shot it yet, might just sell it!
 
cdn1canhunt said:
Hey berretta boy not sure why you'd like to argue but I have put 5-600 round through my 500 in the past 3yrs or so. Kill lotsa. Critters with it. But regardless. I like my 500 better then the 870 or my 1300 just a personal preference thing. I feel the mossberg is a better value then the 870 and it has proven reliability. If you notice in my other post.... I apologized to the op for being one sided. And suggested that he shoulder a few different guns and see what feels best for him. I rest that for shotguns the fit is what counts. I can see by your name your used to overpaying for those pos berettas. So be it.... To each their own
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Yes, each to their own !!! At 200 rounds or so a year, your Mossberg 500 should last you a lifetime.... and I genuinely hope it does. For the money, they are of good value.
I managed to wear one out in a couple of years ... and did the same with a Model 1200 Winchester. On the other hand, a couple of Model 12 Winchester Skeet guns I had were purchased used, had been used extensively and were completely reliable. I'm certain I put 10,000 rounds or more through each ... one a 12, the other a 20. Both returned more to me 10 years later than I bought them for !

For the record, I think the Model 12 Winchester and Model 31 Remington were the best pump guns ever produced ... anywhere ! Alas both are out of production ( and both were in service
in the US military for many years, the mOdel 12's right up through Vietnam !!! ) The 870 Remington Wingmaster in my humble opinion, is a better shotgun than either the
870 Express or Mossberg 500. Coke or Pepsi ? Chevy or Ford ?

And oh yes, those "pos" Berettas you so eloquently refer to. You've got to be kidding ! At well over 75,000 rounds through my DT-10 without a malfunction, I'd love to see your
Mossberg do the same. US Army Olympic shooter Vincent Hancock put over 200,000 rounds through his without issue. Quality costs. I don't mind paying for it considering the amount
I shoot. I learned long ago that you can't make chicken salad from chicken s###
 
I've got both and between the two I prefer my 500 ATP6S over the 870. Both are good guns with lots of barrel options available, but 500 feels like a more quality gun.
Edit: I might be slightly biased re: the 500; my wife bought it for me for our first Christmas together.
 
beretta boy said:
Yes, each to their own !!! At 200 rounds or so a year, your Mossberg 500 should last you a lifetime.... and I genuinely hope it does. For the money, they are of good value.
I managed to wear one out in a couple of years ... and did the same with a Model 1200 Winchester. On the other hand, a couple of Model 12 Winchester Skeet guns I had were purchased used, had been used extensively and were completely reliable. I'm certain I put 10,000 rounds or more through each ... one a 12, the other a 20. Both returned more to me 10 years later than I bought them for !

For the record, I think the Model 12 Winchester and Model 31 Remington were the best pump guns ever produced ... anywhere ! Alas both are out of production ( and both were in service
in the US military for many years, the mOdel 12's right up through Vietnam !!! ) The 870 Remington Wingmaster in my humble opinion, is a better shotgun than either the
870 Express or Mossberg 500. Coke or Pepsi ? Chevy or Ford ?

And oh yes, those "pos" Berettas you so eloquently refer to. You've got to be kidding ! At well over 75,000 rounds through my DT-10 without a malfunction, I'd love to see your
Mossberg do the same. US Army Olympic shooter Vincent Hancock put over 200,000 rounds through his without issue. Quality costs. I don't mind paying for it considering the amount
I shoot. I learned long ago that you can't make chicken salad from chicken s###
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Lol I knew my "pos beretta" remark with get a response. I think we are on the same page, your coke/Pepsi analogy is a good one. I think both the 500/870 are the workhorses for the working man in the shotgun world. It's generally a personal preference thing. I do stand that IMO the 500, with the fact that is comes with the 3 chokes is a better value than the 870 and the quality is comparable.
I too think that if I was a trap or skeet guy or perhaps more of a waterfowler your softer recoiling beretta would be a better choice. I would likely make the larger investment into the higher priced, nicer fit and finish of a good quality semi-auto shotgun.
When I first started hunting the semi auto's seem to suffer miserably with malfunction, particularly in dirty conditions. The new semis are built much better now and if looked after properly go boom,boom,boom all day long. But with that said do you think your beretta could continue to go boom if is had to survive your military sand torture test or dropped over the side of a duck punt into the mud?? I have my doubts. I do know the my cheapo 500 will. Cause embarrassed to say it but I've dropped mine in the mud, wiped it off and it still went boom.
For a guy like me that is value... And I'm sure the fact that your beretta has had no malfunctions in your 75,000 rounds is value to you.... So again "to each their own."
 
One of the Berettas has been in the "loon s###" more than once and has survived lots of rain, snow & cold weather... and days worth several days worth of sand from Saskatchewan pit blinds in October. No probs ... but I still prefer the Wingmaster for such work.
 
hawkmp9 said:
Mossberg 500 beats the 870 at everything in their current models.
More reliable and made better.
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the only thing that the 870 beats the 500 over is that action release... I just picked up what could the last Mossberg 500 Road blocker in Edmonton., as I have been looking for one for about a month now... I do love that gun!
 
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