One shotgun for all?

MD

MD

CGN Ultra frequent flyer
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Help please.

I have one shotgun already, a Remington 870 with a modified barrel and 2 3/4 -inch chamber.


I've got this itch for another shotgun, but I want one to do it all.

I'm seriously considering a Mossberg 535 because with the choke tubes I can use it for clays, upland, ducks and goose hunting, and I like the 3 and 3 1/2 inch shell option too.

BUT,

I have a chance at buying a sweet 20 gauge, but that would be only good for upland birds as I really want to stick with a 12 for ducks.

AND,

I also have a chance perhaps of buying a buddy's old 2 3/4 inch Browning A-5 that I could use for most of the above applications except of course the 3 and 3 1/2 inch option for geese.

THE PROBLEM

Is the fact that I don't have pots of money or I'd get all three so realistically I can only have one of the above.

What would you choose?
 
Remington 870 Express combo. 26" remchoke barrel and 20" rifled barrel/sights.

3" or 3.5" whatever you prefer, but you are not going to kill any better with a 3.5" and the 3" is about 50 bucks cheaper.

Or just look for a used 870 Express. They come up often for around 300 bucks. You can always get a deer barrel later.
 
I would just get a 870 barrel that is threaded for choke tubes.

I use a 14" barrrel for the regular defense/zombie killing, and then swap out to a 26" barrel with chokew tubes for everyting else.:)
 
I just bought a Mossberg 535 combo from SIR as my "do it all" shotgun after kicking out the 870 express jammington.. I know most people love their Rem's but mine was a POS from new.

$345 buys you a new and reliable 3.5 inch pump for light loads right up to waterfowl.
When the deer season rolls in simply switch to the supplied 24" rifled slug barrel with williams riflesights. This is now the only shotgun I need.
 
I actually went earlier to look at a few shotties. I had a look at the Mossberg 535 and wasn't too impressed. The pump didn't seem to be smooth and in fact kept getting stuck.

A good one to get, and the one I'm looking at right now, is a Stoeger P350. It felt a lot better and is very affordable as well.
 
Popcan is right. You will find a way ... You can never have too many shotguns :)

The Mossberg pumps offer a lot of bang for the money (just like the Rem 870). Most owners seem to be happy.

The Stoeger P-350 is one of the few guns that I would not recommend. There are too many complaints and a lot of unhappy customers...
 
All of 'em

The Stoeger is one of those mentioned above that I have handled.

Feels too much like a Stargate prop to me.

My birthday's in 3 weeks.

I can account for one new gun that way.

That Ithaca, what a sweet thing!

Now. How do I explain the other two?
 
Tozman said:
Popcan is right. You will find a way ... You can never have too many shotguns :)

The Mossberg pumps offer a lot of bang for the money (just like the Rem 870). Most owners seem to be happy.

The Stoeger P-350 is one of the few guns that I would not recommend. There are too many complaints and a lot of unhappy customers...
Click to expand...

I would like to see the proof of many unhappy customers... I have seen the exact opposite with regards to the Stoeger P-350.:confused:

As far as the Mossberg shotguns go... just Google "Mossberg Problems":rolleyes:
 
The P-350 is a very well built shotgun.I've got an 870 wingmaster and a BPS also and have to say Stoeger is just as reliable as either.

As Bigredd said the mossbergs are not so good.I know from experience.
 
BIGREDD said:
I would like to see the proof of many unhappy customers... I have seen the exact opposite with regards to the Stoeger P-350.:confused:

As far as the Mossberg shotguns go... just Google "Mossberg Problems":rolleyes:
Click to expand...

You don't need to go to far to hear about these unhappy owners. There was one on CGN itself not too long ago. You can also hear them on Stoeger's own forum http://www.benelliusa.com/forums/ultimatebb.php/forum/2.html

The P-350 is somewhat new on the market and there are relatively few owners so far, and yes we can hear them loud and clear ;)
 
Pretty tough to compare any pump gun to a Wingmaster 870. The only other guns that have been around as long are the 37 and M12, and neither are still being made.

Since the model 12, Winchester has never had much of a pump gun.

Browning BPS has been around for several years now and has a loyal following. Great gun for a lefty with the tang safety and bottom feed.

Mossbergs...no thanks. Looked at one the other day. Fully camo, synthetic, sights, nice set up for turkeys, but no doubt kicks like a mule and felt cheap. Why would a company put an "eye" on the stock for a sling, but not up on the forearm???

Benelli, Stoeger, Charles Daly and the rest are all likely decent guns, but have not been around long enough to be considered tried and tested.

To be me, you won't get a better pump gun than a Wingmaster. 3" chamber, 26/28/30" remchoke barrel (whatever you prefer). Add a deer barrel of your preference and you are all set.
 
I've got no complaints about my Mossy 835. I went with it over the 870 because of where the slide release is... I just liked the feel better. Never had a failure, not once, not in the dirt and rain, not with newbies messing up the stroke. Not a hiccup.

But yes 3.5" is just a whole lotta kick without much gain. That said a 3.5" chambered pump will shoot any load that you happen to have. From 2 3/4", .75 oz target puffs to 3.5", 1.75 oz buckshot (OOF!). So if you happen to forget (or run out of) ammo then you can use whatever is available in your guage. Thats my rationale for 3.5" chambers... Not needed, but handy.
 
LOL ... No such thing as one shotgun that can do it all !

For the money, the Remington 870 Super Mag ( 3-1/2") Express is good value and dependable. At the other end of the scale either the Beretta SBEII or Beretta Extrema 2 are top quality semi's.

I'll take the Beretta Extrema 2 Max 4 HD Camo with KO, 28" as my first choice for a purely dedicated waterfowl gun. ( Would also make a piss poor woodcock gun, and I sure as hell wouldn't want to lug it around on a ditch parrott [pheasant] hunt ! ) .... See, already you need another "do-it-all"
[fantasy] gun !!!
 
I think that you should base your purchase on how much use this gun is gonna get!! Sounds to me like not alot, in which case you should look at the Mossberg Maverick, 3 inch gun, pump, been around awhile, for sure the best bang for your buck, used to be available in a combo pkg with 2 barrels. I have had several A5's in all the gauges and in my opinion their time has come and gone. You eastern fellows seem to want to pay top dollar for used A5 guns that most of us western boys wouldn't give you half for.FS
 
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