recommend a shotgun please

I just bought a Remington 870 Express Tactical about a month ago, and have already sold it. I don't want to get into to many details, but the quality was well below what I expected. I was lucky I didn't loose to much on it. The magazine extension had to be assembled so so carefully to work reliably, and sometimes the spring would stick and it wouldn't feed, etc...I was able to solve all of these problems pretty quickly, a lot of others may not be so lucky, so as far a reliability goes, I'd say it sucked! Plus the parts were obviously very cheap and finish was HORRIBLE:puke:

In conclusion, I didn't learn that I didn't want an 870, I also didn't learn that 870's are crap, they are the highest selling firearm EVER. What I did learn was that if you want an 870, you certainly don't want a cheap Express, go out and spend a bit more money and find a nice shotgun. It sucks but in reality, for me, every cheap gun I have ever owned has had cheap problems that expensive guns don't have. It sucks

In the end, YOU GET WHAT YOU PAID FOR!!!!!
 
I used to be a Rem man myself, but their new production gun are just ####, I like their older stuff and by older you only have to go back to 2006/7. But that being said, there is no other shotgun out there that will offer more than the 870 does for the same price ( or even close) They are as tough as nails and just don't stop working. I have a 870 wingmaster (older model with very nice bluing wood and engraving and gold trigger) that has had 0 issues in thousands of rounds. A 2007 era 870 supermag express , again thousands of rounds with only a broken bolt cover $11 part. My 870 express in 20 gauge was sent back to the factory before I even put a round through it tho. I took it apart and could not get it back together again. The rails inside the reciever are stamped and had very bad burs and were out of spec. Even the Remington rep was shocked as to how they even got it together in the first place. Remington stood behind their product 100%. I had the shotgun back in 3 weeks and was also given a stack of coupons for free ammo and accessories. Even with the last issue I would still buy a recommend a Remington 870 any day of the week, Just keep it well oiled as the finish on the express is not the greatest and is prone to surface rust, Also like I said their Customer Service is great no complaints or hassles. Just don't buy a 887 they are worse than buying a Mossberg IMO.
 
ciphery said:
I would first like to say that I'm a Remington man.
Second I'd like to say that the 597,VTR,1187,887,700 ARE s**t!
They sand blast the surface instead of polish it, these little pits trap moisture leading to rust, they donot adequately protect their barrels for shipping and the bores rust just sitting in the box waiting to be sold, I've seen dented stocks,scratched receivers,stripped sight mount screws,metal chips inside the action and bores,burrs on the rifleing/crown,dents on the crown,crooked sights, mis drilled holes, holes drilled but not tapped, gaps in the laminate wood stock material,missing bluing patches, rusted bluing.....shall I continue?
I went through 5 boxes before I bought my 870 express this spring.
All this being said for $400 or less a new 870 is hard to beat if you get the right one. A lot of manufacturers are putting out shoddy work these days with their standard guns. Remington is not the only one.
Click to expand...

Older Stainless 700's Are sure tack drivers tho :)
 
My vote is for the Maverick 88. Why, because it's a good gun that is in your price range. No frills, no gimmicks, just goes bang. Try to find the two barrel option, long barrel for skeet, short barrel for camp. I've seen the two barrel package for ~$350.

peace...
 
+1 for the Maverick 88. Best bang for buck. The security barrel is cylindre bore which apparently is ideal for skeet. Has worked pretty good for me and I'm a noob.
 
I haven't had a lot of experience with shotguns, but for my first gun I bought a Benelli Supernova tactical after a lot of research. I haven't used it much yet, but so far I really like it. It's very versatile, appears quite durable, and has excellent reviews. I recommend looking into it if you want a pump action shotgun (there are other models too).

I was at a local outdoors place a few weeks ago and they mentioned that once their last Mossberg sold (if it even would), they weren't going to be ordering anymore because they'd been having too many problems with them.

As for the Remington 870, I had only used one before (unsure on the model), and since it was a range rental, it was too big for me and kicked quite hard. I didn't thoroughly examine the gun or anything, but besides the size and recoil it appeared pretty solid.

Just my experiences, hope it helps.
 
Fantastic info here. I had the same question but thanks to you guys the answer is more clear.
 
I love Rem myself, have quite a few rem products also. I would highly recommend an 870 prior to 2006. after 2006 its hit an miss with there 870's. Rem sold out to Remington hair products Co. in 2006. So there sales approach became quantity over quality. 2 different firearms dealers around my area have quit selling Rem due to poor quality. But i do know 2 lads that both bought an 870 each last year. One loves it, other had problems the first day he got it home and still has occasional problems.

Interchangeable chokes i think are a must! You can use a choke that will pattern for skeet&trap reg"s with a skeet choke. Or use a Mod choke for slugs. It will just give the gun so much versatility.

If you go 12 gauge the ammo is cheaper than 20 gauge i find. But obviously has more recoil than 20g. .410 seems to be making a come back the last few years? but .410 is more grouse gauge i guess. But still try it out if you can!

Personally i would lean to that Weatherby pa-08. Just cuz better quality! But made on the rem 870 reliable platform. Plus IMHO the vented rib barrel is a plus for follow through in any shooting condition. Try one without a rib and you will see a big difference in finding the bead then to put on target. I find rib gives better accuracy.

But in the end go try them all out! See what feels best in your arms! Remember fit and feel and weight is very important! and try out all the different actions and styles! Ask and see if you can try out a few different scatterguns at the range. What works for me, may not for you!
 
870 WINGMASTER if you can afford one,
Be it one from 1999 or purchased on Tuesday Dec.12. 2011.
The Rem. 870 express needs a little tlc in the chamber area , but the finish is less than stellar, but it was manufactured to a price point that potential buyers where crying for !
I can gaurantee this though, you show up at the VCGC with a tactical type shotgun to shoot trap you will be...
You fill in the blanks.
Seriously if you want to Get Into the Clay Shooting Sports, you will need two guns, not one for bear defense or zombie killing or plinking or what ever you consider fun and expect to be taken seriously on the trap line at the 5 stand or at a round of Sporting Clays.
btw, I am not speaking for the VCGC, but rather from seeing first hand guys showing up in battle dress with a blk shot gun and getting less than a cordial welcome.
Rob
 
870 all the way, they last a lifetime and go bang like any other gun. Got mine in 3 1/2 with a super full choke(comes with a mod) and 250 heavy target loads (7 1/2shot) out the door for 535.
 
It's a very common question and has many answers. Few are actually coherent answers ;-)

If you're going to get serious in to shotgunning (i.e. clay sports, waterfowl, upland birds) fit is very, very important. It's best if you can try before you buy. If you get serious you'll be spending $ to 'smith the stock to fit you, or you'll be swapping guns to find one with a better fit.

If you plan on shooting a lot, it's nothing to spend $100/week or more on shells and clays. I'm a new shotgunner and it was very easy for me to do that with 4 rounds of skeet and 4 rounds of trap a week (that's roughly 2 lazy afternoons per week). The money you spend on a shotgun, if you're going to shoot it a lot, pales in comparison to shells and clays. Don't be afraid to spend money on quality.

Make sure you're comparing apples to apples when looking at shotguns. i.e. some guns come with fixed chokes, or just one screwed-in changeable choke. Some guns come with a 3-pack of changeable chokes and a choke key. Chokes can be worth $60 or more. Some kits, like the Mossbergs, come with multiple barrels. Some, like Benelli, have hard-to-find and expensive replacement barrels.

My money is with Benelli. I have a Benelli Supernova after much the same deliberation as you. I shoot skeet, trap, and hunt with it. It patterns well with buck shot and groups tight with slugs. I've had zero problems with it and have easily put 1000 shells through her in the last 8 months. It takes down for cleaning with no tools and comes with 3 chokes and tool. Comes with a shim kit to adjust the stock for a better, custom fit. 3.5" chamber for big waterfowl/turkey loads that I have yet to use but am looking forward to.

Cheers,
VI
 
My vote is for the mossberg 500/maverick 88.

I love mine, no issues at all. Go for the 28" barrel or the combo one.
 
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