shotgun help...need to pick 1.

ez8

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hey guys,
well after me slacking on taking the courses, filling out forms and canadas great waiting periods, i can finally buy 1...this was about a 6 year process for me, so as you can tell i was in no rush lol.
im looking at shotguns, it will be primarily for shooting at the range, deer hunting, some clays, and maybe some ducks at some point. so i understand i will need different barrels.

im looking at a couple different models.
-Remington 870 express Trio - comes with 3 barrels ,2 chokes for $534 +$30 mail in rebate and if i buy a $25 membership i get 10%off store wide for a year including this gun... not a bad deal. after tax comes to $563then $30 rebate by mail so ill be paying $533
pros - price, color is black, easy to get add on aftermarket
cons -3" chamber and i wanted 3.5 (only because i was told its better if i go duck hunting and its more versatile) and my friend read online that they are prone to rust if neglected. (i take good care of my things, so i dont think this will be a issue.)

-Mossburg 535 ATS - also comes with 3 barrels 4 chokes for $575+tax - $649.75($115 more than the rem870 after rebate)
pros - good bang for the buck - 3.5" chamber
cons - i wanted black but it only comes in mossy oak, not a big deal, and ive heard aftermarket parts are hard to come by.

both seem to be reliable companies, i dont want to get a Chinese gun to start off with, ive heard they arent bad, but ive also heard they jam, last thing i feel like doing is saving $100 just to get pissed off when im out hunting or at the range.
also, both these packages dont seem to be available at each of the different stores ive seen them advertised at.
my friend has the Mossburg 535, says its a good gun, i was just checking it out, it is nice seems to have a good fit and finish. but i think the rem is built stronger. every tie i ask anyone about the rem they just say its a good reliable workhorse....im like ok...guess that means it works lol.

is there any real reason i should get the 3.5" chamber?
one thing i like about the 3.5 is you can toss 3" or 3.5" in and shoot, if you jam a 3.5" in a 3" chamber you have big problems...not that i would buy wrong ammo.
also ive heard that most people dont shoot 3.5" ammo.
 
i have the 535 with 3 barrel combo, very happy with it, have put just about every commercially available bird/buck/slug i can find thru it with no probs. while i recommend the 535, after shooting 3.5" 00buck, i would probably not spend extra money next time to get a 3.5 chambered gun. but i'm just a plinker not a hunter.
I also have an 870 express. both guns were purchased new at the same time. I find no difference in build quality or reliability, both are fine. i personally prefer mossbergs.
 
The new remingtons are built like ####. The mossbergs are proven workhorses. I have a 400g (500) 3" and 2x 535ats. One is the deer field combo wood stock open sighted rifle barrel the other is the 3 barrel combo you speak of in camo. I love them. You can get the 535ats I black but its just the gun. Barrels do not interchange with the 500 series but everything else does. I have boxs full of aftermarket parts for my mossbergs. I've never had a problem with any of them. I prefered them so much I sold my 3" wingmaster mag deluxe. As for the 3.5" shells they cost more kick harder and give a more potent muzzle flash. Yes you do get a slightly heavier payload over the 3" but not enough to make a difference. With the mossberg you can buy several extra barrels at half the price of remington barrels and if you decide on a 3" 500 series mossberg you can evn buy a 50cal muzzleloading barrel (bout the only thing I don't have for them). Good luck and happy shooting in what eva you decide
 
People can tell you the pros and the cons but nobody can tell you what fits YOU, so my advice is to go out to a gun shop pick up them both and see which fits YOU, then you will know what you want not what someone convinces you to get, and i shoot ducks and canada geese with 3" with know trouble, its all about the shot size and choke choice, accually shot ducks n geese since i was 12 with a 20ga. 3" and 12ga. 2-3/4" just switched to 3" in the last few years, if you practice, and the clays you want to shoot will help you with that, than you will do fine, 3.5" doesnt make you a better shot , its all about practice, shot size and choke choice, go to a gun shop handle both and come back and let us no what you like best and we will help you from there
 
Note the 10% membership discount wont apply to the express trio 870 package as its already a special price at lebaron, which is the store im assuming you're referring to.
 
I've handles both guns, was checking out the moss ats535 last night, I've shot it in the past, seemed ok I guess. Obne thing my friend mentioned is when its extremely cold and he tries to pump a round into the chamber sometimes it drops 1...but very rare.

I'm leaning towards the Rem 870. I've handles it in a store last week and going to look at it again tomorrow...if I like it still.

That "special price" is their regular price on this gun... Its in their catalog, so ill have to double check that, but its not a sale. Even still, it only works out to be $30 savings after paying $25 for it. Not a big deal but it is something to think of.
The moss comes with 4 chokes and also has the mounting holes for a strap, the rem comes with 2 chokes and has no strap mounts.
 
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