Shotguns, Learn me!!

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PAINTBALL GUY 3

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Hey all,

So I do beleave I need a Shotgun, for hunting and plinking. I'm not totally oblivious to shotguns or how thay work, but some pointers would but great.:) So now, on to the questions...............

1. The Shotgun - I was thinking a Remington 870 3.5" Express would be the best way to go. The ability to use any langth 12 gauge round and the amount of add on's out there are hard to beat. In short, the 870 is like the Ruger 10/22 of the shotgun world.:rolleyes: Am I on the right track?

2. The Accessories - The only accessory I've so far that "tickles my fancy" in a magazine extension, the 10-shot one.:cool: But I cant find anywhere that the 10 shot, only the 7 and 8 shot extensions. Does anyone know where a guy could pick one up? Also, what other "performance enhancing upgrades" would you guys recommend?

3 Reloading - I dont much about this one. Worth it? I think it would be kinda neat to load random crap and shoot it off.:evil: (in a cheap barrel, of course)

Anywho, thanks guys.

Ti
 
The 3.5" expresses are know to have more issues than the 3" versions. 3.5" shells are very expensive, reduce your mag capacity, and kick like hell. A case could be made for their use in hunting geese, but they are far from necessary. I'd stick with the 3" model personally.
 
I'd find a Remington or Mossberg with a two or three barrel combo, 18", 28", and rifled for hunting. My first shotty was a Mossberg 590 with a 20 inch barrel (Wholesale Sports Calgary $330). My second was a Maverick 88 (local gun store $250) with an 18" barrel, bought a 28" accu-choke barrel and furniture from an old 500 - longer barrel and interchangeable choke much better for plinking.
There seems to be more add ons for the 870 than the 500/590, and different barrels is like having 2 or 3 guns in one. Google is a wonderful research tool!
The best thing about shotguns (in MY opinion) is the variety of ammo!
 
PAINTBALL GUY 3 said:
Hey all,

So I do beleave I need a Shotgun, for hunting and plinking. I'm not totally oblivious to shotguns or how thay work, but some pointers would but great.:) So now, on to the questions...............

1. The Shotgun - I was thinking a Remington 870 3.5" Express would be the best way to go. The ability to use any langth 12 gauge round and the amount of add on's out there are hard to beat. In short, the 870 is like the Ruger 10/22 of the shotgun world.:rolleyes: Am I on the right track?

2. The Accessories - The only accessory I've so far that "tickles my fancy" in a magazine extension, the 10-shot one.:cool: But I cant find anywhere that the 10 shot, only the 7 and 8 shot extensions. Does anyone know where a guy could pick one up? Also, what other "performance enhancing upgrades" would you guys recommend?

3 Reloading - I dont much about this one. Worth it? I think it would be kinda neat to load random crap and shoot it off.:evil: (in a cheap barrel, of course)

Anywho, thanks guys.

Ti
Click to expand...

A 10 shot extension would look kind of cool, but it would really make it front heavy.

What do you mean you want to "load random crap and shoot it off"?

I really like my speedfeed stock that comes on 870 tacticals.
 
There's a great article in the Sept/Oct edition of Successful Hunter regarding 3.5" shotgun shells vs 2.75" and 3.0" by John Haviland. I highly recommend a read before you buy yourself one!

Bottom line: 3.5" simply aren't what they're cracked up to be. Expensive ammo to boot, don't actually perform any better, and kick like bloody hell.

Marketing more than anything else.
 
Hmm, I should have figered as much with the 870. Remington just isn't putting out qualty like thay used to. So what other brands would be a better choice? Mossberg?

Ya, and thanks for the not so un-obvious insult JAGDMORDER.

Thanks all.

Ti
 
I assume you want to keep your shotgun's OAL reasonably short, with say an 18"-20" barrel. A 10 round magazine will exceed the length of the barrel. My 20" Mossberg 590 has an 8 shot magazine, which is for all practical purposes the same length as the barrel.

If you choose an 870 there are lots of aftermarket things you can hang on it, but the top choices I would consider are: a 6 round side saddle, a flashlight, ghost ring and post sights, and a sling and swivels. If you want the gun to be a bit more versatile you should choose a barrel with interchangeable chokes or perhaps have an intermediate length barrel with a bead and interchangeable chokes and a short open choke barrel with rifle sights. A gun with a nickel finish like the Marine Magnum cycles a little slicker than a blued gun due to the low coefficient of friction of the coating.
 
What will you be hunting? That makes a BIG difference in the type of gun to get.

No need for the 3.5" gun. And you may even be fine with a 2.75" chamber. Answer the first question.
 
Maybe worth pointing out, just in case you're not aware of this...

Most jurisdictions limit a shotgun while hunting to two round capacity in the magazine. Meaning almost all come with the tube plugged accordingly.

FWIW.
 
PAINTBALL GUY 3 said:
Hey all,

So I do beleave I need a Shotgun, for hunting and plinking. I'm not totally oblivious...
1. The Shotgun - I was thinking a Remington 870 3.5" Express would be the best way to go. The ability to use any langth 12 gauge round and the amount of add on's out there are hard to beat. In short, the 870 is like the Ruger 10/22 of the shotgun world.:rolleyes: Am I on the right track?

2. The Accessories - The only accessory I've so far that "tickles my fancy" in a magazine extension, the 10-shot one.:cool: But I cant find anywhere that the 10 shot, only the 7 and 8 shot extensions. Does anyone know where a guy could pick one up? Also, what other "performance enhancing upgrades" would you guys recommend?

3 Reloading - I dont much about this one. Worth it? I think it would be kinda neat to load random crap and shoot it off.:evil: (in a cheap barrel, of course)

Anywho, thanks guys.

Ti
Click to expand...

This thread reappears with a different newbie author twice a week. Maybe we should sticky it. Here's the regular answers.

1. Th 870 express is an economy model shotgun. There's a reason it sells for half the price of a real 870 wingmaster. Plastic parts, cheap finish, reduced quality control.

2. Accessories? what are you buying, a purse to match your new dress? You don't need accessories yet. Buy a decent gun now, buy accessories later.

3. The cheap walmart or Cantire specials will go bang just fine for your use and you can't reload them for that price.

4. That 10 shot magazine extension will be just the thing for duck hunting; i wonder why nobody else thought of that?!:p Hint: take the money you would pay for a cheap junky gun and the useless extension and buy a better shotgun.

5. The skinny end goes to the front.
 
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Ah yes, I forgot to say what I wanted to use the shotgun for. When it comes down to it, I'll be using it for everything. I'd like to be hunting Turkey, Duck, Deer, so like some of you suggested, having a couple different types of barrels would be the best way to go. I also want somthing to plink around with, so thats why I would like a larger round count. Size really doesn't matter to me, just as long as the gun fit's these uses.

Now the Remington isn't worth it, the 3.5" chambers aren't needed, so tell me what you guys would use.

Thank you.

Ti
 
I don't think anyone was truly suggesting not choosing a Remington, but like many mass firearms manufacturers, some models or production runs were better than others. And word travels fast in cyberspace.
Myself as a dinosaur, with some experience in the duck blinds and upland field shooting of birds, other Remington owners nicely passed on thier wisdom to me.
The relatively newer 870 Express models have cheaper parts, BUT with proper attention to fit, firing, feeding this could be a moot point if it works for you all the time. It's virtually impossible to ignore the abundance of after-market 870 parts and accessories, available online and in gun stores.
The older 870 Wingmaster series (often available mostly in the 2 3/4 inch receiver only) had a better reputation for well machined parts and relaibility second to none as far as other US pump action shotguns of thier time. There was alot more steel in them and they fed much more smoothly as they came from the factory.

Now I myself am an Ithaca nut, but there are many happy Remington owners out there. I'm certain there are many very happy Mossberg and Winchester pump gun owners out thier with thier own endorsements too. And they would be right also!

So I'll pass the baton to someone else........
 
I'll run with the baton for awhile...


There is nothing wrong with the Express. Nobody seems to understand it is the same gun as the Wingmaster, just more utilitarian. That means it won't hurt you when you scratch a $300 gun compared to a flashy version of it that costs $700. And most of the guys on here happiliy tell you how superior their 40 year old hand-me-down wingmaster is and still assume it's on par with the modern $700 gun......

You don't need a 3 1/2 inch gun. I had one and I had issues with it. You also don't need to punish yourself with that kind of recoil. a 3 inch gun is plenty and 2 3/4 inch shells will do any job you need to do. I shoot 3's only because they seem to be on sale every fall.

You also don't want a ten shot magazine. It will just make a perfectly good hunting gun clubby unless...

The nice thing about the 870 is you can buy whatever you need or want. One of these days I plan on turning mine into a kit. With the base reciever you can switch stocks, barrels and scope mounts. If you had a nice case to keep everything in it, you would have a multi purpose gun for anything. The standard barrel for birds or bunnies. Switch a slug barrel and maybe a detachable scope/mount for a big game gun. Throw on a mag extension and a shorter open choked barrel for shooting matches. Whatever you can dream up, it will do you well. Of course you could look at other guns, but the 870 will always hold a special place in my safe.
 
I know Mossberg offers multi-barrel combos that would fill your requirements, and I think Remington does as well. 28" or 26" smoothbore with choke tubes, and a rifled slug barrel with either iron sights or cantilevered scope mount.
 
PAINTBALL GUY 3 said:
Hmm, I should have figered as much with the 870. Remington just isn't putting out qualty like thay used to. So what other brands would be a better choice? Mossberg?

Ya, and thanks for the not so un-obvious insult JAGDMORDER.

Thanks all.

Ti
Click to expand...

It was a joke, i should have put a smiley :). Sorry dude, i blame the volumes of booze i consume nightly..Yeah thats it , the BOOZE..lol:cheers:
 
All right, well I beleave I have enough to go on now. So thank you guys very much for your help and info, very helpful.

JAGDMORDER - I see, a joke's a joke eh! No problemo man. It just bugs me when someone assumes something about someone else just on there forum name.

Anyway, thanks guys.

Ti
 
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