What's a good affordable must have pump shotgun? Alien defese/general purpose

[OkayShooter]

I turn bird shot into slugs. Then plop them back into the bird shot wads.

Copy that, smoothbore it is. I didn't realise the slugs were rifled. All makes sense now.

You can get smooth bore rifled sight barrels. My 870 got a 20inch smooth bore barrel with rifled sights.

 

[NAA]

Rem 870 for me.

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NAA.

 

[Suther]

I turn bird shot into slugs. Then plop them back into the bird shot wads.

You can get smooth bore rifled sight barrels. My 870 got a 20inch smooth bore barrel with rifled sights.

Often they are sold under terminology like "turkey barrels".

As for the OPs question, absolutely nothing wrong with a Maverick 88. Myself and 3 friends own/have owned a total of 4 of them. Only reason I got rid of mine is because I shoot left handed and wanted a Mossberg 500 for the different safety (tang on the 500 vs crossbolt on the 88).

If you like the Mossberg and $ is a primary consideration - then buy it. It won't blow up on you and will likely work well for you. For myself, I would spend 500 on an 870, before I would spend 350 for a Mossberg. I don't own a Mossberg shotgun, but I have had a couple of their rifles. Functional and all that, but left me with the impression they were a "bare bones" type of gun. If you're looking for an opinion, most will fall on the 870 side - but there's still a crap ton of Mossberg pumps out there, that others are happy to own.

Mossberg shotguns are great and run the gamut from very affordable to military grade. I wouldn't use Mossberg rifles as a means to judge a mossberg shotgun - and I've owned both.

 

[CanuckShooter]

Best / economical : Maverick.

Damn, you beat me to it. Good video. Mavericks are such a great value.

Had an 870 before, but sold it. Mossberg pumps for me. 500, or a 590 (not the A1). Maverick 88 if I had a smaller budget.

Cabela's actually has some of the best prices on Mossbergs/Mavericks believe it or not, and they go on sale fairly regularly. You can pick up a Maverick for around $300 on sale.

 

[gorby]

In the same boat as you... looking for a first shotgun to play with that will have a use when I know more and want to invest in something nicer. Thinking a cheap home defense shotgun could fit the bill... the 88 seems like it may be a good choice. Have seen them on sale for about $289.

 

[rimfirerick]

Old 870,mossy 500 there's lots of reliable affordable choices.

 

[TheMidnightNarwhal]

Damn, you beat me to it. Good video. Mavericks are such a great value.

Had an 870 before, but sold it. Mossberg pumps for me. 500, or a 590 (not the A1). Maverick 88 if I had a smaller budget.

Cabela's actually has some of the best prices on Mossbergs/Mavericks believe it or not, and they go on sale fairly regularly. You can pick up a Maverick for around $300 on sale.

Funny I was just checking Cabelas to see if I could go pick it up tonight but the Security version that I wanted (shorter barrel) is out of stock. But no sale anyways atm.

 

[CanuckShooter]

Funny I was just checking Cabelas to see if I could go pick it up tonight but the Security version that I wanted (shorter barrel) is out of stock. But no sale anyways atm.

Sign up for their emails. They have wild Wednesday sales every week. They price match too.

 

[MisterJ]

I have heard that modern Remington quality control isn't great. I personally have a Mossberg 590 and that thing is built like a tank.

 

[Redneck Hippy]

Chiming in on the Mossberg Maverick 88 best value option right now.

You will find most “big brands” pretty well sorted at the moment. Maybe avoid the absolute cheapest Turkish and Chinese made?

If you think you might want to tinker with it then Remington 870 & Mossberg 500/590 will be your best bet with wide availability of parts.

 

[Jdiep]

I have a 500 and a sxp. But that's because I'm a lefties and 870s you can't switch the safteys. I heard benelli novas ate great too

 

[flyinlead]

Tang safety on a mossberg is nice

 

[maifire]

I am all the way in on mossbergs, but either are hard to go wrong on. I love my 500, with more than 1k shells through it.
The benelli supernova and winchester sxp can also be found for great prices.
Enjoy!

 

[Wallenstein]

Hey yeah I was reading up on ammo selection for defense and I think I'd just go with birdshot to be on the safe side. In any case I'm sure I'll never need it, just need an excuse to buy another metal piece that goes boom

At very short range bird shot would be just fine.

Is there any question, worth asking, that Paul Harrel cannot answer ?

 

[Snider shooter]

Mossberg 535 as I have and it has worked excellent. I haven’t used the 28” birdshot barrel much. I wanted a slug gun and it came along at the right time and price. I use it for close range deer.

 

[Chase.adams]

Just to help me undesrtand, I was also eyeing a Mossberg Maverick 88 Security, it's so cheap at 350$. EDIT: Actually just found one for 320$ on sale.

What is like the difference between that and the 870 or 500? Does it range a lot in terms of quality and finish or they all pretty close? And just barrel lenghts?

There is an amazing deal at wolverinesupplies.com right now for a standard black or cerakote mossberg 590 shockwave for $399.

Will need a decent stock it though as it's just a nub handle thing. I bought two of them a week ago and put a magpul sga stock on one and a mesa tactical/magpul set up on the other. Note if you want to run the magpul forend on these the do need a little bit of dremel work. Great shotguns though.

Edit: looks like the black ones are sold out but there are some of the grey cerkote ones left

 

[Wallenstein]

Mossberg and Maverick are the most reliable choices.

Consistently.

What I really want though is a Mossberg Beachmaster. Yeah, it's a real thing.

 

[VBerg]

14.5" Benelli Supernova. Got mine for like $650.

 

[paul792]

Another vote for the 870. Get a few different barrel lengths and configurations to suit a whole lotta situations.

 

[jcpal]

I like 870s much smoother action than any mossberg shotgun