I just purchased a sweet Mossberg 835 Turkey/Deer Combo with a 20in Accu Choke barrel equipt with the XFactor Turkey choke, and a 24in fully rifled barrel for deer.The gun is completely camo (Realtree Hardwoods HD Green) and has fiber optic sights and athumbole stock

I would think with the short 20in Accu choke barrel, it would be great for home defense!

I looked at the Remington 870, but they just look cheap to me nowadays, most are not drilled a tapped for a scope and the warranty is only 2 years. For about the same money or a little less, Mossberg is a quality gun made in the USA and they have a 10 year warranty.

Another vote for the 870 super mag. I would suggest the combo with rifled barrel that hasa cantelever scope mount and a smooth bore barrel . Mount a Nikon Prostaff 2-7x 32mm scope on it and you will be happy ever after.

I just went through this a year ago on my first pump gun. Best thing to do is identify areas that are important to you (cost, longevity, versatility, aesthetics, feel, construction, way it shoulders, etc). Within the $300 price point, most commonly bought guns are (and I am sure I'm forgetting some:
Remington Express (several variations)
Benelli Nova (same) my gun
Mossberg
Stoeger P-350

Wingmaster is great but it run's $550-600 new.

What it came down to for me was feel and the nova pump felt the best and would take all sizes of shells, all of them are statistically reliable. Hope this helps.

Legacy and Frachi both make guns around or under $300 too, sorry.

On top of what's already been mentioned, you can get a Benelli Nova as well.

I too am new to shotgun deer hunting, however I own a pardner pump and it shoots the birds just fine. It is equivilent to the 870 in every aspect I can find. I have shot both models and was just as satisfied with either's performance. I would say save the extra cash and get this gun. It is just as functional as the 870 and uses the same acessories; chokes, barrels, etc. Either way you go, you are getting a heck of a gun. I have lots of fun with mine.

I have owned all three and to be honest the pardner was the nicest of the three in looks, build quality and fit and finish, not to mention quite a bit less in price. Mine didn't fit me too well though since I am little. It is basically a 870 clone but uses mossberg chokes.

The down side is they are made in china and there is not much after market support for them. You can buy nearly anything you want for an 870 or 500 if you want it, and if it breaks you know parts are readily available. This may not be the case with the Chinese made pardner.

The nova's are very nice guns, but in my opinion ugly as sin and barrels and other parts are expensive. You could get a new mossberg combo for a what a barrel will cost for a nova, at least the ones I have looked at.

I will throw another option out there for you. If you want to deer and turkey hunt you could get a H&R ultra in 12 ga with the heavy barrel rifled barrel, then order a 10 ga turkey barrel for it. Two guns in one, and both excellent for what you want to do. The down side being the weight and it's a single shot. I own one though and like it.

Like I said there is nothing wrong with the Pardner gun, and they look really nice for the price. However I would suggest saving the money and getting a mossberg combo that comes with a bird barrel and rifled cantilever barrel. This set up would do anything you would want to do with a shotgun.

You don't need the magnum 3.5 inch loads to hunt turkey with either. They just extend your range a little bit and get a little more shot in the air depending on what loads you use. I would suggest before getting a 3.5 gun you shoot one, they can be pretty brutal on recoil. I have no desire to own one after shooting my buddies. The shells cost more as well.

Good luck,
Paul

Oh, and the post above mine is incorrect. The Pardner will NOT interchange parts with a Remington 870, I believe the stock may be the only thing that will interchange. Barrels will not interchange, you have to get a H&R barrel for it, mossberg or remington will not fit. And like I said they take mossberg/winchester/browing chokes, not remingtons.

The action is BASED on the 870 but everything I have seen and been told is the internals are not interchangeable either.

Paul

Ah, thanks Paul. I stand corrected, sucks being misinformed. After further research I found that most any other choke will fit this gun but not a remington. Good thing too, I am in the hunt for an IC and was looking for remington brand.