I am just starting out and I am looking for a shotgun that I can use for deer and to shoot clay. I looked at the remington 870 combo, and I also liked the single shot "new england " with a rifled barrel. Might get both whats your take?

Thanks for any help

For a start the 870 combo is hard to beat. It's been a workhorse since the mid 50's

The 870 has been around for half a century. Remington has sold over 6 million and counting. A gun doesn't stay that popular that long without a good reason. Rugged and dependable.

Another vote for the 870.

add another vote for the 870, a very tuff and simple gun, you can play with it in a mudd puddle and the thing will still function properly, on the NEF single shot, i got one in 243 cal. and its a decent shooting gun. there are people out there that really love em. i use mine for shooting coyotes off my back porch, i have higher priced stuff that stays in a safe and leave the nef out for critter emergancies[:-]. best of luck i think you'll be happy with either/both

Remington 870 would be my first choice but I think a good second would be the Mossberg 500. They've both been proven functional in combat and that's testimony enough for me. I was looking at a slug barrel and decided instead to buy the Mossberg combo because it was already drilled for scope mounts. And can you really have too many guns? LOL! Anyway the old Moss has worked well for me.

If your thinking clays or trap shooting you might want to consider a simi auto instead of a pump. The cost a bit more though. The upside is the recoil doesn't seem to be as bad. A nice light 20 gauge semi auto would work great for your needs. Plenty of gun for deer, clays, pheasant and bunnies.

Of course the 870 and 500 are cheaper even with both barrels. And if you get interchangable barrels get one with the scope mount on the barrel. I have a mossberg 500 as well with the tapped reciever. The only problem is if you swap barrels with this gun the scope is mounted to the reciever not the barrel. You will most likely lose your zero when swapping barrels. So get the barrel with the scope mount on it, that way the scope comes off with the barrel and will never mess your zero up.

I have had zero problems with my mossberg by the way.

Paul

One Gun that is relatively new to the gun world compared to the rem. 870 and moss. 500 is the Benelli Nova. Priced at about $300 for the black finish and about $350 for the camo finishes. I don't know if it is sold in a combo package I do know they have a slug barrel available for the nova as well as bird barrels in 26'', 28'' and I think 30''. I also don't know the price of additional barrels. I have one I use for pheasant and clay shooting. I love it. It has a 3 and 1/2 in chamber making it the last gun you'll ever need to buy. That is not saying it will be last one you will want to buy. LOL

I bought a Rem. 1100 semi-auto a number of years back and right a way put a hastings rifled slug barrel on it. With a 2.5 power bushnell scope on it I can shoot Federal sabots into 2 3/4 inch groups at 100 yards. I have only killed one white-tail buck with it and not really hunted with it too much.

This fall I put the vent rib smooth bore tube back on it and took it to a goose blind. I had a good morning shoot, taking 8 Canadas and 4 mallards with it in about 2 hours.

Robin

Just like the others have said, the Remington 870 can't be beat. I love my lefty 870 Express 12GA! Best bang for the buck, hands down! It goes anywhere, shoots anything, and does what you ask of it, without any problems at all. [8D]

I remember hooking up with a few duck hunters last season and showed up with my sparking clean, beautiful, unblemished 870. The guys slammed me pretty good (joking) and threatened to hold me back, while one of them takes my gorgeous 870 and drags it through the marsh before I was allowed in the blind!!

Butch A.