plainly put, you can't go wrong with an 870.

If it moves, people have probably shot it with an 870.

Reliable, tough, etc.

I bet if you took a poll of shotgunners around the US there would be 3 main groups (as far as favorite shotguns that have been produced for ~40-50 years).

a) the model 12 winchester (spawned many-a replica and equally good as an 870)
b) the Browning A-5 humpback
c) the remington 870.

I've got one my father bought used in 1955 or 1956. It's still the gun I grab when I'm going out grouse hunting. Works perfectly, easy to carry.

I have the supermag synthetic, and i love it. Points and shoots well for me.

I own the 870 Express Super Magnum synthetic. It has never malfunctioned on me, ever. Whatever I feed it, it replies: "Thank you sir! May I have another?!"

Even as good as it is though, I have a longing to get my hands on a Winchester Super X2 semi-auto.

Maybe I just got a bad barrel, my 870 express super magnum combo, the rifled slug barrel is just fine but the ventrib's chamber is so rough that if you shoot anything other than high brass you pretty much have to fight and manhandle the action to cycle the shell. If I had it to do all over again I'd go with the Winchester or Mossberg. Q/C over at Remington has really gone down over the past few years.

Not sure if they have gone down hill on this particular gun. The 870 express anyway. I mean lets look at it this way. The gun has gone down in price to where you can find them on sale for 205 dollars on occassion. And its an extreme economy model. If you want better quality, they give you the option for the wingmaster. 870express is a top notch deal for 200 dollars. What do you expect for that money. Blueing is not perfect, and its rough matte. None of these flaws are hidden up front before you buy them.

870 wingmaster, has much nicer wood, deep blueing smoother parts. You get what you pay for.

I have an 870 Wingmaster Magnum and a couple of 1100's love them all never a problem with the 870 but the magnum 1100 if finickey about its food and the weather.

I would at least expect the shells to eject without having to exert some extreme effort while working the action. This is with several different factory loads. Like I said maybe I just got a bad barrel, but Remington refused to replace the barrel and that left a bad taste. I'll never buy another Remington gun. Really wish I had bought the Mossberg.

I shoot one just to tick off the Doctors and Laywers around here.

I have shot one of the cheap 870 synthetics (3" shells max) for three years at both skeet and sporting clays. I love love nothing more than to beat the tar out of the rich guys on the coarse shooting $3000++++ guns. I was top shooter in the league last year and they just snarl when they see my gun.

I convinced my boss to buy a super mag and its survived his not so nice handling. Drove over it with a suberban one and it was fine and I stripped it to a handful of spring and bolts when he droped it into the loon turd in the swamp. 15 minutes and it was knocking geese down. A good oiling that night and no rust.

The only compaint I ever had was that the bluing was thin and to that I say --- What do you expect for a $150-250