semi

don't overlook mossberg. i have a 12 guage mossberg 500 and i am extremely happy with it. it will shoot 2.75 or 3" mags. i have had that thing in the worst of conditions and it has never let me down. great gun for the price.

veener88

I have been thinking of one other thing. I will be the first gun owner in my family, at least all that I know. What is the best way for me to learn about using a shotgun. Mostly for when things go wrong.

veener88

Thanks guys I am going to do a small upgrade. I am going to get the 870 Express Super Magnum Combo after a freind told me to look at a 3.5" barrel. He is saying with are property it is a good option to have with hunting the geese and duck in are back.

UncleNorby

If it were me, I'd get a shotgun that will accept a cantilever scope mounted, fully rifled barrel. Thats for shooting sabot slugs for deer hunting. Mossberg 500s and Remington 870s offer them. They are the best way to put a scope on a pump shotgun.

They all offer bird/waterfowl barrels/chokes of just about every configuration.

If you read your owners manual, access some of the info. available on-line, and have moderate mechanical ability, you will be able to manage most things "that go wrong" by replacing worn or broken parts. In my experience though, there won't be many.

Smokem Joe

Hey, my first shotgun was an 870 express 3" mag 12 gauge. Great gun. I have a friend with the 3 1/2" supermag. I'd probably have it it they made it when I bought mine. Good thing they didn't. I weigh 150 lbs dripping wet. I weighed 135 when I bought it. I shoot alot of different calibers, 458 win mag being the largest and I still hate to shoot his 3 1/2". I don't think they make slugs in 3 1/2" but I haven't checked lately, I moved to montana and just use my 12 for upland birds. But even still, the effect of a 3" slug on a whitetail is devestating. I like the cantilever scope mount on remingtons, but it is an expensive option. The combo with 21" rifle sights and full rifling with a 26-28" vent rib is probably the best bang for the buck. Good luck with your choice.

I have a friend with the mossberg 500 and he likes it. Others like the nova, and finally, the Winchester 1300. One friend has one and he claims that he can cycle the action faster than the 870, but it is six to one, half dozen to the other. Buy what you like. and especially what fits you well.

Lots of 870's around.

If you find a clerk that you like, that has some experience, and doesn't just try to sell you something, Stick with them. Big store or little guys. They are there because they want to help you. You chance finding them in little stores because the own the store, or are a friend of the store owner, or they really know what they are talking about, it isn't just an afterschool job for them. I've heard some clerks answer with some of the craziest answers because they don't have a clue or don't care.

Enjoy what ever you get!

Smokem Joe

for a "one gun" shotgun, a 12 ga 3" pump gun is hard to beat, be it a winchester 1300, a mossberg 500, nova, or a remington 870.

The 3 1/2" option just allows for more possibilities if you can handle the recoil.

veener88

I have been warned about recoild a lot. Right now I am thinking the worse for how it could be. But most guys say since I am 6'2" and about 195lbs that I should be able to handle it no problem.

The 3 1/2" I can only use on the smoth barrel the riffel barrel I can only use 3".

Ajax

For the price of a Nova, you could spend about $50 bucks more and get a Browining BPS, which would be my personal choice... If you dont' want to spend that kind of money, i'd say get a remington 870

beebecl

The Remington 870 is a great gun. Dunno if this is an issue for you, but I would guess it disassembles easier than any other gun in its class. When you break that thing down, all you have is the barrel, slide, bolt plate and trigger group. Fewer parts, too. Fewer parts=fewer things to go wrong.

beebecl

Oh yeah, if you want to spend a little less $$ and start off with a good used gun, I have a Mossberg 500 in good shape that I'll send ya for $225.00. I would need a copy of an FFL's license to ship it to. Any arrangement you make with him is another issue.

Also, don't believe that line about not needing interchangeable barrels. You definitely want the flexibility of changing barrels. The 870 and 500 probably have more barrel options than any other pumps on the market.