RE: A 12 gauge to last a lifetime!
 

Remington 870, Mossberg 835 or 500. You can also look into the Benelli Nova. If you want a semiauto, you can probably get a good used Remington 1100 for that range.

RE: A 12 gauge to last a lifetime!
 

Rem 870 great price and quality slug gun. I can paddle a canoe with the damn thing and it will still out live you. I really cant say this first hand because I have only owned mine a few years.
Oh and performance wise it gets the job done really well.

jim

RE: A 12 gauge to last a lifetime!
 

Remington 870 by far!! I ran mine over with my truck and still shoots!

RE: A 12 gauge to last a lifetime!
 

Check out a few websites and see what is out there. Most all gummakers have good sites with lots of info,also check out ammunition makers.

RE: A 12 gauge to last a lifetime!
 

i'm tellin you man...Benelli Nova pump is a great gun..don't get me wrong my brother has an 870 and it is awesome but i bought a nova pump and i have yet to see or shoot another gun that i like better than the nova..it's just an awesome gun..i know this guy who is big on deer hunting..and just from what he told me...that the nova shoots a better buck shot pattern for deer(if your looking for a deer gun) than his 870..but i'm more of a waterfowler and this is my favorite gun..dosen't kick at all on light loads and on hevi and 3 1/2 inch loads..it barely kicks..plus it's camo..real good grip..and it has a button on the bottom of the underside of the fore-end which activates a shell stop that allows the chambered shell to be removed without releasing rounds from the magazine..all this for just 400 dollars..if i were you i would go with the nova...o and forget the mossturd ;) personally after using mine(mossberg) for only 3 years i would rather throw a stone at my target then try to shoot something with it(except clays)--after a while i started having problems with it

RE: A 12 gauge to last a lifetime!
 

Depends on what features you're looking for. I know that many many people will swear by the 870 but I will never own one. I just don't like the newer ones and that's just my feelings about the gun. They are a nice gun for the price though, but if I was ever to buy an 870 I would buy an older one.

I have a Browning BPS and it will be the last pump that I will ever own. When I first starting hunting, I was using an old 20ga Western Field (similar to a Mossberg) and loved the top tang safety on it. When it wore out I got the BPS, mostly b/c of the safety but also b/c of the bottom eject (so my dad can use it as he shoots left handed). I'm not sure what a BPS with rifled barrel can be had for but I know their basic field models are usually a bit more expensive than an 870 and a few others.

If you want a dedicated slug gun, I have heard good things about that Savage model with the magazine.

All in all, if I was you, I would go to a local gun shop, shoulder some guns and buy the one that fits you best and is within your budget. Just my $.02