I am looking at buying a 12ga pump action shotgun. I don't want to spend too much $$$, but I want a gun that will last. So far, I've looked at a Winchesher 1300, and a Mossberg 500. I know that Winchester is probably the best, or one of the best, shotguns on the market. But, is the Mossberg a good gun? I might wind up getting the Winchester, but the Moss costs a lot less. Any advice anyone?

 

my dad has a winchester 1300XTR that he and i have used for over 20 years, it has been a great gun. i would reccomend it

 

I like the Mossberg 835 Ulti-Mag and the Remington 870. I've used both, and like the feel of the Mossberg just a little better than the Remington, and my Mossberg has a shorter barrel also. I use the 835 becuase I duck and goose hunted a lot when I was younger, and wanted the 3-1/2" capacity for the geese. I've since changed my thinking and figure that 3" is plenty... and my shoulder agrees. There isn't much difference other than the chamber capacity between the 835 and the 500... it's a great gun. Mine has been rained on and in, drug through the mud, laid in the bottom of the boat with decoys and dogs and cooler piled on it and sliding around on it... and it's never mis-fired or jammed that I can remember. I did crack the stock one year shooting the 3-1/2 mags and had to fix that, but I wouldn't really consider it a defect in the manufacturing, I just should have gotten the synthetic stock to start with.

The 870 on the other hand is a good gun also. I bought one for my dad back in 96, and it made a heck of a turkey gun for him. It will shoot 2-3/4" and 3" mags, and before he passed he had put a scope on it with a rifled choke and it made a heck of a slug gun as well.

Either way, if you get a barrel that accepts the screw in choke tubes then you can't hardly go wrong brand wise...IMO I have a full set for the Moss, Skeet, Improv Cyl, Modified, Full, Turkey Extra Full, and a Full Choke Steel. The 870 only has Full, Turkey Extra Full, and a rifled slug choke so I haven't shot any skeet with it yet but I know my Dad always loved the gun, and he would have told me if it didn't perform.

The only winchester I have is an old Model 1897 pump... the old WW2 trench guns with the hammer. It's in great condition, but I hardly ever shoot it so I don't have much input on the Winchester shot guns, I'm sure they make a great gun though.

 

Buy the Mossberg and don't look back. I have a 37 year old 500 that has seen the bottom of a river, four feet of mud, has taken a ride in the bed of the truck for several hundred miles, has had somewhere around 10,000 rounds thru it and it still gets in the truck when I go hunting. I have other shotguns, some are very expensive like Brownings, etc. But the Mossberg will always be a favorite. It shoots with the best of them, heck, I've won competion skeet matchs with it. It was a favorite to shoot the Old Country Doubles. And that requires a a gun capable of being swung around 90 degrees, get on target and shoot in less than 3 seconds. Most of the guys carry over and unders for that. Buy the 500, you won't regret the purchase.

 

ive owned 4 Remington 870s. i currently own 3. one my dad bought USED 25 years ago, and gave to me @ 3 years ago i think. still cycles great. Remington 870s have a very large selection for aftermarket parts, very reliable, hard to break and if you do you can find parts anywhere. i think i payed $300 for the last 2 ive bought, 12+20 guages with synthetic stocks. good luck with your purchase, and check out www.shotgunworld.com

 

I like the Remington 870 as well. Although all pump shotguns are very reliable. I would go to a gun store and see what you like the best. I use to work at a gun store and the action of the Winchester felt smoother to me then the action of the Mossberg. Both are very good guns though.

 

I'm in possession of a 20 year old Mossberg 500 that has also seen many thousands of rounds through it, I cleaned it for the first time last year, barrel is still perfect. Its seen many 3" mags (its a 20 gauge), never stalled once.

 

i've been shooting a Remington 870 Express. great gun. use it for pheasants, geese, partrige...all around good gun. never had a problem with it. pumps smooth all the time as long as u oil it from time to time.

 

my buddy's got mossberg 500, itsa really good gun, his is pretty old as well. and its not pricey either. my lil brother got a mossberg .22. it doesnt seem like a real well known brand like rem or winchester or any of those big names, but they make quality guns.

 

Thanks for all the replies. Now, I am leaning more towards the Mossberg, mainly because of the low price--$139 12ga, 28" pump, synthetic. Also, what does the term "ported" mean? Thanks

 

Haven't heard any "bad" guns mentioned here but I own two Mossberg 12's. One is the 590 Mariner, stainless, synthetic, salt water resistant, heat shield, My other is a 24" 500 3" factory camo w/interchangeable chokes. Never had the first problem with either. They are both synthetic because the camo one goes in the woods,and i use the mariner for copperheads and rattlers on my property. Spends alot of time on the 4 wheeler and tractor. Notice the bottom of the Mossberg, it has two bars extending from the slide back to the receiver, others have one.Best value for your money IMO.

Oh yeah- porting is when holes are cut into the top of your barrel near the front sight. The gas that's pushing out your projectile escapes out that port and goes up, forcing the end of the barrel down. This downforce helps to keep the end of your gun from jumping up as badly and you get a better chance for a second shot.

Stay away from any "homemade" porting.

 

Ndrum- ****make sure its not a "knockoff" brand Mossberg**** im not kidding!!! in shotgunworld.com there is a thread about it, someone bought a shotgun from a large chain store, only to realize it was a knockoff. i know, i know... sounds like a B.S. story but it would be a simple mistake to avoid. also you might want to buy a combo package with the bird barrel and slug barrel in case you want to use it for deer hunting or home defense.

 

That is a great price, and the 28" barrel should pattern well... does it have the accuchoke barrel? And if so which chokes come with the gun, typically you get 3? I think that gun typically retails around $300 so be sure your getting everything with it.

Just see how each gun feels, that's the main thing... if you shoot more instinctively then you know what your looking for, but even if you sight the shotgun you want it to fit. When you shoulder it quickly is it on target and is the rail level or do you have to adjust your head to make it right... stuff like that. I liked the feel of the mossberg, the stock was a little wider behind the receiver... and it had a little fuller feel.

It's rabbit season, it's duck season, it's rabbit season, it's duck season


Th-th-th-th-th-that's all folks!!!

 

I went back to the store and looked the gun over again. Turns out that it is a Maverick 88. Is this a good gun? Should I get it, or get a "traditional" Mossberg 500 or a Winchester 1300? Thanks.

 

I quickly read through all the post here and it looks like you've been given good advice. Personally I own a Mossberg 500 inherited from my grandfather, my brother owns a Rem. 870 he bought new about 20 years ago. Both are used a decent amount but not heavily. Both function great and hit the targets or birds. You can't go wrong with any of the three brands that have been mentioned.

As far as the maverick.... I'd stick with the Rem. or the Mossberg 500 or 590. Yeah it's supposedly made by Mossberg but it hasn't been proven reliable. Not like the models mentioned here which have decades of happy shooters.

Wait to see if anyone has a Maverick and can fill you in on the details but I'd be careful. This might be what BuiltToughF250 was talking about.