Question on Shotgun prices

[crew590]

Looking to get a new shotgun. What are the going prices on an Remington870? Mossberg 500?

Looking at the stores today I found an 870 for $289 + tax. I also found a 500 for $250 + tax. Are these decent prices? I am thinking more about the Mossberg. Any reason I shouldn't choose it?

Thanks,

Jay

[MagnumCaliber357]

Get the mossberg

Convince yourself read this (http://members.tripod.com/~jth8260/870.html)

[crew590]

Thank you for that article. I seem to remember reading it somewhere before as well. IIRC there is another one at tacticalshotgun.com (or something like that), but I have lost the link and also forget which way the author chose to present the article (500 or 870). Go figure. :rolleyes:

[pauli]

either one will be fine, and those are reasonable prices. however, shopping around often results in finding outstanding deals on shotguns. pawnshops, consignment racks, gunshows, estate sales... if you're somewhat flexible on what you get, you can save a lot of money.

[rem870]

I own both remington and mossberg, and personally I like the remington better. I just think it feels better in my hands. IMO my mossberg 590 looks cooler, but I just like the remington. The dimples in the magazine aren't really a big deal to grind out. The only real reason I went with a remington is that I got a good deal on it, and because I had some folding stocks and mag extensions already laying around and it was therefore more economical for me to configure it into a defensive gun. But you can't go wrong with either brand. They both make fine shotguns.

[crew590]

Thank you all for the replies. I will continue looking to see if I can find better prices. If I can't though, the prices I listed are decent?

Thanks,

Jay

[rem870]

crew590 the price you listed seems to be the going price for those guns. $289 is what my local shop has the 870 HD model listed for. They have $260 on the mossberg 500, so not much discrepency in the price. I think the best deals can be found in pawnshops. I picked my 870 up in a pawnshop for $175 OTD. The wood on it looked crappy, but the metal was flawless. Thats all I care about because I will end up refinishing it anyways.

[RioShooter]

The Mossberg 500 sells for $198 at Academy and WalMart will match the price. The 870 is about $230.

Chuck
Brownsville, TX

[crew590]

Thank you for the tip about Wal-Mart matching the price. I will have to check there sometime tomorrow as well as the local pawnshop.

Jay

[SShooterZ]

In my personal experience, I've seen better fit from a Remington 870 Wingmaster than from a Mossberg 500. I personally would go with the 870 and currently own a trap model.

[todd-45]

Just so happens I bought a 500 at our Wal-Mart tuesday and their sale price was $197.97. No matching prices needed. I don't know if that was regular price or a sale price. That was for wood stock, the camo was $30 more.

[crew590]

Todd-45,

I think I saw the same thing. They had the tag labeled as a Model 500 Pump, right? The selling price for the one I saw was $199 + tax.

Jay

[mnrivrat]

Wal-Mart prices may vary from area to area - the last time I looked the one near me had the composite black 500 for $159 .

I live in an area where pump shotguns are about as cheap as they can be bought with many used guns available for $100 to $150 both Mossberg and Remington 870's .

[todd-45]

Yes Jay and it may have been 199.97. I bought one anyway, cheapest I've seen.

[Lee Lapin]

"I am thinking more about the Mossberg. Any reason I shouldn't choose it?"

One big reason in my book- the mostly closed end of the magazine tube on the Mossberg 500 means you cannot perform end-to-end maintenance on the magazine without removing it from the receiver. Note that this 'feature' was not continued on the much vaunted Mossberg 590 series, which was modified to meet mlitary specifications which required the capability of easy end-to-end magazine tube maintenance.

If it's to be a 'house gun' then it isn't an issue, really. But if you will take it outside, then think about it...

Best advice I can give you is to shoot whatever shotguns are available to you (relatives, friends, gun clubs etc) and THEN make a choice based on what your experience tells you rather than paying too much attention to a bunch of folks offering free advice to the gunlorn via the internet.

Stay safe,

lpl/nc (didn't even outright recommend the 870, see how objective I am? 8^)

[sm]

Gee willikers Lee! Whew! That was close. You could have done something stupid like mention the classified since folks are trying to pay credit card bills, and with many hunting seasons winding down...

Nuh...uh...nice try you trying to get me to spill the beans about some overlooked great buys like a friend getting a JC Higgins for $60 and another getting a JCH for $80...sure glad I didnt' fall for that ploy of yours. ;)

Oh the gal getting the used 1300 combo set in 20 ga for $150 is really happy. Seems the person "really" needed to sell it - building a game gun and all and needed funds...

:D

[riverdog]

I've never shot a Mossberg 500 or 590. I started with an 870 Wingmaster Magnum and stayed with the platform for pump guns. The shotgun I have the most rounds through is a used field grade 870 Wingmaster 2 3/4" (non-magnum) that I use for Trap and have used for Skeet. It's never failed me and is the least expensive of all my shotguns. But that's me. I don't have much use for the "The Remington 870 and the Mossberg 500" article mainly because I'm not a fan of the 870 Express. I'd buy another used Wingmaster first.

Buy the Mossberg if you like the gun, but don't let your wallet dictate the purchase, buy the gun because YOU prefer it over the 870 or 1300. While you're out looking, take a look at used 870 Wingmasters. Some of the older guns come nicely broken in and buttery smooth.

$.02

[Legionnaire]

Can't go wrong with either the Mossberg 500 or the Rem 870. But look around a bit. I called several stores in my area and asked if they had any used Mossberg 500s. One store said, "Yeah, a bunch." Sure enough, they had at least eight. I picked out a pristine specimine with a ported 28" accu-choke barrel for $150. Good deals are out there.