[TheOtherOne]

Someday I'm going to get me one of these (http://www.impactguns.com/store/product361.html) (short barreled Mossberg 590) but, once you figure in the $200 transfer tax, the $800 total cost is out of range for a few months.

In the meantime, since I have no shotgun whatsoever, I want to pick something up today or tomorrow that is better priced but still great for home defense and has good maneuverability.

Anyone have any good suggestions? The price I'm hoping for is around $200. I don't know what kind of quality I can get for that price, but the I've seen some chinese made shotguns for even cheaper.

[El Tejon]

Plenty of great used shotguns around. 870s are usually within the $200 range--from gun shoppes, gun shows, newspapers.

Best deal I ever blundered into was a SW3000 for $125.00. A trade in from a Kentuck po-po department.

Keep your eyes open.

[foghornl]

If your new shotgun budget is limited to say $225 or less, take a look at Maverick Arms. Maverick is Mossberg's value-price shotgun line.
The Maverick Model 88 Security series starts at MSRP of $199 for a basic 18-1/2" plain barrel fixed choke model, 5+1 capacity; I have seen this one on sale for as low as about $145.

If you are thinking of the ChiCom clone of the Ithica 37 that is sometimes sold for as low as $130 or so, PLEASE put in a few more dollars and buy the Maverick. I have looked at a few examples of the ChiCom clone, and cannot begin to suggest buying it. 'Fit & Finish' was fair at the best, and what about parts/accessories/service? ? ?

Lots of folks also suggest looking for police trade-ins. Many of these fall into the 'carried a bunch, shot a little' category, and will be a very solid value, while staying within the $200 budget limit. May have a few dings in the finish, or divots in the wood, but are still VERY serviceable weapons.

[Hkmp5sd]

Go ahead and get an 18" Mossberg. When your ready, you can do the $200 on a Form 1 and make your own SBS.

[Andrew Wyatt]

Take a look at the model 500, 20 inch bbl, long magazine tube gun.


You can get them at big 5 for 219 on sale, and once you chop the stock off to manageable proportions, it'll be the same length or shorter than an unmodified 18 inch barrel gun.

[TheOtherOne]

Thanks for all the suggestions. I ended up getting the Mossberg Maverick 88 Security (18 1/2").

http://u.cc.utah.edu/~gmj06b50/Guns/Mossberg-Maverick-88-box1.jpg
http://u.cc.utah.edu/~gmj06b50/Guns/Mossberg-Maverick-88-wbox.jpg

I paid $199 for it. They wanted $219 for it, but I checked Mossberg's website and they had it listed as $199 MSRP, so the place gave it to me for that. I figure I should of got it even cheaper if MSRP was $199, but they had it in stock and when it comes to buying a gun I want now I get impatient and wasn't in the mood to haggle. So I just hope I didn't get too bad of a deal. It was in the price range I wanted and I like it so far.

Oh, and I hope I got the right shells for it. Considering it's for home defense I got 3" 00 buckshot (15 pellets).

[Andrew Wyatt]

3" bad.


2 3/4" low recoil good.


I keep my mossy stoked with federal low recoil buck, and it's somewhat heavier than what you have there, because it has a light, GR sights, sling ring and sling on it, in additon to the longer mag tube and barrel.

The 3" rounds bang you up more than any increase in lethality warrants.

[TheOtherOne]

3" bad.


2 3/4" low recoil good.


I keep my mossy stoked with federal low recoil buck, and it's somewhat heavier than what you have there, because it has a light, GR sights, sling ring and sling on it, in additon to the longer mag tube and barrel.

The 3" rounds bang you up more than any increase in lethality warrants.Good to know. I'll have to shoot these up when I take this out for the first time and then I'll get me some 2 3/4". Is 00 Buck still good?

I guess the other bad thing about the 3" is that it limits the magazine (or tube or whatever you call it) capacity to 5 instead of six... that is after I went crazy trying to get more than 2 shells in there. Stupid wooden dowel! :) I had to actually read the manual to figure that one out.

[Al Thompson]

Get some inexpensive bird shot for your first shots. That 3 inch stuff has about the same recoil as a .375 H&H Magnum.

It's a great way to get the stuffings knocked out of you before you get your form and fit squared away. BTDT

Once your comfortable with your blaster, BA/UU/R... :)

[Sir Galahad]

Psssssttttt......hey buddy...the BEST home defense you can get is also inexpensive to boot. WINCHESTER 1300 DEFENDER. Fastest pump in the West. So fast, folks that hear you shooting it once you get skilled with it will think you're shooting a semi.

[TheOtherOne]

Get some inexpensive bird shot for your first shots. That 3 inch stuff has about the same recoil as a .375 H&H Magnum.

It's a great way to get the stuffings knocked out of you before you get your form and fit squared away. BTDT

Once your comfortable with your blaster, BA/UU/R...Thanks. Considering I've never shot this before bird shot is probably a good idea for now.

I can still shoot Magnum buckshot through this gun though can't I? The reason I ask is because I was reading through the manual and noticed they have a section about a separate barrel for slugs. Does that mean I can't use slugs with this shotgun?

I figured the 3" Magnum buckshot loads I bought are okay to shoot in it because I bought them with the gun and the guy didn't say anything about them.

[Andrew Wyatt]

they're safe to shoot in a "won't blow up your gun" sense.

as mentioned before, the recoil will be stout.



slugs are safe to shoot in any mossberg barrel, except for the 835, which has a significantly overbore barrel, where slugs might get cockeyed and stick. their words, not mine.



start out with target loads until you get your form nice and square, then you can work up to progressively heavier fodder.

[Feanaro]

Best watch those 3 inchers. Chuck Hawks shotgun recoil table says...
Gauge length (oz. shot@MV) Weight Recoil energy (ft. lbs.)
20 3" (1 1/4 at 1185) 6.5 31.0
12 3" (1 5/8 at 1280) 7.5 52.0
12 3" (1 7/8 at 1210) 7.5 60.1

:uhoh: Wear a shoulder pad.

[Dave McCracken]

The guys are preachin' Gospel.

At typical HD ranges, the load hits as a semi solid mass. Little difference in effect between 5/8 oz of 9s and 12 pellets of 00. Big difference in effect on the shooter.

Use the lightest loads you can find for starters and practice. Walk before running. And read the thread on handling heavier loads, it may help you.

[Kharn]

Pop some aspirin and buy some BenGay before you fire off those 3"ers. :D

Kharn

[Mr. Black]

Awww, come on, 3" shells are fun!

First day (not first shot) my friend ever shot we ended the day by giving him 2 12's, (870 and M37), one for each hand; with 3" buck in them.

They don't hurt so bad when they're not against your shoulder.

Okay, dumb; I know. :rolleyes:

Last week I patterned my gun at the indoor range. 3" too. Uggggh; headache from the concussion.

[foghornl]

You can use slugs with that barrel, with one caveat....Use slugs that are "rifled", i.e. have the grooves/lands on the slug itself. Mossberg has barrels that have the rifling in them, and with those barrels the "sabot slugs" generally are better. Also, if you have a rifled barrel, be aware that dependent upon brand and construction of the load, buckshot may lead the barrel signficantly, and that the rifling twist might cause your patterns to expand faster than expected.

[makdaddy03]

I have had to many problems with Mossberg shotguns. I would recommend the Winchester 1300.

[TheOtherOne]

You guys almost had me scared to shoot that 3" buckshot... but I still did it anyways and while it did kick really bad and I've got a nice bruise on my arm today... it wasn't that bad! :) But I think only because my expectations were that it was going to knock me on my butt or dislocate my shoulder! :D

[Dave McCracken]

Prejudging kick has stopped many a potentially fine shotgunner. Again, walk before running.

[Sulaco]

Congrats on the gun. I like Mossy's myself. My first shotgun was an 870 and it worked fine, but I like the Mossy's more. My HD shotty is a 590A1 and I shoot 3 inch 00 in it. I don't think the recoil is so bad. I guess I am used to shooting it or something.