First Gun: Remington 870 vs. Mossberg 500

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bigalexe

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I currently don't own a gun. I have shot guns and am competent, just don't own one because im 21 and from a family where neither parent owns one.

I am looking at getting either a Mossberg 500 Super Bantam Youth or a Remington 870 Youth. Either gun would have a 3" Chamber, Pump Action, Synthetic Stock (for weight purposes) and around a 20"-24" Barrel. I plan on getting a combo with a Slug barrel and a regular shot barrel. Also its going to be 20 gauge.

Here is a little info about the use of the weapon and a few things to take into account. First is that im a full grown adult (im not getting bigger or stronger in the future) but i am 5'7" and weigh about 84 lbs, i have a form of Muscular Dystrophy and so weight, and recoil matter ALOT. Also the shorter barrel and stocks are better because the closer the weight is into the body the steadier i can hold a gun especially in the standing position. The primary use of the gun will be Turkey in the woods and eventually there may be some deer (however with my Crossbow and disability permit I may not need the shotgun for deer).

At this point i have asked some people i know and the 870 is winning this contest by a landslide. I really like that the 500 is almost a full pound lighter. Below are links to the 2 guns in the approximate configuration on Cheaper Than Dirt.

http://www.cheaperthandirt.com/17971-1.html
http://www.cheaperthandirt.com/95659-1.html

Apologize for the massive post but wanted to be as complete as possible.
 
You say recoil is an issue, and then you say you like that the Mossberg is lighter. You really need to shoot at least one of them so you know what the recoil is like. If you plan to use turkey loads, and you care about recoil, the heavier the better. You do not have to do much gun "handling" in turkey hunting, so right off I would suggest the 870 because it is heavier.
Have you considered a semi-auto? An 1100 Youth like I just got my stepson is a just little heavier still, but it really tames recoil with any loads.
 
Mossberg 500 Bantam with the half youth barrel and a 22" Accu Choke imp cylinder. (You will get all three kinds of choke with the gun retail.) 20 gauge with rib on top of barrel.

My wife has weak bones in shoulder and until the doctors are forced to issue a no recoil order, that gun keeps her in business assisted by managed recoil rounds plus a PAST shoulder recoil absorbing pad.

The gun will hit harder than a handgun and sufficiently hard to put down anyone at least once.

You say weight. Moss 500 is lighter by a pound or more over the 870 Mag that I own. My wife cannot handle my 870 mag but will do it if necessary. One reason is the Remm 870 has a longer throw on the forearm than she will like, the moss 500 has a short throw good fit for her arms.

I like both guns, but sometimes I find myself standing with one foot on the moss buttstock and holding the other foot on the muzzle sometimes LOL so I gotta kind of "Turtle down" or tuck everything in to get small enough to work the moss he he.

You will probably have a turkey choke already in that 22" barrel and good to go.

At the end of the day when you pick up a Moss 500 and fit your hands around it and compare that feel to a Rem 870 you will see where you stand weight and fit wise.

Dont forget to compare other guns around the same weight or even lighter than the moss. And consider the ammuntion you will be shooting. Half the battle will be your intended target, recoil and such.

The truth will be known to you when you pull trigger.
 
Like everyone has posted -- the lighter Moss. 500 will recoil more but the Rem. 870 may be harder for you to hold out to aim.

I also like The Virginian's advice about a used Rem. 1100 and as he wisely stated --- TRY TO FIRE one before you buy !!!!
 
Another major difference will be the location of the safety - (Mossberg - tang) (Remington - trigger guard )

I am not educated on MD, but I guess it's possible that the location and manipulation of the safety could affect your choice.

Good luck with your search !!
 
The moss safety is right there up top center over the trigger in front of the buttstock. It is idiot proof and good.

The Remington 870 safety I have is tucked down behind the trigger and I need to look at it to see and verify that it has a red ring around it meaning the gun is in a situation able to fire.

Sometimes after loading, Ive found that safety already red on the rem. Im working on making sure that safety is the first thing I touch and the last I take off before shoot.

The moss, no thinking required. Red dot ready to fire, No red dot no fire.
 
You can't go wrong with either choice. I've owned a Mossberg 500 since I was a kid, and it is still my go-to shotgun for nearly everything. It can deer hunt, pheasant hunt, shoot clays, defend the home, and do it all without a problem.

I've used Remington 870's for my entire policing career (by my department's choice), and they also work very well.

Anyway, as the others have already mentioned lighter = more recoil, heavier equals less recoil. Try to shoot the guns so you can see what you like, and the recoil that you can tolerate!

From my perspective, I actually prefer the Mossberg, despite the following that the Remington has. I like the location of the Mossberg safety better, and I also prefer the location of the slide release on the Mossy.

At the end of the day, either one will get the job done for you, so choose what you like!
 
If your budget will allow it, don't underestimate the value of a semi-auto's action in reducing felt recoil. The bolt cycles itself, absorbing the instantaneous "sting" or "sharpness" of the recoil, and some of the gas escapes out of the receiver, further decreasing the amount that the gun is driven straight back into your shoulder.

A semi-auto 20 gauge is an absolute sweetheart, and shooting slugs or 9-pellet 00 Buck out of my 12 gauge Remington 1100 is about as comfortable as shooting birdshot out of the 12 gauge pumps.

Mossberg has some very affordable semi-autos, and just like the 500/870 discussion, the 835 line will probably get the job done just as well as the Remington 1100s. I'd recommend giving those Mossbergs a look. I'd really like a 20 gauge semi-auto for the old lady myself.
 
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Welcome to THR, bigalexe!

If there's any way possible, try both before you buy, and make your decision based on experience, not advice. Don't overlook the utility of a premium recoil pad (Remington Supercell or R3, LimbSaver, KickEez etc)- as far as I know, neither gun will come with one from the factory, and installing one aftermarket is well worth the money.

Forget about using 3" magnum shells, despite the fact the gun will chamber them. Stick to 2 3/4", they will do everything you need to do, as long as you choose your shots based on the capability of the gun and load (the pattern board is your friend).

If you want to consider an even shorter stock and barrel (which might be worth thinking about), Remington is also making an 870 Junior Turkey gun in 20 gauge. See http://www.budsgunshop.com/catalog/product_info.php/cPath/37_64/products_id/96443 for a pic, AFAIK Gander Mountain was the first to stock the Junior model. First time I saw one on the rack, it was all I could do not to take it home with me, it was that neat.

Happy shopping,

lpl
 
I am shooting a 870 tomorrow thats near identical to what im looking at I also am taking an 1187 with me. I dont know if i will have the 500 available. Id like the semi-auto but the action on it is difficult for me to work repeatedly and so im shooting trap I will get tired quickly (The local club rules state no matter the capacity you can only load a single round in the chamber) racking the gun each time.

Im considering that while actually hunting i will 95% of the time be shooting from a sitting supported position that will keep the gun stable. The issue of weight and stability comes in when shooting trap and id like to start doing that a bit when i get my gun. Im considering recoil because it affects my follow through ability, i can learn to take the hurt because its not that bad. However not having good follow through means i wont hit much.

The reason i am heavily concentrated on pump is a safety reason. My friend who is advising me prefers pump to semi-auto because if an accidental trigger pull occurs after the shot the gun wont fire it you didnt rack it.
 
Please dont try to "Take the hurt."

Invest in a recoil pad as stated prior. It will help you. Shooting should be comfortable, not painful and unwanted.

Even FUN! Not something to be endured on the English Rack from the middle ages.

Racking singles into the chamber one at a time isnt a bad way to shoot when starting off. Wife and I did that for several visits before transitioning to the magazine tube.

Usually the shotguns are better than generic handguns (No offense big bore'ers... Im talking stuff like .45 ACP on down) with knock down and man halting power without the need for excessive pain or recoil.

One of the posts specifically stated, No magnums. Forget them. Those will certianly induce some discomfort, pain and even mental bells and whistles.

Good luck!
 
Hope you have a good outing.
When you single load the 1187, or most any semi that I know of, all you have to do for the next shot is drop in a shell and push the button. The action should open and lock open after the shot all by itself, so you will not have to rack anything.
The best safety in the world is between your ears. If the gun is pointed downrange or in another perfectly safe direction, and the trigger does get accidentally pulled, no harm done, and the shooter will learn and remember.
I have actually seen beginners have more issues with a pump. Forget to put the safety on, and when they cycle the action they accidently pull the trigger.
 
You are on the right track. Trying out two solid offerings (maybe more) before making a decision ... tough to go wrong there.

I really like both, but in the end my personal preference is for the Mossberg (a 590 in my case, but it does have the same basic layout as the 500), for the following reasons:

From my perspective, I actually prefer the Mossberg, despite the following that the Remington has. I like the location of the Mossberg safety better, and I also prefer the location of the slide release on the Mossy.
Click to expand...

... plus I like the fact that the shell elevator is retracted up out of the way for easier loading, for me anyway. YMMV.

Good luck!
 
Thank you for all the responses. I wanted to just get on here and say that, it seems that ive jumped into a debate like ATI vs. Nvidia or Intel vs. AMD in the computer world. Both guns are good but YMMV and i need to see what i like.

Also i saw something about the currently offered Rossi Trifecta which i would consider highly as a first gun (outside of these 2) except i want something more than single shot.
 
After Sunday i came up with 2 things, first being that recoil on a 20 ga pump or semi is nothing (i can handle it) however the weight matters alot. The second item is that shotguns dont fit my body frame, i have a very long shoulder to face distance and its very difficult for me to get my face on the stock even on an adult gun. I almost will need a custom stock built to fit my body because once i get my head down there i cant look down the barrel because im already bending my neck so far down.

Sorry i dont have any pictures.

Thanks again for the assistance
 
I have almost the same issue with the head down, I recently put a reflex sight on there which assisted in solving that little problem and can be used to aim the bead if nothing works anyway.

Prior to that, I was mentally prentending that the target itself was a foot off the gun. Not a way to ensure accuracy.
 
Recoil: 1) is going to be =greater= in the lighter gun.

2) is going to be =about= the same in 20 and 12 gauge for that reason, as the 20g gun is going to be lighter

3) Is going to be a =real= issue with a 3" chamber, don't bother

4) there is lots of reduced recoil ammo in 12g, I haven't seen much in 20g

5) control of recoil is mainly shooting stance ... TIGHT to the shoulder, lean IN to the gun. Make it push you, not smack you.

Differences between the Mossberg 500 and the Remington 870 are real, but it's "granny smth apple -vs- red delicious apple" difference, not apples and oranges.
 
If I was going to get a pump shotgun it would be either a Benelli or a older Winchester if you don't mind used.
 
Ill see if i can find a really long stock but i was shooting an adult model 1187 in 20 ga by the end of the day and still having the same problem. By the time i bend my neck down my eyes and face are staring at the action and not down the barrel. Im currently looking for a reflex sight to mount off the barrel.
 
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