Need some help selecting a utility shotgun.

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pearsonm, how about an O/U? There are inexpensive Turkish and Russian examples that do just fine and would be perfect for a lefty. I have a Baikal 20 gauge I have put at least a thousand rounds through the last 3 years or so with nary a hiccup. I shoot trap with it and it is my most frequent choice when small game or dove hunting.
 
^ Thank you for the suggestions on an O/U, clang and brewer. I've wanted one since I was a kid but price was always an issue. In the end I still like the versatility and cost effectiveness of a pump.

For the same price of a lower-end O/U from a Big Box I decided to go back to my local dealer and get a Browning BPS. I looked again at the 870 Express but I don't want a repeat of the Mossberg debacle. The BPS is more than I wanted to spend but Browning had a $75 mail-in rebate and I went with a 26" barrel so I should be able to shoot anything from #8 birdshot to rifled slugs.
 
Browning makes quality products. The fit and finish is excellent on their firearms. I have flirted with the idea of getting a BPS myself. You will be happy. Sorry that the Mossberg frustrated you so. Mine has worked well but recently I had sent in back for some work. They fixed the problem in a timely manner but in process created a new problem which as best I can determine is due to a manufacturing run of trigger groups being out of spec. The reason I say it must be the whole run is that I have sent back and received three new trigger groups are all having the same issue. If I haven't been a Mossberg 500 user for nearly 30 years it would be enough to make me change brands. In that manner I have shot a few rental guns that ran like crap and have soured me to the whole brand from a vendor. When the gun range saw me one day renting one and bepreaking it down to clean it, they were perplexed why I would do such a thing. They swore up and down they cleaned them regularly, yea right.
 
In that manner I have shot a few rental guns that ran like crap and have soured me to the whole brand from a vendor.
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Choosing a shotgun was a whole lot harder for me than a handgun because I have access to all sorts of indoor ranges with rentals of all major brands and models. Plus, I had things narrowed down to a 9mm and shot the G19 the best, which is what I wanted anyway. If Glock made field shotguns I'd buy one.

Mossberg tried to mail me back a refurbished gun with replacement barrel, bolt and trigger assembly but I got my new-gun money back instead. I considered a Wingmaster but when I found out the BPS was actually cheaper that sealed the deal.

The only things I had trouble with was 20 vs 12-gauge and 28" vs 26" barrel. I like the commonality of the 12 but the compactness and light weight of a 20. I went with a 26" 12-gauge as a sort of compromise.
 
Give us a range report after you've taken it out a few times. I bet it will be a great shotgun.
 
Refurbished you mean fixed yours? They put a brand new bolt, trigger assembly, and barrel on a brand new receiver, is that what I am reading? And you consider that bad customer service? Its your business obviously but that sounds more than reasonable to me.
 
So should all warranty work equate to full refund or brand new firearm? Serious question. If the BPS has an issue like say with an extractor should they not just replace the extractor? Or do they need to replace the whole gun or refund?
 
^I don't expect a problem with a new Browning but I'll cross that bridge if and once I come to it. Mossberg never diagnosed the problem, they just threw parts at it. The Mossberg is no longer in my ownership. I moved forward a long time ago. So should you.
 
Give us a range report after you've taken it out a few times. I bet it will be a great shotgun.
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I got to take advantage of a beautiful Missouri Saturday yesterday and ran my new BPS. I had to blow a huge sigh of relief - not only did it perform flawlessly right out of the box but the action is snot-slick, it fits great and I like the 26" barrel. I really, really like shooting this gun.

I broke it down and gave it a once-over before heading out. The outside and barrel were packed with goop but the internals were clean and free of any shavings. The bottom-eject design is funny on reassembly - the pin locking the trigger assembly comes out easy with a golf tee but I hate the smaller diameter pin that holds the extractor. I hope to get better with practice.

I bought a variety of ammo to try (listed below, all 12-gauge, 2-3/4", 1-1/8 ounce, 8-shot except the Herter's, which was 1 ounce). It all ran with zero issues, even the mythical Winchester Universal Jammomatic (let the conspiracy theories begin).

I squeezed of a couple of rifled slugs (Remington Slugger) and a 00 buckshot (Herter's Self Defense) into a suspicious 2-liter of Mountain Dew. I intend to get onto a rifle range on the next trip to see what kind of range I can expect with a bead sight.

On our way off the range we passed a poor guy who just got a new Mossberg back from the factory after they threw parts at a feed issue. He quit after 24 rounds. Needless to say I'm glad I got out of my own enormous ClusterF.

BRASS
-Herters Select Grade
-Remington Premier STS LT
-Federal Premium
-Winchester Heavy
-Estate

STEEL
-Remington Gun Club
-Federal Top Gun
-Winchester Universal
 
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Glad to hear it worked well for you. As for slugs and a beaded sight. In 2014 we took Scott Reitz shotgun classes in Los Angeles area. My buddy had a simple bead shotgun. Prone he had no problem ringing the gong at 100 yards. To get POA, POI with slugs you need to bring the receiver up a bit more to have the bead buried a bit more than you would normall do. Slugs for a torso shot are reasonable "flat" till about 125 yards and then they really drop. Keep in mind I said torso shot, not bullseye or hunting shooting.
 
sappyg said:
Gotcha.
I too have a 500 with ejection issues that I feel are completely unrelated to the OP. I've emailed mossberg without response but no matter. It is the holidays. Before I send it to them (after a phone call... After the holidays) I'm honing the chamber just to be certain.
In the case of OP I truly believe honing would solve the problem. There is an outside chance that the ejector could be out of spec but I doubt it. I'm sure that mossberg will work this out. I've sent a few guns back to the manufacture in the past and all was made right in the end.
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To each his own but I never Email firearms manufacturers. I always call them. Much better luck that way.
 
Sheepdog1968 said:
Browning makes quality products. The fit and finish is excellent on their firearms. I have flirted with the idea of getting a BPS myself. You will be happy. Sorry that the Mossberg frustrated you so. Mine has worked well but recently I had sent in back for some work. They fixed the problem in a timely manner but in process created a new problem which as best I can determine is due to a manufacturing run of trigger groups being out of spec. The reason I say it must be the whole run is that I have sent back and received three new trigger groups are all having the same issue. If I haven't been a Mossberg 500 user for nearly 30 years it would be enough to make me change brands. In that manner I have shot a few rental guns that ran like crap and have soured me to the whole brand from a vendor. When the gun range saw me one day renting one and bepreaking it down to clean it, they were perplexed why I would do such a thing. They swore up and down they cleaned them regularly, yea right.
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Browning has never owned a manufacturing facility during their entire existence, but as a rule have only put their name on high quality products. As far as I know FN made all Browning products up until the early 70's when Miroku starting making shotguns for them. Today, FN owns Browning and Winchester. Browning rifles, semi and pump shotguns are made by FN. O/U's are made by Miroku and you can still get Superposed from the FN Custom Shop.
 
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