all around shotgun?

good ol mossberg 500. They work, they are reliable, they have great aftermarket support, and you wont feel too bad if you drop it in the mud.

You already have two of the best shotguns ever made.

You can put a synthetic stock set on your 870 for less then $65 bucks.

http://www.brownells.com/shotgun-pa...187_a_7c747_a_7c767000921_d_768186140_d_10286

I am going to be hunting in ths Mississippi river bottom

Click to expand...

If that involves ducks & geese, you have to use steel shot under Federal law.
Your Belgium Browning is not suitable for use with most non-toxic shot.

rc

I have seen a lot of 11-87's on gun racks for $500 more or less. A good all around shotgun. Mossberg has a new model the 930. I like gas semi autos for less recoil but all the newer guns are good if they fit you right. I think there is a new model Browning too. Beretta makes a nice gun too. If you are talking upland I like a Beretta 686 O/U. Also a Franchi 720. Too many to list. I have had trouble with cheap imports especially finding parts for here today gone tomorrow guns. I take it you are thinking duck and goose gun?

If you're looking for a semi-auto .....look at the gas sytem guns....Beretta, Browning Gold or Silver series ...for the most affordable options and good solid guns. They probably make 60 or more models between them...so you have a lot to choose from - to fit your needs and budget.

If you want an inertia operated gun ....look at the offerings from Benelli.

Personally I like the Benelli ...and if you go with their synthetic stocked guns - they have models with the option of their "Comfort Tech system", and I'd suggest you pick a model with that in it for reduced recoil.

There is no need for 3.5" shells for duck or turkey. If anything they are handicap. If you are a high volume shooter buying ammo by the case for geese then the 3.5" shells have a place. For the occasional shot at a goose I'd either pass on longer shots and stay with steel 3" loads or buy the more expensive non-toxic shot. It really works better than 3.5" steel anyway. It just costs a lot more and wouldn't be feasable if buying a lot of it.

If you like the 870 you have, then just replace the stock.

If buyng an auto to be used primarily for waterfowl I'd begin, and end my search with one of the Benelli's. I have a couple of older M-1's that are perfect. The newer M-2 is even better. Unless you insist on shooting 3.5" shells there is no reason to buy the more expensive Super Black Eagle.

There are a lot of good gas guns. But in the mud and abuse a shotgun takes waterfowl hunting the inertia actions will hold up almost as well as a pump in those conditions.

All of my guns have wood stocks. A couple of them I have hunted with for over 35 years. They all look like new despite the fact I will bash down briers with the butt of my gun. What is my secret? When I notice scratches on my gun I wipe it down with Old English scratch remover. Use the Old English for light colored wood on all guns. When I get a new gun one of the things I do before hunting is wipe it down with the Old English. When I do scratch the gun stock the repairs match. A bottle of Old English scratch remover costs less than $10.

I don't know much about them. I sold a Turkish gun because no aftermarket chokes fit. But it was fine otherwise. There is enough of them that you might be ok with them for parts. In the long run you are better off with a used more expensive name brand for parts and service if they are in your price range I would think. But if you want to try one it's what you can afford it's fine. Then you can tell us how it worked out.

I was going to get a tristar for a truck gun. The only place to get chokes for them is from tristar and that is if they have them in stock. That is a direct quote from the tristar rep I spoke to on the phone. I decided I didn't need a tristar after that call.

Doesn't get much more all-around than the Mossberg 500 combo setup. Comes with two barrels--28" vent rib for meat/games, 18.5" for home protection. Can be had for around 400.00, nice setup.

If you want a pump in 3 1/2", Look at the Mossberg 535 combo. We sell them for under $400.00, and has synthetic stock, all Mossy Oak, 22" turkey barrel w/ xxfull choke, and 26" field bbl with chokes. Can't beat that.

Plus if you really want to go one-gun, you can get a matching rifled slug barrel with cantilever scope mount, and even a muzzleloading barrel!

I've been hunting with my Mossberg for many years - no problems at all.

TR

A lot of people are happy with their stoegers. I have seen a couple stoeger double barrels with bulged barrels, the shooter was only shooting low brass shells. I have never seen a stoeger auto or pump with a defective barrel. Both shooters were regulars at Durham County Wildlife Club. You can call DCWC on any Saturday and who ever answers the phone will verify this experience. DCWC is big on gun safety. They quit ordering stoeger double barrels for their members. They buy shells and guns as a group. They buy so many boxes of AA they get distributor prices.

The 870 with Rem Chokes, or even better a Poly-Choke so you don't have to haul around extra choke tubes would be a great all around shotgun.

Just my .02,
LeonCarr

They now make a Polychoke with the RemChoke threads so it screws in just like a choke tube.

www.poly-choke.com

Just my .02,
LeonCarr

Am I too late to this party? Sorry if I am...

I recently bought a TriStar Raptor and am happy so far. It cycles Rio low recoil 2-3/4" #4 buck and slugs every time, even when loosely held at the hip with the pistol grip, but doesn't always completely eject Federal #7-1/2 Field-and-Target. I suspect it just needs some break-in. Perhaps it needs a weaker spring for the low power shells. The rails look quite good so no need to polish them.

It's new on the market and only time will tell if these are reliable for the long term and if they catch on so parts are always available and aftermarket goodies become fairly common. The internals look pretty nice to my untrained eyes.

I can say that these use common Benelli/Beretta chokes and Remington 870 tube extensions (with minor modification). I can't do much these days so I paid a friend to add an ATI +3 tube extension and it works perfectly... had to cut the end off of the original tube to remove the lip and add a short spacer made of PVC pipe painted black. It all looks very decent... nearly like factory parts. Before the mod it could only hold 4+1 of the Rio low recoil #4 buck or 5+1 of the low-brass Federal F-n-T. Now it holds 7+1 and 8+1 respectively. Since this is a HD firearm I used the flash suppressor which is slightly longer than the other provided choke so it works well with the longer tube.

EDIT: If anyone is interested I'll post some pics.

I'm not a huge shotgunner, but I love my Rem. 1100 and got it for a great price. Its been very reliable and is a nice soft shooter with target loads for clays. Trigger is pretty good too. I think the Beretta 390 is also a great gun. Personally I am not a big fan of pumps; I have a hard time working them and staying on target, but that's just me. That said, I've shot an 870 and it was a good gun.

T.R. said:

I've been hunting with my Mossberg for many years - no problems at all.

TR

Click to expand...

TR;
Is that a rope around the deer's neck? Was it tied up when you shot it!?

And what's the plastic-zip-tie looking thing around the mag tube in front of the forearm please?