1st Shotgun: Remington or Mossberg

[dracphelan]

I'm looking at getting either a Mossberg 500 or Remington 870 Express next weekend. My wife and I will be using this for skeet and home defense initially. I hope to use it for different forms of hunting (dove and deer) later. This will be I have a few questions:

1. Which one is it easier to change the barrels on?
2. My wife has never fired a shotgun and only fired 22 rifles. Though, she is not small or weak. Should I get 12 or 20 guage?
3. I really like the look of wood, but synthetic stands up to the elements better. Which would be better to get?
4. Considering that I will be paying the same amount for either one (thanks to a rebate), which would you get?

 

[cdcmj]

im biased, but 870 all the way,,

Barrel is a joke to take off
If she is not small or weak, she should be able to handle a 12 with practice
wood for look, synthetic for durability, etc
870 is and still used in about 80% of PD around the nation, its time tested and proved--much like the 1911, except this is model specific, GET THE 870 and shoot the heck out of it

 

[glockman19]

I too am biased and would get the Remington 870.

 

[Smitty in CT]

Try and shoulder them BOTH, they will fit you in different ways.

Buy the one that "feels" the best.

Either one will outlast you, I have both Mossbergs and a Remington "Wingmaster". The wingmaster is more "refined" but the Mossies are the ones I use the most.....

 

[Sunray]

They're both very high quality shotguns. Neither are difficult to change or find extra barrels. You can safely buy it on price alone.
Mossberg barrels are a bit cheaper than Remington barrels. Remington barrels are horrendously expensive up here in Canada. Over $300Cdn. More than what I paid for the shotgun. Easier to find though.
You may find a skeet choked shotgun a bit more expensive though. And it wouldn't be a bad idea to take your lady shooting first. Felt recoil can be tamed with a good recoil pad.
20 guage slugs aren't as easy to find as 12 guage slugs for deer. Forget buckshot. It's not reliable enough.

 

[dracphelan]

You may find a skeet choked shotgun a bit more expensive though.

Well, I am planning on buying a skeet choke tube for the shotgun. This is one of the things that is attracting me to using a shotgun for hunting.

 

[skinewmexico]

I can't help it, as I was growing up, Mossberg's were definitely a lower tier weapon. I know they're all tacticool now, but I'd still go with an 870.

 

[ArchAngelCD]

Not again !!! LOL

I have both and both are outstanding shotguns. Both are reliable, accurate and will last a very long time. I like the position of the safety on the Mossberg and my son likes the Remington 870 better. We both have no other reason than, it feels good in my hand.

Get the 12 ga if you want to use it in the future for deer. You can buy light target loads for your wife so she can get used to firing a shotgun without busting her up. I like wooden stocks but synthetic stocks are more durable. Changing barrels on either is just a turn of the cap.

 

[Avenger29]

1. Which one is it easier to change the barrels on?

Barrels are readily available for either one, and are easy to change. The Mossberg only has one caveat: due to the style of the barrel attachment to the magazine, you are limited to using barrels that fit the magazine length. Look at the barrel attachment point to the magazine and you will see.

With the Remington, it is possible to add an extended magazine later.

2. My wife has never fired a shotgun and only fired 22 rifles. Though, she is not small or weak. Should I get 12 or 20 guage?

A 12 gauge should be within her capabilities. It would be best, however, for her to try one that comes close to fitting her, with a decent recoil pad.

3. I really like the look of wood, but synthetic stands up to the elements better. Which would be better to get?

Either one works.

4. Considering that I will be paying the same amount for either one (thanks to a rebate), which would you get?

I have both a Remington 870 and a Mossberg Maverick 88 (cheaper version of the 500). Both are good shotguns, but I got the Remington because
1) I like steel receivers- finishes- like parkarizing, will be even
2) I like the ability to add more stuff to the 870.

I really appreciate the ergonomics of the 500 series, though. The slide release is in a natural place, and the tang safety is great for lefties and those who don't like crossbolt safeties.

 

[Cosmoline]

I hate the 870's for one simple reason--the SAFETY. For backpacking in bear country, having a dinky little safety you can't see and that can get kicked on and off by accident is way too much risk. The Mossy 500 has a big tang safety you can visually confirm. It won't get switched on and off by accident.

As far as steel vs. alloy, I've taken 500's into extremely rough territory and treated them very badly. They were my main fishing companions for many years up here. After a season I could pour the grit and sand out of the action. But they always functioned and corrosion wasn't a problem.

Remington gets a lot of cred because it's seen as a higher end shotgun maker, but if you're ever going to be going cocked and locked seriously consider the Mossberg instead! You may save some toes that way.

 

[Ash]

The Mossberg locks the sear whereas the Remington merely locks the trigger in the same fashion, really as the SKS.

Now, I own both, an Express 870 and an older single-bar Western Field 550 (500). Both are 3" magnums. Generally, I prefer the Mossberg. In this case, though, I would probably recommend getting the one that fit the best. Extras will be just as easy to get between the shotguns. Try them both and decide which one has the best safety arrangement for you.

Ash

 

[Nitrogen]

870 is easier to add stuff to, as well as strip down and maintain in my opinion. You'll do fine with either.

 

[W.E.G.]

Get the lady a stainless .357 revolver with 4" barrel for chores around the house.

 

[dracphelan]

Get the lady a stainless .357 revolver with 4" barrel for chores around the house.

She already has one of those (she took it from me and calls it hers now). She wants a Springfield Armory XD45 for concealed carry. She also wants to skeet shoot skeet and hunt. The shotgun is a compromise. It is actually her turn to get a firearm, but it is my money. So, since I have a card that will give me money toward a future purchase at Cabelas (and she is interested in too). I get to buy the shotgun and she gets to use the money toward what she wants later.

 

[Quoheleth]

Personally, I own and use a Mossy 20 gauge. I'm 6'4", 300 lbs. I prefer the 20. I would suggest the 20 Mossy. The safety has already been mentioned - I am a lefty. But one other major factor is that, while I CAN shoot a 12, I find packing a 20 all day in a dove field much easier and more enjoyable. Those extra ounces add up after an afternoon of hiking.

If you shoot deer like lots of folks do in central Texas - out of a stand over a feeder - a 20 gauge slug will do just fine.

My $.02...

Q

 

[Geno]

Remington 870 Wingmaster in 20 gauge.

 

[throdgrain]

One small question by the way, do you think its going to be easy shooting skeet with a pump action? I take it you do skeet the same as we do over here, theres 4 or 5 sets of double clays to shoot. Now I can do it with a pump, but its not easy, and very hard for a complete novice I would have thought?

 

[dracphelan]

One small question by the way, do you think its going to be easy shooting skeet with a pump action?

I'm needing a single shotgun to do many things (thus the changing barrels question). Besides, I'm not sure if what I will be doing most of the time would really be considered skeet shooting. I will be using the shotgun range at my local range with clay throwers.
http://www.eaglepeakshootingrange.com/gpsr/shotgunrange.html

 

[throdgrain]

Its not the barrells mate, its the pumping another shell into the gun whilst 2 clays are in flight at the same time

Edit

Looking at that link, its not skeet shooting at all

 

[Fred Fuller]

Wood stocks are generally easier to cut down if it needs to be shortened to fit. Both are easy enough to extend if more length is needed, not likely with most female shooters though. But the gun should be set up to fit HER, if she is going to use it for HD. You can adapt to her gun better than vice versa.

There's a wider variety of loads available for the 12 ga.- better IMHO to get the 12 and use reduced recoil or low brass loads in the heavier gun.

Barrels are easy enough to change on either, no real difference there.

My personal bias is in favor of the 870, I like them better than Mossbergs. But that's just me- you should get what suits you and your SO best.

Stay safe,

lpl/nc

 

[Avenger29]

As far as steel vs. alloy, I've taken 500's into extremely rough territory and treated them very badly. They were my main fishing companions for many years up here. After a season I could pour the grit and sand out of the action. But they always functioned and corrosion wasn't a problem.

I know that the aluminum alloy receiver of the 500 series isn't a real issue (I also have a 1300, which also has the aluminum receiver), but something about being machined from a solid steel forging just pleases me- the 870 just seems to be heftier. If I'm going with the Mossberg, I am going with one of the 590 variants...

 

[MCgunner]

Which one is it easier to change the barrels on?

equal


My wife has never fired a shotgun and only fired 22 rifles. Though, she is not small or weak. Should I get 12 or 20 guage?

You can do anything with a 20 that you can do with a 12 and it recoils less. Well, if she's going to turkey or goose or deer hunt, I'd get a 12. For defense or any other hunting including ducks over decoys, the 20 will do the job just as fine.

I really like the look of wood, but synthetic stands up to the elements better. Which would be better to get?

I prefer plastic for actual use and wood to look at. I have one gun with plastic, my Mossberg, primarily a waterfowl gun for the salt marshes. It's also camo finished and pretty rugged as shotguns go.

Considering that I will be paying the same amount for either one (thanks to a rebate), which would you get?

I prefer the Mossberg, but I'm biased being a lefty. Mossbergs are much better guns for a lefty because they don't have that stupid crossbolt safety. I also prefer the Mossberg to a Remington for hard use in corrosive environments.

JMHO and to rebuff the legions that seem to think the 870 is worth more than an engraved, custom fitted Purdey. The 870 is nothing special, no better action IMHO than a good M500 or 835.

 

[Dave McCracken]

Get the one that FEELS best to your spouse....

 

[MCgunner]

As to fit, I had to mod my Mossberg. It never had enough drop at comb. It's about perfect in length of pull, but I suspect a smaller woman would want a shorter stock. I think the 870 would suffer the same far as length of pull, but might have a little more drop. You can fit the gun, though, with a little work and wood would be easier to work with if you have to cut any stock length off I'd think.

Just a few thoughts.

 

[ronto]

I prefer the Mossberg 500 for the following reasons:
(1) The location of the safety.
(2) The location of the slide release.
(3) The shell elevator does not get in the way when loading.
(4) Higher factory standard magazine capacity.
(5) Duel shell ejectors.
(6) "Usually" costs less than the 870.

The 870 may have "heirloom" potential but the Mossberg will last my lifetime.