Buying my first shotgun

[withoutink]

Once, I acquire a Gun safe (still doing research on that). The first firearm I will buy is a shotgun. I owned a Mossberg 500 a number of years ago. I never fired it, but had it at home for self defense. I ended up trading it.

So, I am at a point where I want to buy a shotgun again. I have a membership to an indoor range that allows shotguns / rifles. Finally, I will be able to use it. Plus, as HD goes its a damn fine defensive weapon.

So, what do I get. I don't want a POS el cheapo shotgun, but I dont want spend a fortune on it. I read an article about the Remington 870. I have noted that many people seem to have one of those, they appear to be rather reliable and not so expensive. Supposedly they run forever. Please note the shotgun wont be used for hunting, just HD and range fun... Maybe Ill try shooting clays (never did that before). But that wouldn't be the reason I get it. The other two guns I find mentioned a lot are the Sagia and the Mossberg 930 SPX.

My budget I suspect will be $200 - $600... Thoughts?

 

[rajb123]

What is the intended purpose; home defense? Are you planning to store the gun in the locked safe? I always wondered if a gun in a locked safe would provide good home defense.

Anyway, avoid cheap guns. Consider a quality pump shotgun in 20 guage which makes a good home defense gun. Mossberg would not be on my list, however.

 

[withoutink]

Yes. Hd as primary use. Locked in safe when my son is awake. Out at night. Or in a rifle shotgun vault under the bed. ie Amsec.

Or enlighten me how to keep it out 24/7 while keeping my 4yo safe.

 

[bikemutt]

Do check with your indoor range as exactly what ammo they will let you shoot in a shotgun. The one I frequent only allows certain slugs and double-0 buckshot or something along those lines. Anyone caught shooting birdshot will be asked to leave and never return. For me at least, when I first saw "shotguns welcome" at the my range, the ordnance I'd have use is of no interest to me.

I don't own one but the sound of a pump being chambered is sure to make an impression on any intruder, save perhaps a deaf one.

 

[huskershooter]

870's are great guns my dad owns one that myself and my two brothers all learned to shoot with. Its about 30yrs old and still shoots like new. I'd recommended getting one to anybody buying a shotgun.

 

[ultradoc]

you can't go wrong with the 870. get two barrels. one for h.d. the other for clays. good luck. it's in your price range.

 

[rajb123]

Pump guns have a distintive sound when a shell is loaded into the chamber and this scares intruders who usually flee when they here it.

One option to the gun safe is a trigger lock.

 

[terryknight]

i second or third the 870 I have 2 they are great and have a large aftermarket.

 

[bowyer19]

The 870 is probably the world's best pump shotgun.I've seen trap 870's that had 125,000 rounds through them,were never in the shop and still worked perfectly.

 

[JoeMal]

Personally...I would NOT recommend an 870. My cousin bought one and it's been back to Remington twice within the last year due to their infamous extraction problem.

I would recommend a Winchester

 

[Virginian]

Get a used Wingmaster and never look back. The only sound any intruder is going to hear, if they are real alert, is a slight click of the safety going off before the end. If it's some crack head with a 9mm held sideways he's likely to open up on that scary racking sound.
Winchester hasn't made a pump gun the equal of the Remington Wingmaster in decades. The Express is about down to the level of the 1300s, but they haven't sunk to the 1200 level quite yet.

 

[springfield30-06]

I would recommend a Remington 870, a used 870 Wingmaster if you can find one or a Mossberg 500. I know that people have had problems with newer 870 expresses but I have 4 of them bought within the last 3 years and never had the problems that some people report, so I personally would not count one out but YMMV.

 

[BushyGuy]

you can get a Remington 870 express at wally world for 270 bucks, spent another 300 for tactical upgrades - viola! a tactical awesome shotgun! i have an 870 express , i never had any problems with it shot everything thru it from 3" magnum s to 00 buckshot. make sure you see an m on the serial nbr , it can handle magnum loads.

 

[Strykervet]

Folks love 870's and Mossberg isn't on one guy's list, but it is on mine. The Mossberg is what our unit used to breach doors --they were the stupid pistol grip ones, but that was fine as they were only breaching tools. The Mossberg is nice in that it has TWO extractors instead of one, hopefully making it more reliable.

Non-infantry units also use the Mossberg, primarily the military prison guards. As far as I know, the Navy and them are the only ones that use them on people (these days). 00 buck at that. But I could be wrong, someone will probably chime in on it.

I have owned Mossbergs my whole life, I depend on one for security now, and I suppose I will in the future. I have never had a feeding issue or failure to extract. I even owned a beat up one that I got for a trade at a pawn shop years ago that looked like it had been thrown from a speeding car (seriously). Worked just fine.

But I will add this. I advise finding a 590 model, I don't know if they call it "Police" or "Military" (it is the one the miliatry uses though, but not for breaching, that was a plain 500 with a pistol grip) but make sure it has the steel trigger guard and steel safety. The plastic one is fine, it is what I use, but I would prefer the steel. The 590 I speak of has a bayonet lug (why? Army I guess.) and holds 9 rounds.

I don't trust auto shotguns, but if I had to have one, the only one would be a Benelli, but those are expensive. That is the new joint defense shotgun, by the way. If you ever plan on shooting three gun matches, you should save up and go this route. If you want an auto, you should seriously consider this one before going with a Saiga or Mossberg or Remington (or anyone else for that matter).

Now, 870 or Mossberg? Both are great, both are similarly priced, and both will do the job. 870 definitely if you want a pistol grip (why?) since it has the push button safety on the trigger guard. Mossberg if you want the traditional stock (which I prefer on a shotgun, it just works better for recoil IMO) since it has the slide safety on the receiver.

Either is a fine weapon. I've used them both. I think the 870 is a better deal if you want a nice looking deep blue hunting shotgun for a low price. Check Wal Mart for this. The Mossberg rules for me as the ideal defense weapon (with a regular stock) since it has the dual extractors. You can get either for a good price.

If you do want the pistol grip, or think you'll use it, make sure to get it that way new. You can't (because mommy says so) put a pistol grip on a factory stock model. Doubt anyone will ever check, but who knows these days. BTW, I got my Mossberg 500 with a pistol grip and bought a plain black stock to go on it for about $20. I fired it with the pistol grip once and put the stock on it the next day.

Most people don't use birdshot (informed ones anyway) for defense and most people don't use pistol grips to hunt. Firing 00 buck or slugs is less than fun with the pistol grip, birdshot is fine, so if you really insist on birdshot only, a pistol grip will suffice. Firing the same 2.75" mag loads with the stock isn't an issue. Plus it makes the shot more accurate, follow ups faster, and it feels more natural. Clearing a house with one is no problem, no more so than using an M4.

I hope this helps.

 

[MOHunter1978]

I would definitely suggest the Rem 870. I bought one at Wally World as well, but I paid 349.00 for it because it has a supermag receiver (takes a 3 1/2 in shell). I bought it for hunting, but it stays next to my bed. It comes with a trigger lock that prevents it from being opened or fired. I have four kids, five and younger, and I am confident there is no way they could open it. Also, the pointability (not sure if thats a word) of these shotguns is legendary. Took it to a trap shoot once...didn't miss...at all. Good luck.

 

[memphisjim]

If you want a new quality pump check out benelli. The others have fallen off a bit

 

[ArmedLiberal]

Yes. Hd as primary use. Locked in safe when my son is awake. Out at night. Or in a rifle shotgun vault under the bed. ie Amsec.

Or enlighten me how to keep it out 24/7 while keeping my 4yo safe.

Kids are infinitely curious and resourceful. It's a real possibility for him to catch a peek of your shotgun and to try and check it out while you're sleeping. Maybe I was just an overly curious kid. But I would say if it's possible for your child to access your gun it's not safe.

Another way to go about it is to introduce your child to the gun, teach him gun safety, allow him to handle it closely supervised, let him know that he can handle it again for the asking, and demonstrate it's destructive power. Let him know that he'll have opportunities to shoot as he gets older.

That might have worked for me when I was little.

 

[451 Detonics]

I owned a Mossberg 500 a number of years ago. I never fired it, but had it at home for self defense.

I do hope you plan on shooting this one...for all you know that Mossberg had a broken firing pin and would of failed to fire when you needed it most. I will agree the 870 is the standard for a HD shotgun and you would be well armed with one. there have been some things said I disagree with however.

1. The sound of the pump wracking will scare off an intruder. Nope...just let's an intruder know you are armed and where you areso he will be ready to shoot on sight. BG's who break into occupied homes are normally ready to kill the occupants.

2. You can put on pistol grip on a shotgun if it came with a shoulder stock unless you cannot own a pistol legally. And you can change it back and forth.

3. A padlock behind the trigger will make the shotgun safe even if loaded with one in the chamber as long as the lock shank is thick enough, a full sized Master Lock will work on Mossbergs, Winchesters, and Remingtons.

4. Skip the 20 and buy a 12 gauge, if you are recoil sensitive use Federal Reduced Recoil loads or reduced recoil loads from any manufacturer...I like RIO.

 

[MrSpiffy]

I'd also recommend the Remington 870. I bought the 870 Express as my first (and still my only) shotgun. I've used it extensively for trap and skeet, as well as turkey hunting. That gun is sweet! It has really smoothed out the more I've used it. No problems whatsoever. This "extractor problem"? Haven't seen it in my gun!

If you want a nicer, higher-capacity version of the 870, look for the Marine Magnum. More-durable finish, and holds more rounds. Plus it looks cool in silver!

 

[GigaBuist]

You'll get a lot of gun advise here. I won't spend much time on that but I'm very happy with a used 870 Wingmaster that I picked up years ago for $200. I spent another $100 on getting a 20" cylinder bore barrel for it and now it'll do trap, sporting clays, and home defense. I have other shotguns* but it's still my favorite.

If you're concerned about child access I'd recommend a Breech Vault from the GunVault company. They're about $20 and lock into the receiver. You can't chamber a round with it in there, but you can keep the tube full. It works on most Remington, Mossberg, and Winchester pump guns. I like it. A kid would either need the key or the ability to run power tools to get it off.

Trigger locks were recommended above, which I dislike very much, at least the external kind, and especially on shotguns. An external trigger lock won't keep anybody from chambering a round in the gun. And now you're relying on the friction between the locks' rubber pad and the trigger guard to keep it from sliding back far enough to keep it from discharging.

Beyond that, buy ammo, lots of it, and try and hit a trap, skeet, or sporting clays range. You'll learn how to run you gun well playing those games.


*: A couple SxS's, a couple single shots, a couple of Saigas and a couple of 870's.

 

[Girodin]

I have all the guns you mention. Any of them could be used for HD and range use. Depending on what "range shooting" consists of however I might prefer one to the others

The S12 is my favorite of the three. However, it takes the most work to get setup how I like. The link below is to a thread where I documented one of my S12 projects. Purchase price for a S12 is $600 right now and then you will need to put at least a few hundred more into PG conversion and mags. The S12 can take tinkering to get it set up how you like and to get everything working right together. It also has a more unique manual of arms and its own unique considerations for HD. A dialed in S12 is a heck of a firearm though. If you want something out of the box that's ready to go skip the S12.

http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=473230


The 870 is a great gun. They are very popular for a reason. I prefer the wingmasters (including older used guns) to the new express guns. It is easy to change from a HD barrel to a field barrel and back.

The 930. Mine sports a 18.5" barrel. I really like it. It is softer shooting than the 870s I've shot. I don't have nearly as many rounds through it as the other two but it has been totally reliable from shot one with everything from winchester wally world bulk box loads to 3" 15 pellet 00.

I don't trust auto shotguns,

I used to feel that way. Two things changed my mind. First, I acquired various auto loaders and ran them hard and saw that they did just fine. Second, I had a chance to note how many more issues one sees people with pump guns having than people with auto loaders in 3 gun.

I have pumps but have largely come to prefer auto loaders for the most part.

Unless you want a project and are willing to spend additional money I'd pass on the S12. Between the 870 and the 930 I prefer shooting my 930. I'd feel very comfortable using the 930 for HD. If you went with the 870 or a mossberg pump you'd have a very good gun as well.

 

[kilo729]

Pump guns have a distintive sound when a shell is loaded into the chamber and this scares intruders who usually flee when they here it.

:banghead:

Please be joking.

 

[mgkdrgn]

A good used 870 Wingmaster is probably the best thing you can get yourself if you are getting your first firearm. Uber reliable, been in production since dirt was new, and just about any aftermarket gidget made for a shotgun has been made for a Rem 870.

With a simple barrel change you can go from HD to Clays to Slug gun and back to HD in about 60 seconds .... blindfolded.

Take care of it ... and your 4 year old will still be shooting it with HIS/HER kids.

 

[augustino]

Which SG to Buy???


Decisions, decisions, decisions... HMMMMM I'm not surprised at how many folks mention, if not recommend the Remington 870. Great SG, fair price, great quality and pardon the expression but excellent bang for the buck! There's a GAZILLION of them out there both new & used, to choose from.

Personally I like Winchesters 1300 Defender with wood stock & forearm. If you can find one, these look almost as sweet as they shoot. These have always served me well although thank GOD, I've never had to use one in a true defense situation and hope I never will. They have a 7+1 capacity of 12 gauge rounds, that's better than a revolver and are excellent guns for the price. I think FN now carries a comparable SG based upon the design of the 1300. I guess you may find one used in a pawn shop or classified ADs. But they're few and far between.
Of course if you can't find one or prefer the 870 don't spend too much and I'm sure you'll find an excellent deal.

As for kids & guns well at 4 years old the answer is pretty simple, keep the gun high enough so that they can't get to it. But as they grow older don't hide guns from kids. Instead teach & educate the children, teaching them that a gun is as much a tool as a table saw. And either can really do some damage if used carelessly and irresponsibly. If you hide guns from kids they see them as the forbidden fruit. Then the first chance they get, they're going to bite into that forbidden fruit. The taste may be sour to them and the entire family. Be sure to educate so they don't play with guns when you're not around.

But the bottom line is that there are dozens of great SG available at very affordable prices like HIGH STANDARD; ITHACA; REMINGTON; MOSSBERG; FN; and on and on. Think of buying used, you're sure to save some serious cash as well.

 

[Ohio Gun Guy]

I like my mossberg 500. My Dad had/has mossbergs, therefore I prefer the safety on the tang....just what i'm used to. Otherwise, IMHO either the Remington 870 or Mossberg 500 would be fine choices. The mossbergs go for 80+/- less in my area. NEVER had a problem with mine / ours (Family). Many others swear by the 870, cant say I blame them.

Every kind of manufactured product will have stories of problems......keep in mind how many Hundreds of Thousands of either of these 2 models are out there.