Help Me Find My Do-All Shotgun

[Deer Hunter]

As I look through my safe, I find that I really only am lacking in a few areas. The main two would be the long-range bolt gun and dedicated shotgun.

I have two shotguns. My Stoeger 12 gauge coach gun, which I love dearly, and my 1740, which gives pterydactyles nightmares.

However, I want something to fill in the void. It would probably be my next big purchase, since my rifle void is villed with numerous other guns.

So here's my criteria:

Barrel: 22" or 24", modified choke (assuming I can still fire slugs from a modified choke, that is)
Gauge: 12, 3" chamber
Stock: Standard synthetic
Action: Semi-auto. I'm leaning toward an inertia driven action, but a reliable gas action would suffice
Magazine: Ability to have a longer tube.
Sights: Rifle sights

So what am I describing, shotgun gurus?

 

[Jeff F]

870 Remington.

 

[Deer Hunter]

I knew someone would do it....

Action: Semi-auto. I'm leaning toward an inertia driven action, but a reliable gas action would suffice

Besides, I already have the 1740.

 

[brasskeeper]

11-87

a 870 is not semi-auto

 

[Mercaptan]

People are never known for inherent ability to read:

http://www.fnhusa.com/le/products/firearms/model.asp?fid=FNF005&gid=FNG002&mid=FNM0018

Take a look at that. Rifle sights, synthetic stock, semi-auto, 18" barrel though, 6+1 capacity, it has adjustable choke plugs at the muzzle you can set yourself, just unscrew and voila.

 

[Deer Hunter]

How do people like the FN shotguns? Do they come with longer barrels?

Compared to the 11-87, are they more or less reliable?

 

[Jeff F]

I knew someone would do it....


Quote:
Action: Semi-auto. I'm leaning toward an inertia driven action, but a reliable gas action would suffice

I know, but I just couldn't help myself

 

[Mercaptan]

http://www.fnhusa.com/le/products/firearms/model.asp?fid=FNF005&gid=FNG002&mid=FNM0130

They do come with longer 22' (though rifled) barrels, hey look at that. Rifle type sights with a cantilever rail. I'm assuming you wanted a smooth-bore barrel with adjustable choke.

About reliability - no idea really. The only reason more people don't own one is the shear marketing ability of Remington (and that FNH chooses not to market for some unknown reason - I guess they have enough military contracts that the civilian market is truly secondary in sales proportions).

 

[Deer Hunter]

Hmmm....

It looks nice. Wonder if it's 3", and if they make any barrels that are smoothbore with adjustable or just a regular modified choke.

I'll keep looking.

 

[foghornl]

Here you go...

Mossberg 930 SPX

 

[cat9x]

m2 benelli

 

[TAB]

Every thing I have ever shot has not noticed the diffrence between a 2 3/4" and a 3 1/2" I on the other hand, did notice.


just my 2 cents.

 

[Deer Hunter]

TAB, I usually shoot 2 3/4" loads. However I'd like to have the ability to shoot 3" magnums if I needed to/wanted to.

I was looking at an M2. I'd have to find one used to be able to afford it.

Does the SPX come in longer barrels?

 

[ReadyontheRight]

Hard to avoid a Benelli with your requirements. How about a used M1?

 

[ArmedBear]

If you can afford a Benelli, then there's little reason to try to shoehorn one shotgun into conflicting roles, IMO.

 

[Deer Hunter]

Can anyone say with any certainty that the ID system is anymore reliable than a gas system?

 

[Johnny Guest]

Another Remington - -

The Remington 11-87, with an MSRP of $739 for the lowest-end model, is fairly reasonably priced. Almost all Remingtons may be found at places like Wal Mart for well under MSRP.

Which being said, the basic sporting model 1100 has an MSRP of $1084. That stunned me, but, hey, the old standard S&W Military & Police .38 revolver is shown on their web site at $711. EVERYTHING is higher than an old man thinks it should be priced.

If you'll prowl the gun shows and the pawn shops, though, you can locate an 1100 in very nice shape for far less money. And many think the older models are better guns. I've participated in several tactical shotgun matches at Dallas Pistol Club, and the older model 1100 guns are highly favored, and the 11-87 is not particularly well liked.

Some years back, all I had was an 11-48 16-ga, inherited from my Paternal Grandfather. The 16 ga. had almost died out and any variety of shells was hard to find. I decided I'd get a do-all shotgun of my own. I bought a new vent rib 1100 with improved cylinder choke. I prowled a Fort Worth gun show for extra barrels and soon had a vent rib trap special barrel and a plain modified barrel. The trap tube was excellent for waterfowl --back in the days before non-lead shot was required!

This was before the short slug barrel with rifle sights was widely available. I cut off the modified barrel even with the end of a Remington factory extension magazine. I then had front and rear sights from a model 700 rifle silver-soldered onto the barrel.

Now I had one gun with three barrels: IC for dove and quail, trap, for ducks and geese, and the short one for deer- and anti-personnel uses. The next year, I located a really ratty used 1100 with a shortened barrel. I cleaned it up, had it sandblasted and baked on a couple of layers of GunKote, using the rifle-sighted barrel. I now had an ugly, dedicated "bad news" gun, plus a nice sporting gun. This pair was completed well over 30 years ago, and are still the only shotguns I need to this day. Clearly, I'm not much of a scatter gunner.

I hope you'll be as satisfied with your all-purpose shotgun as I've been with mine.

Johnny

 

[Dr. Tad Hussein Winslow]

Budget, budget, budget??

 

[Taurus 617 CCW]

How about a Mossberg 935 on gunbroker for $475 buy it now? http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.asp?Item=112501117

That particular shotgun is capable of accepting a 3.5" shell so it meets your
3" requirement. It is black, synthetic and has the ability to add on an extended mag tube. There is a quick unload button for dumping the tube when finished shooting. It also has an overbored chamber that helps cut down on felt recoil and aids in less shot deformation. That's the best one I've seen for the money.

 

[ArmedBear]

Can anyone say with any certainty that the ID system is anymore reliable than a gas system?

It's probably slightly less reliable, since the gas system isn't sensitive to how you hold it. You can hold an 1100 in the air with two fingers, and it will still cycle just fine. OTOH it gets dirty a lot quicker and there's more to clean when it does.

But... if you're going to shoot doves in Southern Mexico or Argentina, where you shoot a few hundred per day, the ID system will keep on going whereas an 1100 will not. Fouling and overheating catch up with the things.

I'm not sure "reliable" is the right word.

 

[CWL]

Something Italian

 

[Deer Hunter]

No budget right now. This thread is for ideas. I'll put a price on those ideas later.

Can anyone attest to Armedbear's claims? If you held the benelli loosely, it wouldn't feed correctly? Much like limpwristing a pistol?

 

[Floppy_D]

Stoeger M2000. I may stand alone here, but I love mine.

 

[Deer Hunter]

Ok, I've been looking at some of the Remington 1100s and 1187s.

I know how to work on an 1100 (Been taking care of my dad's for years, and I had to completely dissassemble and clean my girlfriend's 1100) fairly well.

I've read that the 1187 was the "Improved" 1100. What exactly did Remington improve? Other than making the 1187 a 3" chamber?

 

[sanglant]

Have you thought of something like this, although i'm looking for something with out the ported barrel