It has to do everything

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Trap, skeet, upland, swamp rats (nutria), casual target and home defense. Price tag under $500, 3 1/2" chamber doesn't matter, absolutely bomb-proof, 28" tube if possible. I will bathe my new toy in Break-Free CLP, swamp water, and the occasional mud puddle. After-market chokes are a possibility. I simply need one gun that'll tackle anything I throw at it and then some.

I'll admit I know just enough about shotguns to get myself in trouble. The whole 3 1/2" chamber mess I'd like to avoid, as a) one really isn't necessary for what I'll be doing and b) aside from giving me a bigger bruise there's not much point to 'em. The Remchester 887 is awfully tempting based on price, features, and the Frenchman's review in F&S. People's opinions about actual long-term use matters more than ink on a page (or dots on a screen), though.

Thoughts? Ideas? Colorful remarks? I'd like a short list of two or three to eyeball next time I hit the gun shop. Unfortunately shotguns are one subject where my experience falls rather flat.
 
For me the closest fit to what you are looking for is a Browning BPS Hunter 12 Ga with 28" barrel and 3" chamber. List is $599 (above your cutoff, but our local Walmart will special order it for $480). Comes with F, M and I/C choke tubes, so you can adapt it to many uses. 12 Ga because it is the standard gauge when it comes to ammo. You can get 12 gauge shells for about any need. The action on the BPS is silky smooth right out of the box. It will handle any load (light or heavy) without feed issues (unlike some semi-automatics).
 
nutria? swamp water? you located in Louisiana? Sounds like the same area I frequently hunt in. I was in the same boat you are in looking for a shotgun that would handle what I could throw at it. I started using my dad's old remington 870 wingmaster magnum with 3" chamber, and full choke barrel that doesnt even accept choke tubes. It handles everything I could throw at it. I also keep it showered it clp and it still looks/functions like brand new, and i know it gets bathed in saltwater/ marsh mud everytime I go to the duck blind. I think a 870 would suit you just fine. In my opinion the older the better.
 
A synthetic stocked model of several major brands will do as you asked. A common 28" barrel pump gun in Remington, Mossberg, and FN. Go to a pawn shop and find all of these bargain models for much less.

I agree with the reliability and/or slickness of the BPS, but you may find the bottom eject a little harder toload and unload on an offical clay range where you load one at a time & leave your bolt open at all times other than when you shoot. I am still trying to figure out the best new loading routine for using the BPS or my Ithaca 37 at the trap range without upsetting my shooting friends.

If trap and skeet are not your primary use concerns, then my vote goes to the BPS.
 
If you are really going to abuse it the remington 887 or benelli supernova would probably fit you
 
"Swamp water" as in the preferred habitat for nutria (swamp rats). Washington has a population problem with 'em, though not as bad as Louisiana does. A few years ago they shut down a very popular wildlife area for eight months in order to get rid of the nutria. In some areas, though, you can't use a rifle or a handgun to hunt (local firearm restriction zones). But you can use a scattergun! Since the damn things are such a pest I figure I can help DFW get the numbers down. :D

Trap & skeet are something I shoot using a loaner gun from a friend who knows a helluva lot more about these things than I do! I might shoot four rounds total during summer between trap and skeet as the ranges just don't have the hours they used to. Should the ranges open up a bit more during late spring, I can see shooting more often. Hence the reason I mention the two, but they aren't the highest priority on my list. Shooting straight, patterning well, and not requiring hours of needy cuddling on a bench take top billing. A shot of Break-Free CLP, a quick swab or two with a boresnake, and it better run til Hell or High Water. And it does rain here a bit.

Outright abuse isn't intentional, its just my luck. :) More than once I've crushed, dunked, or dropped items worth at least one paycheck. Hence the "bomb-proof" request. I don't mind going a little over-budget if it means getting that much more out of it, though.

I'll put the BPS Hunter on my list along with the 887 and the Supernova. Reading a few older posts have gotten me a tick skeptical on the 887 now. Does the polymer coating extend to the interior of the receiver, or just on the outside? I also recall a comment about swinging like a half-rotted out 4x12?

Thanks again, fellas! Your help is very much appreciated!
 
Trap, skeet, upland, swamp rats (nutria), casual target and home defense
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Pretty tall order for a gun to do anything WELL. While a basic US pump can do everything, it has a tendency to nothing particularly well unless you get specific models designed for those purposes.
 
oneounceload said:
Pretty tall order for a gun to do anything WELL. While a basic US pump can do everything, it has a tendency to nothing particularly well unless you get specific models designed for those purposes.
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For the most part it'll be casual target shooting and hunting, with the rest coming as needed. I don't need an expert's piece, just a dead reliable one.


Stoeger 2000 or two H&R Pardners pumps - one for HD and one for sport but the two guns would cost less than $500.00 so they may not cost enough for you.
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I'll have to read up on the Stoeger 2000. Can't justify spending money on a firearm made in China, though. Once H&R announced the Pardner was going to be made in China, I stopped thinking about buying any of their wares.
 
I can't disagree with you but for me if a USA company wants to manufacture outside the USA that is their choice and if H&R/Marlin/Remmington want to put their name on it and it is a good product then that is fine with me. Before obama, fiat, and the UAW union flaks took over I would have rather driven a made in Mexico Dodge truck (tell me you don't drive a Dodge) than a Toyota made in the USA. Check out the Stoeger (Benelli) - but I'll warn you it is made in Turkey. I'm thinking you would be best served by a Mossberg 500 with the combo barrels- best bang for the $$$. The new Remmington
870's just don't have the pride in production any more and that is sad.
 
If someone posted in the rifle forum that they wanted a rifle for a few hundred bucks that would do everything they might ever want to do with a rifle, "and then some"...

Look, you won't get a shotgun that will do that, either. Sorry. You will want another, different shotgun soon enough.

If you want an entry-level shotgun that will continue to serve you as a backup/foul-weather gun, and that will allow you to dabble in clay games, that's doable. An 870 or 500 will do that. Spend as little as possible, provided you get a gun that works. Those guns work, and they've worked for a few generations of shooters.:)

The 887 is a POS that handles like a wet fencepost. Stay away.

But... A 28" 12 Gauge 870 Express will not work for wild quail. Sure, you'll hit one now and then, but you will soon be wanting something very different. Shotguns are like golf clubs: the way they swing matters, and when you want a driver, a putter won't do. Many serious waterfowlers end up with 3.5" guns, to take advantage of relatively inexpensive steel goose loads -- but those guns are not what you want for chukar!

Personally, I'd recommend doing what I did. Get the cheapest viable gun you can, to start with. For me, that was an 870 Express. If I had it to do over again, I might have gone Mossberg. The Nova handles well, but it's very heavy for upland use.

Gun fit matters. Whatever gun you buy might not work for you AT ALL. If you can get help from someone knowledgable, do. They might be able to help you guess at the right gun to start with.

Trap has become very specialized, and while it's fun and a good way to start, it's no longer all that closely related to practical shotgun skills. Skeet is probably a better choice.

But, no matter what, I would advise you to spend as little as possible on a durable gun right now. $300 would be the MAX. You will want another, different gun, soon enough. If you spend excess cash to get a gun you think will be good for everything, you will regret it -- because two guns with different handling and other characteristics will be better than one gun that does few things all that well.

Again, shotguns are like golf clubs. There may only be a few gauges. 12 and 20 may cover all the bases. But the bore size isn't what matters.

Right now, if I were you, I'd just want to "get my feet wet" for the minimum possible cost. It's very difficult, if not impossible, to know what shotgun(s) you REALLY want until you've gone through the school of hard knocks for a while with a shotgun.:)
 
A few years ago I would have quickly suggested a Remington 870 without hesitation. But nowadays not so much. I have an 870 Supermag synthetic that I bought in late '97 or early '98 that is as slick as any wingmaster I've ever handled. I had it camo clad a few years ago and it's about as bullet proof as they come. I also own a BPS 10 ga.that has proven itself very reliable in the Goose fields over the last 20 years or so. I'm not big on the benelli nova, I don't like its looks, but then thats just me. I handled an 887 in a shop a while back. I can attest that it's no 870, but the armor coating is a great idea, and as best as I recall was only on the exterior surfaces. I'd go for an older Remington 870 or the BPS.
 
I have to second the 870 Express Magnum post. Mine's hammered everything that flew in front of it, whether it was made of clay or feathers. It's taken a few dips in the ocean with me. (Never meant to, things just happen when duck hunting. Any waterfowler would understand that.) It's been used for a boat paddle (unloaded and open action of course) when the motor died and there was just one paddle for the three of us. It gets cleaned, sometimes, once a year. And it's only let me down two times.

One of the times it let me down was right after a good thourogh cleaning and oiling. We were out shooting skeet (unorganized), preparing for a dove hunt. The action kept sticking, and was extremely stiff compared to how it usually felt. I unloaded the gun, took a handful of powdery dirt, and dumped it in the action. After working the action for a few seconds, I dumped out the oil laden dirt and went back to shooting. My hunting buddies shook their heads in amazement when it was obviously smoother and faster than before. I was the first to walk out of the field with my limit.

The other time it let me down was on a dove field. The ejector had gotten bent somehow through regular use/abuse. Being bent, I couldn't close the action. A set of needle nose pliers on a Leatherman Tool and a little bit of wiggleing; I was able to break it off, close to the rivet. I just figured that I'd rather have a single shot than nothing. But to my surprise, it functioned flawlessly. And still does, I still haven't goten around to fixing it. And why should I? It's not broke? It still works perfectly.

I have prettier, more expensive guns. Guns that supposedly do everything better. Guns with less scratches, less rust and more finish. But when it's time to perform, in worse than adverse conditions, I know the 870 will still work.

Wyman
 
Again, I appreciate the help very much fellas!


Check out the Stoeger (Benelli) - but I'll warn you it is made in Turkey.
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Turkey doesn't bother me in the least as I've heard they make darn good shotguns; China, however, does bother me. If I can't trust 'em to make cat food or kids toys, how can I trust 'em with my life? Chinese metallurgy isn't exactly world renown for quality.

The 887 is a POS that handles like a wet fencepost. Stay away.
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Wilco! I read your other "soggy 4x4" comment in another thread. Between your comments and what the fella at the gun shop said when I called, I'll avoid it. To be polite, he wasn't as kind.

But, no matter what, I would advise you to spend as little as possible on a durable gun right now.
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Every single time that has happened, regret wouldn't begin to describe the results. After reading about quality control issues with Remington, Mossbergs being Uber-cheap, and Novas that cost a fortune to fix, I'd rather spend a tick more up front if it means an increase in quality. I'll still check 'em out, but they won't be at the top of my list.

So the short list looks like a BPS Hunter/Stalker, an 870 Express Mag, and a Stoeger 2000. Though after talking to my guru, I do have one question about the whole Inertia-driven system. How often do those guns end up being single-shots because of incorrect adjustment from the factory? He was telling me horror stories about the SBE and folks sending their guns in five and six times before they came back in shooting condition. The Stoeger 2k uses it, which is why I ask.
 
Early this month I got a Mossberg 500 Field-Security Combo that comes with a 28" ported "Accu-Choke" vent rib barrel and an 18" cylinder bore barrel that can be switched back and forth depending on current use. Also a pistol grip that you can swap in. Out the door for about $350. So far I love it; very versatile and a great deal. I'm quite happy with it as a first shotgun, though I haven't used the 28" barrel yet.

Oh yeah, the part number for it is 54169.
 
Find an older, broken-in 870 of your preferred type (Express, Wingmaster, whatever) at a pawnshop somewhere and hunt around for a cheap Duracoating place if you really feel the need to - personally, I just rubbed my 870 down with Vaseline when I rescued it and it hasn't had a spot of rust since. Buy a handful of RemChokes and/or an extra barrel or two and you'll have your rugged do-all gun for well under your price cutoff. Spend the leftovers on ammo, or save 'em in case you Get Serious about shotguns as AB predicts.

It's so ridiculously cheap and easy to adapt a pumpgun to most any purpose you can think of - especially if you manage to acquire said pumpgun cheaply in the first place - that there's really no excuse not to own at least one.
 
Turkey doesn't bother me in the least as I've heard they make darn good shotguns
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I love my m2000. in fact its better than alot of the new american shotguns (shame on us) and is really acurate with slugs and very easy to clean.I also got my first handthrown quad and upside down double with it.
 
Seriously, spend $300 on a Mossberg 500 with a 28"bbl, and then another $100 on an 18"bbl. Done. For $400 you got a gun that can do it all, do it well, do it reliably for generations to come, and all you have to do is swap barrels for each job.
 
ive got a 1920 auto 5 12 ga. 2 3/4. it has shot more rounds than i can count and ive only had custody of it for few years. and it was WELL used when i got it. i paid 100 or 150. i cant remember. i went to a ram line synthetic stock as the forend was cracked. you can get a 23 inch slug barrel with rifle sights and use that for HD or deer/pig hunting and use somthing longer or even a japanese barel with screw in chokes for birds. very rugged gun.

or a used 870 and 2 barells and call it done. you will have money left over for wally world ammo.
 
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