Sgt.Saputo
Member
I'm looking to get a bedside HD shotgun. I'm torn between the Remington 870 and the Mossberg 500. Either one I get will be with an 18in barrel. Any reason you like one more than the other?
Remington 870 or Mossberg 500
- Thread starter Sgt.Saputo
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SonofGilnockie89
Member
I have an 870 Super Mag and I absolutely love it. I have no experience with the Mossbergs but I have yet to be disappointed by a Remington.
Personal preference. Either is excellent.
I prefer 870 platform (actually, police S&W Howa 3000... best quality 870 for the $$$). I owned a Mossberg 590ish tactical shotgun (forget exact model). I did not like the plastic parts (such as trigger guard and safety). The Mossberg receiver was also aluminum, where my Howa is parkerized steel... it just feels more substantial.
You may also consider the Ithaca Model 37, a proven shotgun with bottom shell ejection.
I prefer 870 platform (actually, police S&W Howa 3000... best quality 870 for the $$$). I owned a Mossberg 590ish tactical shotgun (forget exact model). I did not like the plastic parts (such as trigger guard and safety). The Mossberg receiver was also aluminum, where my Howa is parkerized steel... it just feels more substantial.
You may also consider the Ithaca Model 37, a proven shotgun with bottom shell ejection.
Sgt.Saputo
Member
What flavor did you get yours' in? I'm partial to strawberry myself.
You really can't go wrong with either. If budget is your concern then you should buy the Mossberg. It can be at least a $100 difference. I had that difficult decision to make a few months ago but decided to go with the 870 since I have had a Mossberg 500 and wanted to try something different. The 870 has become my number one go to weapon if needed for home.
dak0ta
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Having owned both, you cannot go wrong with either. The express finish requires more oiling and tears up your rag as well as the jagged rib. Other than that it's a great gun. My Mossberg 500 fits me well, and I like the ergos of the controls. I also like the extra round capacity. Barrels are easy to switch out. Also they come with 3 chokes which I thought was very nice.
Get a Wingmaster and a Mossberg and you'll be satisfied, otherwise you'll always wonder what it was like to get the other brand. Do yourself a favour and get both. Plus your friends can shoot one and you can have discussions on which is your favorite
Get a Wingmaster and a Mossberg and you'll be satisfied, otherwise you'll always wonder what it was like to get the other brand. Do yourself a favour and get both. Plus your friends can shoot one and you can have discussions on which is your favorite
Sgt.Saputo
Member
I will have both some day, it's inevitable but right now I don't have a huge amount of money. I'm going to apply for a job soon at sheets (I wanted to be a millionaire-cowboy-spaceman but they weren't hiring.)
Sheepdog1968
Member
Both are great and will serve you well. I like the location of the safety on the tang on the Mossbergs. Also, I like that Mossbergs have not blocking the area to feed the magazine tube.
rbernie
Contributing Member
I have owned both. I found the ergos and the feel of the 870 to be better for me than the 500.
I suggest that you handle both and see which one feels best for you.
I suggest that you handle both and see which one feels best for you.
1KPerDay
Member
Both are great. If you ever plan to shoot lefty the mossberg is the one. I also prefer the open-bottom design of the mossberg; you don't have to press a spring-loaded elevator out of the way to load the mag. Not a big deal but I prefer it.
Sgt.Saputo
Member
Unless I lose an arm I'll be shooting righty
Ragnar Danneskjold
Member
If it's for bedside HD, you need to learn to shoot lefty too. When peeking around corners on your right hand side, if you shoot right handed, you expose your whole body before you can get the weapon around the corner. Transition to shooting left handed for those corners and you minimize how much of you is exposed.
Anyone who thinks they might be doing any amount of shooting inside a building, even their home, needs to learn to use their weapon of choice with both hands.
Anyone who thinks they might be doing any amount of shooting inside a building, even their home, needs to learn to use their weapon of choice with both hands.
rbernie
Contributing Member
If I'm transitioning to offhand shooting, I guarantee you that the safety will NOT be engaged and its location therefore irrelevant.
Sgt.Saputo
Member
You know, I'm almost embarrassed for not thinking of this when I posted about shooting righty.
JPG1911
Member
Get the mossberg JIC(just in case) or JIC II, the former is the marine model with a nice almost weather proof coating and comes in a giant airtight plastic tube that you can bury or submerge if desired. The latter is the same gun but in the standard blueing and must be assembled by the user, and stores in an innocuous looking backpack. My local gander mountain had both on sale last week for $299. While I normally would tell anyone to never buy from gander because of the price gouging on guns, sometimes it pays to watch their sale papers.
The Army and Marines use modified Mossy 500's if that's any additional comfort to you, I know it is to me. My first gun purchase was my Mossy 500, I love that gun and still shoot it regularly, a buddy bought a cheaper Mav 88 but I see only very minor differences. His came with better stock and forend but mine is much older.
The Army and Marines use modified Mossy 500's if that's any additional comfort to you, I know it is to me. My first gun purchase was my Mossy 500, I love that gun and still shoot it regularly, a buddy bought a cheaper Mav 88 but I see only very minor differences. His came with better stock and forend but mine is much older.
sansone
Member
pro2 nailed it:
Personal preference. Either is excellent.
Personal preference. Either is excellent.
Old krow
Member
Pretty much following suite here, both are good, can't go wrong with either, it's personal preference. I have used both, I prefer the 870. I wouldn't cry about either one being at the bedside.
It's mostly the action of the 870 and the feel.
It never hurts to learn.
It's mostly the action of the 870 and the feel.
It never hurts to learn.
BamaBarrister
Member
You can't go wrong either way. It just comes down to price and personal preference. Both will last a lifetime with normal use.
ForumSurfer
Member
Another dead horse. Even Uncle Sam can't make his mind up on this one as they have bought several different types of pumps from several manufacturers.
Both are great, neither is "better." It boils down to preference. For some reason, and I really can't put my finger on it...my 870 Marine Magnum is one of my most fun weapons to shoot. If I'm going out to shoot on my property, be it rifles or handguns...I almost always grab the 870 Marine Magnum and a few boxes of bird and buck. It handles better and shoots better than some more expensive shotguns that I own.
The location of the safety on the 870 and the blocking of the feeding port have never affected me in all my years of hunting, skeet shooting or plunking around (plinking is for 22's, plunking seems more appropriate for 12 gauges). That includes left or right hand shooting, shooting from any imaginable position and some homemade courses
Handle both and shoot them if possible. For me the 870 just feels better and comes up to my shoulder better, but I don't think it is superior and I would take a free mossberg any day of the week.
Get either one lots of rounds (and a variety of them) and enjoy. Either will be reliable for years to come even with abuse.
Even Uncle Sam can't make his mind up on this one as they have bought several different types of pumps from several manufacturers.Both are great, neither is "better." It boils down to preference. For some reason, and I really can't put my finger on it...my 870 Marine Magnum is one of my most fun weapons to shoot. If I'm going out to shoot on my property, be it rifles or handguns...I almost always grab the 870 Marine Magnum and a few boxes of bird and buck. It handles better and shoots better than some more expensive shotguns that I own.
The location of the safety on the 870 and the blocking of the feeding port have never affected me in all my years of hunting, skeet shooting or plunking around (plinking is for 22's, plunking seems more appropriate for 12 gauges). That includes left or right hand shooting, shooting from any imaginable position and some homemade courses
Handle both and shoot them if possible. For me the 870 just feels better and comes up to my shoulder better, but I don't think it is superior and I would take a free mossberg any day of the week.
Get either one lots of rounds (and a variety of them) and enjoy. Either will be reliable for years to come even with abuse.
If money is an object go with the Mossberg 500 and spend the extra money you saved on shells for practice.
Or you could look up www.budsgunshop.com and by a police 870 turn-in. Great gun the police model.
Or you could look up www.budsgunshop.com and by a police 870 turn-in. Great gun the police model.
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Sgt.Saputo
Member
Who said either one was? This was simply a thread asking who prefers what and why not which one is "better".
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