Shotgun questions!

[davinci]

I'm getting a shotgun for my brother's birthday gift.
Originally I had it narrowed down to
Rem. 870, Moss 500 and Benelli Nova.
Now, it's pretty much just the Nova. My brother's a skinny fella, so the Nova seems the best choice, has a recoil reducer... also has a more impressive name and can handle more impressive 3.5" shells.

I currently have a rem. 870 as a defense gun, have had a moss 500 before as a defense gun, and a Nova as a clay shooting firearm, so my experience with them all is pretty limited but equal.

My questions are pretty simple. Do all benelli Nova's take choke tubes? How can I tell if what I'm buying will have a replacable choke.
For a fella who wants to go dove/turkey and Lord-Knows-What-Else hunting, what length of barrel is best? Assuming slugs from a special seperate barrel if he's interested later on.

If anyone sees any disadvantage to the Nova let me know. I didn't like how they looked when I had one...too buck roger's for me, also parts were harder to come by. Otherwise, I found all three shotguns to be pretty much equal as far as function and reliability, but the Nova's ability to handle those shoulder-cannon 3.5" rounds is pretty neato and always impressive to fellas with 3 inch maximum shell shotguns.

 

[Bartkowski]

Why don't you just get a 500 or 870, they are both reliable, and simple, lots of accessories, and they both can take more than one choke. I don't know the price of a nova, but a 500 is selling for $180 new, so price is probably better for the 500 too. And the only time 3.5in shells would be handy are for turkey and waterfowl, and they are hardly necessary.

 

[Smitty in CT]

Another thing to factor into the decision, you mentioned an "extra" barrel, later on...

Price them now, Mossberg and Remington sell "combo" guns with the extra barrel included, it is, by far, the least expensive way to go..

Check the price and availability of the Benelli "extra" barrels...

I have a Mossberg 535 that can handle 2-3/4" all the way up to 3-1/2" shells.
Try them all and find the one that fits the best...

 

[davinci]

wuzyoungoncetoo: I find that more offensive than funny. I don't see how having a more capable shotgun is any different than owning a 4x4 if you don't live in the bush. They make 3.5" shells for an actual purpose, kinda like they make a .50 barrett for a purpose. Shoot either yourself and tell me you still need socks because I'm pretty sure that I heard somewhere if this condition lasts longer than four hours you're supposed to consult your doctor, or at least that's what they said on TV. sorry, badly worded joke.

Thanks for the feedback. I've found a fella who wants to sell his never-shot Benelli nova w/ sling and a zipper case and three chokes for $275. I called and asked my favorite local dealer, he said $299 + tax for a new one of course without sling and case...but it'd be black, which I think would be a good choice. He then quoted $20 more for an 870 express (super?)magnum, and said he'd go with the benelli, he loves his. I asked about mossberg and he said "lots cheaper, but still a good shotgun. I've got a few 500's in stock, lots of folks swear by them." but, this is one of those times when Tom Knapp sold benelli's shotgun. There's nothing like giving a guy a gun, then showing him that it's why a professional uses for some reason or another.

I saw Tom Knapp knock down 8 clays, hand thrown, with a benelli nova on the history channel. Set a world record....and I made an appointment to see my doctor, because it lasted longer than 4 hours after that too. ;-)

 

[Smitty in CT]

Tom Knapp did it with a Nova:

http://www.benelliusa.com/player.tpl?t=Tom Knapp World Record 2&v=WorldRecord2.flv

He could have just as easily done it with a Remington or a Mossberg, it just that Benelli gives him those fancy vests.... (this is truly a case of... "It's the Indian, not the arrow")

Dick's currently has the Mossberg 835 (3-1/2") combo for $299.99, it comes with BOTH barrels!!

 

[ArmedBear]

It's got holes in the tops of the barrels.

My barrels only have one hole, and I intend to keep it that way.

Otherwise, it is indeed a good deal.

BTW that's impressive. Harder to do, too, with a 3.5" gun than it would be with a shorter-throw pump. I stand corrected. Not that it matters to me, really, for purchase-decision purposes. I only get to shoot 3 when it matters.

 

[SUBMOAS]

Remember that the Benelli has a mag cut off in the forend. Nice feature if you want to change the shell in the chamber without unloading the magazine tube.

 

[ArmedBear]

Yeah. Too bad I can't do that with my 870.

 

[ArmedBear]

Oh, and I take back a little bit of my standing corrected.

There's an old trick that makes that possible. Remove the disconnector.

Some old pump guns (Winchester 97's, early Ithaca 37's, etc.) didn't have them. That meant that you could hold down the trigger and pump, and the gun would fire as soon as each shell was chambered -- a manually-operated full-auto, if you will. Think Charles Bronson in Death Hunt, "Welcome!" I think that was a 97, but I don't have a copy to look at.

Anyway, you can do the same thing by modifying a modern shotgun action slightly. Makes a big difference in how fast you can shoot a pump. Not really safe, nor good for much besides messing around or trick shooting, but it can be done really fast with practice.

Did Knapp claim he did that with a bone-stock, totally-unmodified Nova? That would be a feat, if he had to pump, then pull the trigger each time. Doubles trap or skeet are entirely possible with a pump, but 8 in a row, much faster, is a different matter.

Maybe he can do it, but I'm thinking that Nova is modified for the purpose. Still impressive. Don't get me wrong. But when I saw him he shot 9 with a semiauto just before the last one hit the ground. Sounded like a machine gun. One tiny bit slower, and you can't do it. The clays hit the ground too soon.

 

[Whitman31]

I like the Nova, I'm usually a Remington man, can stand the Mossy. The standard barrel on the Nova does have choke tubes, interchangeable with the Beretta chokes. The standard barrel will shoot slugs fine unless you want to shoot sabots.

 

[ArchAngelCD]

Originally I had it narrowed down to
Rem. 870, Moss 500 and Benelli Nova.

I think you should have taken a look at a Mossberg 535 which is in the same price range or a Mossberg 835 which is a better shotgun. Both will handle 3.5" Magnum shotshells like the Benelli Nova. The Remington 870 Super Mag is also chambered for 3.5" shells.

IMO all are good shotguns, I just like some of the features on the Mossberg better than the other two.

 

[oletymer]

If you like plastic go for the Nova. I will only buy steel and walnut.

 

[seeker_two]

Get the 870 or 500....then he can modify it after-market into whatever suits his fancy....

You're the one who said you wanted to "impress the fellas" with your 3.5 inches.

Now I didn't expect to see to see THAT in the Shotgun section...

 

[Capstick1]

Shotgun questions

The Nova's not a bad shotgun. But don't try to use the buttstock to knock down a wall. It'll break. Some people on this site have tried to do this with their shotguns. Don't ask me why.