Two guns or one gun and two barrels?

[PJR]

My farm/HD gun is a slightly-modified Remington 870. Pump guns because they are more operator dependent than semi-autos require more practice to stay proficient. While I generally shoot an o/u or semi-auto for clays I take the 870 out least once a month to shoot skeet or sporting. I might get out to the other range to shoot buck and slugs twice a year.

At various times I have had two or more 870s. Longer barreled guns were used for clays while the HD gun stayed home.

At other times I had one 870 with a short rifle-sighted barrel and a longer vent-ribbed barrel with choke tubes. The longer barrel was put on for clay shooting and the short barrel reinstalled when I got home.

Financial issues aside which of these two options do you belief is preferable and why? Having gone both routes I can make a good argument either way. What do you think?

 

[Chris B]

I go one gun, two bbl's. I bought the express combo with rifled barrel and traded the slug bbl on here for a smoothbore with rifle sights. An 870 is an 870 though so finances aside I would just have two guns. Two guns are better than one right?

 

[Omaha-BeenGlockin]

If you haven't bought the combo and already have one gun-----I'd just buy another gun because the cost of an extra barrel is nearly as much as buying a whole nother gun.

 

[sm]

PJR,
I can make a good argument either way as well.
Even setting financial issues aside.

1. Pump gun with with barrels, one 28" with screw in chokes and the other 20" with fixed choke works fine. Proven.

2. Two pump guns, (staying with your two options) allow for Redundancy, and something I believe in. Also Proven.

a. A clays/hunting shotgun has and can still do serious situation and property duty.
This might be for having a second gun for someone to assist, the short HD is not accessible(come home, from shooting clays and tornado hit/ fire and cannot access home, or guns under rubble...)

b. 870s are modular, meaning parts interchange more easily.
Murphy will hit at the worst time, so if the firing pin, or extractor goes "ka-put" one can slap the bolt from the clays/hunting shotgun into the HD gun...or any other number of options.


Ideally...instead of folks buying one shotgun with one barrel for say $1200, folks would buy two combo sets, just alike, and therefore have not only have Redundancy, also same MOA, compatibility, familiarity, and versatility - no matter the financial situation or income status.

Steve

 

[waterhouse]

Financial issues aside

Years ago when I had 1 870 with a 28" barrel I began looking for a shorter barrel for HD. Most barrels I looked at were about $90-$120. Then I found a police trade in wingmaster with an 18" barrel for $125. I can think of good reasons for either way, but I went with 2 separate guns because it made more financial sense at the time. I didn't really need another gun, but couldn't pass up the deal and needed the barrel that came with the gun.

Pluses to 2 guns: One can be used as a parts gun. If someone comes to visit they can borrow a second gun, whereas a second barrel doesn't do them much good. If you want, you can put things like ghost ring sights and a light on your defensive gun and not have to take them off when you want to go hunting.

 

[ArmedBear]

Two different TYPES of guns, with controls in different places on the receiver, could be problematic when you're under stress. Intuitive operation saves time, gets birds, and saves lives.

Other than that, I can't see what difference it really makes, other than that, with two guns, you have more to clean, oil and maintain, but you will also have redundancy should one actually break down (unlikely with an occasional-use 870 that's not stored in a bucket of salt water).

Still, I've seen USED 18.5" 870 barrels for 100 bucks. Once I've spent a hundred bucks, I have to say I'd almost rather spend a couple hundred more and have a gun with a mag extension on it and keep it loaded if I want. Then I can have a ready-to-go hunting gun with a plug in it (required for all game here and throughout the region, not just for waterfowl), AND a buckshot gun with a mag extension that can be kept for HD or whatever. Used, of course, I could pick the gun up for less. Even say $250 for a whole gun and a mag extension sounds pretty attractive compared to $150 for a barrel and extension, and having to keep parts lying around for different configurations. Furthermore, if I'm not going to have a mag extension, I actually LIKE having the dimples to retain the spring when I pull off the barrel, and I don't much care for the old-style spring retainer, either.

What I'd care about is gun fit and the controls. As long as the stocks fit the same and the controls are the same, I can transfer my familiarity and practice with the hunting gun directly to the HD gun, no worries. Point-and-shoot, and I wouldn't have to think twice about where the slide release or safety are.

 

[Milkmaster]

For me it is simple... more guns is more better!

Not that I am a gun nut of course, but having two guns with differing barrels offers many more choices of what to do with them without disassembly etc. Double barrels are sweet but have limited dual use as has been mentioned already. The dual purposes used with the double barrel would need to be similar in need to be workable.

 

[Robert Hairless]

I've enriched the industry by going every which way for years, so I understand your dilemma. Throw in another complicating factor. With two similar guns you have the ability to stow each of them at different places.