Used 870 Wingmaster or a new Mossberg 500

[koja48]

Get the one YOU like! The one I like says "870."

 

[obxned]

We have numerous 500s and Maverick 88 in the family. We hunt with them in all kinds of weather, often in salt marsh, and use any and all ammo we can get. There has never been a jam or other problem with any of these guns. Because of the low price, most of us have a second, short barrel and numerous choke tubes.

 

[sm]

Striker...where are you?

Striker shoots quite a bit, and knows gun fit, form and pattern boards.

Maverick 88 and he are getting along REAL well for a truck/spare gun.

Yep. These do well out in the weather and again, if the shooter does his/her part, the gun will do its part.

Problem as I see it is - folks ain't getting out and trying guns before they buy one.

 

[lev83]

think you would be happy with either gun but for my money and rock solid reliability I would choose the 870

 

[Gunsnrovers]

Keep your eyes open and get a used Wingmaster.

I picked up a gorgeous early Wingmaster for $200 and found a nice old 20" rifle smooth bore for it for $90 delivered. $290 and I had my combo.

 

[Striker]

Deleted, double post

 

[Striker]

Striker...where are you?

Must not get sucked into this....

<sigh>

I have both brands of pumps, one is Mossy Mav 88 that currently fills the trunk/utility niche, and the other 14 are 870's of various types and guages.

- I concur with Dave's and Dfariswheel's 870 assessements already articulated.

- I concur with all the other's assessement on the Mossy/Mav 88/500/590s

- I also concur with sm, et al, that if fit is the most important thing to you (and it should be) either will due as long as it fits you.

If price is the issue, go for the best deal, as either will due.

If a tang safety is the key, then Mossy is the gun.

Bottom line though, if I were limited to only one, the 870 would get the nod for the reasons ArmedBear, Dave, and Dfarris stated (steel receiver.
modular design, easy to fix, and lots of available barrels, stocks, and options from lots of vendors) and because it was the very first shotgun I ever fired.

My opinion, YMMV.

 

[deputy tom]

I agree with Striker's evaluation with but one addition...

If price is the issue, go for the best deal, as either will due.

(I'll add) If they both fit you equally well.Fit is most important.tom.

 

[Mike Kerr]

The 870 is a superior implement for the reasons so ably stated in previous posts on this thread. However, the Mossberg 500 will work quite reliably for the modest use you anticipate. I guess its just a matter of choice.

Regards,

 

[boilerman86]

I have an 870 Express that my grandfather bought for me before I was born and it will go to my grandchildren when they come along. The gun fits me, and while it is not the best pattern shooter with smaller bird shot, put a deer slug in there and I'll shoot off against anyone. I totally agree with all the assesments on here, and feel is definitely the most important thing in a firearm. I am not the most experienced shooter around, but with a great feel for my firearm, knowing how it shoots and works, anyone can shoot with the best. Get the one that feels right to you, be it an 870 or a mossy, or a winchester that you find.

 

[toivo]

They are both decent guns. I would give the 870 a slight edge for overall sturdiness and quality construction. That said, I think there are differences between the Express 870 and the Wingmaster 870 that go beyond blue vs. matte. In my experience, there are a lot more sharp edges on an Express (inside receiver, barrel extension, etc.) than a Wingmaster or 1100, which means to me that they may have skipped a step of final finishing.

 

[kmrcstintn]

of the 2 choices...it's a coin toss; both have great aspects and both have faithful followers; right now, I have neither; in the past, I have owned more mossbergs than remingtons; I'm split on both; the most recent one was an 870 express that I jerry rigged a combo together...here's what I'll say about it; the receiver gave me no problems...the barrels were another story; the short 'turkey' barrel that came with the gun had off center choke threads that made everything shoot and pattern high and right; the 26" Remington barrel that I added had an improperly finished chamber behind the forcing cone...there was a whole band of metal that wasn't polished and the barrel started to rust along the whole unfinished area;

long story short, my first choice for a replacement combo was a Mossberg; then I found a nice used Browning BPS and I went that way instead

 

[XDandy]

Maybe I have this mixed up but I was reading this cause I'm thinking about purchasing an HD shotgun soon also. I've been looking at the Moss 590. Why can you find 870's on academysports.com for $238... is this the same shotgun? In that case it's less expensive than a mossberg 500.

 

[condoor]

Thanks to all for the great responses. FYI - I searched this forum extensively before posting. I realize the Wingmaster is considered the superior firearm to the 500 in what I assumed to be similar states of wear. My question addressed comparing a fairly used wingmaster to a new 500, where even then the wingmaster is still $100 more than the mossy for a smiliar two barrel configuration.

 

[deputy tom]

Quote:4062, the 870 was intro'd in 1950. Dunno when the 500 first saw light...end quote.

I just did some research and the official gun traders guide lists Mossberg's 500 as introduced in 1965.That agrees with my fading memory.tom.
PS in my post #58 I erroniously spelled do as due.My mistake.tom.

 

[Blue .45]

just did some research and the official gun traders guide lists Mossberg's 500 as introduced in 1965..

Thanks tom, I was having a hard time locating that information. It's been around almost as long as I have.

 

[deputy tom]

tech4061,my pleasure.tom.

 

[Geno]

Hands-down Wingmaster, and I put my money and actions behind my words. All of my shotguns are 870s. I have owned Mossbergs 590, and they were excellent, but, I like the 870 most...they are smoother. My Wingmaster is as-slick-as butter! Makes me warm and fuzzy just thinking of it.

gak, we think alike. As one gentleman here told me, "they don't breed, but they multiply". It would be interesting to see the number of Remington owners who own multiple 870s, 1100s and 11-87s

Doc2005

 

[The Deer Hunter]

Some people argue that the ejector is the only real advantage that the 500 has over the 870. I'm not sure how its attached to the 500, but the 870 has one that is riveted in. So if your 870 ejector breaks you have to bring it to a smith.

But I have never heard of a broken 870 ejector though.

Idk I might have mixed up the extractor with the ejector but its the thing riveted to the inside of the reeceiver.