Shotgun questions

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I am considering buying a used 12 gauge pump (Rem. 870 ir Moss. 500) as a versatile gun that could be used for recreation, game, or defense, if need be. My only guns are .22's; an excellent Ruger 10/22 and a P.O.S. cheap-o semi auto pistol. The only shotgun I ever had was a single shot Ithaca 12 gauge.

1. What can I expect to pay for a used Rem. 870 or Moss. 500?

2. Can shot be fired through a rifled slug barrel and slugs through a smooth bore?
 
1. Don't get a mossberg, expect to pay around $200 or less for a used 870.

2.Slugs through a smooth bore is fine as long as they are not "saboted" slugs. Shot through a rifled barrel is not a good idea.

Hope this helps.
 
Go to www.gunsamerica.com, to get an idea of used Remington or Mossberg prices. Check out pawn shops and local gun stores sometimes you can pick up a good deal on a fairly unused gun.

1. From my experience you can fire slugs out of a smooth bore just fine, I dont find it to be very accurate at all though.

2. I have never shot, shot out of a rifled slug barrel, I cannot see it being good for the rifeling though i am sure you could do it.

why not a mossberg troutfisher? I am a huge remington, winchester, benelli fan for pumps or semi's(we wont get into overunders) but why not a mossberg?
 
i would recommend the smooth bore and buy rifled slugs. and i agree, shot through a rifled bore would damage the rifling.

rifled slugs through a smooth bore are accurate out to at least 50 yards, which is as far is i have tried.

i bought my used rem 870 for 160.00, though that was some time ago. i have had to replace the forend, stock, and bolt carrier.

if you can afford a few extra dollars, opt for a new one. they arent very expensive if you avoid the extras.
 
I'd have to agree with the others....rifled slugs can be shot through a smooth bore barrel with a relative decent accuracy out to about 50 yards shot shells however through a rifled barrel is not a good idea but sabot slugs through a rifled slug barrel can be almost rifle accurate out to 100 yards...alot of commercial produced shotguns these days can be had as a package with interchangeable barrels one smooth bores and one rifled...I personally only use a smooth bore barrel, as I don't big game hunt much, and when i do I think stalking to woith in 50 yards is very doable...for small game and fowl.... good shotgun with adjustable chokes is hard to beat.....and is very versatile in it's ability to harvest small and large game, and its formidable defensive capability... If i had to live the rest of my life with just one gun....It'd definitely be a shotgun, for me a 20 gauge.... but a 12'll do it to....
 
Remington sells a "kit" 870 that includes a rifled slug barrel with the regular shot barrel. I've seen them new online and at WallyWorld for less than $400 IIRC. If you could find a used set like that, you would have a lot of bases covered for a very reasonable cost. Oops, I just realized RR already said that...:o
 
barrabas74 said:
why not a mossberg troutfisher? I am a huge remington, winchester, benelli fan for pumps or semi's(we wont get into overunders) but why not a mossberg?
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I have seen too many fail in the field. Actually, I have only seen two fail, but this is two more than I have ever even heard of failing from Remington, or Winchesters and Benelli's. Considering a gun is something most people have for a lifetime, buy the best you can. Just my opinion.
 
troutfisher13111 said:
I have seen too many fail in the field. Actually, I have only seen two fail, but this is two more than I have ever even heard of failing from Remington, or Winchesters and Benelli's. Considering a gun is something most people have for a lifetime, buy the best you can. Just my opinion.
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No problem, I have not used many mossbergs so I was curious. This is the first I have heard of them failing but my 11-87's and 870 have never had problems. I am not much into the style of the mossberg myself, thanks for the info.
 
According to last year's Field and Stream "Best Guns Ever" issue (2000 readers responded to a poll), Rem 870's top every list that includes shotguns by a wide margin. In nearly every list, 2nd place went to the 1100 series. That must count for something.

I've never owned an 870, but I know several folks that do, and they all say if you keep it reasonably clean it will never let you down.
 
most of/ if not all mossberg 500's have a plastic safety button. they have a tendency of breaking. then you have to totally disassemble the shotgun and replace it..there are steel one's available
 
I am not bashing mossbergs, but I don't know of too many people that would argue that they are as high quality as Remington or any of the other big names. But I know a lot of people that own them, and only know two that have had problems. They may still be an option if someone values cost over reputation.
 
I recommend a used 870 Express or if the price is right, even an older, used Wingmaster (870 with high polish blue). Souldn't cost more than $200. The Remingtons tend to be better weapons than the Mossbergs, but there's plenty both in circulation.

Shot will produce eratic patterns a rifled bore. If you intend on shooting sht, even a little, get the smoothebore and use rifled slugs when you need something bigger.
 
Can't go wrong with either. Both are tried and true designs.

I love shooting rifled slugs out of my smooth cylinder bore. Reasonably accurate out to about 50 yds. Sabots are for rifled bores only, and are much more expensive. You can shoot shot through a rifled bore, but it tends to produce dounut shaped patterns, and the rifling can get fouled with lead and plastic from the shot cups. Plain old smooth bore is good all around.
 
I guess I am the minority in touting the Mossberg as a great gun, I have a 590a right now and a 500 for 15 years before that. I have used it as my skeet gun, boar gun, back up to friends bow hunting and generally for any instance that has cropped up which need attending to. I can attest to the 590 as the best shotgun I have ever had. Stone cold bang every time. With Wolf slugs, birdshot, Salt Rock and my favorite 000 buck.

-I have shot Bennelli's, Street Sweepers, USAS-12's before they reclassified as class 3, Franchi's and Scattergun Tech's (before they were a subsidairy of Wilson Combat) 870's. They all have one thing in common. They cost more.
 
Don't shoot slugs out of your shotgun unless you have either a cylinder or improved cylinder bore as a choke.

I have an old Rem. 870 Wingmaster pruchased sometime in the '70's. I have three barrels for it, an 18" improved cylinder, a 24" modified, and a 30" full choke.

Changing out barrels is very easy. The action on this old shotgun is glass smooth after about 50,000 rounds through it.

I'd go with the Remmy, but the Wingmaster. The other pump models aren't as smooth, IMO.

Andy
 
The 870 tends to be cheaper but it has so much more history behind it. I know a Marine who carries one in Iraq now and his father carried one if Vietnam. Both of them love it and swear that its reliable as anything. A shotgun that's reliable in deserts AND jungles for under $200, that's pretty good if you ask me. Also the 870 seems to have more available accesories than the mossberg.
 
Mossberg 590 is a beast, ive had one for 6 years, have put thousands (around 7-8 thousand) of slug and buckshot down range without a glitch, works just as new. Brother in law has a 500, same thing, flawless. I feed about 40-50 slugs a week and about 50 buckshot a week also, You cant go wrong with a Mossberg.

Whats so great about the moss and rem, you can add alot of stuff to them.
My 590 has the knoxx spec ops stock, makes shooting slugs a hell of alot more fun:D
 
Answers to your questions:

(1) - You will pay about $200 for a used Mossy 500 or a used Remmy 870, but maybe a bit more for the Remmy or a bit less for the Mossy. You money will be better spent on the Remington 870, though. Even an ugly, old, rusty 870 will serve you better over the long run. If you are buying a new shotgun from Walmart, then a Mossburg isn't bad if they're on sale and the price is good.

(2) - You can shoot slugs out of a smooth bore (a barrel built for shot). No problem, and with decent accuracy out to 50 or maybe 75 yards. I good 12 gauge slug hits like the hammer of Thor! (Find some German Brenneke slugs if you want bear protection.) Think of it as your very own elephant gun. I fail to see how shooting shot from a rifled bore (a barrel built for accuracy when using slugs) can hurt anything, but the rifling will swirl your shot pattern which would only be good if hunting quail up close.

Try to get a shotgun with the newer interchangable choke tubes that screw into the muzzle, and try to get one with a modern barrel that's safe to fire steel shot in. If give shots from a 12 gauge won't solve your problem then you're in the wrong line of work! :thumbup:
 
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