870 vs. 500

[David Lewis]

I hate to see a forum sitting empty, so...

Situation:

You have decided to purchase a shotgun for all-around use, which will include occasional hunting, trap/skeet practice (just to keep up your skills), and last, but not least, home defense. You've narrowed your choices to two models: Remington 870 and Mossberg 500.

Which would you choose? And, why? (you must defend your answer!)

David

[johnharris]

I have both, have shot both and to me I would take either. In some models, I think the old Mossberg is lighter and looser.

[Waldo0506]

I would get the 870. Although the 500's parts are not hard to find, the 870 seems to have more plentiful aftermarket parts. I can't own a gun that doesn't get altered.

[David Lewis]

In all fairness, I should state that I have owned both, and would be well served by either.

I "cut my teeth" on a 16 ga. 870, and prefer the smooth action of the 870, and the availability of aftermarket (or even factory) parts to customize it to suit me.

However, the Mossberg's tang safety and action release are in a much easier to use location. Too, I doubt I'd fire enough 12 ga shells in my lifetime to worry about the difference in strength between the aluminum receiver on the Mossberg, & the steel of the Remington, so that's really a moot point.

David

[johnharris]

Good points, particularly the aluminum on the Mossberg. That helps quite a bit in its swing and carry comfort for a day walking around in the woods.

[tnroadrunner]

I have a 500 which came with a twenty eight inch barrel, I wanted to use this in three gun so I got a twenty inch barrel and took out the dowel to allow me to load six rounds instead of the three. Since I cannot get a tube extention. It does fine.

[lilredhunter]

I know I am reviving a dead thread but this section seems neglected. I have had both and loved both. The mossy is a little lighter and if I am traipsing the woods the lighter weight is not enough to make any difference to me. But I am partial to the Mossy just because I had it first and and have almost picked a Mossy over other brands. So I guess it is more brand preference to me. Now I am not taking anything away from Remington either because they build a great product as well. I think today if I were going out buying one it would really depend on price and if any rebates were offered or you could get a huge discount on shells or something like that to sway me from one to another.

[johnharris]

No problem on reviving old threads - there are always new people reading and posting.

[lilredhunter]

Thanks Mr. Harris.

[tnxdshooter]

In my personal opinion there is no better 12 gauge than the Remington 870. Especially for home defense.

[price g]

I like the location of the safety on the 870 better. It just feels easier to me to keep a sight picture and roll the safety off of the Remington.

[RobertNashville]

I would suggest that the best "home defense" shotgun is one that is set-up for home defense regardless of what manufacturer made it.

In a gunfight, the first rule is to have a gun and any shotgun is better than no shotgun but asking a shotgun to do double duty is a bit too much to ask in my opinion unless you just don't have a choice...just the barrel length alone needed for a decent skeet/trap shotgun is problematic for a gun you want to use for home defense.

As a rule, a basic shotgun configured for home defense really isn't that expensive; especially if you buy a good used one and that's what I would suggest doing. That said, both the Remington 870 and the Mossberg 500 are excellent shotguns for the money and I've owned examples of both. I currently have a Remington and a Benelli, both set-up specifically for home defense.

[David Lewis]

[C. Richard Archie]

I have an old, and I mean old, Browning Belgium Auto 5. Standard 2 3/4" chamber. I bought this gun when I was 14 years old, can not begin to estimate the number of rounds down the tube. Years of carry and miles of briers wore the stock and fore end out, I now have a set of black overmolded stocks on it. It wears a 18.5" barrel bored for tubes, stays loaded with #4 buffered buck, and when something goes bump in the night, it is what I pick up.

I have a 20" rifled barrel for it, a 26" again bored for tubes, the original 26 improved cylinder barrel it came with, a 28" modified that has killed more doves and ducks than most other shotguns, and a 30" full that ate geese for breakfast when lead was still legal. The bluing is mostly gone, and it looks like death from the muzzle end.

Is it a high end, extended magazine tactical wonder? No! But, when the chips are down it feels like an old reliable friend in my hands. I like the old hump at the rear, gives me a reference point and sense of familiarity that is soothing when the blood is up.

[TacticaLogic]

[RobertNashville]

[RobertNashville]

[tn308fan]

I have had probably 20 or so 870's mainly for hunting but have a couple for home defense.I have a 20 ga 870 with the knoxx stock for my wife,a Model 870™ Express® Tactical A-TACS Camo in 12 ga.I cut my teeth duck hunting with a 870.I have killed a bunch of turkeys with the 870 12 ga.,and never had any problems.I have read on other forums that Some people have problems with the 870 in recent years.I dont see that.I have had 3 or so Mossberg 835's.These are brutal to shoot unlike the Rem 870 supermag.I have also a 500 with a Knoxx stock and a aimpoint on it for home defense also.I have not had any problems with the Mossbergs.The military as you know uses the Mossberg.So that say s something.For hunting I have to give the nod to Remington,for self-defense I don't have a preference.

[tnxdshooter]

The other day I saw a deal in the chattanooga paper. This guy in Ringgold had a mossberg 500 with 28" ported barrel on it for sale for 300 dollars. I went and looked at it and it looked to be in really good condition. I talked the guy down to 200 dollars and made the purchase. I have purchased an 18" barrel from mossberg for it which I plan on having ported as well (main reason is because the 28" is and I kind of want everything to "match" if I decide to sale it later). I am keeping all the stock parts in case I should ever sale it or want to use the 28" barrel for hunting. I have purchased some ghost ring sights for it from mossberg, a 6 position black hawk spec ops knoxx stock with pistol grip and a universal cheek rest for it, as well as a black synthetic forend pump to replace the wood pump on it. I plan on trying out the knoxx stock and if I dont like it then I will get me one of the speed feed regular type synthetic stocks for it later. I will post pics of it when I have the project completed. I have also looked into a piccatinny type tri rail adapter that goes on the mag tube to install a flash light on it. This was just to good a deal to pass up for the price I felt. So now I have added to my gun collection with my first shot gun. I intend to add an ar and ak later.