Quote:
Originally Posted by Ducimus
You missed the number 1 criteria:
What is this shotgun for? Hunting or self defense? With shotguns, it makes a world of difference in barrel length, magazine capacity, and choke. A good hunting shotgun makes a poor self defense shotgun and vice versa.
|
I'm looking at waterfowl...but something versatile that I can use for squirrels, doves, etc. Mainly waterfowl though. I want to get into duck hunting. I've got some good friends that are hardcore into it and I fell in love with it in November.
I'd need a choke for steel shot...
as far as choke tubes go. Magazine capacity only allows like...3 shells to be in the gun at one time. And obviously I wouldn't want a short barrel for this kind of thing...
Quote:
|
Personally, i'm in the Remington and Mossberg area, and really don't know much beyond those two brands. For hunting, id probably go with a Remington, mainly because I have a Remington 870 wingmaster in my gun safe, that was made in 1967 or so, and it's still chucking shells like it was brand new. The action is smooth, it's been 100% reliable, and has taken more dove, grouse, pheasant , quail, and other assorted upland game birds then i can count.
|
See, there are people that swear by the 870 Wingmaster and then there are people who swear by the Mossberg 500. The Wingmaster doesn't shoot 3.5" and it's out of my price range by about 300$ (according to the Remington website)
Quote:
For self defense, that depends on what YOU want in a stock. Do you want a pistol grip with collapsible stock or a fixed stock? If you want a pistol grip with collapsible stock, again go with a Remington. The slide lock and safety locations are conducive to this setup. If you prefer a fixed stock, go with a Mossberg 500. The safety and slide release are in different locations then the 870 and are ergonomic to a fixed stock. Take it from someone who's made this mistake, DO NOT put an M4 styled stock on a mossberg. It's counter intuitive to the guns design. With a Remington 870 you have to shift your hand forward of the trigger guard to unlock the slide, with a mossberg 500, you do not have to shift your hand at all, so long as the receiver is on a fixed stock.
On the flip side mossbergs are harder to field strip, while Remingtons fairly easy. Also, Mossberg has a polymer or aluminum Reciever, and Remingtons are steel, if thats an issue for you. You may think im a Remington fan, but I actually have both, and like both. I have a Mossberg 500 with a short LOP stock and an 8 round magazine. It used to be my home defense piece, and would pick it over my Remington for that purpose.
|
Home defense isn't too much of an issue for me. Living where I live, any weapon in the house is a possible self defense weapon. There are some people who go hardcore-full-nine-yards with the weapons for self defense. Those usually seem to me to be the people who will likely NEVER have to use it and end up wasting money.
As I said, I'm leaning pretty hard toward the Nova right now....but I'm open to anything you have to say.