What shotgun should I get?

Question

I am shopping for a shotgun for my dad. I would like to spend about $400-500

He will use it mostly for shooting clays and he wants a 20 gauge.

He wants a nice reliable gun that will take abuse (can handle 100+ shots in a day)
He would also like for it to have a hardwood stock.

He was originally looking at an O/U, but for a quality gun it is out of my price range. (I don't want to buy him a cheaply made O/U)

So it looks like I need to find him a pump or auto-loader.

So far I have found the Remington 870 which looks like a pretty nice gun...

What do you guys think?

Answer 1

Again without trying to sound biased, the Remington 870 Pump or Remington 11-87 Semi Auto are going to be your best choice. Again... the Remington is more popular, by quite a margin.

With respect to other answers here the 870 will hold up just fine shooting Trap and Skeet, and in 28 years+ of Gunsmithing and being a Factory Authorized Remington Dealer and Repair Center, I have NEVER had a 870 in ANY gauge back for ejection issues/problems or repairs (Including Field, Trap and Skeet versions) Thats just pure RUBBISH........

It should also be noted that the Mossberg was manufactured years after the Remington 870 was already established as an industry leader in the firearms market. It was designed to be a cheaper "clone copy" of the Remington 870 to begin with....

They say that "Imitation is the best form of flattery." Here is a clear cut case that literally speaks volumes......... All you need do is go personally to your local Gun Shop or Distributor and compare these two guns side by side and the difference in quality will be obvious...Remington also has an iron-clad guarantee. In my way of looking at this , backed with the facts, the choice should be obvious......

Answer 2

Stay away from the 870. The Remington doesn't eject reliably enough for clays. It has a single extractor and you won't always get the shot at the second target when shooting doubles. The lifter chews your thumbs up when reloading, as well. I own a Mossberg, and it's a very good skeet/trap shotgun. Easy to reload, very reliable, and very, very durable. The forged alloy receiver makes it a little lighter, and easier to swing up on targets all day. I tried both before I bought my first shotgun, and the Mossberg did feel like a smoother, more consistent action. It slows you down right at the end for the shell lifter, though. The Remington feels kinda choppy. There's a spot in the middle where it tightens up, then releases to pound into the end of the slide travel.

I'm sure I'm going to be thumb-downed by the Remington fanboys for saying this, but it's absolutely true. There's nothing a Remington can do that a Mossberg can't do better. (of course, the exception to this is those race guns with the 14+1 capacity, as the Mossberg has a sturdier solid end on the magazine tube)

There's a really good reason that the Mossberg M590 is the Army's service shotgun, and not the 870. Remington knew they couldn't compete, and that if they tried and lost, that all their hype would be lost. The 870 needed an extra brace for mounting a bayonet, while the M590 did not. It also held up to firing 30,000 rounds of full power buckshot. If anyone says the 500, which is built on a virtually identical receiver, is fragile and prone to breaking, you really should question where they're getting that information from.

Answer 3

just for the record, 100+ shots in a day is not really considered abuse. most guns today can handle hundreds, even thousands of rounds without having to do much to them.


but anyway, do not underestimate the Mossberg line of pump shotguns. They make a great one(I own one) and I prefer the feel and handle of them better than the remington 870 (which, while i dont own, have shot many rounds through)

It also depends on what type of clay ur busting out there. if its traditional trap, where you only need to make one shot at a time, than a pump will work fine. if your shooting skeet also, some shooters(especially new ones) seem to cycle pumps too slowly to comfortably get that second target.

that being said if you need an autoloader i would definetly stick with a remington 1100 or 11-87. You can find used ones for under 400 in great shape, and new ones ive seen cost not much more than that.

I have never had the chance to try a mossberg autoloader so i can not give my opinions of them, but I have seen new ones at around $400

Answer 4

DONT BUY A MOSSBERG! They are junk compared to any other gun out there. Anyone will agree that the Remington 870 or the Benelli Nova are the best pump shotguns for their price. I own both, I prefer my Benelli Nova 20 ga. for clays and dove hunting. I think the Benelli shoulders better but thats just me. If he likes the classic look of the wood stock then get him the 870 express. The 870 XCS is also very nice.

Answer 5

I was just looking at affordable O/U's just the other day and Mossberg has a new line (or semi new) of O/U's between 350$ & 500$. The Reserve Line of over unders look and feel pretty nice they have a combo package of 12 ga & 20 ga or 20 ga & 28 ga (both barrels are supplied). Also sold in individual chambering and choke configurations. If they shoot as well as they look and feel it might be worth checking out at Mossberg's website.

Answer 6

I've found Remington 870 good and Mossbergs are good too. Just don't shop at Walmart and if you know someone that has the model you are interested in try it. The changeable chokes are a good idea but I am not sure if they come in 20gauge off hand.

Answer 7

Remington or Mossberg makes real nice smooth action pump shotguns.* Check out Mossberg's at Walmart or anywhere else.*

Answer 8

um... i would go with a browning side by side double barrel 20 gauge. Very reliable guns. And they look good too.

Answer 9

goodchoice the world's best shotgun the 870