OPINIONS: Best mid-priced pump defense shotgun?

[cookie]

I've always been partial to the 870, and owned some Mossberg 500s in the past.  What is your recommendation for a good factory-built, mid-priced, home-defense pump shotgun?

Pictures are welcomed. :cool

[JWH 223]

I bought a Benelli Nova with the factory 18.5" barrel and Ghost rings sights. I added a Mag extension and a sling....done....$375 or so into it and I frickin' love it.

I even sold my M1 super 90.

My $.02

[cookie]

I bought a Benelli Nova with the factory 18.5" barrel and Ghost rings sights. I added a Mag extension and a sling....done....$375 or so into it and I frickin' love it.

I even sold my M1 super 90.

My $.02

It is a very cool looking shotgun.  Is it a Benelli-made mag extension?  Can you post a pic?

Thanks!

[JWH 223]

I think the "Cool Factor" is quite high. I can send you a picture to your e-mail, I don't have a provider to keep my picture files at.

It is a factory Benelli mag ext.

[JWH 223]

A little more info.

The only downfall is that you are stuck with the factory stock...I really like it, but if you decide you want to put a pistol grip stock on it, you can't because the stock and receiver are an integral part. This is what keeps the costs down. I would buy it again in a heartbeat. It also excepts 3 1/2" if you so desire. It has sling studs built in also. The shell piece on the bottom (lack of the correct term) also stays in the up position when you are sliding ammo in, it doesn't spring back and rip your fingernail off. You can also push a button on the forem and eject the shell from the chamber without out another one popping out of the magazine tube...."Magazine cut-off".

I hope this helps.

[medicmike]

Have always loved the 870. It is what we carried on the cars when I was in law enforcement and have trained with them a lot. For my personal shotgun I started with a used 870 with a 26" barrel, it was well worn, not much finish left, cost $125. Trimed it down to 18 1/2", took everything apart and parkerized it. Added a mag extention and Remington synthetic stocks. In it a total of about $220 and just love it!

[cookie]

Have always loved the 870. It is what we carried on the cars when I was in law enforcement and have trained with them a lot. For my personal shotgun I started with a used 870 with a 26" barrel, it was well worn, not much finish left, cost $125. Trimed it down to 18 1/2", took everything apart and parkerized it. Added a mag extention and Remington synthetic stocks. In it a total of about $220 and just love it!

I sent a $150 870 to Wilson Combat for their $199.95 Remington Steal (http://www.wilsoncombat.com/sgt/remingtion_steal.htm) treatment.  What an improvement!

I'm just tired of playing with 870s, and need something new to mess with (in addition to, not in place of).  The Benelli sounds pretty nice, especially for the price.

[whiskerz]

Company provides 870's at work. I own an Ithaca 37 M&P . and a winchester 1300 defender. both are excellent. the ithaca is a 2 3/4 shell only gun. it is very solid and 100% reliable. I picked it up for under $200 and refinished it . I owned a 590 mossberg  the action is clunky and not as smooth as either of my current guns.      YMMV :uzi:

[tommygun2000]

My experience has been with Mossbergs. Picked up two pistol gripped guns at the gun show in Harrisburg PA. They were real beaters, one with a pitted finish on the barrel, the other was ok but the barrel had been cut to 18 1/2" but was unevenly cut.
Paid $45, and $ 75 for them. Stripped them down, glass beaded them and parkerized them. These guns although were cosmetic basket cases were practically unfired. The actions and barrels showed almost no wear. They look decent now and they function.
So for 120 bucks and a little elbow grease, I've got two nice home defense guns. Got to get some reduced recoil loads for my wif though, a 2 3/4 inch is a little much for her with the pistol grip.
Hell I don't even like shooting too many of them and I'm not a small guy by any means.
Also have a 590, 9 shot mag, with ghost ring sights and bayonet lug, black synthetic furniture and sling.
I bought it, in celebration of the gunstore owner fighting city hall and winning. He opened his gun shop right across the street from city hall. Now, the pricks that tried to bust his balls every step of the way have to look at his store front every single day they come to work. Now thats justice!

[JIMBO]

My experience has been with the Mossberg 500 aswell. I picked it up like new virtually unfired for $75.00. 12ga shotguns are just not the weapons you end up putting 50-100 rounds through every weekend.

tommygun2000 brings up good points in that a shotgun can look thrashed and actually be virtually unfired. They get thrown in the truck or tossed in the corner at the cabin. In full length stock trim they can look fairly vanilla, yet fixed up w/pistol grip they can be transformed.

I have had my eye on the 870 for years as it look great and have heard nothing but good about them, just have not picked one up yet.:D :shotgun

[jt325i]

Can't go wrong with the Remington 870 or Mossberg 500. Might also want to take a look at the Mossberg 590.

[salvo]

I have a Mossberg 500 and 590A1 my Remingtons and Ithicas are for hunting.
The 590 is my favorite, bayo lug, ghost ring sites and speedfeed stock with a nice park finish, kinda reminds me of the Uzi of shotguns.

[az paul]

In the mid-range group, I have the 590 and 870. Both have folders and pistol grips and both run very well and are reliable.

az paul

[JIMBO]

Mossberg 500 and Remington 870 seem to be the darlings of them members of this forum, not that all the other shotguns don't merit a lose look. The two I mentioned seem to have much larger followings in general and are almost infinitely upgradeable and have many, many accessories to dress them up with. Certainly one would not go wrong with either. Happy shopping.:D

[FlyingBrass]

would be my first choice in any configuration. I kinda like the looks of the H&K FP6 but it is overpriced by about 100%.

[dannyk45]

:heavy I'VE HAD A MOSSBERG MODEL 500 FOR ABOUT 12 YEARS, MINE HAS A SIDESHELL HOLDER AND PISTOL GRIPS. ALTHOUGH MOSSBERG HAS A VERY SLOPPY ACTION THE GUN HAS ALWAYS FUNCTIONED RELIABLY AND IS A LOT LIGHTER THAN THE 870 WHICH IS ALSO A GREAT SHOTGUN.:heavy :heavy

[tommygun2000]

Originally posted by dannyk45
:heavy I'VE HAD A MOSSBERG MODEL 500 FOR ABOUT 12 YEARS, MINE HAS A SIDESHELL HOLDER AND PISTOL GRIPS. ALTHOUGH MOSSBERG HAS A VERY SLOPPY ACTION THE GUN HAS ALWAYS FUNCTIONED RELIABLY AND IS A LOT LIGHTER THAN THE 870 WHICH IS ALSO A GREAT SHOTGUN.:heavy :heavy

The sloppy action is actually a benefit under dirty field conditions.
I've got a few of them and for the prices paid, they are a great defense gun. Mine have never failed to work either.

Most guns with tight actions never work reliably in the field under real dirty conditions. This is why the AKs and 1911s and other loose guns work so well in combat. Marines in 1991 Gulf War reissued 1911s and recalled the Barettas because the failed in the blowing sand.

[stymie]

OK... so now it's a *destructive device* & an elective wallet-ectomy might be in order... but nothing beats a Striker-12. Not to be confused with the Streetsweeper... this is a serious combat weapon for CQB. I have a Penn Arms registered on a Form 1.... tax exempt! It has a 12" bbl, top folding stock, Armson OEG & can handle 12rds of 12ga magnum firepower. This model is self ejecting & self indexing. It's not even recommended to clean it until you hit 2,500rds. With a little practice... you can put all 12rds into the kill zone of a B-27 at 25m in about 3 seconds. It has a cross bolt safety & the cylinder is out of alignment until the trigger is pulled through.... a very safe & well thought out piece. You can store it with all 12rds & wind it up when ready to go. The felt recoil is quite nominal. It makes an excellent house gun. I have a Benelli entry, a High Standard 10-B bullpup & a Winchester 97 & it my favorite shotgun.

[rag]

Another vote for the Mossberg 590.
They hold 9 shells, you can mount an M16 bayo on them, and they look cool with the heat shield.
You can also upgrade to the speedfeed stock which holds an additional 4 shells.

[Mad Mike]

I'll stick with my 870 "Scattergun Tech". It does what it's supposed to, when it's supposed to everytime. It costs a little more then "mid-range", but when my a$$ is on the line I'll pay a little more :D.
Mike

[cookie]

Originally posted by Mad Mike
I'll stick with my 870 "Scattergun Tech". It does what it's supposed to, when it's supposed to everytime. It costs a little more then "mid-range", but when my a$$ is on the line I'll pay a little more :D.
Mike

Mike, I sent in a well-used 870, and Scattergun really worked magic with it - but hey, can you possibly have too many guns? :)

[Mad Mike]

WHAT!!!! Too many guns! Heresy, Heresy! :D

[texasvwnut]

I watched this post sometime back and a Mossberg 590 fell into my lap at a gunshow last weekend.

I had blued one about 9 years and let it go. One of those sales you just never get over. I picked this one up and it is exacly like the one I had, only parkerized. It includes a 9 shot tube, heat shield, speedfeed stock and the seller threw in the AR15 bayo as a bonus.

I looked at some 870s but eventually stuck with what I was familiar with.

[tony k]

Somehow I never really liked shotguns -- my handguns and rifles are like my children, but shotguns just don't do it for me -- they are more like appliances.

I've got an eight-shot Mossy 500 that I picked up used/beat-up for $150 as a hurricane gun, but I only fire it occasionally to make sure it's still functional.

Of course, lately I've been looking more and more at Serbu SuperShorties ... there's just something about a six-inch-barrelled 12-ga. that DOES make you pay attention, LOL!

[Buckeye]

I have a benelli Nova because it was roughly $75 since it was well used. Standard rifle sights with recoil reducer but no extension. I only bought it because of the price. I don't really care for it. Works fine and all but it's not my style. No professional grade tactical sling options.

I prefer the 870 if the 11-87 isn't an option.

[Vegas SMG]

:welcome Welcome to the board!

Resurrecting an almost SIX YEAR OLD thread for your first post has got to be a new record... ;)

_________________
Giving money and power to government is like giving whiskey and car keys to teenage boys. -P.J. O'Rourke, Civil Libertarian

[ArevaloSOCOM]

Mossberg 500 with Knoxx.

http://img254.imageshack.us/img254/1200/picture013wm4.jpg