Buying a Shotgun

ABdrummer

ABdrummer

Member
So I'm getting my first shotgun for shooting clay and wondering if anyone has any recommendations. I want pump, so I was thinking either the Mossberg 500 or Remington 870. Any experience with these?
 
870s are great, can't go wrong there. Haven't shot a Mossberg, but I've always heard good things about them too. Just depends on your price range I guess. I shoot a Winchester model 12, its old school but it shoots better than any other shotgun I've owned.
 
Don't get a Mossberg. Their products are generally known to be of cheap quality. 870s are the most popular pump action shotguns out their so I guess that would be a good route to go. I own a Winchester 1300 and absolutely love it, I would check those out too. I also think the Winchester Super X Pump is a quality shotgun too.
 
Both are the wrong choice for shooting clay. When shooting clays (trap, skeet), two targets fly at once. You need to stay on target and fire two shots in quick succession. Both guns you are looking at are pump action. You need a semi-auto or double-barrel for clays.
That said, if you are between the two, probably rule out the 500. For the same price range as the 870, look at the Mossberg 835. It is a step up from the 500, and right about at the same price point as the 870.
For the gun you want, you will need to step up your price range.
 
^lol wut, you can throw any amount of clays you want when clay shooting. It's not the olympics here.
 
Remington 870 for sure. been on plenty of duck hunts where my buddy has beat his, dropped in the water, mud, -10 degrees and the thing has never had a hiccup. also works as a canoe paddle or ice axe(when unloaded)
 
I shoot a Winchester 1300 and its a great shotty. Its been durable as hell for about 8 years now. It was my dads and he handed it down to me and so far I've loved the gun.

The only guns I can compare it with is my dads $5k Benelli and our old Savage 16 gauge break away so I can't give input on the 2 shottys you listed in OP.

 
tumblr_m9krhx3yMb1qdcyj5o1_250.gif
 
sporting clays can indeed be shot with a pump. it is hard but it can be done. i know this because i have done it. if you are thinking about shooting skeet and sporting clays alot, get a o/u or a semi auto. a good affordable semi auto is the stoeger m3500. very reliable.

@ digletti also own a 1300, i use it as my bad weather gun when im not using my m3500 or browning citori, it is a awesome gun, probably have 10k rounds through it , not one malfunction.
 
Yup its a fantastic gun. Great for shooting clays with friends but not amazing for shooting multiple clays at the same time. Although after shooting thousands of rounds through the 1300, i can usually hit 2-3 clays pretty solid depending on how theyre thrown.
 
I have an 870, its a great gun for what it is. I use it for hunting deer and birds, but have yet to shoot clay pigeons with it. With the 2 barrels it comes with, it is easy to switch from a large game gun with a scope to a small game barrel
 
I'm partial to 870's myself as I own one.

I've shot 870's and 500's and I'd go with an 870. I think the 870's just have a better overall fit and finish.

Mine:

125735BA-3725-45A3-95CB-9991E2249801-5208-00000D233790062E.jpg
 
If you are not shooting clays competitively, and are just doing it for fun, then a pump will do you just fine and either of those guns are solid choices.

To the couple people who said get a stoeger m3500, absolutely don't listen to them. I know 3 people that have that gun and it jams constantly for all of them. There is a reason that the price is so low for a semi-auto. If you want a semi-auto, spend the extra couple hundred and get a quality gun.
 
Get an 870 an throw some fiber optic sights on. You definitely want a pump, way more reliable and shooting multiple skeet is easily done once you have the hang of it. Stay away from cheaper mossburgs, browning makes a good pump but a little more pricey. Beneli makes an excellent pump but again more expensive. Best bang for your buck is the 870, theres a reason it's the number one seller.
 
for sporting clays I would get a nice over under or side by side. something like a browning citori. beautiful looking gun and it is perfect for clays because you wont get it scratched up.

for a hunting gun you cant go wrong with a benelli, the vinci is by far my favorite shotgun right now but they are more hunting oriented. semi auto, composite stock. benelli also makes some beautiful wooden stock, over unders but probably out of your price range if you are looking at mosbergs.

dont buy a pump for sporting clays, you'll look like a complete jong. plus on cheaper end pumps the pump action istelf is not very smooth and makes the stock very shaky and hard to get solid shots off.
 
Op people can sit here and tell you what theor favorite gun is all day but that won't really help you. Your best bet is to go in and physically hold a bunch of different guns and find out which you're most comfortable with. A lot of people absolutely love the 870, but when I hold it something just feels wrong and off to me because it is different for everyone
 
If I remember right the regular 870 is chambered for 2 3/4" shells whereas the express is chambered for 2 3/4" and 3"
 
Love my moss 500, my friend has a 870 which is great too. We use to go shooting at a range near my school, the 870 was kept in our room under his bed with the shells in the closet, wed throw a towell over it when we walked to his car... So stupid looking back on it, but back to which to buy, the 500 is a litter 'beffier' when shooting l, I really like the feel, you have to know the wood on the pump lever does have some give to it so you can wiggle it back and forth unlike the 870 which has absolute no wiggle room. Both great 12gs for under 300-350
 
is this a joke?

the 500 is the only shotgun to pass the militaries 3443e test.

both are good guns op. go handle them. The 500 will be lighter but the forend is loose which can deter people. That loose forend is also one of the reasons why its the only gun to pass that military test.

cheap quality, lol. We arent talking about that cheapo 22lr ar-15 ensemble.
 
Everyone always seems to rip on mossberg for some reason. And the funny thing is, most people who do have never owned one. My first shotgun was a mossberg 935 ulti-mag and I loved that gun and still do. Never once had a single problem with it and it's still as smooth as the day it came out of the box.
 
I think that a super black is out of his price range haha. But I definitely agree with you they are unreal.
 
reminds me of this

"worst case scenario you can poke someone with it and fuck their shit up" hahaha
 
Mossberg is a solid gun. I own a 12 gauge Mossberg 835 ulti-mag. It does what I bought it to do remarkably well (kill turkeys). I've never missed with it, it has never jammed, and it is fun to shoot. Is it the right choice for shooting clays? Absolutely not. I would never recommend it, or any other pump-action shotgun for that. The amount of time it takes to cycle a new round into the chamber means you have to leave your sight-picture, chamber a new round, re-acquire your sight-picture, then get off another shot. With a semi-auto or double-barrel you can stay on target for both shots.

Shooting trap or skeet with a pump-action can be done. It is fun. You're still blasting targets out of the air! It will be frustrating, as you will not be breaking nearly as many birds as the people with whom you are shooting. Your gun will look out of place, and you'll be thinking about upgrading from your very first time out. Spend the extra little bit of money. Don't be afraid to buy used. Also, don't discount a 20 gauge. If you are smaller in build, younger, or simply don't want a bruised shoulder, there is nothing wrong with a 20 gauge. Target rounds will not kick like a hunting round or slug, but after a few hundred shots you will feel it.
 
if this is only a clay gun dont even consider a 12 ga. its not worth the extra price of shells, sore shoulder, and more recoil throwing you off target.

 
It's not really just a clay gun. I just want an all around good and cost efficient shotgun. I think I'm leaning towards the Mossberg 500.
 
for the price it cant be beat. Hell, it cant be beat period. Either way you go you are going to get a great gun that will be reliable and durable.
 
I shoot my granddads model 12 that he gave me and it it the best but i also own an 870 and an 11-87 from rem, given the 11-87 is a semi i like shooting trap with that much more. no if you are looking for a trap gun what made you stay away from an over under or a side by side just curious? i like over unders for trap and the others for hunting but i like them because they are light weight, but 870 all day. plus there are so many affordable upgrade that you can do to one.

 
Damn. Reading this thread reminds me how much I miss shooting clay. I need to get back at it.
 
I've got a mossberg maverick 88 which is pretty much the 500. it was cheap and shoots great. I'm not a gun expert but it felt just as good as my friends 870 and is super fun and easy to shoot trap with, though I'm sure it's not quite as good its still pretty legit
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top