Looking for a new shotgun

I swung by Dick's and looked at a few pumps. The two I seemed drawn to were the Benelli Nova and a Mossberg 535. I like the safety position on the Mossberg, and it comes with a rifled barrel as well. It also takes 3.5" shells, which the 500 won't.

Decisions decisions.
 
Martlet said:
I swung by Dick's and looked at a few pumps. The two I seemed drawn to were the Benelli Nova and a Mossberg 535. I like the safety position on the Mossberg, and it comes with a rifled barrel as well. It also takes 3.5" shells, which the 500 won't.

Decisions decisions.
Click to expand...

The safety on the Mossberg is in a good location, but they are plastic and prone to breakage. If you get a Mossy, pick up an after market metal safety and switch it out.

Also, be sure to try a Supernova. They have a kit that allows you to customize drop and cast. The stock and receiver are two pieces unlike the Nova. Also, the "Comfortech" system in the Supernova actually does take the edge off the bigger loads. Not a big deal for hunting since you don't feel the recoil anyway, but for patterning it sure softens the blow.
 
O/U said:
The safety on the Mossberg is in a good location, but they are plastic and prone to breakage. If you get a Mossy, pick up an after market metal safety and switch it out.

Also, be sure to try a Supernova. They have a kit that allows you to customize drop and cast. The stock and receiver are two pieces unlike the Nova. Also, the "Comfortech" system in the Supernova actually does take the edge off the bigger loads. Not a big deal for hunting since you don't feel the recoil anyway, but for patterning it sure softens the blow.
Click to expand...

I'll have to take a look at it, providing I can find a place that carries them. Maybe Kittery will have them.
 
Martlet said:
Why no go on the Mossberg? I actually liked it, but I've never used one outside of the service.
Click to expand...

They are notorious for breaking. I owned one, it broke... [thinking]

See if you can find a shotgun forum and ask them about Mossberg, most people agree that they are junk.
 
It was the 500 series pump. The slide on the pump snapped from the limited ammount of time that I used/owned it.

Check out the wood work on their new O/U. You can easily mark the stock with your thumbnail... [thinking]
 
derek said:
They are notorious for breaking. I owned one, it broke... [thinking]

See if you can find a shotgun forum and ask them about Mossberg, most people agree that they are junk.
Click to expand...

I agree with Derek. I think Mossberg quality leaves a lot to be desired. The forearm is very loose and the components seem to be of less quality than Remington or Benelli.

The 870 is a great pump. I give it a B+. The Benelli edges it out in my opinion, but only by a little bit. I give the Supernova an A-. I just really like the ease at which I can field strip the Benelli. That and I've seen a lot of 870s with rusty receivers. That matte bluing they have is not very durable. It scratches and oxidizes very quickly.

Benelli's aren't cheap though. I think I paid around 470 for my camo Supernova. I did come with three chokes though.

Of course there are folks who swear by the Mossberg, so if it speaks to you go for it. They are very cheap, so if you're looking for a gun that you can hunt with and not worry about a Mossy might fill the bill.
 
I am the perennial advocate for used pump guns. If you want a pump
shotgun you can find excellent Ithacas, Remingtons and Winchesters
all over the place in good shape and at great prices. Of course, if you
need one that can shoot 3.5" Goose Artillery you are SOL.

F
 
870

I just completed the hunter safety course and am also thinking about a shotgun. At least 4 of the 6 instructors in the course raved about the Remington 870.
Bill
 
The 870 is a good gun for the money..But...(There's always a but),
the current 870 Express has a much lower level of fit and finish than
the old 870 Wingmaster. You can pick one of those up for under $300
or an Ithaca Model 37 (under $200) if you don't care about 3"+ shells.
These guns are easy to fix, hard to break, and get slicker as they age.
Whata deal!
 
firtree said:
The 870 is a good gun for the money..But...(There's always a but),
the current 870 Express has a much lower level of fit and finish than
the old 870 Wingmaster. You can pick one of those up for under $300
or an Ithaca Model 37 (under $200) if you don't care about 3"+ shells.
These guns are easy to fix, hard to break, and get slicker as they age.
Whata deal!
Click to expand...

I few guys I've spoken with make it sound like you MUST get a gun that takes 3.5 shells. I trust their judgment , but I've never owned a shotgun that took 3.5 I was pretty excited when I bought 3" shells for my Browning Auto.

I love that gun. Heavy, but sweet.
 
Martlet said:
I few guys I've spoken with make it sound like you MUST get a gun that takes 3.5 shells. I trust their judgment , but I've never owned a shotgun that took 3.5 I was pretty excited when I bought 3" shells for my Browning Auto.

I love that gun. Heavy, but sweet.
Click to expand...

If you're hunting geese, 3.5" shells are nice to have. Honestly, our fathers and grandfathers did just fine without them though, so I wouldn't let that be a deal breaker.

It's good to have the 3" capability for turkey, but I know very few hunters who actually use a 3.5" 12 gauge shell. I have personally never even patterned one. The 3" turkey loads are enough, thank you very much [crying].
 
A receiver that can handle 3.5" shells is a monstrosity. On the 870
it is way too long and heavy. Unless you are hunting geese, you can
do just fine with 2 3/4 max loads. Those are doable, but just on the
edge for Geese. But then again, we were talking about O/U
guns earlier, and they almost never take more than 3" shells, many
still use 2 3/4.

F
 
There is absolutely zero need for 3.5" shells in upland and turkey hunting. And there is zero need for them in waterfowling if you use tungsten or other heavier-than-steel shot when hunting geese. I have hammered Canada geese DRT with Kent Tungsten-Matrix 3" shells with 1 5/8 oz of shot. I've also killed lots of duck with 2 3/4" and 3" steel shot shells.

The only reason 3.5" shells exist is because something that long was necessary to cram more steel shot into a cartridge for geese back when steel was the only non-toxic shot approved by the US Fish & Wildlife Service and by Environment Canada. Such has not been the case for quite some time now.

If you must have a pump for upland and waterfowl, I would consider the two that have served me well: Remington 870 (Express in my case) and Ithaca Model 37.
 
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Jose said:
There is absolutely zero need for 3.5" shells in upland and turkey hunting. And there is zero need for them in waterfowling if you use tungsten or other heavier-than-steel shot when hunting geese. I have hammered Canada geese DRT with Kent Tungsten-Matrix 3" shells with 1 5/8 oz of shot. I've also killed lots of duck with 2 3/4" and 3" steel shot shells.

The only reason 3.5" shells exist is because something that long was necessary to cram more steel shot into a cartridge for geese back when steel was the only non-toxic shot approved by the US Fish & Wildlife Service and by Environment Canada. Such has not been the case for quite some time now.

If you must have a pump for upland and waterfowl, I would consider the two that have served me well: Remington 870 (Express in my case) and Ithaca Model 37.
Click to expand...



+1000 to all points. The man knows of which he speaks [grin]
 
Someone told me I should get a rifled barrel for deer hunting. I've never used a rifled barrel. Do the deer hunters here use them, or do you go smooth bore and mix in some buckshot like I did growing up?
 
When I used a shotgun for deer hunting I used a rifled shotgun barrel. It supposedly makes the slugs a bit more accurate. I didn't use it long enough to know for sure, I went to a .308.
 
derek said:
When I used a shotgun for deer hunting I used a rifled shotgun barrel. It supposedly makes the slugs a bit more accurate. I didn't use it long enough to know for sure, I went to a .308.
Click to expand...

Yeah, this is my first time deer hunting in MA. I used slug/00 growing up, then switched to a 35 and 30.06.

I looked at the Remington 870 combo today. It's much like the mossberg, only less slide rattle. It seemed like a nice gun for the money. I was just hesitant to go with a rifled barrel as I've never used one.

If I can't make up my mind, I suppose I could just use my browning auto this year. It's a nice gun.
 
Like others have said you can't go wrong with the 870 combo...

What is the cost? Do you want to hunt with a shotgun or is that the only option in your zone?
 
derek said:
Like others have said you can't go wrong with the 870 combo...

What is the cost? Do you want to hunt with a shotgun or is that the only option in your zone?
Click to expand...

Dick's had the 870 combo for 430. I didn't look anywhere else yet.

What other options do I have except for shotgun, black powder, or archery? I've never used a bow or black powder.
 
Martlet said:
Someone told me I should get a rifled barrel for deer hunting. I've never used a rifled barrel. Do the deer hunters here use them, or do you go smooth bore and mix in some buckshot like I did growing up?
Click to expand...



A rifled barrel makes it a LOT more accurate, as long as you use sabot slugs. I believe most manufacturers recommend that you do NOT use buckshot with rifled barrels. Basically, rifled barrels are for sabot slugs only. Smoothbore barrels are for buckshot and the old school rifled slugs. You can use sabot slugs in smooth barrels, but I have gotten very poor performance. I guess it is personal preference. All my life I used smooth barrels with rifled slugs or buckshot. Three years ago I picked up a pump with a rifled barrel and a cantilever scope mount. Glad I did. It is the ONLY gun I take into the mass woods now during the shotgun season. [wink]

The new black powder rifles also use saboted projectiles. They are very good. They are NOT you father's smokepole. 200 yard shots are very doable with them.

A good black powder rifle essentially doubles your deer season in Mass. You get 2 additional weeks after shotgun season closes.
 
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Agree with dixiedawg. If you must hunt large game with a shotgun (as we do here in Ohio too) a rifled barrel and saboted slugs are the way to go.
 
Martlet said:
What other options do I have except for shotgun, black powder, or archery?
Click to expand...

Depending on your zone, 30-06, .308, 7mm... there are others.

I prefer rifle, with slugs you are limited on range, however where you live shotgun might be the only option.
 
Probably not. Looks like you're in a SG only zone.

Get the Combo if you want a SG for both Birds and Deer.

If you want to upgrade for birds later you still have the deer killin 870. [wink]
 
Martlet said:
I'm looking at the hunting abstract. It says shotgun only no larger than 10 ga only. Did it change? I'd love to hunt with my rifle if I'm able.

Hunting Abstract PDF
Click to expand...

No. Ma is shotgun only, and has been for as long as I have been hunting.

However,,,, Why they do not consider a shotgun with a RIFLED barrel to be a rifle is beyond me. Same with the new Muzzle loaders. They give both can give rifle like performance. There are not many places in Ma. that I know of that you can even see further than these are effective. The woods are THICK, and visibility is generally not that far. Only possiblities I can think of are powerlines and private farms. Most anyplace else in Ma, if you can see them, you can hit them with either a rifled shotgun or a modern muzzleloader.
 
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