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Pick Me a Pump Shotgun

Cuthbert Allgood said:
I’d stretch the budget and get a 930 spx. I have so much fun emptying that thing into steel plates
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I like the way you think.
Stretch it just a bit more and you’re in 1301 territory 😍.

As a lefty, I like the Mossy tang safety. With that said, I’m absolutely fine with cross bolt safeties so long as they’re on the front of the trigger guard. For $500, flip a coin or see what’s in stock locally. Both are beyond reliable.
 
PL-52 said:
What ever you get, take it to the range and get real chummy with it if your going to use it to defend your life.
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Embrace the recoil! Great advice. I’ll piggy back with, buy a bunch of different loads, see what patterns best in your shottie and then buy a case of that. No two shotguns pattern the same, for the most part. Always be practicing loading. While a 12gauge can be a fight stopper, they run out of ammo real quick. I’m paraphrasing/plagiarizing from what I’ve read and watched, but most shotgun fights will be fought with whatever ammo is on and in the gun.
You can’t practice loading enough.
 
I've always been a fan of Mossbergs, being a lefty, I like the top tang safety. Newer 870's have compromised a lot in fit and finish. They're nothing lke the older wingmasters.

Both choices are well supported with aftermarket accessories. IMO, Mossberg has more choices right off the shelf, at least in all the shops I frequent. Want a field model, check, or a pistol grip cruiser model, check, 500 with ghost ring sights, check...

Recently, I wanted a 590 with ghost ring sights and a heat shield. I don't need a heat shield, but I wanted one. Couldn't find one. All I saw had one but not the other, but found a 500 with full length tube, heat shield, and ghost ring irons. I gave up the thicker barrel of the 590, metal trigger guard and metal safety tang button, but in the end, those items didn't affect function or its use, plus I can always add those later.

With plain jane cheap Remington slugsters, I can put 5 rounds in a pie plate at 100 and at 50, those 5 shots are largely all touching. Plus if you want to go retro looking, you can get wood furniture on the cheap.

Local shop has many HD 500s and 590s on the rack, I think the 590s are $475 NIB and the 500's maybe $75-$100 cheaper.
 
Remington 870 won’t run the mimishells without an adapter. ’Forget that! !No time in a firefight to be thinking did I replace the gizmo when I went to range to practice my stance and cover tactics! You want all your wits focused on stopping your objective.
 
C. Stockwell said:
Meet with someone or take a class and try some out. Do you want a tang safety or button? Do you care about swapping barrels or chokes? Are you going to mount an optic or light? Is only one person going to use the shotgun or will someone else, like a spouse or kids?
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Make sure the fit is good. Mossbergs do not fit me well because the trigger group is farther forward from the grip than other shotguns. This caused me to only be able get a half palm grip on the stock, and as a consequence, I had poor recoil control. I had to fix this with a pistol grip. Also, make sure length of pull works for you and whoever will be using it. Also, make sure the recoil pad is to your liking.
 
I know guns are starting to trickle back in, but my advice is to go to a gun store or BassPro/Cabelas and see what's in stock and shoulder a wide selection and then come back with the top 3
shotties YOU like and tell us what they were. We can break those down better for you.

First criteria should be how it fits you and how well you can cycle/feed it as well as ergos for YOU using the safety selector easily...
 
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I do like the Mossy 590A1, the 870 Marine Magnum and the BPS

 
fencer said:
I have seen more than a few people short stroke an 870. And that was on a nice quiet range with no one shooting back. Add some chaos, adrenaline and shit can happen.
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I had my buddy's new 500 jammed up on me. The lifter failed causing the next shell to get stuck. Full stoppage. Seemed somewhat common based on google search.
 
enbloc said:
I do like the Mossy 590A1…
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+1 for the 590A1 SPX… a modern day pig-sticker for sure…

OP, if you want a range day of Mossy goodness, I can accommodate everything from 14.5” up to 20” and in semi-auto and in pump… just bring your own shells. Note: none of these are for sale, but you’re welcome to try them.

DFF9AA02-CC6F-4EF0-8508-5219BEC70321.jpeg

Edit: I’m pretty sure I’ve paid over your $500 budget for each of these… if it were me, I’d save for the gun you want not buy the gun you can afford. But that’s just me.
 
sounds like you are looking for a blaster for some range fun. any of the guns mentioned would work for you, dress 'em up like a ticti-cool bitch and have a go. even i have one, an old 870 i duded up and it's a bunch of fun. it was an old police patrol car wench complete with 18" bbl. all i did really was buy the mag tube extender and put a saddle on her and it can defend the house or give me a few hours of enjoyment blasting anything really i want to blast. so yeah, there is still some decent choices to consider. mr. @enbloc had a good suggestion...one of his rare moments it seems;) as he enters his golden years...go out and window shop for feel and availibility.
 
I went with a Mossberg 500. I'd scrap up another couple of bucks and get the Scorpion. By the time I swapped my stock, got shell holders, etc... would have been quicker to one and done it. That said, I still have my 500 ready all the time.
 
Mtn_Guy said:
+1 for the 590A1 SPX… a modern day pig-sticker for sure…

OP, if you want a range day of Mossy goodness, I can accommodate everything from 14.5” up to 20” and in semi-auto and in pump… just bring your own shells. Note: none of these are for sale, but you’re welcome to try them.

View attachment 555476

Edit: I’m pretty sure I’ve paid over your $500 budget for each of these… if it were me, I’d save for the gun you want not buy the gun you can afford. But that’s just me.
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Wait, are you the guy making coleslaw at Monadnock years ago?
 

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