Remington 870 or Mossberg 500

[alfon99]

Hi, Im planning on getting a new shotgun, It must come with a 3 inch chamber and i've come to this decision: Mossberg 500, or Remington 870. I'm almost new to shotguns, I only had a few side by sides.

 

[ColtPythonElite]

Either will work just fine. IMO, the biggest decision is picking while safety you like better.

 

[rcmodel]

Why must it come with a 3" chamber???

Not ever needed for 99% of all shotgun applications!
(Unless you must use steel shot for duck / goose hunting)

rc

 

[Tolkachi Robotnik]

Both work very well and have a long enough history. There are some advantages of the finer models, and the cheaper versions are a little rougher. If you are well adjusted to tang safeties you will want the 500. If you are not, the Maverick 88 has a safety near same as 870, is really a Mexican Mossberg 500.

 

[matrem]

Why must it come with a 3" chamber???

Isn't that what Remington and Mossberg offer?
Do they still offer 2 3/4" chambers?

 

[rcmodel]

Probably is.

But you can buy an older 870 Wingmaster when they were still excellent quality for less money then a new Express costs!

rc

 

[alfon99]

Both work very well and have a long enough history. There are some advantages of the finer models, and the cheaper versions are a little rougher. If you are well adjusted to tang safeties you will want the 500. If you are not, the Maverick 88 has a safety near same as 870, is really a Mexican Mossberg 500.

Yes, I am well adjusted to and prefer tang safeties over button safeties.

 

[matrem]

Yes, I am well adjusted to and prefer tang safeties over button safeties.

I believe that's the only difference worth mentioning between the two.
I "learned" the Remington cross bolt safety, and that's that.
Once Mossberg started using dual slides, been just a matter of opinion as to your favorite.

 

[alfon99]

I believe the mossberg 500 has a 6 shell magazine capacity vs the 4 shell capacity in the 870. Anyway that's not at all important.

 

[dromel]

Mossberg for left handed shooters

Being a left handed shooter, I find the Mossberg tang safety much easier.

 

[Strahley]

Can't go wrong with either, but I myself prefer the 870

 

[MinnesotaFats]

870 express or mossberg 500? ill take the 500, the barrel seems less rust prone compared to the express on mine. now 870 wingmaster or mossberg 500? wingmaster wins everytime imo.

 

[Jaymo]

I'm a southpaw. Mossberg wins.

I have an 870 Express 20 gauge 3".
It's ok. Nothing special.
It won't cycle 3" shells through the mag, even though it's a 3" gun.
Been that way since it was new, and the shop had a "no returns" policy,
like all gun shops I've seen.
I could send it back, but with the quality problems they're having these days?
I saw a brand new 870 express 12 gauge at the LGS a couple of years ago.
It had a good bit of rust in the chamber.

If I had it to do all over again, I wouldn't have bought a Remington.
I would have bought another Mossberg. None of mine have ever failed me.

 

[savanahsdad]

I looked at both and went with the neither and got the Mossberg 835, over bore 3 1/2" it will eat everything I feed it

 

[KenRHill]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L933NTU6Czk

If you decide you like the Mossberg 500 and if you are looking to save a little bit of money, you might look into the Mossberg Maverick Model 88. I did a video review and shoot of this gun a little while ago, and I also own a Remington 870. For the price a Mossberg Maverick really is not that bad.

 

[Seb1981]

I have an 870. I love it and I've never had any issues with the thousands of rounds that I've pumped through it. It's like the glock of shotguns. It will shoot no mater what(at least for me). I have honestly heard more than my fair share of people say the same about the mossberg. I had one friend of the many people I know with them have an issue. For some reason or another the gun would randomly misfire. At first we thought it was the round but examining the round we found that the pin would occasionally not hit the primer. As this was his home defense gun he wasn't willing to risk his life on a maybe so he took it back to the store and bought an 870. He has since had no more issues.

 

[PabloJ]

Why must it come with a 3" chamber???

Not ever needed for 99% of all shotgun applications!
(Unless you must use steel shot for duck / goose hunting)

rc

Probably because one can shoot 2&3/4" shells out of it most steel loads are 3" and most pump guns with 2&3/4" barrels come with fixed choke and no choke tubes.
Pick the one that comes with choke tube barrel, means of attaching light source and means of attaching shotgun scope or dot sight. Remember tapped receivers are nice because Weaver bases are about $7 per set.

 

[jmr40]

No reason to handicap yourself with an older gun that comes with 2 3/4" chambers and fixed chokes. The newer guns are better, older guns are far overrated. It is true that you will use 2 3/4" shells 90+% of the time, but when you need 3" shells, you will need them and be glad you have a gun that will shoot them. That, and interchangeable chokes make the gun far more versatile

The Mossberg 500 is a decent gun. The Remington 870 is the gold standard by which all shotguns are judged. It comes with a steel receiver vs aluminum is better balanced and will hold up much longer to hard use and abuse.

 

[Ash]

I disagree, the 870 won't hold up any better than a Mossberg - mine is churning 3" duck loads 40 years long now, even with the single action bar. That Mossberg replaced my Remington 870 Express (bought in 1996 new) because my dad preferred the steel receiver of the Remington. The receiver differences are a false comparison as the Mossberg locks into the barrel while the Remington locks into the receiver. Receiver construction is irrelevant when comparing them as a result (except that my 870 rusted easily when hunting ducks in Louisiana rice paddy blinds). There are other details one could argue, like the lifter or the ejector when detailing the designs.

But it really is Ford or Chevy. They both are solid performers. Using and owning both, I found I prefer the 500. Others like the 870. We both seem to shoot the ducks or rabbits just fine.

 

[jaguarxk120]

Ash, I must have a different Model 870 than you had, as the bolt locks into the barrel extension.

But then mine is a mirror image of the standard 870, it is the left hand model maybe it's different.

 

[Ash]

No, the bolt locks into the barrel extension. Brain fart on my part. But, the receiver construction remains irrelevant.

 

[eastbank]

moosbergs are fine for field or some time clays game guns, but for long term use in either its not a rem 870. if you have trouble with any firearm,return it to the factory or factory warrenty gunsmith and get it fixed. the only parts i have replaced in any rem 870 i have owned was a few firing pins and a few extractors and metal magizine follower(when i first buy them) and i own quite a few in all gages from 410 to 3.5" super mag. i still shoot a early rem 870 TB that has many thousands of shells thru it(i wish i kept better track of the amount). i did buy a new barrel that has the RC,and had it factory reblued. and i can still sale it for as much as i paid for it many years ago. if your talking about field use the safety issue is a non issue as you will have plenty of time to get either safety when a rabbit or bird takes off, now if it a defence gun i,ll listion to you as that may make a difference in life and death. eastbank.

 

[heavydluxe]

I recently bought a Mossberg 535 pump - it's a 500 that accepts 3.5" magnum shells. I want to do some waterfowl hunting and friends suggested getting a gun that will take the bigger loads even if you never wind up using them.

I compared the Mossie to the comparable 870 (SuperMag, I think)... They felt similar. The Mossberg was lighter, and I imagine that might lead to a little more recoil impulse. But I actually liked the tang safety, slide release, and other 'ergos' on the Mossberg better.

I'm betting that, between these two shotguns, you can't go wrong. They're the definitive shotguns for a reason. Good luck.

 

[MinnesotaFats]

like other folks have said, the 870 express' finish seems more rust prone. someone mentioned the fact that the 870 has a steel receiver compared to the 500s aluminum receiver but that isnt at all a selling point for remington because neither have been known to fail. it may make sense to bring that up as far as reblueing purposes go i suppose.. also i highly disagree with the above statement about the 500 being not designed for long term use as a field or clay gun compared to the 870. why would that make any sense? i must have read that wrong cause its not true.

 

[alfon99]

Is there a mossberg 500 combo? with rifled barrel and smoothbore.