For no particularly good reason, I find myself without a 12 gauge shotgun. Oddly enough, I do have piles of 12 gauge shells. I do have a single shot 16 gauge, but...I feel like I should have a pump and a 12 gauge.

I have not been out looking for one for a while. There is however a gunshow this weekend. What would be a good price range to look for in trying to find an older store brand or beat up pump action 12 gauge?

I will simply have the bbl cut, or cut it myself, if it is too long as I just want an 18.5" to 20" pump around for...utility.

Note I do have three EBR/MSRs and a bolt action .30-06 so it is not something where I feel I need a NIB Benelli or even a Mossberg 500/590.

I'm in SE Ohio, last weekend was at large outdoor sale, keyed on
Guns, tools, fishing tackle. Pump shotguns were a dime a dozen
You could pick up all the M-12 Wins you wanted for $300-$350.
Used 870 express models $200-$250. Ithacas were a little more,
holding value better than Win 12s. A lot of $200 pumps. What
were marked up the most was Win 97s. So for $200 to $300 you
should be able to pick up sevicable gun.

For the store brands check out a cross reference and you can find out who made it. Prices should be reasonable.

You shouldn't hava a great deal of trouble picking up a good condition pump for around $200 at most gun shows. I have a pretty nice condition Stevens 12 Ga pump from the 1950s I bought around 15 years ago for, I think, about $50-$60, and I cut the barrel back to 18.5" as a truck gun. You could probably duplicate it today for that $200 or even less.

100-200$ depending on brand/model condition. Don't expect an 870 wingmaster for that. NIB Maverick 88's (virtually identical & parts interchange with Mossberg 500's from big box stores/Daly's etc are right around 200$ on sale. Be careful with older oddball brands as you may not be able to get parts if needed.

I picked up a J.C. Higgins (Sears) Model 20 12 ga pump at last weekends Jackson, TN gun show. No, it's not perfect (Couple of dents in the vent rib and an added Poly Choke) but it's still blue as opposed to most of this model's examples I've owned/seen having turned into a "Brown" gun. According to the Sears stock number mine was manufactured in 1954. It's a "Slam Fire" gun, AKA hold the trigger back and pump until she runs dry. Asking price was $225 when I first spotted it in the parking lot. After carrying it around for 1.5 hours the ask was down to $175. I got it for $145. Wood and steel, what guns should be made of.

Couple of drawbacks to this gun and it's ilk. Do NOT shoot steel shot through it. Steel shot will bulge the barrel just ahead of the choke. Chamber length is 2.75", don't buy it and expect it to feed and fire your 3" buckshot home defense loads.

This one is so nice it's destined to keep the 26" Poly-Choked barrel and become my early season squirrel gun and my rabbit gun.

Class III

$100-200.

I bought two Ithaca 37's from a guy I have bought/trader with locally. $135 each. I left one in bird hunting guise and cut the other one down. I replaced the cracked stock with some Choate furniture and installed a tritium night sight. I probably have $250 in it now, most of that the tritium sight. A gold bead would have dropped the price to under $200.

I bought a Mossberg 500 at the local pawn shop for $125. It was an old one with the single action bar from the early 70's. I cut that one down, and again replaced the "tactical" furniture on it with factory plastic stuff they had in the bargain basket. I also found a used hunting barrel with a screw-in choke (mod). They sold me the furniture and spare barrel for $35. So I'm into the gun for $155.

From the same pawn shop, I picked up an 870 Express for $179.

All three of the above were under $200 and all three are fine shotguns for what you have in mind. I wouldn't go over $200 for a beater. At that point, you might as well just buy something new.

I usually look for police trandes. They are great bargains if you just want a good shotgun. I picked up two Remington 870 magnums with full length tubes for $250 a piece. Both are older firearms. Probably early - mid 90s but because they are not a primary weapon they were barely used

You can get a new Mossberg Maverick 88 for under $200 at Academy Sports.

The one I like is that Mossberg 3 1/2 inch magnum pump. They seem to be everywhere. I got two a year ago for around $140 each. You can cut off the barrel or just use the threaded barrel end to mount a door breacher (one of those mean looking spiky things). It will shoot anything made in 12 G. You can pop on a folding stock and a shell carrier if you want and make it look even better. The fore end is a bit unusual so you will probably have to keep it as is.

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Dr. B

Wal-Mart??

Kamart ?

Dicks?

Cabelas?

Check the Sunday flyers.

For what u want I suggest a Winchester m12/m120 some for $250.

That's a great price the Mossberg 500 barrels fit it.

Thank you all for some suggestions what to look for. I had a store branded High Standard pump some years ago that was a nice enough gun.

Today there was nothing. The closest approximation was a worn Stevens pump in 16 gauge tagged at $265.

So I bought the only Nagant revolver that I had seen in a while. Probably paid too much. Eh.

Look for JC Higgins pump guns. IIRC theyrare Winchesters, and can be had for half the cost.

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Even older, even crankier....

Store brand marked 12ga pumps,,should be able to buy a decent condition gun for $100 to $150.
My favorite store brand marked 12ga (and 20ga) pumps to buy were and are Stevens 520 labeled as Montgomery Ward , Riverside, and Sears.
These are older (pre-War) but Model 620s Stevens are out there too.
Lots of decent 50's, 60s and 70's Sears,Penneys, MontyWards, WesternAuto ect guns made by Stevens, Hi-Standard, H&R, Stevens, Winchester, ect out there for not a lot of money.

The Mav 88 is made by Mossberg & the only difference I could find is the Mav has a trigger safety vs the tang safety on the M.B. 500 which is plastic and prone to breakage anyway. All internal parts can interchange between the 88 & 500 & can't figure out how they can ask for so much more $ for the 500, the 590 is steel, much more durable & expensive.

Agree! I got a Mav88 from Academy a few months ago for $179. Came with a 26" barrel with modified choke. Thought it would be good for an intro to clay shooting.

Also picked up an 18" barrel. All in for $250. Not bad for some 12 ga fun!

It's just me but I'd rather have a quality name, good used weapon than a "cheaper" new version.

I picked up this SCHP trade in at a LGS for under $200. Rem 870 20 inch cylinder barrel. Wood was rough but covered it with Mossy Oak and picked up a 26 inch barrel with a mod choke included its new again.

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Isaiah 41:10

Maverick is a division of Mossburg, and located in Eagle Pass TX, across the river from Piedras Negras Mexico. I have it on good authority that components are, for the most part, made in Mexico and assembled in Texas - sort of a reverse Maquiladora operation.

Not long ago, I traded off a Maverick .30-'06 bolt action rifle. I thought it was very well made and shot a very tight group, despite my paying only about $170 for it new at Academy about 5 years ago.

Pump shotguns are probably the most common firearm in households in America. I have bought and sold dozens of Rem 870's, Mossberg 500, Stevens/Savage 67's over the last 40 years in the $50-$150 Range. I recently turned down an 870 for $150 because of the finish issues. Sorry I did that but I have no room in the safe. Be patient, these guns turn up at yard sales often. PS, the Turk "Escort" guns are Benelli Nova pumps without the name, I like em. Joe.

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Wisdom chases me; I'm faster

Look for some of the police turn in 870 pump shotguns. I bought two of them and top price I paid was $225. Were covered with rust so attacked that first. 4/0 steel wool and clp = no rust and especially no pitting. redid the wood on one and got two of the rem pre fit recoil pads as the ones that came with the guns had ossified into rock. One had the 18" bbl and the other 20"bbl. And both came with the mag extension. Good dependable shotguns and for these two cheep. Frank

May I ask where this was? And do they do it only once a year?

In the past 3 years I have bought 3 M 12 Winchesters, a model 1200, a Factory camo Mossberg in 20 gauge in lgs'.

The most I gave was 250 for 1 m12 win in 3".

Thd others were 125 to 175. They had 3 other 1200s rough that were 149 but 125 would have bought them. And I almost forgot. Different lgshad a m12 in 16 gauge in the 275 range. I bought it too.

I bought a Mossberg 500 at the last gun show I attended in STL for 75 bucks. That was 3 years ago.

On High Standard shotguns. Ive owned a couple when I was young and destitute.
Several lgs owners have told me parts are very hard to find.

I personally would not want to trust my life on a HS or an off brand. Id use a time tested model and test fire it with the loads you are going to use.

In the past 3 years ive bought 4 m12 winchesters and a factory camo m 500 Mossberg used in 20 gauge. All except 2 M12s were in the 150 to 175 range.

This was done by checking lgs's on a regualr basis.

if I was thinking of one for home defense id personally pick a 870 or a 500 or any known brand.

For hunting a high standard might be ok but your looking at a gun that has been around what 60 plus years?

High standard parts are non existant. They had one part prone to breakage. I would not use any unknown brand for self defense.

Life is short but using the cheapest shotgun that may fail could make life shorter yet.

Hope you find a nice name brand.

I would buy some kind of Remington 870.

Just had my local LGS order me a Maverick 88 a couple of weeks ago $242 otd. Could of got the 5 shot on sale at the local Academy for $179. But I wanted the 8 shot instead. Best decision I've made in awhile.

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