First shotgun recommendations please - Mossberg

[Dahak]

There is room in my gun safe that by law and custom must be filled. I do not have a shotgun. Seems like a perfect solution.

However, I am a lefty. As far as I am a aware that limits me to Mossbergs for the tang mounted safety. My purpose is home defense with the possibility of down the road participating in 3-gun competitions. So that steers me to 12 gauge. I love my lever action rifles so I think I'll love a pump too.

So 12 gauge Mossberg pump. A rookie like me would think that would be that and I would now have 2-3 models from which to choose. Uhmmm, nope, there seem to be 30-40 models in just the 900 series alone and its not just coloration differences.

What features should I be looking for? What questions am I not asking myself? I am willing to be patient for the model I want to get in stock.

Thanks!

 

[cyphertext]

Typically from what I have seen, semi auto shotguns are used for 3 gun. If you are truly wanting to start competing in 3 gun and you don't already have a shotgun, you should probably start looking at a semi auto. Not saying that you couldn't use a pump, just don't be surprised when most are shooting autos.

Also some shotguns with the crossbolt safety can be modified for left hand shooters, so don't let that be the only deciding factor.

 

[Rpg]

My experience with Mossberg pump guns hasn’t been encouraging: bits and pieces tend to break and fall off. I’d much rather have a Winchester M12, Remington 870 or Ithaca 37.

The safety for a lefty is an issue: clearly a tang safety is most desirable but a little practice and the manual of arms with a cross bolt safety can be mastered. One of the fastest shotgun handling demonstrations I’ve ever seen was a left handed shooter with a Model 12.

The remaining issue for lefty’s is the ejection: in pump guns, the bottom ejecting Ithaca 37 is the one to look at.

 

[mdf9183]

Get you a Century Arms PW87 lever action shotgun or a Stevens mod 350 which is a clone of the Ithica 37 bottom eject.

 

[bigwheelzip]

Might want to look at the one tweaked by Jerry M.

Mossberg 940™ JM Pro | O.F. Mossberg & Sons, Inc.

 

[PALADIN85020]

I'm of the opinion that one can never have too many Remington 870s. Boringly reliable and configurable to anything you want from trap and skeet to tactical. Easily switchable barrels - can be done in seconds.

You can't go wrong on these. Left-hand models made as well. Economical, too!

John

 

[Patrick L]

Problem with an 870 (and I own 4, have owned 6) is that the QC is now nonexistant. An 870 from say any time pre 2000 is superb, even the no frills Express Models were good guns. And anything earlier was just superb. All of mine are walnut Wingmasters dating from the early 70s through maybe 1990? Absolutely sublime.

Used 870s, Model 12s, and Ithaca 37s are the way to go if you want a pump (maybe a BPS, I have no personal experience but Brownings always seem to be good.) Just my .02

 

[waffles]

The safety issue is less fun but the Mossberg 500s/590s I've owned were sold pretty quickly, the 870s stick around. I find the 870s (go used and older) to be a much better made and smoother shotgun and the model I'd go with.

 

[rockquarry]

I don't know about newer 870s; mine are old. There are a lot of the older 870s out there at decent prices and perhaps left-handed ones as well; just may take a little more looking. An unmolested one will cost more but will be worth it. These remain desirable, basic, good quality shotguns that will retain value over time. A Mossberg may be okay, but you may wish you had done better to start with.

 

[LoadedRound]

If I shot left handed, it would be:

Browning BPS
Ithaca M37
Left handed Remington 870

I think Mossberg's are great shotguns, but they don't warm my heart like these.

 

[Geno44]

I haven't been to a gun show since Covid began but there were millions of quality used shotguns for sale at reasonable prices and I doubt that has changed in the last year. Go for the older quality and reliability and take your time to get something you are genuinely happy with.

 

[waffles]

I haven't been to a gun show since Covid began but there were millions of quality used shotguns for sale at reasonable prices and I doubt that has changed in the last year. Go for the older quality and reliability and take your time to get something you are genuinely happy with.

It has. Take a look on gunbroker at used pump guns, the lower end of the market for quality used pump guns is gone.

 

[ruger 22]

Look for a used 870 or 1100 Remington from the period 1970-1990. Lots of them around and you can shift the safety around for your being a lefty or just get used to it which is what I have done. These are great guns.

 

[gmiller0737]

Besides Left Hand Remington 870's 2 Shotguns Come to Mind for Left Hander's Ithaca 37 and Browning BPS Both feature Bottom Ejection & I think the BPS Has a Tang Safety

 

[xtrtsqrt11]

In speaking about your thoughts to 3 gun, a pump will certainly work but to be competitive, you will need a magazine fed one. The good ones are very spendy. I don't know if there are any good Turkish semis that are out at this time. The AK styles are spendy.
I would look to get at least ghost ring if not rifle sights, 3 gun matches I have attended have had a few slug targets at 50-100 yards.
If you get a Mossberg, make sure you stick with the conventional stock, a pistol grip stock doesn't work with the tang safety in my opinion.
Work on your reload, cause that is where the rubber meets the road with a shotgun. The matches I attended started with an empty shotgun, hence the mag fed shotguns were the most competitive.

 

[Echo40]

A lot of folks are going to advise against Mossberg because they are fancy and there's really no bragging rights to owning one, but factually speaking, they're reliable shotguns which have seen use in the Military in recent years, and if they were as poor quality as some folks say they are then the company wouldn't exist anymore, yet it does, and is currently the oldest firearms manufacturer in the United States which is still privately owned by the none other than the Mossberg family.

So yeah, folks will tell you that Remingtons are better, and perhaps they were at one point, but certainly not in the past decade, so unless you plan on shopping around for a pre-Freedom Group 870, aren't willing to pay a premium for a more prestigious brand name, and just want a good, reliable Shotgun, then you can't go wrong with Mossberg.

I recommend checking out the Mossberg 590A1, which is the highest quality model that they offer, built to the specifications of the USMC, and uses all metal parts. The 590A1 is a tank, which I personally would choose over an 870 from ANY era due to its ambidextrous controls, durable heavy-walled barrel, aluminum safety switch/trigger group, and overall more modern design.

If I wanted something more fancy than a Mossberg, then it's Ithaca all the way because the Ithaca 37 is one of the most iconic pump action shotguns in American history which was widely used by Military and Police for many decades until it was replaced by more modern, less expensive designs. To this very day the Ithaca 37 is one of the most high quality American-made pump action shotgun available.

TL;DR: For a reliable workhorse shotgun, get a Mossberg 590A1. For a high quality shotgun that you can show off and receive the admiration of your peers, get an Ithaca Model 37.

 

[smithra_66]

There is room in my gun safe that by law and custom must be filled. I do not have a shotgun. Seems like a perfect solution.

However, I am a lefty. As far as I am a aware that limits me to Mossbergs for the tang mounted safety. My purpose is home defense with the possibility of down the road participating in 3-gun competitions. So that steers me to 12 gauge. I love my lever action rifles so I think I'll love a pump too.

So 12 gauge Mossberg pump. A rookie like me would think that would be that and I would now have 2-3 models from which to choose. Uhmmm, nope, there seem to be 30-40 models in just the 900 series alone and its not just coloration differences.

What features should I be looking for? What questions am I not asking myself? I am willing to be patient for the model I want to get in stock.

Thanks!

I'd buy an older 870 or better yet a model 12, and also an 18" barrel. Modern Mossbergs and Remingtons suck.

If you get into 3 gun, you wouldn't be using your HD pump shotgun, and a good competition semi-auto would probably be the cheapest of the three guns you'd need, plus all the ammo. I'd say cross that bridge when you get to it.

 

[Alton]

If you can't find a JM 930, try looking for a 930 Rhythm. Never had a jam in all the years of shooting it. They only issue is the weight of all those shells.

 

[Dahak]

I'm a decent parts swapper, but am no gunsmith. Fine file work is an art, and I am no artist. With that background, is swapping the sides on a safety an easy fix? I think I'll be okay with the ejection on the wrong side since I deal with that on my AR Sport II.

Pump now, pump at the start of 3-gun while learning and then get ready to rebuy everything if I get hooked and start thinking that I'll be competitive is the summary I've pick up.

 

[alwslate]

Remington 870, Remington 870, Remington 870.