Shotgun

[wyodan]

I am needing to buy a shotgun. I am looking for something fairly lightweight, packable, and fairly inexpensive, and as I've never owned a shotgun, I thought I would ask all of you fellow backcountry hunters. I have looked at the Stoeger Condor, Remington 870, and a Mossberg. Do you all have any suggestions? Thanks!

 

[Xxtavixx]

I think us understanding what your goal is would help. What do you need to do with it, what terrain will you be in, what do you intend to hunt or protect yourself from?

Edit- some basic thoughts.

Safety - I prefer the 500 safety being on the receiver basically, so you thumb the toggle like a savage rifle.
Loading Gate - I like the fact the 500 doesnt pinch your gloves
Fit/Finish - hands down I prefer the 870

 

[N2TRKYS]

I've never once wished that I have something besides my 870's. I will never hunt with anything else, shotgun wise.

 

[wyodan]

I think us understanding what your goal is would help. What do you need to do with it, what terrain will you be in, what do you intend to hunt or protect yourself from?

Edit- some basic thoughts.

Safety - I prefer the 500 safety being on the receiver basically, so you thumb the toggle like a savage rifle.
Loading Gate - I like the fact the 500 doesnt pinch your gloves
Fit/Finish - hands down I prefer the 870

Just looking to do some upland bird hunting, maybe with the occasional waterfowl trip. I would nearly always be in mountainous terrain, and I have the tendency of when I leave the truck in the morning, I won't be back until after dark although I may not be hunting the entire day.

 

[AXEL]

I have owned many shotguns from my first singleshot Cooey 20, through some pricey doubles, British, AYA sidelock 20 and Brownning BSS sidelock 20, to several 870s and Mod. 12 and 42.

My using favourites, even with three highend German and Browning combo guns on hand, are my Benelli Nova and Super Nova 12 pumps. Lighter, tougher and more reliable than ANY others I have used and "backpacking" shotties par excellence.

Perhaps, the most uglee shotguns ever, but, they work like nothing else. Best guns for using Brenneke slugs on Grizzlies, if that is a concern.

 

[stevevan]

The Rem 870 is the iconic slide action shotgun. Pretty bomb proof and affordable. I keep one as my utility, jack of all trades, shotgun.

 

[Xxtavixx]

I'm favorable to the NOVA and the 870. I have an 870 lefty, but would trade for a left handed NOVA if it came up

 

[colonel00]

If you can shoot one, a youth 870 would be a pretty small package that would save weight but still be a shoulder-able shotgun. For some real fun, check out the Remington TAC-14 and the Mossberg Shockwave

 

[Justin Crossley]

I prefer the Benelli Nova over the Remington 870.

 

[nrh6.7]

I agree with the 870. Stay away from the "express" model though, as the one's I have used did not cycle well. But I learned to shoot with an 870 and will buy a Wingmaster some day.

 

[howl]

An aluminum frame O/U would be about 7 pounds in a 12 or 6 in a 20; or less. For a pump, I think the Mossberg 535 is about as light as you will find for a 12 gauge pump.

I did a thread on ultralight, high performance .410s on here somewhere. 3.3# has a certain charm about it.

 

[BigWoods]

Don't overlook the weight of the shotgun. We do lots of talking on here about just how nice 6lb all up rifles are in hand...shotguns are in hand all day. I do a lot of grouse hunting in the hills of northern New Hampshire and love having by 6.25lb Verona 20ga in hand. It carries light and swings fast.
CZ makes some over unders that are pretty affordable and weigh less than 6lbs. There are also a number of lightweight semi autos available that are worth a look.

 

[gelton]

I have a Benelli Vinci that I love but out of the three you mentioned I just might choose Mossberg. I cannot speak of their quality or lack thereof of late, but I have a model 500 from the early 90's that I literally could not break.

I left it in the bottom of a boat the entire duck season without any maintenance and it went bang every time I pulled the trigger. And this was in a very salty environment. At the time I wasnt proud to own it because it was just a mossberg and I was a youngster.

I still have that gun - I duracoated it and cut down the barrel a bit. Looks brand new and a hell of a home defense gun - I definitely dont have to worry about its reliability.

 

[Bones]

For Waterfowl, I think the Nova is better than the 870, but I really am not a fan of the balance of that gun. It has a lot of weight out front. My experience is with the 12 gauge, maybe the 20 isn't as bad. My recommendation is one that hasn't been listed. I have an Ithaca model 37 featherweight that is a joy to carry and shoot. I would keep my eyes peeled for one of them. The 20 gauge I own is super light, but with the full choke, I feel very comfortable using it for a lot of situations.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Bones]

I also will say, I have a super nova, 870, a super Vinci, the Ithaca and a Merkel 200e, the Vinci and Merkel point 10 times better than the Nova and are way lighter. If I wasn't concerned with deteriorating the condition of the Merkel, it would be an absolute pleasure to carry all day. Can't say the same about the Nova. Have to disagree with AXEL. The Nova is the last shotgun out of my safe. It is my guest waterfowl gun. Dependable, but not the balance and weight I want to carry all day. It is fine in the blind though.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[tlowell02]

I had a Benelli Nova before it was stolen from my truck last winter. I also own a Mossberg 500 that was my only shotgun for years. I loved that Nova though.

Hunting cranes in these sand box fields around here cause havoc to any gun but the beauty of the Nova is its simplicity and ease to clean. It also felt much better in hand than the 500 and any 870 I have handled.

 

[Backpack Hunter]

For upland work it would be hard to beat the Ithaca 37.....not cheap new though.

 

[AXEL]

I use my Benellies, the Nova Turkey Gun, 24" tube and Super Nova 14", collapsible stock, for working guns in the mountains of BC. I used several 870s, a Win 97 cut to 19" and a couple of others for this and do not hunt waterfowl.

Merkel, well, I have a custom 96K drilling, 9.3x74r, but, it cost too much and is too fragile (relatively) for a working gun and I never use it now. It does depend on what your uses-needs-conditions are, of course, I simply recommended the toughest, most functional shotgun I have used.

 

[motts]

I'm a big fan of the Mossbergs as they're reliable, I prefer their safety location, I feel like they're maybe a little lighter/balance better, and I like knowing that if anything should ever fail or break on them I can replace or repair it without having to take it to a gunsmith.

I own a 20 gauge 870 that I got a great deal on, but never really use it and it is now my spare or guest gun. It just doesn't feel as good to me, but there is no denying that it is the "better made" gun in terms of craftsmanship.

I had a browning BPS that was nice, but heavy. A buddy had a the nova and it was reliable, but I think they're ugly as sin and I'm a function over form guy - they're fugly. I don't have any experience with the Stoeger.

See if you can go someplace that has them all in stock to handle them and see what speaks to you. I discounted the Mossberg until I actually did just that, and I was very surprised to like it best out of all of them.

 

[Mr Drysdale]

Mossberg fan here. Can’t destroy them. My son can buy whatever shotgun he wants but is shooting one I gave him when he was thirteen. He has deer, dove, rabbit, Turkey and duck hunted with it since. He will turn 37 next month. I did have to replace the safety tang a few years ago and went with the metal replacement. BTW he doesn’t take care of anything!