Shotgun

[hodgeman]

I used to be a big fan of pump guns... but I bought a Benelli M2 about a dozen years ago. I hunt everywhere and everything with it- upland game, birds, bear protection, self defense...it does it all.

Yeah, if the question is which shotgun...the answer is the Benelli M2.

 

[mtmuley]

870 here. Killed grouse, ducks, geese, a couple deer and an elk with mine. I have a Mossberg 500 that is boringly reliable also. But, who can argue with an 870 elk kill? mtmuley

 

[Axlrod]

I have more shotguns than i can count on both hands. For hunting i like the Nova, then the ATI 28 ga. o/u then one of my Beretta auto's

 

[Bones]

I have seen some used 37's for around the price of new Nova or 870's cabelas gun library has a couple for $500 right now


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[Bones]

I wasn't recommending that the OP buy a Merkel or spend a ton of money, but to say the Nova is better balanced is a stretch. Reliable, yes. Built like a tank, yes. Feels like a brick is on the end of the barrel, also yes.


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[Bones]

The Nova is pushing 8 lbs, Ithaca around 6 lbs


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[howl]

Ithaca pumps are good. They are a step or two above the disposable nature of the cheaper Remington and Mossbergs. You can find them at good prices used if you don't mind an older gun. I believe some or all of them have the barrel threaded into the receiver, though. If true, that may present portability issues if you want to pack it somewhere.

Which is brings me around to...I thought we were talking about lightweight guns that are easy to transport?

 

[wyodan]

Thanks for all the suggestions, I now have one more question. Is there any reason to choose an over/under over a pump?

 

[awaldro7]

I looked at a lot of shotguns last year for a waterfowl, grouse, turkey, sporting clays gun. I ended up with a Franchi Affinity. I absolutely love the gun and wouldnt trade it for any other. As soon as I picked the gun up and started pointing it I fell in love.

 

[kda082]

Another Nova fan here. Have one for both son and myself, his is 26", mine is the 28" waterfowl camo that I had to have. His is slightly lighter and swings nice. I'm a long time auto guy but got sick of finicky autos and love the reliability of a pump, especially one that can take 2 3/4 - 3.5" shells. The Benelli is stupid easy to break down and clean. The Mossberg isn't too complicated to breakdown, but certainly not as easy as the nova or any auto I've owned. I also find the Nova design a little more smooth and solid if that makes sense. A lot of good pumps out there. BPS is another but probably overkill for packing.

 

[Desk Jockey]

I used to be a big fan of pump guns... but I bought a Benelli M2 about a dozen years ago. I hunt everywhere and everything with it- upland game, birds, bear protection, self defense...it does it all.

Yeah, if the question is which shotgun...the answer is the Benelli M2.

If I owned 1 shotgun and wanted to keep it cheap it would be an 870. Maybe an older wing master or a newer one but drop in a better trigger group.

If I had a bit more to spend it would be a benelli m2 or possibly snag a gen 1 SBE (m2 but with the ability to shoot larger shells) now that the new version is out. I have had mine for almost 10 years and it is a dream to shoot.

 

[nrh6.7]

If I owned 1 shotgun and wanted to keep it cheap it would be an 870. Maybe an older wing master or a newer one but drop in a better trigger group.

If I had a bit more to spend it would be a benelli m2 or possibly snag a gen 1 SBE (m2 but with the ability to shoot larger shells) now that the new version is out. I have had mine for almost 10 years and it is a dream to shoot.

Still can't beat an 870 for the cost, reliability and versatility!

 

[Bones]

The Ithaca 37 I have has a 1/2 threaded barrel. 1/2 turn and it slides off. Definitely something to consider if some of them are fully threaded and you plan to break it down to carry it. The inertia driven autoload Benellis are bombproof and simple, but a good used one is more in the $800 range. Just make sure you let the Benelli auto's slam shut so you don't get the Benelli click.


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[Axlrod]

Thanks for all the suggestions, I now have one more question. Is there any reason to choose an over/under over a pump?

They are shorter than a pump/auto with equal barrel lengths. And it gives you a little faster second shot (but much slower third!)

 

[Backpack Hunter]

Ithaca pumps are good. They are a step or two above the disposable nature of the cheaper Remington and Mossbergs. You can find them at good prices used if you don't mind an older gun. I believe some or all of them have the barrel threaded into the receiver, though. If true, that may present portability issues if you want to pack it somewhere.

Which is brings me around to...I thought we were talking about lightweight guns that are easy to transport?

Easy way to tell is if the serial number is pre 855,000 it is a fitted barrel....that should be roughly around the year 1963. Post 855,000 serial numbers have interrupted threads and are interchangeable. Of course all of the new ones are interchangeable as well.

 

[thinhorn_AK]

I have an 870 ringmaster with a 26" barrel and its an awesome gun. However, I grabbed a Weatherby pa-08 synthetic for about 200 bucks at random and I absolutely love it for what it is. Its my go to for bad weather use.

 

[desertcj]

Mossberg 500 is the cheapest, most bulletproof truck shotgun you can get. They have one weakness, if you drop the gun sideways just right, the lifter pivot pins will pop out of the receiver and jam the gun if you cycle the gun. I'm looking to get a couple semi-autos for wing shooting. Going to get my wife a Mossberg International 20ga Bantom. I'm still waffling between a Stoeger m3000, CZ712 and a Chiappa CA612. I'm definitely not a shotgun snob and as far as I'm concerned with a shotgun, reliability is mostly what I care about.

 

[howl]

Mossberg 500 is the cheapest, most bulletproof truck shotgun you can get. They have one weakness, if you drop the gun sideways just right, the lifter pivot pins will pop out of the receiver and jam the gun if you cycle the gun. I'm looking to get a couple semi-autos for wing shooting. Going to get my wife a Mossberg International 20ga Bantom. I'm still waffling between a Stoeger m3000, CZ712 and a Chiappa CA612. I'm definitely not a shotgun snob and as far as I'm concerned with a shotgun, reliability is mostly what I care about.

Can't find a Beretta A300 in that price range?

 

[desertcj]

Barrett A300 is a couple hundred more than the bunch I listed. The Chiappa CA612 and Stoeger are both inertia operated guns like the Benelli m2/m4.

 

[howl]

Benelli M4 is a gas gun. I think if you look for a sale or rebate on the A300, you'll find it available for about the same price that some of those others are sold at. No doubt you could probably get one of the others for less than the cheapest A300 if you found both on special. Of course, if a fellow prefers recoils guns, this is useless information.