As my semi auto rifle and handgun collection begins to fill a 3rd safe I'm feeling it's probably time I pickup at least a 12 gauge shotgun.. I do own one shotgun, a 20 gauge, impulse sort of < $200 buy on the used market, nothing fancy but it works and I enjoy it..
We shoot traps a little at the redneck range, not seriously, sometimes 4 guys standing shoulder to shoulder firing at the same damn trap even .. I occasionally put down the rifles and send a few slugs downrange, it's something different. I don't hunt - this is just a toy, maybe for home defense, maybe if I had to hunt, but mostly a toy.
Anyway so the obvious thing is something like a Mossberg 88/500/590 or Remington 870 I think.. I want the shortest barrel you can get in a standard shotgun, ie 18.5 inches. I'm not sure I'm sold on the magazine fed versions, both the Mossberg & Remington mag versions seem to have goofy drawbacks but maybe some day I could try a sidewinder kit if I picked Mossberg..
I don't know much about shotguns, ie can you shoot buckshot in a rifled barrel, chokes, all that stuff - new to me. What I think I want is some smooth barrel version without a choke (use rifled slugs if I want or have 2 barrels), 18.5 inches, 12 gauge, of some quality, with good aftermarket support - not sure what else, I guess it'd be nice to be able to put a picatinny rail on the receiver for a red dot or ghost ring (if it wasn't so equipped).
So say I went with a Mossberg as they seem to have the best aftermarket support if I want to tinker with it later - does anyone know what I'm getting from going to the 88 to 500 to 590 and what specific model I might look at?..
For instance the 590A1, simple looking 12 gauge holds 7 rounds - looks great but I'd like to have at least a ghost ring (not sure if I can or can't accept a rail to mount one)..
500 tactical SPX - has a ghost ring and all tacticool elements but is kinda pricey for what it is, rather skip some options and add them later if I want..
etc.. etc.. - sorting through this - anyone do the same lately? Thanks!
We shoot traps a little at the redneck range, not seriously, sometimes 4 guys standing shoulder to shoulder firing at the same damn trap even .. I occasionally put down the rifles and send a few slugs downrange, it's something different. I don't hunt - this is just a toy, maybe for home defense, maybe if I had to hunt, but mostly a toy.
Anyway so the obvious thing is something like a Mossberg 88/500/590 or Remington 870 I think.. I want the shortest barrel you can get in a standard shotgun, ie 18.5 inches. I'm not sure I'm sold on the magazine fed versions, both the Mossberg & Remington mag versions seem to have goofy drawbacks but maybe some day I could try a sidewinder kit if I picked Mossberg..
I don't know much about shotguns, ie can you shoot buckshot in a rifled barrel, chokes, all that stuff - new to me. What I think I want is some smooth barrel version without a choke (use rifled slugs if I want or have 2 barrels), 18.5 inches, 12 gauge, of some quality, with good aftermarket support - not sure what else, I guess it'd be nice to be able to put a picatinny rail on the receiver for a red dot or ghost ring (if it wasn't so equipped).
So say I went with a Mossberg as they seem to have the best aftermarket support if I want to tinker with it later - does anyone know what I'm getting from going to the 88 to 500 to 590 and what specific model I might look at?..
For instance the 590A1, simple looking 12 gauge holds 7 rounds - looks great but I'd like to have at least a ghost ring (not sure if I can or can't accept a rail to mount one)..
500 tactical SPX - has a ghost ring and all tacticool elements but is kinda pricey for what it is, rather skip some options and add them later if I want..
etc.. etc.. - sorting through this - anyone do the same lately? Thanks!