870 or Mossberg?

Better shotgun

  • Remington 870 express

    Votes: 108 52.2%

  • Mossberg 500

    Votes: 99 47.8%
  • Total voters
    207
hogdogs,
Brent, did I read you correctly earlier? Because of the finishing levels (like rough chambers), you seem to advocate comparing the Remington 870 Express to the Maverick 88 and the 870 Wingmaster to the Mossberg 500. I tend to agree with you, too many folks think Wingmaster quality when discussing 870 Expresses. Comparing your way really sticks it to Remington when it comes to MSRP.

Pete
 
Well I own a Wingmaster, and I wouldn't buy an Express, nor would I buy a Mossberg, due to the finish and less polishing of the machined parts. As has been said here enough times, there is nothing wrong with them but they are made to slightly lower standards to achieve that cost savings so you get what you pay for. They will both last about the same and shoot about the same so for SD it's a toss up.

Threads like this tend to just be popularity contests anyway and don't solve anything. In two days another will pop up and people will start over again.

I own a Belgium Browning A-5 12 gauge, and set it up against a Miroku Browning you probably couldn't tell the difference except for the engraving on the barrel. But the Belgium will sell for twice as much. It won't shoot any better however. Same as the Wingmaster vs the Express. Or the Mossy. So what have we once again proved here? As usual, nothing. ;)
 
Zippy, That is exactly what I am saying...
Remington WM is a right fine gun. In wood furniture I would think I had a Perazzi in my hands and would fret to think of taking it where I would hunt... The Swamps...
They had to really shave off the quality to get the price near the Mossberg 500 to compete (they seem to think they needed to do this) yet they made a gun that is rust happy with commonly rough chambers that hang on to fired shells unless the buyer polishes it up. So I think IMHO that it is comparable in over all fit and finish or less than that of a Maverick 88 but still more than a 500. My gun has decent bluing and can't remember how many times my sweaty hands have held it as well as had it out in rain or drizzle and only wiped it off and/or sprayed it with WD-40.
But I guess with all less than precise tools some are lucky and slip through as nice pieces. But yeah it do rattle like all Mossbergs...
Brent
 
This thread is a useless waste of Holy Bandwidth.

I'm a hardcore 870 fan, but if all I had to defend my family and self with was a Mossberg, I'D STILL BE VERY WELL ARMED.

Why?

Because I know how to shoot.

A shotgunner is deadly with darn near any shotgun.

A non shotgunner is darn near useless with the best Remington/Mossberg/Benelli/Winchester/Ithaca/ Saiga made.

Put down your mice and go shoot.....
 
I was just debating with Junior about whether a 'puter mouse in plural is mice (my thought) or mouses (his thought):rolleyes::D No shooting for me until after the 26th, turkey season down here...
Brent
 
Mossberg 500

I can tell you this much if you would hand the 2 guns in this poll to a true machinist that could study each design and funtionablility of parts and what will last longer, the machinist would say 870 hands-down.
Click to expand...

That made me laugh.....Still Laughing.....Give me a minute.......Almost there.....

Whew, ok, um, try telling that to the US military. What gun passed their tests and do they use? wait for it.....









That's right, the good ole Mossberg 590.
 
The Mossberg 500 sure didn't pass the military tests. It was the 590. Mossberg had to redesign a different gun just to be eligible to enter the trials. Even then it didn't beat out anyone because they were the only gun tested. The military set a pretty low bar and the Mossberg made the grade. The trials only called for functioning through 3000 rounds. The Remington 870's routinely have gone through over 100,000 rounds when used by trap shooters.

The 590 is a much better choice than the 500 for a self defense gun, but I still much prefer the 870
 
Even then it didn't beat out anyone because they were the only gun tested. The military set a pretty low bar and the Mossberg made the grade.
Click to expand...

They were the only gun tested because they were the only ones that could build a gun capable of the militaries (low bar) standards. Remington didn't even bother trying with the 870 cuz they knew they would fail. The 590 is offered to the public at around the same if not lower price than the 870. It must be the inferior parts in the 590 that make it so affordable. No, it's the fact that Remington over charges for sub-standard junk. The cost more because remington spends 10x the money on marketing instead of machining.
 
This thread is going nowhere fast. Both shotguns go boom just about every time and are both equally good choices...WHY? Well...

One argument for the Remmy is that it is made of slightly better quality. Yes, there are more metal parts which could mean it would only 1/1000 shots where the Mossberg might misfire 2/1000 shots.

But, to cancel that argument out is the Mossberg's higher capacity (out of the box) which means your life might be saved from the extra shot the Mossy gives you.

If you're using a shotgun for home defense you'll be better armed than the bad guy almost every time. I don't think it is worth our while to argue and nit pick every component of 2 guns that have proven themselves extremely reliable.
 
You guys are getting goofy now. :rolleyes:

1. The military didn't set a "low bar". They set a bar. It was a difficult one. Mossberg passed their tests. It proved itself a very capable shotgun.

2. Remington chose not to compete. They apparently felt they had about all they wanted with their dominant share of the LE market. Could they have competed and passed the test? Undoubtedly. Could they have outbid Mossberg? Maybe, maybe not. There was probably some reluctance on their part to try, but that is conjecture.

3. The 590 is basically the 500 with a few improvements. I'd hardly call it "redesigning a different gun". The 500 is probably 80-90% of what a 590 is.

4. Both are good shotguns. Both have a few cons and a lot of pros. Emotional statements do not further your case.
 
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Well I'll be!

The cheap old Rem 870 Express has passed up the super spec precision quality Moss 500 shotgun here where Mossberg fans reign supreme. :D

It's a miracle.

;)
 
Well, if it matters any to the OP, the 870 seems to have a better selection of aftermarket parts and accessories. At least that's the impression I get when trying to find things for my Mossy 500.
 
The discussions over which is better will never end. For my money the 870 is the better choice. The 590 is perfectly acceptable, but the 500 just does not make the grade for me. But to use the military trials to justify either gun is just plain nonsense. Have you read the requirements? The guns only had to survive 3000 rounds without falling apart. I don't call that much of a challenge.
 
Jmr40 was birthed with a silver spoon in his mouth. His honed tastes for quality boomsticks make him turn his pouty nose up at the Mossy 500. poo poo
 
"The guns only had to survive 3000 rounds without falling apart. I don't call that much of a challenge."

Well, it involved just a little more than that. There were extreme heat tests, extreme cold tests, and drop tests to gauge durability and functionality. And yes, there was was that little, unimpressive 3000 round continuous firing of full-power buckshot test. Which, I'm sure you understand, is quite a bit different than firing 3000 rounds of buckshot over some extended period. How many people do you know who have even fired 3000 rounds of buck (about $2400 -2500) in their lifetimes, much less in a continuous firing session? I'm not talking about those who build their "legends" over the internet. I'm talking about real hunters and shooters. Have you shot that many buck loads? I sure haven't. How many combat troops would fire 3000 rounds of buck continuously? Answer: they wouldn't. Most guns will not fire that many rounds in months or even years of service. And BTW, they were tested for functionality and wear after the firing test, so they weren't exactly "allowed" to "fall apart" upon test completion. :rolleyes: Not much of a challenge? LOL...uh huh, right! Could the 870 do this? Of course it could...well, IMO it could. But it's certainly not a hurdle to lightly dismiss. I used to have a copy of the full test protocol. It's here somewhere....
 
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