help me choose

[bullfrog99]

I've got two possable setups in my head for the ultimate shotgun(for my purposes) please give me your opinion on which one you think i should go with. My shotgun uses will be limited to , Squrell, rabbit, deer, Home defense and Defense in the woods from preditors, both two legged and four. I live in the shotgun zone in southeast michigan. My area is densly wooded, not many pine trees, mostly maple and birtch, few low lying branches but some waist high brush.

Setup 1

Mossberg 590 A-1

Ghost ring sights,
Wood stock(personal preference),
Ported,
Screw in chokes(modify for),
sidesaddle shell carrier
recoil pad(double magnum)


Setup 2

Saiga 12 (ak-47 copy on 12 ga)

Low power scope detachable,
Shorten barrel to 18.5",
Modified for screw in chokes
ported,


Both would cost about the same, which would you get if you were in my shoes and why?

 

[Will Beararms]

You may not like this since I am going outside of the box but I would strongly suggest an 870 in matte black with a 26" barrel. The choice of barrels to add later, ie: 18" cyl bore, is almost unlimited.

Every gunsmith in America can work on em' and they are a proven design. I have two Beretta 390's, and a Browning Auto 5 but my do all, be all, if they took everything else away weapon is an 870.

Just my take on it.

About $300.00 gets you set with a lifetime weapon.

 

[Coronach]

Mossberg

You mention 'defense' in the equation, and thus reliability becomes paramount. I'm not sure how reliable the Saiga is, but I highly doubt that it is more reliable than the mossberg pump.

KISS

Mike

 

[Sergey Podgirin]

Concerning Saiga-12 vs. Mossberg 590A1.

I would propose to make ones choice between Saiga-12 and Remington-870 with 20" Deergun or 21" Turkey barrels. I own both shotguns (and I'm also a member of Moscow Saiga owners club) so I can compare. Both Saiga-12 and Rem870 are 100% reliable and 150% durable. Just like Rem-870, Saiga makes it's service in army and HRTs, so if armed professionals trust their life to these guns, You may either. Remington seems to be better done, is more compact (due to lack of box mag) and IMHO more beautiful . In the same time I'm absolutely sure that Saiga wont jam or misfire under any circumstances. Saiga works perfectly in dirt, water, snow, without regular maintenance, etc.
Saiga's prior disadvantage comparing to Rem-870 Deergun is the lack of functional adjustable sights. So for precise slugshooting Saiga must be used with some reddot or up to 3.5X telescopic scope. The last but not the list is the firepower. Please take in consideration that with Saiga You can fire 5 12-ga shots in 2-2.5 seconds, while with a pumpaction it would take twice as much time.

Concerning Saiga You can find some interesting data at Valery Shilin's website:
http://izhevsk.club.guns.ru/eng/saiga12.htm

Best regards,
Sergey Podgirin.