mossberg vs rem 870?

If I had to choose one, I would get the 870 express just based on versitility. For specifically social work, I'd take a vang comp'ed 590 any day of the week...
 
Personally,

I'm an 870 fan, but one thing about the Mossberg, is that it is drop safe. The safety blocks the hammer from falling. The 870 IS NOT drop safe. The safety only blocks the trigger from being pulled and has no feature to block the hammer from jarring loose to discharge the gun. That's why Cops carry them "Cruiser Ready"--that is trigger pulled on an empty chamber, magazine loaded, so the gun is instantly ready upon racking the slide. If the trigger is not pulled, then it's necessary to operate the small slide release lever in from of the trigger guard before you can run the slide.
Other than that, the 870 is rugged and superb. Mossberg is a fine gun also, and the police use both, as do citizens. Wish I'd get my 870 back. It's being fitted with a Scattergun Tech. Tactical forend with 6P Surefire. Anybody have one? Seems they're in short supply, since every contractor headed for the Middle East wants them on their shotguns. :cool:
 
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Like other have noted, I like the manual of arms for Mossbergs. I have an 870 Express, so maybe that's why I don't think there is an order of magnitude improvement in quality over Mossbergs. The Mossys represent superb value, dollar for dollar. My Persuader 500 sits in the corner of the bedroom, bayonet afixed; I don't feel undergunned in the quality department in the slightest.
 
“Tactical forend with 6P Surefire. Anybody have one? Seems they're in short supply, since every contractor headed for the Middle East wants them on their shotguns.”

I have two of them. I bought both on Ebay for a lot less ($180) than they are selling them on the SureFire website and other places.

I use both of my 870’s on duty, one is designed for perimeter work and the other is an entry weapon. The SureFire being mounted on the shotgun makes carrying the shotgun and flashlight a two handed operation, which is handy since I wasn’t given a third one. ;)
 
I have several thousand rounds through my 870P. Never had a problem. I do a lot of shooting with my neighbor he had a Mossberg 500, after several hundred rounds through it would start to hang, the bolt would not move. we found out later that it had a rough chamber. My neighbor traded it for a Mossberg 590. The 590 has never failed. For me the 870P and 590 would be a toss up. I would be very happy with either one.
 
I'm used to hearing that the 870 is better than the 500 but I never shot an 870 so I can't say. I can say that I like the 500, what I like more is the buget-priced 500 copy known as the maverick 88. 870 owners can bash mossberg all they want but mossberg was the company that made a great gun that I could afford (I'm 14 and jobless). The gun feels and works great and at 140 dollars was a darn good value. Two thumbs up for mossberg.
 
I'm used to hearing that the 870 is better than the 500 but I never shot an 870 so I can't say. I can say that I like the 500, what I like more is the buget-priced 500 copy known as the maverick 88. 870 owners can bash mossberg all they want but mossberg was the company that made a great gun that I could afford (I'm 14 and jobless). The gun feels and works great and at 140 dollars was a darn good value. Two thumbs up for mossberg.
 
Both are Browning-derived designs:

870...a manually operated Remington 11-48...which was a modified Remington 11 (JMB's Auto-5).

590...a modernized Remington 31...which was basically a side-ejecting Rem 17 (another JMB design...also used as the basis for the Ithaca 37).

The most durable shotgun in WWII? NOT the Win 12! The Remington 31 outclassed all others, according to Dean Grennell, referencing an Ordnance study.

So both bloodlines have great durability genes, but the feed latches in the Mossberg are clearly superior, at least to my eye. The carrier system is also more convenient. Breech bolting is equivalent, both using the Auto5 pioneered system. Dual extractors on the Mossberg can't hurt.

The thing with Mossbergs is that they are somewhat crudely made. The slightly greater cost of the Remington is made up for in better fit and finish, and the steel receiver.

You pays your money, you know the rest.
 
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