Remington 870 vs. Winchester 1300 ?????

S

scaryFORDman

New member
I am going to buy my 12 y/o son a 20 ga shotgun for Christmas and can't decide between the 870 or the 1300.
The 870 has a less then attractive wood finish and crinkle finished barrel.
The 1300 has a nice glossy wood finish and smooth blued barrel.
I have read about the 870 having the steel reciever and the 1300 the aluminum alloy reciever.
Give me your comments about this issue...........I have limited knowledge when it comes to shotguns.
 
you can get 12ga 870 wingmaster's with the glossy finish. i have one. they look great like that. the 870 is the best shotgun i've ever shot. never had a problem with it. make sure you get the full choke barrel if you get the 870. the 12ga doesn't have much kick to it, either. keep that in mind :D
 
I have a Mossberg 20 gauge. My uncle that I shoot with(I'm 16 and can't shoot w/o an adult) has an 870 wingmaster. The 870 is nicer by far. They are extremely sturdy and the action is smooth and reliable. The wingmaster is a great gun, but you pay for that nicer stock and finish. The regular 870 Express is the same gun w/o the really nice finish. I have no experience with the 1300, so I cannot comment on that. The 1300 is a little more expensive though.

The 870 is used by many police agencies along with Mossberg 500's, so thy have to be doing something right there. There are plenty of spare parts and accessories for the 870 if that matters to you.

ETA- I agree with baf2003, the 12 gauge should work fine for your son. It does not kick very hard at all with target loads, and Remington and Winchester both make reduced recoil slugs and buckshot.
 
he's right. you do pay for the nicer finish. base model is around 250$. nicest one is around 650$. wouldn't trade mine for anything, though. then again, i got it for free. my dad's parents bought it for him for his 18th or 20th birthday. lol. but seriously. great shooting reliable gun. and from what i just told you, lasts a really long time. it's still in great condition. i'm sure it would last your son for the rest of his life. and as for ammo, i just use the winchester AA with 1oz and any shot# i want.
 
I like both the 870 and the 1300. The 870 can take more abuse IMO, but the 1300 has a smother action (easier to pump...at least initially). The fact that the receiver is aluminum doesn't matter. All of the pressure is contained in the chamber of the barrel (which is thick steel). The bolt on the 1300 actually rotates and locks into place. I have talked to some very knowledgeable people in the past who have said that in terms of the lock-up mechanism, the 1300 is better. Both are fine shotguns and you can't go wrong...buy the one your son likes better.

(All of this is coming from a person who loves the 870)
 
I own an 870 Wingmaster 12 ga and a 1300 20 ga. Both are fine guns but if I had a choice when shooting the 870 would be first. For me it feels more natural at shoulder. Let your son try the fit and feel of both if possible. That will tell you which to get. And don't be afraid of going to a 12 ga to start with. His build and strength will come quickly to match the gun.

JMHO
Steve
 
Both are great firearms and you can't go wrong with either. I personnally choose the 1300 defender over the 870 H/Dfor several reasons. The first reason is the saftey and slide release felt more natural to me on the 1300. Second the 1300 was $10 more than the 870 and came with an extended mag. tube, and the finish was smoother. So I just saved myself some time drilling the dimples out and buying a mag. extension. It seems you have already researched them a good bit, so I say take your son to the store and let him hold and shoulder both and see which one he likes.
 
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