Shotgun recommendations

G

glock glockler

New member
I was thinking about a Benelli Nova or maybe an M1 tactical, anyone have any experience with them? I'm looking for something for social purposes and some range fun (targets, skeet, etc). What are the better shotguns out there?

Thanks
 
Moved to Shotguns.

I really like the Benelli Nova...sleek, easy to disassemble, very good detail engineering, and it won't break the bank. The M1 is way swoopy, but it costs twice as much as a Nova.

The nicest features about the Nova are the polymer-coated receiver, the modular trigger group, the mag cutoff button on the underside of the pump handle, and the light weight.
 
The Mossberg 590A1 (the law enforcement/military version of the 590) is a good social gun. It comes with a heavier barrel, metal trigger guard & safety switch, and an eight round magazine (on 590A1s with the 20" barrel." When customized with accessories such as a tactical sling, speedfeed stock and sidesaddle, it may be just what you want.
 
A Remington 870, of course!! The only thing you can't do with one is wear it out.

The 12 gauge 870s here have gone up to nearly 50 years and 8000 rounds minus any glitches. With 8 million or so made, any probs have been ironed out and they just keep working and working...

For those that HAVE to change a shotgun some before they're happy, more aftermarket stuff is made for the 870 than all the others combined. Everything from custom wood and synthetic stocks to complete trigger groups to bbls are out there.

As for "Serious" use, 9/10 of the "Serious" shotguns used by folks that know are 870s. Don't believe me, ask you local cop what his/her dept issues.

Shot another 100 rounds today through my 870 TB trap death ray. No glitches, and the misses were pilot error, not the hardware.

The deer sausage I just snacked on was 870'd late November.

The HD tool here has 870 stamped on it.

So does my bird gun.

The little 20 ga Youth Express I got for the kids is nearly new, and I might just add a slipon pad to it and shoot a bit of skeet with it sometime soon.

IOW, I've the whole gamut of shotgunning covered.
 
Benelli Nova & M1

glock glockler,

I currently have the Benelli M1 "tactical" and will be picking up the Nova Special Purpose this saturday. I know you asked for first hand experience with these two shotguns, and if you want I will give you my impressions of the Nova when & after I test it out. This way, I can tell you about BOTH shotguns in the same thread.

As Dave had mentioned, Remington 870??? It seems to be the industry standard, of sorts. All those LE agencies, etc. can't be ALL wrong with their choice of shotguns...

BTW, I am VERY happy with the M1 "tactical" and will get back to you with a review of both shotguns if you want.

Jim
 
Did someone say 870?

Or, did someone say something else?

Those are your choices.

for $200 & a tad, you can get a 3" 870 Express - not too fancy on the wood & only its mother could love the metal finish, but everything's as sturdy/rugged as you could want.

I inherited Dad's old 870 that he shot skeet with in Nat'l Armed Forces comp, etc. - way "too many" 250 & 500 straight patches ..... perhaps a 1/2 million shells through this shoutgun & the extractor did need replacing - once.

It is the only firearm of his that I won't shoot now that they're all mine. :( Sorry, waxed a bit nostalgic there ....

Far as "tactical" goes, pull the tube plug = gives you 5, add an extension tube & you'll get another 3. Other than a bunch of niceties, how "tactical" you want?

BTW, I'm biased towards 870s. ;) Got 5 & may still get another couple .....
 
Actually, "Tactical" just means (optional) pistol grip, 5+1 mag, and 18.5-inch barrel. The "Field" and "Sport" models have longer barrels for increased accurate range, and the Field also has a smaller 3+1 mag. I'd go for a Tactical with pistol grip and ghost ring sights, myself.

Most police may use the Remington 870, but the U.S. Marine Corps uses the Benelli M1, and I think they know what they're doing.
 
That's the new Benelli M4 Super 90...I'd LOVE to get my hands on one, but they're "assault" weapons under California law since they have both a pistol grip and folding stock. The M4 is, incidentally, the only gas-action shotgun Benelli makes -- the military wanted something they could load down with accessories, which you can't do on an inertia-operated.

The U.S.M.C. selected the Benelli M1 Super 90 over the Franchi SPAS-12 partly due to its larger 3" chamber. I'm not sure what date it was adopted, however.

They also adopted the Mossberg M500 series in 1987. The Remington Model 870s are used in the so-called "Masterkey" system for the M-16 series assault rifles (usually the M-4 carbine); basically, a sawed-off 870 mounted under the rifle's barrel in the same manner as the M-203. I don't know if they use the 870 as a primary combat shotgun, as it's a pump-action rather than semi.

Rumor has it that the U.S.M.C. is working on a selective-fire assault shotgun with a thirty-round removable magazine, for urban ops. That would be an excessively nasty thing, although probably also excessively heavy. Thirty rounds of 12-gauge? *shudder*
 
Well, I just bought the Nova, 'cuz I love the way it feels. Haven't shot it yet (nor have I found a local range that allows shotguns yet....working on it!), but I'll give you the full report when I have. In the meantime, the magazine cutoff feature is fantastic, the gun is easy to disassemble/asemble, and I think it looks cool ;) :) .
 
"The U.S.M.C. selected the Benelli M1 Super 90 over the Franchi SPAS-12 partly due to its larger 3" chamber. I'm not sure what date it was adopted, however."

Huh, that's interesting. Where did you get that information?
 
Striderteen,
Your info is at best dated.
The Marine Corps has few shotguns and are used only for specialized guard use or breaching.
The Marine Corps does NOT use benelli M1's. During Desert Shield/ Storm they contracted for some 14" m1's, but it was xld after the exercise was completed in 1991.
Force Reconnaissance uses sg's only for braeching. They have never used the M4A1/ sg combo. Sister services report the carbine receiver cracking under recoil.
Force uses the preffered MK1 (870), the less desireable 590, or the 2 1200's. All have pistol grips and sure fire forends.
The Marine Corps T&E'd the HK mag fed monstrosity (can't recall the model #) in 85. It didn't work and was a gun in search of a job.
SYSCOM may be looking at something for urban use, but the functionality of a sg in that environment is questionable, especially considering what is now in the hands of the Marines.

The remainder of the MK1's and the few 590's are used for special guard functions.
Not to burst anyones bubble, but the sg is a very special use weapon with little military use.
The 230 M1014's are going out to each MEF this month.
 
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The MasterKey's on the exotic side...I know the SEALS use it, but I don't know if anyone else does.

I double-checked...you're right, the Marines don't use the M1 Super 90 anymore. I'm pretty sure I read several sources stating that they did pick the M1S90 over the SPAS-12, but can't seem to find them now. Their four current shotties are the Remington 870, Winchester 1200, Mossberg 500, and Mossberg 590.

Their new baby will be the Heckler & Koch / Benelli XM1014 Joint Services Combat Shotgun, a.k.a. the M4 Super 90. Oddly enough, it has a capacity of only six rounds...most combat shotties have eight.
 
Marine Corps Shotguns

Striderteen,

The Marine Corps never used the benelli's as an issue shotgun.
They may have tested them, but they were never an issue item.

I just went through the Dynamic Entry Course at SOTG last month,and i noted that the Company had 11 Remington Shotguns, Riot Type, MK1 NSN 1005-01-065-8989; 3 Mossberg 500 Shotguns NSN 1005-01-1032 (there are not many of those left) and 2 Shotguns, Riot Type, M1200 (my error on the earlier post) NSN 1005-00-921-5483.
If you check out the April 2001 issue of The Accurate Rifle, "Strong Men Armed", there is a shot of an M1014 being fired at SOTG.

I'm not sure what you mean by exotic, but the "masterkey" (there are actually several manufacturers making this, including KAC and Sage) certainly isn't. I have not seen anyone from NSW using this -at least on the west coast. Are you saying that the Navy M4A1's stronger than the Marine M4A1's?
Again, while there are many here that may have strong feelings for a particular type of weapon, they are tools, no more, no less.
The shotgun is a tool, used for a very special, but extremely limited purpose in the Marine Corps.

They are certainly not "babies"!
Force may continue to keep the MK1's for the breaching role pending suitability tests with the dedicated breaching ammunition.
 
I meant "exotic" as in not many people seem to use it.

Point well put about weapons being tools. Too bad the legislature here in Kalifornia seems to think elsewise...
 
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