Strange contradiction

B

bapfreak

New member
I've read two contradictory statements posted all over the internet:

1) I've never seen a Mossberg 500 jam, Remington 870 Express will jam
2) I've never seen a Remington 870 Express jam, Mossberg 500 will jam

Obviously both of these can't be true. Is this just the simple case of people not maintaining their firearms properly or is one gun more reliable than another? Is this just another pointless AR15 vs AK47 debate? Which of those two would you chose for general usage (informal skeet, hunting, etc)? Didn't the military confirm the reliability of the Mossberg 500?

Thanks,
Extremely Confused
 
If it goes bang someone somewhere out there has had a problem with it.

Heck anything whatsoever someone somewhere out there has had a problem with it. Its just sometimes it gets to be you.:)
 
I suspect many of the totally trouble free guns we hear of are actually total closet queens.
For informal skeet, I'd go with an 870 Express (a wood stock version) because I find the Mossberg's safety distracting.

Here's an old confuser for you, bryceadamprescott:
___________________________________________________________

All statements between the blue lines are false.
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Mossberg should change the fire control group to incorporate the safety into the trigger guard. It just seems out of place setting up high on the back of the reciever.
 
Mossberg should change the fire control group to incorporate the safety into the trigger guard. It just seems out of place setting up high on the back of the reciever.
Click to expand...

I hope not. I'd rather have it there.
 
To the OP... A jam in either gun is almost always a result of some one "soft cycling" the action. In a mossberg it is as easy as turn gun on side and jiggle the second round out. On the older 870 some disassembly may be required to clear the second round. Hung/stuck rounds in the chamber is a result of dirty or rough metal in chamber unless the shell is swollen.

I hope not. I'd rather have it there.
Click to expand...
Same here!!!
They did incorporate a trigger guard mounted safety... It is called the "Maverick 88"...
If they do away with the tang safety, I will never buy another new Mossberg. That is the one feature that I INSIST on! it can go from safe to fire and back with out deviating from a fire ready mount or moving my hands.
Brent
 
they are contradictory, however they are not written as "the mossberg never jams" it just says "i've never seen on jam".

so it is possible for both to be true.

both are reliable. i have a mossberg that has jammed, but its always because i short stroke it, not because the gun itself malfunctions.

I prefer the Mossberg, however i can't deny that the Remington has a great reputation. I use mine for busting clays all the time. its my only shotgun.
 
Casting a rather jaundiced eye on this.....

Over the last 50 years or so, I've shot these pumps....

97s.

12s.

H/S Flite Kings.

1200s.

1300s.

500s.

37s.

Nobles.

Springfields.

A Savage or two.

Some oddities, like the Mossberg and Ithaca Bullpups, a few Daleys, Weatherby Patricians, and a Beretta Silver Pigeon Pumpgun.

And of course, the odd 870 here and there.

Outside of the Nobles and Springfields, all went bang on command, cycled when I pulled on them and fed new ammo in and empty hulls out.

Most glitches with even borderline lemon pumpguns can be traced to one factor.

Pilot Error.

When a certifiable idiot feeds bargain basement ammo that's been kept in a damp cellar for a decade into a newish pump he's never fired or cleaned as the owner's manual stipulates, well, it's hardly the fault of Remington or Mossberg if things go awry.

Last year I refrained from striking one worthy. He had an almost new Express that was slightly rusted. He admitted taking it on a goose "Hunt" and not even wiping it down after. He also complained that it wasn't hitting them well.

He had shot a round of trap singles with it and scored in the single digits. I borrowed the thing and smoked two targets from Post 3. As I handed it back I noted a ring bulge a couple inches back from the muzzle. He denied shooting it with the tube loose but the evidence was clear.

The more we know about our guns and the more we shoot them the less we hear about crappy guns and "The new stuff is just junk".

It's like the old saying.

"The harder I work, the luckier I get".....
 
So many people responding to these forum question are sincere in their beliefs however many have very little actual experence. I had a friend that swore by the reliability of one brand of firearm, he preached its virtues to all that would listen. While in his gun room I saw his files on different guns. This particular firearm he preached about had only been fired 76 times in 20 years. So much for his testimonials. Go to a trap or skeet shooter and ask them their opinions, as they fire thousands of rounds a year, though it is all in a clean enviroment.
 
These are the facts:
Any dynamic system will eventually fail.
Short-shucking a pump will cause jams / cycle failures. You can very easily short-shuck any pump action without proper training and experience.
The 870 and 500 are both proven actions. Both have their fans and detractors.

On to a few opinions and observations:
Both are trusted and proven in sporting, military and police use. This is probably closer to fact than opinion but here it is.
I have a lot of pump-gun experience, and I do find myself short-shucking my 500s more than my other types (Model 12 and 870). The 500 is pretty smooth, but the Model 12 is quicker. To me the 870 has a 'bump' that serves almost like a checkpoint. It's not a problem - it's like a fret on a guitar, letting me know where I am and how far I have to go.
Everyone perceives the above feeling differently. I have had people agree completely - others have called me crazy.

Choose the one that fits you best - you should be fine either way.
 
What javven said +1...

I have seen failures to extract a couple of times but that was because the husk's rim ripped off or the brass separated from the plastic/paper portion because of faulty ammo...

The only semi auto jams I've ever had were all ammo related, too weak to cycle the action or the above happening...
 
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