Which shotgun would you rather have?

Which Shotgun would you rather have?

  • Mossberg 500

    Votes: 19 25.7%

  • Franchi SPAS 12

    Votes: 8 10.8%

  • Other

    Votes: 47 63.5%
  • Total voters
    74
S

Silent Trigger

New member
What do some of you think about the seemingly endless versions of shotguns, be them autoloaders, pump action etc. Is there a favorite you have that if you could only have one... which would it be? For me it's always been a toss up between the

mossberg5002ro.jpg

Mossberg 500

and the...

spas12gauge1jo.jpg

Franchi SPAS 12

Now of course the SPAS is out of my price range, and if I had that kind of money to blow it be on something else I'm sure, and I've always had a Mossberg at some point from 18 years of age, but having spent a little bit of time with SPAS, well I like it too. Thus for me I rate the two about the same, though I know a good pump action always gets the job done. What about you guys? Are there two shotguns that make you go back & forth? Which shotgun would you rather have from the two pictured above too?

I officially picked the Mossberg, but truely I'm vexed.
 
The Mossbergs are okay, I personally like the 870 better. The SPAS-12 is cool, though most of them have some major safety issues, and I kinda consider the convertable action a novelty feature. Detachable box mag shotguns are cool for expedient reloads, but loose or damage the magazine and you have a single-shot. Semiautos are nice and give you more firepower if you loose the use of one hand, but don't work well with all loads (hence the reason for guns like the SPAS) or at all with some other types of rounds (never fire a Thor's Hammer out of a gas-operated auto.) Pump shotguns with delinked trigger mechanisms like the Winchester M12 and Ithaca 37 are the schnitz. As far as existing shotguns go, I'd have to say it's a tie between the Remmy 870 and the Ithaca M37. I also have nothing bad to say about the Neostead N2000, exept that it's pretty much impossible to get one in the US.

If I had the pick between the two above, I'd have to go with the Mossberg unless the SPAS had the updated crossbolt safety.

I think the perfect shotgun for me would be designed around the Ithaca M37 action, but built for 3.5" shells with a 20" Cyl barrel and a long magazine designed for seven 2.75" star-crimped shells. Such a gun would handle any length of shell from a 1.75" Aguila to a 3.5" magnum without any feeding or ejection problems giving you 100% compatibility with all 12g ammo. It would have a non-overlapping LE forend and a SPAS-12 style folding stock (without the hook handle) with a recoil pad. Of course, the delinked trigger system is a must. The gun would have to be able to be stripped quickly with no tools (at least without any tools that aren't carried on the gun; think SKS rifle multitool and takedown.) This of couse is just me dreaming out loud, for now I'll stick to my 870.

BTW, I'm going under the assumption that we're talking about all purpose HD/combat/SHTF shotguns.
 
Your poll left off several old standbys.
I just go into a pawn shop and say I'll have a look at that old beat up one on the right. What's that one cost? When I find one for under $100 that works, I've found my gun. ;)
 
I had a SPAS. I sold it as soon as I fired it the first time. It was a nightmare. It was hard to load and jammed twice. The only way to clear it was to disassemble it, which was a real pain. I prefer the Remington 870, but not the express model:barf: My dept. has two of them. The front bead sights are cockeyed so you have to hold them at an angle and the guns seem to have a need to rust.
 
Mossberg vs. SPAS ... kind of an apples vs. oranges comparison, isn't it?

My preference for general purpose ... Browning BPS.

I should add that by "general purpose," I don't mean "I would clear a crack house with this," but rather that with a combination of short and long barrels and the proper chokes, I can legally and humanely hunt everything in my area that I care to hunt, shoot clays occasionally, and, I suppose, even defend myself if it came to that.

I think that you'll find that people's definition of "do-it-all" is going to vary widely.
 
The Sears Model 200 Ted Williams!

So what if it's a Winchester 1200 with Sears slapped on it, being a part of a pro athlete's signature series makes it that much cooler.
 
I think my 11-87 is pretty good stuff.


But while we're making up and modifying guns. . . .


I think i would like an ithaca model 37, set up for 3 inch shells, proofed for steel shot, with a 20 inch barrel. No disconnect (rock n roll baby:D ), secondary 28 inch barrel and 32 inch trap barrel (choked light full), with a wood stock and a corncob front grip.


Or. . .

A left handed remington 870 wingmaster, stock, with 18.5 in defense barrel and a 28 inch barrel. No plastic parts!

In fact, if such a firearm existed, i would not have my 11-87, i would have my 870 wingmasterlh. I'm such a sucker for good looking well made guns.
 
my mossberg 500 is has been a fine shotgun.

thanks kilroy, i have alway wondered what kind of shotty my Sears Ted Williams was? Also I have a Ted Willams sig .22lr that matches the shotty. neat little pair. both have been flawless. any ideas on who made the .22? Winchester?

of course i realize that Winchester now only makes ammo and that the guns are made by others. this pair i came accross at least 25 years ago.
 
..probably a Winchester model 12..although, as I have posted on a thread recently... I bought and fired a Win model 50 automatic and am very impressed with it's performance...
 
narrowneck said:
That picture is not a 500.
It's an 870 but something looks strange about it.
Maybe an airsoft replica????
Click to expand...

I was too darned lazy when I made the initial post (still am right now) to go and drag my actual Mossberg out the Gun Safe to snap a photo of, so I just GOOGLED "Mossberg 500" and that's what popped up. Actually it was from both sides but I cropped it out. Figured ppl would get the general idea is all, and I'd saved that pic of the Franchi SPAS 12 sometime ago.

Sorry for any confusion. *Also thanks to those who have responded. Still looks like more people aren't too big on the SPAS and favor either the Mossberg or "Other" types. Always wondered where a good many ppl stood on it is all.
 
Anyways...
The SPAS 12 is a heavy, complicated, chunky POS.
I own a PA8 pump which uses the same stock, trigger and a similar reciever. It is a very nice gun by comparison; Lightweight, slick and well balanced.

I clicked "other". I would love a 870 Mk1.... Hey, dreams are free!!:)
 
Either of these Super X2 design shotguns would be my choice:

Winchester Super X2 Practical Mk I
Win_PractMkI.jpg


FN SLP (Self Loading Police) - based on Winchester SX2
FN_SLP.jpg
 
Personnally, I wouldn't trade my 870 Marine Magnum for anything, a couple small modifications and it's (to me) a perfect tactical shotgun. Then again, I'm not a hunter.
 
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