Brad's looking for #3:
And while the next purchase is a ways off . . . having a plan is never a bad thing. The M1 garand is definitely on the (very) short list of WANT WANT WANT ever so badly because it has been characterized as "The Greatest Battle Implement Ever Devised", it is a rather impractical piece. So . . . where have my thoughts taken me? 12 gauge !!!
When I last went to Westford Sportsmen's I shot, among other things, a Browning BPS 12ga. I liked the idea of its bottom eject, but am not beholden to that design. I saw that at the moment, FS has an Ithaca 37 (also bottom eject) on their used page for $200. Assuming decent condition, not sure if this is a reasonable price, but I digress.
The first question I have to answer is: What is the purpose for this purchase? I'm thinking trap, & maybe sporting clays. It would serve secondarily as a SHTF, EOTWAWKI, CLRAWHHCO (Chicken Little Running Around With His Head Cut Off) piece. I'm pretty certain I want a pumper for simplicity & reliability. For trap/clays I'll need a long-ish barrel, but for home defense I'll want to max out at about 20 inches. Out of the gate, I'm thinking in the 22 or 24 inch range as a compromise. And whatever I buy MUST be able to handle 3" magnum shells. I can't imagine needing / wanting anything to handle the 3.5" Turkey-saurus loads which were at bloggershoot.
Another consideration . . . I like wood. To me, the plastic, black tacticool shotties are just soul-less pieces for rendering death and destruction. Wood gives character and soul to any gun. Something to "ooh" and "aaaah" about if the wood looks nice.
A further consideration would be flexibility and ability to modify / upgrade. While I don't think I'd need anything with as many options as there are for guns like the 10/22, having some ability to customer a shotty would be nice. I fear that guns like the Browning BPS or the Ithaca 37 just don't have a lot.
And lastly, what the hell would I name a shotty? Gotta use a girl's name, that's for sure. Is there a champion Ladies trap or skeet shooter you know if?
So . . . I've come up with either a Rem 870 or Mossy 500/590 series. Thoughts?
With the demise of the Winchester 1300, the pump-action shotgun market has really boiled down to either the Mossberg 500 or the Remington 870. Yes, there are other guns out there - Brad mentions the Ithaca 37, frex - but for accessories, the Mossie and Remie are tops. Extra barrels - like a rifled slug barrel for hunting, or a 26" barrel with interchangeable chokes - can be readily swapped out to change configurations in minutes.
Either gun would fulfill Brad's requirements - ability to change configuration, wood stock, etc. There's other, more exotic options like the Benelli tactical line; the value-minded Stevens Security model; or even the high-end Browning BPS; however for a first shotgun, there's really no reason to either skimp or spend too much. Either the 500 or the 870 provide a stable, sturdy, reliable entry into shotguns; with the ability to expand capabilities down the line. Either one would be an excellent choice; it boils down to a "Ford vs. Chevy" type argument which is better.
Of course, I heartily endorse the Mossberg 590 with bayonet lug - because, as I'm fond of saying, "A shotgun without a bayonet is like a day without sunshine"...
That is all.
14 comments:
I'll take the Ithaca with the bottom eject for $200. You could always put fancy wood on it, and they are widely available and repairable.
I would pick the 870. Accessories & wood are readily available.
He should name his shotgun (ugh...I'm not one for naming such things, but here goes...) Liz, Lizzy, Betsy, or some such version of Elizabeth, for Mrs. A.D. Topperwein, of course!
http://www.traphof.org/Inductees/Topperwein-Mrs.-A.-D.html
Mossie or the Remmie. However, if one puts on a pistol grip, I'd go with the Remmie, because the Safety is much easier to manipulate. If he stays with a Straight Grip, then the Mossie's Tang safety is easier for Leftie/Rightie. Everything else, well, it's like owning a 69 Camaro. Really Cool Car, but try to get spare parts from Wally World. And if your Chicken is running around Headless....
Faced with the same question, I ended up with an 870 (as my second purchase). It came down to a couple factors -- I'd fired the 870 before and liked it, plus I was well aware of the huge aftermarket for it and the long history of the firearm. They could stop making it today and I'd still have accessories available until I died.
The advice I got about 3.5" is not to worry about it. You really only need it for specialized waterfowl hunting. You can do fine with 3" against every other game, and adding 3.5" to the equation complicates your firearm (i.e. the chamber is different so your choices in barrels/etc are different).
One gun I will add to your short list, though, would be the Benelli Nova or Supernova. Do some research; I had a few people tell me I should get one instead of the 870, but I preferred the 870 for the reasons I outlined.
Just be aware that the 870 v 500 debate is as cordial as Ford v Chevy.
I hemmed and hawed about this very topic for a good long while. Ended up doing neither. Got a Mossberg 930 SPX. Nice and light, cycles everything I have fed it, and overall a joy to live with. Not sure if this option is available to you folks.
+1 for the Mossberg 590. And I use mine for Sporting Clays all the time, plus bayonet lug!!!
They only come in plastic stocks (which I prefer just in case I get caught in the rain) but 590s run on all 500 parts, so you can always BUY a wood stock and pump....
I'm a proponent of "buy the gun you like and use it" over "buy the perfect gun and not use it as much."
Does the 870 have a conveniently easy to modify design? Oh yes.
Do I personally hate the shell lifter in my way when loading? Yes.
Does the Mossberg 500/590 appeal to me more? Yes, so I have one.
The Ithaca 37 has a long tradition of being sleek, smooth, attractive, reliable, and putting bad guys in the ground. The BPS would do just as well.
It may have a 4 round tube in standard form, you may not be able to tactically toss a shell in the chamber when empty, and it may not be your first thought when thinking "fighting gun"; but it handles like a dream and begs you to shoot it. Familiarity is a VERY good thing.
In short, I honestly recommend the BPS or 37, in this case. Two hudred dollars is also a pretty good price, as well.
Trained w/ an 870 at FLETC so that's what my Smarter Half bought me for a housewarming gift. (God! what a woman!!)
Seriously, the 870 has almost as many after market parts as a 10/22. If you want to play "dress up" the 870 is the way to go.
Jay,
Thanks for posting. And thanks to all who replied.
So . . .
3 votes for 870
2 votes for 590
2 votes for Ithaca 37 Browning BPS
Choices, choices. Hmmm. Guess I'm going to have to try all three.
@Woodsman, Lizzy is a fine name.
@Butch, I like the way you think, buy what you like and USE it.
Jay, Weer'd, making a shameless beg here for some 590 trigger time. Willing to meet up? I'll supply my own shells.
Decisions, decisions.
- Brad
I like Remingtons a lot, my first 3 guns were Remington and they're all excellent guns.
Saying that, there's nothing like a 12 gauge bayonet cleaner.
Be sure of the age/version of the Ithica. Check the serial number. The original Ithica NY guns have changable barrels; the next gen didn't; the third iteration had changable barrels, but these were NOT interchangable with the original guns. It can get a little confusing. BUT IF you get the right one, they are as good a gun as you will find.
On the other hand there is nothing wrong with a Mossie. I buy them whenever I find them for less than $190 and turn them into 18" house guns for my Northern friends.
(Fair warning - I have four(five?) Ithies in 20ga and you would have to pry them out of my cold, dead...
emdfl
Ithaca 37. Try to get a 16 ga or 20 ga, as it's a little lightweight for 12 ga. Kicks the crap out of you, as a matter of fact, although I put a vented Poly Choke on my first one, and it was a dream.
Barrels not interchangeable if under serial #800,000, as I recall it.
JM Browning design. I've got 3 12 ga, a 16 and a 20. Echoing "emdfl", none of them are for sale.
Cheers, Medium Sized Jake
Looks like the Ithy 37 has taken the lead ....
Now I've actually go to drive out to the Fun Store and have a look-see at the Ithaca.
EMDFF - I might get a mossy later on as well. However, I like the clean lines of the '37, the bottom eject, the walnut stocks. They have soul, character. I checked the age . . . 3,711,xxx is the serial number. Also called Ithaca and confirmed there were no recalls on that serial number range.
Jake, I'm not worried about recoil too much. I also shoot a Mosin Nagant (Lyudmila) 91/30, without a recoil pad. If I get the '37, I'll probably use it mostly as a range queen for trap, clays, etc. The most I'd likely run through it would be #4 3" game loads.
And again, thank you everyone.
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