best 12 ga for the $

[jpettit]

my son is looking at purchasing his own 12 ga, we shoot mostly upland,trap & he has just started duck with the thought of turkey this fall, he shoots an 12 ga escort now with a smooth bore slug barrel. he has shot an 870. what out there is good reliable & not too$. possible semi-auot? i would also be interested in 1, currently shooting o/u.

thanks for your help

Jon

[riverrat56]

Well the 870 Express is a great value on a quality gun, a combo with a rifled slug barrel and bird barrel is right around $500, or just the gun can be found for around $300

[tracker x-2]

I have a super x2, and am very pleased with how it performs in cold weather and for all sorts of conditions. The twenty six" barrel makes it ideal for upland and trap. I have seen a few around and stores with prices from 500 to 600$ depending on condition and chamber size.

[picksbigwagon]

the 870 is a great start, the mossberg 500 is a good choice as well. I have an 870 with the rifled slug barrel combo and it is going on it's 10th deer season. I would take a look at the 870 and see how comfortable it is for you and your son to hold. The Berreta Nova's are nice shotgun's as well. My nephew has one and I really like it as well. it isn't available witht the slug barrel, but you can buy one and they aren't cheap.....

[TrophyEyes]

I have a Benelli Nova with a waterfowl/upland barrel and a canallever slug barrel that I would put up against the Rem 870. It doesn't feel as solid and is a bit heavier, but it has never failed me. I also have an Benelli M1 which I really like. Personally, I will be buying my son a Remington 870 youth with both barrels when he gets a bit older.

[picksbigwagon]

check out today's ad's Dick's sporting goods has the 500 combo and 870 combo's on sale right now....

[AndyM]

I bought the Mossberg 500 combo a couple years ago from the "Man's Mall". Total cost was under $230 for gun and both barrels. Heck of a deal

[WalleyeJeff]

My son (14) bought the 835 Mossberg with the fluted barrel, he loves it we do a lot of duck hunting and a little trap.

[Esox_Magnum]

Hard to beat an 870 Wingmaster, little more $$$ than the Express but well worth it. I have 2 one made in 1959 the other in 1968 neither have ever let me down. Both still look great to.

[BlueBillStacker]

Browning BPS!! remingtons are cheap because they are junk watched one fall apart a half hr into duck opener. dude was not happy pay the extra hundred or whatever for a decent gun

[vister]

for the money, 870, pretty bullet proof. depends what you're lookin at spending. my upland game of choice is my ruger red label. but spendy, and i WONT send a slug through that one!

[smokingun]

For a cheaper but good quality gun for your son I would go with the Benelli nova or the super nova. Mine has never let me down. If you want a good auto go with the Winchester SX3

[96trigger]

I saw the Dick's Flyer, great deal on the 11-87 full camo just as good a deal on the 11-87 synthetic. Heck of a reliable semi aout for 5-600 bucks brand new. Most of the guns everyone mentioned are pretty good. I am a big beretta fan myself, have two AL390's and love them. However, neither are 3.5 inch. You should be able to find a nice semi-auto if you don't need a 3.5 inch chamber. The winchester SX3, Super Black Eagle II, and the Browning Gold and Beretta xtrema are all going to run you over a grand. If you are going to use it for deer, I would look for a combo and a rifeld barrel, you won't be sorry that you did.

Nice part about the remingtons is that there are a thousand parts and aftermarket accessories for them.

[broken_line]

used 870 for 'round 200 bucks.. kills anytihng in sight and will work even if it gets tossed in a lake and not cleaned for 10 days..

[SmilinBob]

Best bang for the buck? stick with the Escort line, take it apart and lay it next to a remington and try to show me the difference. They make pumps and semi-autos,and I Legacy intl, the importer also has a nice line of o/u's also. For a nice o/u look at the Mossberg silver reserve.

[Bran32]

I would agree on the 870 express as well, but I also have a Charles Daly semi-auto that I've had for 8 years now and it has never let me down and I only gave $299 for it brand new!!

[fr0sty]

I have benelli super nova and purchased a 870 express for my son. I like the super nova far better than then 870. They both shoot great, but the express seems cheaply made compared to the super nova. My benelli is one of the camo versions.

[pureinsanity]

870 Express is decent for the amount of money you might spend if buying new. I would find an old in good shape 870 express if i were you. I own one, Way better than an express. I also won a Benelli Super Nova. I like it but still prefer to use the wingmaster over the benelli.

Look on Gunbroker.com for a used 870 express or wingmaster. Should find a good deal on there!

[koonie]

Best bang for the buck? stick with the Escort line, take it apart and lay it next to a remington and try to show me the difference. They make pumps and semi-autos,and I Legacy intl, the importer also has a nice line of o/u's also. For a nice o/u look at the Mossberg silver reserve.

Most pump guns are built the same. The difference between the escort and the 870. About 9,800,000 more 870s sold, can get aftermarket anything for the 870 and a proven track record. Just because it looks the same doesn't mean it will function the same.

As for the Mossberg silver reserve. Define nice. Fit and finish is shoddy at best. Not the most reliable lockup either. Problems with the block denting and firing pins breaking.

[SmilinBob]

I am a gunsmith, the escort is built on the 870 blueprint, it's a good gun for the $, but an 870 isn't going to cost a lot more either. Also, I have yet to see the above mentioned problems with the silver reserve, obviously it's not a high priced Browning or Ruger, but for someone looking for value for the money, it's a good gun. The best advice I can offer is to go to a gun shop and handle as many guns as possible and find out what you really like and fits well, there will be variations between fit and finish in all models.

[Svinekotelett]

Around x-mas theres usually some really nice deals on shotguns. For birds I think the Mossberg 500 Is a beautifull gun, I love the top side safty. But in my opinion the Remington 870 pump is the best value for the money. most will agree u cant go wrong with an 870. I use my mossberg and 870 for deer aswell with rifled bores but favor the 870. Remington 1100s are very nice auto loaders but more expensive.

[Svinekotelett]

Mossberg mavericks are also very nice bird guns but they dont shoot slugs, and i dont think they make them anymore. ive had a few minor problems with mine but overall it was worth the money.

[koonie]

I've seen too many silver reserves with the problems I mentioned to ever consider buying one. Maybe they have worked out their problems but I'm not going to spend my money on one.

[harvey lee]

The 870 is an awesome pump for the money. I have an 1100 that is the most durable auto I own. It seems to fire under any condition for me.

Just don't seem to use it much any longer.

[MUSKY18]

I am a Mossberg man through and through. I have an 835 that has preformed very well for me for many years. I have hunted turkey, goose, ducks and pheasant with them. Thing that I like about them is they double nicely as a canoe paddle and it doesn't matter to me if it gets scratched. Pull the trigger and it goes boom and kills things.