Frankwhoa

I'm looking to purchase my first shotgun soon. I'm on a budget, cheaper is better. I have read over and over about the 870 and 500's.
I would like to get a combo kit with two barrels but I know little about types of ammo as they pertain to types of game.
I'll be primarily hunting rabbit and squirrel, then perhaps some deer, duck, and maybe turkey.

What length and type of barrels would I need for each:

Small Game -

Deer -

Duck -

Turkey -

Thanks guys
Frank

nchawkeye

You can do it all with either a 26 or 28 inch barrel with a vent rib and screw in chokes...

For deer, put an aftermarket sight on the vent rib and sight in with slugs...

Or, buy a deer barrel with rifle sights and a 26 or 28 inch vent rib with screw in chokes...

I'd go with a 3 inch mag simply for turkey and duck loads...The rest can easily be killed with 2 3/4 inch shells...

DJfan

You'll love the Mossberg 500.

Sheridan

870 como or 500 combo; you choose.........................

Best bet for the money !

JagMagMan

X2 and welcome to the board!

WV Hunter

Both are nice guns. I personally like the 870's, but either will do you well. Like they said, take a look at the combo. I personally think a 3" chamber is plenty.

Bbj270

I vote for the 870 combo. I have 4 870s and love them.dad has one mossberg 500 combo got it for.slug barrel because at time.got it for about $50 more then a slug barrel for his 870. The 870 locks up much better and no wiggle like the 500. I herd the rifle.chokes shoot great so you might not need the extra slug barrel.

Murdy

I think the quality has slipped at Rem recently. I bought an 870 combo in 2007. Both the bluing and the finish on the stock seem cheap and really show wear (I bought another Rem about the same time, and had the same problems with the bluing (has a synthetic stock, so that's ok), maybe their higher end stuff doesn't share the same flaws). If they are cutting corners on something so visible it makes you wonder what else they are doing. Also, the combo slug barrel that comes with iron sights on it requires you to spend some money for a harness that fits over the receiver if you ever decide you want to put a scope on it (which also makes it cumbersome switching back and forth between barrels and scoped/unscoped). I've never owned a Mossberg, but I have a few friends who do and are happy with them. I'd take a serious look at them if I was in the market right now for a budget shotgun. Actually, last shotgun I bought was a used Benelli Supernova for about the same price, which I love.

Big Uncle

You don't miss too many chances to bash Remington.

The 870 Express is not intended to be a well finished gun (no pretty blued finish), but otherwise it is the same as every other 870 - old or new. It is my choice for duck hunting when I am either is a swamp or boat where guns tend to get beat up. They operate exactly the same as my Wingmaster models but do take a little more time to break in, I think due to the finish. I did have one Express model that had evidently been sent from the factory with some sort of gunk in the chamber but a couple of twists with a dowel wrapped with steel wool fixed that quickly.

I have both Wingmaster and Express models in both 12 ga and 20 ga. They are solid and reliable guns, the Express is obviously intended to be a lower priced version due to it's finish and type of wood in the stock. There is nothing at all wrong with them and their quality is just fine.

The "cutting corners" comment seems inappropriate to me.

Bbj270

3 of my 870 are wingmaster and one is a express turkey. All are 12 ga., the express and one wingmasternare 3" the others are just 2 3/4". One the blueing is starting to ware off the receiver but that is from years of hard use and carried around the receiver. My express has been hunted with hard and no blurring are finish is ware off at all. Like big uncle stated the internal parts are the same in the wingmaster and express. The newest rem I got is about 3 years old 700 in 204 ruger and the finish is fine on it too. Their is a reason over 10 million 870 have been made since 1951. It is used by 16 counties for it's miliatry and by many local police departments. I am thinking of getting my daughter a rem 870 youth in 20 ga when she is a little older.