Rifled Pump Shotgun... Advice?

[longbow]

Okay then I guess I'll drop the 535 and stick with the 500.

Randy's comment "...I would scour all the gun shops and see if I couldn't find a used one for a couple hundred $..." makes me chuckle. There is one local gunshop with little in the way of used anything much less shotguns... they do do shotguns. The next closest gun shop is 3 to 4 hours away. That and "...for a couple hundred hundred $" I'd be lucky to find a used single shot for a couple hundred $. Well maybe $150.00 to $200.00.

A new Mossberg 500 wood with vent rib runs $500.00. Since I live in a small rural area used guns are a bit scarce so used would likely be ordered on-line so no handling and buying based on pics and words. There are gun auction sites with used guns and some look okay and at reasonable prices but buying is sight unseen unless a guy can get to Vancouver (8 hrs.), Calgary (7 hours), Toronto (3 to 4 days)... you get the drift.

I think I'll start putting out feelers for used 500's. As Randy says, if I can find one I can buy a rifled barrel later. But again for $661.00 I get 3 barrels and a brand new gun so...

I agree with BB too so even if I do go the combo route new I may be able to pick up a used one later and have dedicated slug gun.

Longbow

[gpidaho]

Longbow: I think you're on the right track. Get the three barrel combo and then look for a used gun to go along with it. That way you'll have a Sunday gun and truck gun and three new barrels to work with. Gp

[megasupermagnum]

If even the most basic model is $500, that combo is not too bad. Here a basic Mossberg runs about $325. I've never seen a 3 barrel combo, but the slug/field combo runs about $400. Barrels can be had for $100-$150, and shipping to Canada would add a lot. That's one nice thing about the 500 though, you can find people selling new in box barrels for half price of brand new in store. Nothing wrong with used either, Those older plain fixed choke barrels go for cheap, and point better for me than the new barrels.

[toallmy]

A couple years ago I picked up a Mossberg 500 20 gage with extra rifled barrel for the cost of less than a rifled barrel off of gun broker . Deals are out there , but not usually when you want .

[longbow]

I'll start looking for used again. There are sites in Canada but for the most part any guns I've seen that I am interested in are not where I can go look and touch so have to buy on pics and trust. A good dealer should be trustworthy if they have decent used guns.

Yup, I'm thinking the Mossberg 500 is the way to go however I do it.

if rifled slug barrel accuracy is not up to my relatively low standards then I'll look for a solid single shot or maybe splurge and get into the Savage bolt gun. I would like an H&R USH but unlikely to find one in Canada. TC is nice but pricey and again the chances of finding a used one here are nil.

Not sure about the Remington Ultra slug for accuracy. I like the heavy pinned barrel. I've not read any accuracy reports but with pinned barrel it should be better than without. However, new they are very pricey and unlikely to find used. Maybe but again at distance if there is one.

As for cost, the Canadian dollar is about $0.75 to $0.80 US to put it in perspective. So $600.00 CDN is about $450.00 US. Overall, prices are similar.

Longbow

[W.R.Buchanan]

LB the thing about M500's is unless the gun has visually been abused, as long as it looks good on the exterior it is probably alright on the inside. There is not that much going on inside, and they are super easy to work on.

There is the Trigger/Fire Control unit which comes out of the gun by pushing out one pin. Really nothing to wear in that unit.

There is the bolt and bolt latch which are the only two machined parts,

Then there is the two stamped Action Bars and the two Shell Stops and the lifter and that's about it. None of these parts are very expensive, and it is unlikely that they are worn out unless the gun shows alot of exterior wear. The gun would literally need 10-15,000 rounds run thru it to be used up..

The pic of the safety in my above post is a nice addition from Brownell's and cost about $12-15 The Velcro Side Saddle was $15 Magpul Stock and Fore End was @$100.

Anyway fish around and see what you can come up with. I will help anyway I can.

Randy

[centershot]

longbow, I was an 870 guy for a lot of years but a yearning for a 20 ga. and Pandy's posts regarding the M500 caused me to buy TWO of them last month, a 12 and a 20! I'm not sorry! Lightweight, smooth, slick handling guns! The 12 came with 3 barrels; 28" VR ported, 24" rifled cantilever slug ported, and a 20" VR ported. I mounted a Leupold 1-4 VX1 shotgun scope on it, works great! An M500 combo might be just what you're looking for!

[longbow]

Well, further investigation at Elwood Epps in Ontario is telling me that both Remington and Mossberg 3 1/2" chambered guns use 3" chamber slug barrels so no disadvantage there for slug shooting. At the other extreme I wonder if those longer actions handle 2" hulls... not that I'd likely shoot many but nice to have the ability. I am more likely to shoot short hulls than 3 1/2" hulls.

So, if I can find a good used 3 1/2" gun there is no disadvantage for slug shooting since chambers are 3". Just thinking there may be more chance of finding a used Mossberg 3 barrel combo in 3 1/2" because someone bought it mostly for waterfowl hunting but didn't like the recoil... maybe?

An option anyway unless there are other disadvantages?

If I buy new then likely the Mossberg 500 3 barrel combo. So far cheapest new I have found is $575 CDN which isn't bad.

I am currently out of work for a bit though so no toy money. It'll come though!

Longbow

[W.R.Buchanan]

LB: What does $575 CDN convert to in US$? Sounds like about $425-450?

If so that's the best I could do at my LGS that has these in stock,,, and they like me!

Our blazing economy will bleed over into your neck of the woods soon. be patient. Trump actually likes Canadians, he just has a small problem with Trudeau, which I'd bet you probably do too?

Your country has the same problem that California and several other states have with one or two big cities controlling the vote for the whole state. In your case I believe it is the "French Part?"

Better hurry up on the M500 though as I will have these Lyman Slugs figured out shortly. I mean really? do the kids really need to eat that much?

Randy

[megasupermagnum]

Google says $575 CAD = $441 USD. That's a very good deal anywhere.

[longbow]

That's the reason I was looking at the Remington and Mossberg combos. The Mossberg 500 or 535 is a better deal though as they are less expensive and include 3 barrels where the Remington is only 2 barrels.

It looks like the Mossberg 500 will be cheaper and better than the Remington 870 and the 535 is between but still with 3 barrels. Since the slug barrels have 3" chambers, I'm told, there is no reason not to get a 3 1/2" gun if there is a good used one about.

I'll probably go with a new 500 though. Just watch though, by the time I am working and have toy money the 3 barrel combo deal will be gone!

[Walks]

870 ALL THE WAY.

I shot TRAP with an 870TB 12 Gauge from 1966 to 1971 almost every weekend. Anywhere from 200 to 500 rounds a weekend. The next year my DAD gave me an 870MAG 12 GAUGE for GOOSE Hunting. I added a 26"SKEET bbl & shot a lot of Skeet with it. Cleaned them after every weekend, and completely stripped them down for a real good cleaning every 3-4 months. I added another 28" MODIFIED bbl for Pheasant Hunting. I never had a problem shooting 2.75" shells in the 3" chamber. Being able to switch bbls is a real asset. I later purchased a 28" REMCHOKE bbl to use in those two GUNS and an 870 12GA Police CHP Surplused 2.75" Gun. At lot more then 100,000 rounds thru those guns with never a BREAKAGE.
Even bought an 870 12 GAUGE EXPRESS COMBO with a 26" REMCHOKE bbl & 20" cylinder bore bbl with Rifled Sights when they came out in 1987.
I also own a 20GA 870 SKEET GUN with an extra 28" MODIFIED bbl and another 870 20 GA EXPRESS with a 26" REMCHOKE BBL.

I owned a Mossberg for about 6 months. Broke twice. Sold it a $10. loss.

I worked at 2 different GUN SHOPS from 1986 - 1998. In the old days in CA, before the shooting in STOCKTON, CA (1989) you could still buy a Long Gun and walk out the door with it immediately.

The week before the DOVE opener, we would sell a dozen Shotguns a day, almost always with a short case of DOVE ammo. The Mossbergs out sold the REMINGTON'S 3 to 1.

The Monday/Tuesday AFTER the DOVE Opener, every 3rd Mossberg came back in for warranty repair. Broken before 250 rds were fired.

In 12 years I never saw a REMINGTON 870 brought in for repair.

I also own WINCHESTER'S; a Model 24 SxS 12GA, 1300 RIOT GUN 12 GA, 3 Model 12's & 3 Model 1897's. One ITHACA 37, a SAVAGE 311R & 2 ROSSI's, a SxS Hammered 12 GA COUCH Gun & a 20Ga SxS Quail Gun. And a couple of SAVAGE Model 24 combo guns and a .410 bore single shot. And an H&R 20GA Single Shot.

So I do know my SHOTGUNS.

BUY A REMINGTON.

[megasupermagnum]

870 ALL THE WAY.

I shot TRAP with an 870TB 12 Gauge from 1966 to 1971 almost every weekend. Anywhere from 200 to 500 rounds a weekend. The next year my DAD gave me an 870MAG 12 GAUGE for GOOSE Hunting. I added a 26"SKEET bbl & shot a lot of Skeet with it. Cleaned them after every weekend, and completely stripped them down for a real good cleaning every 3-4 months. I added another 28" MODIFIED bbl for Pheasant Hunting. I never had a problem shooting 2.75" shells in the 3" chamber. Being able to switch bbls is a real asset. I later purchased a 28" REMCHOKE bbl to use in those two GUNS and an 870 12GA Police CHP Surplused 2.75" Gun. At lot more then 100,000 rounds thru those guns with never a BREAKAGE.
Even bought an 870 12 GAUGE EXPRESS COMBO with a 26" REMCHOKE bbl & 20" cylinder bore bbl with Rifled Sights when they came out in 1987.
I also own a 20GA 870 SKEET GUN with an extra 28" MODIFIED bbl and another 870 20 GA EXPRESS with a 26" REMCHOKE BBL.

I owned a Mossberg for about 6 months. Broke twice. Sold it a $10. loss.

I worked at 2 different GUN SHOPS from 1986 - 1998. In the old days in CA, before the shooting in STOCKTON, CA (1989) you could still buy a Long Gun and walk out the door with it immediately.

The week before the DOVE opener, we would sell a dozen Shotguns a day, almost always with a short case of DOVE ammo. The Mossbergs out sold the REMINGTON'S 3 to 1.

The Monday/Tuesday AFTER the DOVE Opener, every 3rd Mossberg came back in for warranty repair. Broken before 250 rds were fired.

In 12 years I never saw a REMINGTON 870 brought in for repair.

I also own WINCHESTER'S; a Model 24 SxS 12GA, 1300 RIOT GUN 12 GA, 3 Model 12's & 3 Model 1897's. One ITHACA 37, a SAVAGE 311R & 2 ROSSI's, a SxS Hammered 12 GA COUCH Gun & a 20Ga SxS Quail Gun. And a couple of SAVAGE Model 24 combo guns and a .410 bore single shot. And an H&R 20GA Single Shot.

So I do know my SHOTGUNS.

BUY A REMINGTON.

So what exactly broke on yours, and all these other Mossbergs?

[bikerbeans]

Have you bought and shot an 870 made in the last 10 to 15 years?

BB

[gpidaho]

Well, I've told the story over and over in several threads so I won't bore you all with another version here, but after the way I've been treated by Remington with the last two products I've bought from them in the last couple of years it will be a cold day below before I buy another. Gp

[toallmy]

I have 3 Mossberg 500s in the shotgun cabinet 12,20,410 and have owned at least one at a time for at least 25 years I beat them like I'm mad at them and have never broken one . I have purchased at least 8 - 10 new not counting used without getting a lemon not one bad one in a lifetime of abuse so besides breaking the stock , bending the barrel or the new safety they are good work guns . I'm not trying to take any thing away from Remington as I have a few of them as well but to say a Mossberg 500 won't hold up to ruff handling I'll call BS on that . I can line up at least 6 men that I have gifted a Mossberg to that will say the same .

[longbow]

Actually I could go either way and be happy I think.

If I can find a good deal on an older used 870 I would buy a slug barrel and be good. However, the Mossberg 3 barrel combo deal new is hard to beat.

A gun I would certainly consider is the Remington Ultra Slug with pinned barrel. I don't much like the stock but th heavy pinned barrel is a nice feature. I doubt I'll find a used one and new they are pretty pricey so that is most likely off the menu.

There is a used 870 Wingmaster with rifled barrel and scope for $525 CDN at a gunshop back East and I've been considering that. I have seen some used Mossberg 3 barrel combos online too but the price is high enough I'd rather go new unless they'll bargain some.

At this point if I go new the Mossberg is the probable choice and if used then whatever the best deal is considering in the end I want a slug gun with rifled barrel.

Now having said all that, work is pretty lean right now so I am not getting many hours so low paycheque = no toy money. While I am off I will start working on my rifled choke tube again and get it installed. A day or so of machining should get it done then rifling which is slow so maybe a couple of days steady working on it. IF it works the way I intend (slow twist + deep grooves) for bore diameter round ball or short fat slug then this decision on a rifled gun may change but I still want that pump gun for bear protection and general blasting so will then be looking at smoothbores to put my custom choke tube on. The two brand choices will likely still be Remington and Mossberg.

Depending on how that all works out I also still want a dedicated accurate slug gun if the bear gun isn't keeping slug groups under 6" at 100 yards and preferable a bit tighter. If so then I am likely good. If not I may look at a Savage bolt gun for that duty. We'll see. One step at a time.

Longbow

[W.R.Buchanan]

TC Encore if you want the Single Shot Rifled Slug Gun. It is the only other shotgun platform I am interested in now. If I got to go bear Hunting on Vancouver Island with Jim Shockey I'd want one of those. Since that probably ain't gonna happen I'll just stick with what I've got.

I've been working on Al Nelson to do a Lyman slug mould, and the slug drawing you posted got sent to him to see if it is feasible with his existing Mould Blocks.

We'll see on that one. I've got to look at one of those Savage Bolt Guns and see what they're like.

Randy

[longbow]

Mihec makes Lyman sabot slug clone moulds. Why not just order one of those? He does them in full bore and wad slug. I kinda wish I had gotten in the first group buy. Oh well. I got talked out of it and sort of talked myself out of it too, much as I like Mihec moulds, I didn't figure I needed another slug mould! Now what sort of flawed thinking is that? Again... oh well!

Nothing wrong with NOE and maybe Al will make it a stock item which Mihec tends not to have... just group buy extras. I've checked his site now and again and he does have some stock so not sure if he does small runs of popular moulds or still just all group buys.

Yeah the TC would be nice too but I think they are a bit pricey. I have to think they are well made and likely very accurate though. I'd still like a USH but that isn't likely to happen.

Never seen a TC here and if there are any I bet they are rare. There are very few shotgun only areas in Canada. I am actually surprised to see so many Remington and Mossberg slug guns for sale new here. Not sure why but they do seem pretty popular.

Longbow

[gpidaho]

So far it seems Al (NOE) has stayed away from slug and round ball moulds. I also wish he would consider making them as I'm a big NOE fan and more than twice over $1,000 club member. All this talk about what shotgun to buy must be getting to me (easy to do) I walked in to try out our towns new Buy-Mart All around good old general merchandise store with a $5 life time membership card. In the sporting goods section was a Mossberg 500 two barrel set up. Price seemed reasonable, $329 so I told the young man behind the counter "Let me see that 500" 18+" cylinder bore barrel. 28" vent rid barrel. Was just about to say "I'll take it " when I ask "what chokes does it come with, hoping for a cylinder choke for the 28" barrel when we both realized the longer barrel wasn't threaded and was a fixed modified. Well, I guess I have more shotguns than I need anyway but sort of put me off that they would cheap on chokes to keep the price down. Gp