I'm looking at buying a new shotgun in the next couple of months. I want to be able to shoot squirrels, crows, ducks, pheasants, and home defense. I don't want to spend more than 300 dollars on one. I've been looking at the Remington 870? I believe at Academy. It's around 280 I think. Anyone know if this is good or could recommend something else. I see that they have a Mossberg for 160, but it looks like more of a tacticle gun, but I could be wrong. Thanks!

love remington 870's. cant go wrong with them.

It's looking that way right now. I've never owned a Remington, but I hear excellent things about all their guns. Especially the Model 700 rifle.

As a proud owner of one, I like the Benelli nova better. It does cost a little though.

Mossberg Maverick 12GA, Academy has them for just over $150, shoots 2 3/4 and 3. I Own 1100's, 870's and so on but i always take the berg no matter where i go. If it gets dirty, dinged, dropped or whatever... oh well its $150 (even though i try to take care of it, this stuff happens) If you are just looking for a throw around gun that you point and shoot (and not look all pretty) then I would say go for the Mossberg.... just my .02 I dont know about Mossbergs rep on other guns ( i have fingered a 17HMR that felt VERY cheap, but no other experience) But I will stand behind the Maverick

You will not be disapointed with the 870. It will last you a lifetime and you can do any of the things you stated ubove with it. Get it in 12 guage. I would recomend getting one chambered for 3 1/2 inch for when you want to go duck hunting.

A Benelli Super nova is pretty good too, but will run you about $500.

870 Express is hard to beat for the price

So when I go to purchase one, do I ask for a model that's chambered for 3" or do they come already chambered to shoot 2 3/4-3 1/2. I see that some say chambered 2 3/4, 3, and 3 and 1/2...does that mean they will shoot any of those shells, or do I have to get it chambered in one of those? Sorry, I'm not a shotgun person. I've shot them, but don't know a lot about them.

Get the mossberg 500 "tactical gun" as you called it, and buy an extra barrel for it. Barrel changes are super easy and fast. You can go from home defense, to hunting shotgun and back again in less than 1 min.

If all three are stanmped on the barrel than you can fire all three. The Remington 870 supermag is chambered for all three. They sell them at academy

looks like I may go with the supermag then. Seems like a good value for the various chambered options in one gun. If the super mag is more than 350, I may go for the Benelli nova. Thanks!

I went with a Mossberg 500 synthetic and bougt a HD barrel.

remington 870, because barrels are cheap and everywhere. buy a used one, spend the rest of your money on a home defense barrel

For the money your wanting to spend, Rem 870. I have the 870 and the 870 Wingmaster, and they have performed flawless. The plain model gets carried around and drug thru the mud, the blood, and the beer on a daily basis. Good all around workhorse of a scattergun IMO.

You can alway go wrong with an 870.

the 870 would be my choice, if you decide to sell or trade, value would be better than the Mossberg

That's because it costs more than the Mossberg to begin with...

I think you guys have convinced me on the super mag 870. I probably won't be one to buy a lot of shotguns, so this will work for now. I don't mind buying different rifles, but I'm not a shotgun person. However, a buddy of mine wants me to come and do all kinds of different hunting on his lease next year, and I'm going to need a shotgun. Thanks for the tip guys.

At some point you will regret getting the 870 supermag. You loss not mine.

Cabela's Fort Worth has the Remington (20 or 12ga) in current sale circular for $379.00 which is $349.00 after you get the $30.00 back on a rebate - has a HD barrel with 3" chamber and a 26" field barrel. It is a door buster sale which starts at 8A on 12 Dec - if you want to make the trip from Tyler it may be worth it - especially for all the other stuff that will have to go back with you...

10,000+ shells through mine with out a single failure (other than when it fell of the back of the 4-wheeler and got ran over by the 4-wheeler that was behind me, busting the stock). 40 bucks and she was back on the road again and is still knocking down birds. She sure is getting ugly now a days though!! Maybe Ill just spray paint her and she'll be good for another 15 years.

I own both 870s and a Benelli Nova.If I had to have one it would be the 870. Cheap, reliable and easy to maintain. What moree could one ask for.

What do recommend over the 870?

I must also add that I have a Super Nova as well. It shoots really well and is a very inovative design but I have noticed that it must be kept very clean. I had several failures this year during dove season where shells would not eject, and in one instance it failed to [censored] when I racked a new shell into the chamber (a small peice of dirt had gotten into the trigger assembly causing it to jam up).

I would have to say that the 870 is the AK47 of the shotgun world while the Nova is more like an AR (you gotta run em clean and wet).

Stoger P350, $299 at academy. A pretty good shooting gun, believed they are owned by Beretta or Benelli. If you are gonna spend that much on a supermag.... spend a little more and buy a better gun. Get a benelli or a browning.

It didnt take but a couple trips to the marsh and a few boxes of shells and my 870 malfunctioned. Sheels had to be perfectly clean with out a speck of anything on them. Lots of hang ups and malfuntctions. I will never buy another 870 Express model shotun in any guage.

I've owned or hunted with several 870s over the years and all have given me problems at some point. Have one in a 20ga, 870 3", and 2 in Supermag. Probelms from all of them. I tried to give them another chance, that's why I had bought more than one. The only gun that has never failed me has been my BPS Browning.

I'm not gonna get in a pissing match with anyone on here. To each his own. It has just been my experience with the guns that I feel what I feel about them. If it works for you then that's great... I have just been let down too many times by the 870 to stand by it.