Quote:
Originally Posted by JavaBrewer
Your price point buys you a top of the line Remington/Mossberg pump 12 gauge or a low er end semi-auto. Everyone has an opinion on this discussion so really you just need to see the options first hand. It's hard to go wrong either way.
I started with a Remington 870 Express Talo and it was awesome. Never an issue shooting all flavors of 12 gauge ammo. I inherited a Mossberg 500 Mariner and thought I didn't need the 870 anymore - selling it was a mistake - even though I got a great price as it was during the gun frenzy of the Obama election. I started having issues with the 500, the pump tends to jam on the extract process. I will need a gun smith to investigate but I have lost confidence in it as a HD tool.
I recently picked up the Mossberg 590a1 and it is awesome. You should be able to find one for ~ $600 brand new. The one I bought came with a bayonet - for zombies of course.
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This is spot on.
If home defense is your sole objective, I'd buy the12 ga Mossberg 590 as above. That's a police/military grade shotgun and is very functional and reliable for the money.
If you want the gun to do double duty as a part time skeet/trap/sporting clays rig, then consider the Mossberg 930. It's semi auto and will make you faster in follow up shots. I'n my experience, however, it does require periodic (every couple hundred rounds) cleaning of the gas system in order to maintain perfect cycling reliability. Otherwise its a great value semiauto with good aftermarket support.
For any gun, black plastic stocks are likely slightly more durable (especially in the wet), but for shotguns I find them less "sociable", particularly on the sporting clays course - - all the fancy guys will have Berettas and Brownings and other guns with real wood. Just a consideration as most shotguns can be had with wood or plastic furniture.
Full disclosure, I prefer Mossberg to Remington mostly because I prefer the thumb safety on top. Others may prefer the crossbolt safety in the trigger guard that Remington uses. Both make fine shotguns in your price point.