I went to the store tonight intending to buy a Remington 870 express, and came home with a Benelli Nova 28 pump.
I like how it looks, but I can imagine some will find it ugly. I like the feel of the gun, comes up quick, and it shoots 3.5s. The wooden stock on the 870 is terrible. It looks like chinese balsa wood with stamped checkering. The finish work on the metal of the 870 was 'Romainian WASR AK-47' bad.
I guess time will tell on the reliability factor. Not to often on uses the terms 'reliable' and 'Italian' in the same sentance.