# maybe a new gun for me



## Martian (Apr 28, 2011)

I am looking at BPS at a Remington 870 express super mag w/ red dot for $599. I am going to go check it out tomorrow but am curious , any of you use an 870 for turkey hunting? I have real reservations, because I am not a gunner, and spend most my $ on archery, but for years have threatened to by a turkey gun. I have a Mossberg 500, that I bought off a coworker years back, but am thinking time for new, and no real reason. Other option was a new reddot for the 500. that also may be a deal breaker, if guns are like bows, many times when you get a package deal, the extras are junk. It is in the new bps flyer that came today, thanks


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## Firefighter (Feb 14, 2007)

Here's my dedicated turkey 870.

Short, compact, light, bulletproof. 

Probably less than 6 into it with Indian Creek choke, truglo red dot, sling and Knoxx recoil absorbing stock.

Could never get used to the safety on a mossy.


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## F. Thompson (Jan 9, 2014)

Firefighter,how's the recoil on that light shotgun ? We shoot a Browning Gold hunter and even had to add some weight to the stock to tame the recoil. We shoot Winchester Long Beard. At 65 years old, that recoil gets old quick. Thanks


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## Firefighter (Feb 14, 2007)

That's what the knoxx recoil stock is for. 

Not bad.

I shoot 2oz tungsten handloads.


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## Martian (Apr 28, 2011)

option 2 is a truglo red dot for my mossy, My dilema again is I am not a gunner, I don't pee my pants in front of the gun isle anywhere,, and almost exclusively hunt with a bow. So a "new gun" may end up a new recurve, or another banjo, we'll see


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## Firefighter (Feb 14, 2007)

I vote banjo!


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## BUCK/PIKE (Oct 24, 2011)

3.5" super mag...26" barrel, Remington extra full choke tube..
I love 870's so I'm not a fair judge. this is my waterfowl/turkey gun and it never fails even packed with mud in marsh or belly crawling to a gobbler....longer barrel doesn't bother me..


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## HORNSnHOOKS (Mar 25, 2017)

You can definitely spend more on other guns but an 870 is good all around. Not to mention as reliable as any gun ever made. Can't go wrong with one.


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## Gobblerman (Dec 19, 2004)

870 works great


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## ESOX (Nov 20, 2000)

If it's a toss up between the Mossy and the 870, I'd take the Mossy for two reasons:
1) Two guys I know woth newer 870's have serious rust issues. Those thing will start out looking OK and will have rust on them by the end of a day in a duck blind.
2) The Mossy has double extractors and will function with anything you feed it. Most reliable shotgun ever at any price.


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## Martian (Apr 28, 2011)

Firefighter said:


> I vote banjo!


I'm better on it!


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## DEDGOOSE (Jan 19, 2007)

Grew up on a 870 but now switched to a 20 870 9-10 years ago.


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## TheLionsFan (Dec 20, 2011)

Can't go wrong with an 870, but I say go for the 835 since you're used to the Mossberg 500. You'll have the king of turkey guns then.


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## jayzbird (May 19, 2005)

TheLionsFan said:


> Can't go wrong with an 870, but I say go for the 835 since you're used to the Mossberg 500. You'll have the king of turkey guns then.


I agree!


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## fanrwing (Jul 31, 2010)

Always nice to get a new gun but why dump the 500. I've been using my 500 12ga. since '86 and have never had a problem. I use the full choke that came with it and if anything it's too tight, at 20 yds. the pattern is about the size of a baseball. I use the factory installed bead and that's pretty much the center of the pattern.

If you want a new gun an 870 is a good choice. Like the 500 it won't win beauty contests but is a work horse that will last several decades of hard hunting.


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## Martian (Apr 28, 2011)

fanrwing said:


> Always nice to get a new gun but why dump the 500. I've been using my 500 12ga. since '86 and have never had a problem. I use the full choke that came with it and if anything it's too tight, at 20 yds. the pattern is about the size of a baseball. I use the factory installed bead and that's pretty much the center of the pattern.
> 
> If you want a new gun an 870 is a good choice. Like the 500 it won't win beauty contests but is a work horse that will last several decades of hard hunting.


actually, I may just put a red dot on the 500 , and call it good. I wanted a camo gun, but I don't bird hunt at all, and turkey hunting, I like but am not rabid over


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## shotgun12 (Jul 19, 2005)

i had a 870 and they are good guns.


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## old graybeard (Jan 19, 2006)

870's have been around along time and are very reliable. Can't think of any thing they won't work great on. I own three of them.


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## Martian (Apr 28, 2011)

I went to look at the gun, and decided against it. It was a very nice gun, BUT, I don't goose, duck, pheasant, grouse, dove, or any other bird hunt. I could not justify buying it for a 2 week period. instead, I got a new red dot for my mossy, and it will do. This year, I was thinking of a new bow, banjo, and gun. The bow would be in the $900 up area, the banjo I will be lucky to be under $2500, with the gun dropped from the list, the other 2 should happen. I called home from BPS to tell my wife I held, shouldered and drooled a little on the gun and had the $ in my wallet, but I really could not do it. Thanks for all the input


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## Lauren Allen (Jan 18, 2017)

I just got a 835 turkey/deer and love it. I also have a wingmaster which I also adore. I recommend both. I use my wingmaster for pheasant mostly. But I am kinda madly in love with my Moss right now.


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## Lamarsh (Aug 19, 2014)

Martian said:


> I am looking at BPS at a Remington 870 express super mag w/ red dot for $599. I am going to go check it out tomorrow but am curious , any of you use an 870 for turkey hunting? I have real reservations, because I am not a gunner, and spend most my $ on archery, but for years have threatened to by a turkey gun. I have a Mossberg 500, that I bought off a coworker years back, but am thinking time for new, and no real reason. Other option was a new reddot for the 500. that also may be a deal breaker, if guns are like bows, many times when you get a package deal, the extras are junk. It is in the new bps flyer that came today, thanks


870 is a great gun for turkey, but I will just add that the new express models are very junky. I bought that same gun you're looking at about 4 years ago, and it is just garbage (the metal finish isn't what they used to be, and the stock material is literally garbage and feels like balsa wood). I replaced the stock and foregrip with a synthetic camo one for about $90 because I was so appalled by the factory one. I never hunt with it, it is simply a backup gun and the gun I use for retriever/hunt test training. Sure, they will work, and will be reliable, since they are simple pump guns with a tried and true design, but if you want quality I would try to find a used one from a different era, or spend a few extra hundred bucks on a used Browning BPS. 

If you're stuck on a new express, at least try to get it with a synthetic stock, and don't waste your money on what they call wood.


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## Martian (Apr 28, 2011)

thanks LaMarsh, I just decided to pass, and went with a new red dot for my old mossy


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## Martian (Apr 28, 2011)

I actually thought this was a syn. stock but doesn't matter at this point , thanks again, and good luck


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## hunt'n'fish' (Jan 30, 2012)

Lamarsh said:


> 870 is a great gun for turkey, but I will just add that the new express models are very junky. I bought that same gun you're looking at about 4 years ago, and it is just garbage (the metal finish isn't what they used to be, and the stock material is literally garbage and feels like balsa wood). I replaced the stock and foregrip with a synthetic camo one for about $90 because I was so appalled by the factory one. I never hunt with it, it is simply a backup gun and the gun I use for retriever/hunt test training. Sure, they will work, and will be reliable, since they are simple pump guns with a tried and true design, but if you want quality I would try to find a used one from a different era, or spend a few extra hundred bucks on a used Browning BPS.
> 
> If you're stuck on a new express, at least try to get it with a synthetic stock, and don't waste your money on what they call wood.


Bought an express 2 years ago and have had nothing but problems with it. Won't eject certain loads(especially any of the winchester loads) and it rusts in front of you eyes while sitting in a dick blind. Too much unneccesary time spent scrubbing rust off. The only loads that shoot well out of it are the Remington express loads. Buddys have mossys and they love them. Debating on trading my 870 in. I have and h&r pardner and I love it. It is the most consistent and accurate .12 I've fired


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## Tamike3030 (Sep 7, 2016)

I do not like 870s and I own two of them


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## JasonSlayer (Aug 4, 2009)

Tamike3030 said:


> I do not like 870s and I own two of them


Price?


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## Lamarsh (Aug 19, 2014)

Martian said:


> looking at BPS at a Remington 870 express super mag w/ red dot for $599


I should have added, that red dot better be decent one, because I don't think I paid much more than $350 for my new 870 express super mag. You're pretty much paying an extra $250 for the red dot it seems.


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