shotgun selection
 

I know I'm being cheap here...but I'm evaluating the possibility to get a shotgun for home defense, skeet, and 3-gun. I've gone through this thread and taken notes: http://www.professionalsoldiers.com/...hlight=shotgun

I've been researching this 870 for a while (copy and paste)remington.com/products/firearms/shotguns/model-870/model-870-express-tactical.aspx
and plan to enable it for skeet by a) put a 26" vent rib 870 express barrel and/or b)put a skeet/modified/improved choke. Anyone here ever tried same/similar set-up? Would putting a tighter choke alone work?

OTOH, the equivalent Mossberg (500, etc.) is cheaper, then there's Saiga:D

This maybe the dumbest question of the year, but is is true/a done deal that using a 18.5" smooth bore barrel, there's no way on earth one can hit a flying skeet at 20 to 25 yards distance?

Thanks in advance for the education.

I own a Saiga great gun of course it is SA
for HD I really like my REM870
of course the Mossberg 8901A is a great gun as well
you'll most likely be better off with a good pump action
I don't shoot much skeet - so can't really comment there.
most bang for the buck = that Rem870 setup:D

Well you can certainly hit the target on a skeet field with a 18.5" barrel, however depending on what you're trying to accomplish, longer barrels are generally preferred.
A 28-30" barrel is pretty common for skeet as it gets a little more weight out front and helps you with your swing and follow through. A shorter barrel can also make the velocity of the pattern drop off much faster than that of a longer barrel, but that would only be an issue if you were shooting trap. Most skeet shooters use a cylinder/skeet/improved cylinder choke. Open is good.

Vang 870.

Not sure that shooting skeet is really compatible with the other uses you proposed. A second barrel might help make it workable.

TR

You can shoot them all with a stock wally world 870. Before you go and buy a set of "ping golf clubs" to see if you like the sport of golf, I would go shoot a bunch of trap, skeet and 3 gun to see what you like and figure out what you need. Every trap and skeet club I have ever shot at you can "borrow" or rent guns to see how it shoots and figure out what you like.

I shot just fine for 10+ years with a stock 870 and loved it until I shot a Beretta white onyx and now I have a stupid 2000 dollar shotgun that I have to buy.

Remington has put out a few combination deals. Cabela's and others often have an 870 express that comes with both smooth bore HD barrel and a long vent ribbed choked barrel.

Derek

I own a Mossy 500 tactical with the 18.5" barrel and have used to shoot sporting clays. We used to use the range at NAS Oceana when I was in Virginia Beach. It did not work well for trap at all and sporting clays were a stretch. I did it just to practice hitting moving targets.

With hindsight, I now recommend the 870 over the 500/590 because Remington puts safety on the trigger guard while Mossberg put it on top of the receiver. I think Remington's position is better and easier to manipulate...especially if you will ever install a pistol grip.

Benelli.
Benelli.
Benelli.

I also own a Franchi autoloader, Remington 870, Ithaca 87, some relic Winchester pumps, and once owned a Mossberg. The Benelli outshoots all of them. Amazingly so. The semi-auto benelli action is the best shotgun action I have ever seen.

The new recoil system in the stock of the super black eagle II further helps dampen recoil. The result is extremely manageable recoil, which when paired with the lightning-fast action, allows you to unload, on target, "wow" fast.

Pheasant hunting in Kansas this year, a friend and I jumped two rooster pheasants in a pretty secluded spot. He got off the first shot with his Ithaca pump, a clean miss. I killed both birds, three shots(no I didn't miss, pheasants are freaking tough), with 3 inch #5s, before he was able to fire a second shot.

I traded a beretta autoloader for the benelli. It (beretta) was a good gun, but almost the same price as the benelli, and not near as good as shotgun.

If you can't afford a Benelli, the 870 is a good gun. They are very dependable. I have killed a lot of stuff with my 870. 99% of all my misfires with this shotgun have been bad ammo.

I purchased my Ithaca in 1991. I had a problem with a weld, the one which holds the barrel onto the end of the magazine(when it broke, my barrel fell off. The failure was not caused by abuse). Ithaca overnighted me a new barrel, no problems with the gun since. However, I just don't trust the gun like I do my 870. I have heard that Ithaca's production quality is now back to what it once was, but have no 1st-hand knowledge.

I owned a Mossberg pump once. It failed me, more than once. It is gone, and I sha'nt buy another. No disrespect to Mossberg fans.

If you are going to use the shotgun for anything other than blasting paper/intruders, GET A GUN WITH SCREW-IN CHOKES!!! Also, my experience is that, when talking pattern(i.e. turkey hunting), barrel length is much less important than having a good choke. I shoot an Indian Creek full choke tube in my benelli(the factory choke wasn't very tight). That combo will outshoot my 870 with the 30' full choke barrel on. I shoot a modified for pheasants, improved cylinder for quail, skeet choke for skeet. Having the ability to screw-in a different choke will allow you to enjoy the gun for a lot of different stuff.

The new factory gun paint/coverings are very handy. Rust and scratches are virtually nil, and the camo patterns are very good. A parkerized-type finish would be my second choice, but again it matters what you are going to do with the gun.

Next, get a 12 gauge(easier to get ammo, more lead to shoot) with the biggest chamber possible. 3-inch shells don't eject well from a 2 3/4 inch gun(meaning at all), and there are times when you will want to load 3 inch shells.

A couple other points: Ghost ring sights are ok for stationary targets. I prefer the old-fashioned slick barrel with a bead for moving targets. Also, if you will ever carry the gun afield, be wary of tricking your gun out with lots of heavy, cool-guy stuff. With a full magazine, carrying that gun can become a chore. Finally, if you buy an extended magazine, remember that most states only allow you to hunt with three rounds in the gun, and the gun MUST be plugged. So, you might end up making a very long plug for your gun to make it hunting-legal.

frostfire,
Get a Perazzi. :D

Was the chamber designed for both? I have shot 3" out of my Mossberg which is marked for 2 3/4" and 3"....If your weapon is 2 3/4" only, I can there being a problem.

I went through Vang website. After research and reading various endorsements, I'm sold. The army bonus cannot come soon enough:(

Bill Harsey Sir,

yeah right!
I knew somebody is going to come along and drop the bomb. I had the chance to lust over one back in the shooting team. Hard to justify $$$ worth of a Sako TRG and a Rock River match rifle for a single (HIGH) performance over & under meant to do one thing only....it's like buying those high end $5000+ international rifle meant to shoot only at 10m, indoor! :D


craigepo, thank you for the elaborate info. I am partial to bead sight as well after my friend taught me the proper hold to shoot slugs at 100 yards with good accuracy. I also looked at several snap-on Tru-Glo fiber optics at BassPro the other day. At $15 and under, they are likely solid deal.

Did you search and read the comments here on PS.com?

TR

I have had no trouble shooing trap with my 18" barreled 870 magnum. I enjoy the looks of confusion I get when I pull it out of the case. :D

Gun has the factory barrel. Only mods are a +2 Wilson mag extension and follower, Vang safety, Tacstar six shot sidesaddle, and XS 24/7 banded front sight. Also chopped the LOP down on the stock and modded the pump grip so it clears the Tacstar. Everything else is stock. And it feeds everything I've ever run through it.

Reaper Sir,

affirmative. Among the comments, I read your review. Sounds like with the Vang barrel, both skeet choke and/or 26" barrel addition for skeet and trap at 25 yards and over will be redundant.

Not exactly.

While I suspect that Hans Vang could make a skeet barrel, the Skeet choked barrel is designed for a wide spread/even dispersion of small shot. The Vang barrels are designed to create a tight pattern of large pellets. The Vang should have less recoil and pellet deformation, but I am doubtful that it would give you the spread that you are looking for, unless you are accustomed to shooting skeet with a Full choke and 00 Buck.

I would get the Vang for defense and three gun matches, but would also buy the longer barrel with the skeet choke if you seriously want to shoot skeet.

Now I am curious as well. Maybe I need to get my 870 with the Vang Comped barrel out and see what the pattern is with birdshot at skeet ranges.

Just my .02, YMMV.

TR