# What's everyone's opinion of Mossberg 20guage?



## bkr43050 (Apr 5, 2004)

I don't do much buying and selling the guns so I don't have a real strong opinion either way on this. I want to hear what everyone else has to say. I am looking at buying a 20 guage for my son (and the next two when they get old enough) to use. All I have are 12 guages so thus I am shopping. All of my shotguns are Remington so naturally I was thinking the same. However there is the price factor involved.  I looked at the Mossberg pump (combo kit) at Wal Mart today. This gun comes with the slug barrel and shotgun barrel with 3 chokes. I know several guys who have had Mossberg and have not really had any problems with them. The gun combo is $260 for everything. This compares to a similar setup in the 870 of $360 and the 870 does not have the choke tubes included. So I am thinking this is a pretty decent deal. Any opinions?

Also for anyone that has shot this gun with slug barrel, do you have any input on how good of a slug gun this is?


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## Smallie Gene (Jun 2, 2005)

I would buy the 870. But, I don't think there is a dern thing wrong with Mossberg either. Either way, you can't go wrong.


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## crankus_maximus (Apr 14, 2004)

They both go BANG! I would choose the mossberg over the 870 for several different reasons. I like the safety location and the fact that the mossy comes with the choke tubes. Other than that, they are pretty much equal.


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## littleking (Jun 25, 2005)

the 870 is way to heavy in my opinion, i think the mossberg also offers more bang for the buck (not skimping on choke tubes, etc..)


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## bkr43050 (Apr 5, 2004)

Thanks guys for the feedback! You are helping spend my money. My wife may not appreciate it but I do.


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## luredaddy (May 25, 2004)

Find him, an older ITHACA pump, it will be with him all his life, if he wants it to be. If you buy him a Mossberg, it will be fine , if he hunts twice a year. I have never heard QUALITY and MOSSBERG in the same breath. I won a MOSSBERG Turkey Special, or something like that, I sold it the next day. The used Ithaca should serve him well for about $150 to $175. Just my opinion.


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## H2O Mellon (Apr 5, 2004)

Luredaddy, your saying that you've never owned a Mossberg, other than the one you won, right? I'm not sure what you've been doing or who you've been talking to you, but I think someone has steered you in the wrong direction, there is not a quality issue w/ Mossbergs. 


Mossberg's may not be as tight as Remingtons, etc.... but they are fine for the money. I have owned at least 5 Mosberg 500's & 1 835 & never had a problem w/ them.

Im fact I'll go on record here & say that the % of people that had Legit Malfunctions w/ Mossbergs is no higher than those w/ Remmingtons, Ithica, Savage, etc...... I have sold hundreds of Mossberg shotguns as well as Remmington shotguns and Dr Z can back me up on this, we had more Remmingtons come back than Mossberg. (FYI: No way am I sayign Remmingtons are lesser quality, dont get me wrong) 

Here is the link to the other thread, you may find some usefull info: http://www.ohiogamefishing.com/forums/showthread.php?t=36992


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## luredaddy (May 25, 2004)

H2O Mellon,
You said it yourself, THEY ARE NOT AS TIGHT AS... I held the Mossberg I won and knew right away it was not a quality gun, and it was not a gun I would want to keep. Mossbergs are fine for a person that hunts 5 times a year, they are not a QUALITY gun to last a SERIOUS hunter for a lifetime. An older model Ithaca is a quality gun to last a lifetime, and past on to offspring. You obviously deal in guns, you sell to the majority of hunters who do not care about quality, they just want to buy a shotgun that enables them to hunt a few times a year. Do you sell guns at WALMART by chance?? Mossbergs meet the needs of many, it gets them into hunting, and that is fine. QUALITY is another issue.


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## papaperch (Apr 12, 2004)

In my opinion , Model 12 Winchester was finest pump gun ever made. Then in 1964 the " brains ? " at Winchester came out with the 1200. All the guns they manufactured in the mid-60s about ruined Winchesters reputation with sportsmen. Model 12 s are not a viable option for a beginner as option and expense are prohibitive and limited.

A quick visit to any trap, skeet or sporting clays field will confirm what luredaddy has stated. You are not going to see many if any Mossbergs being used. These guns are shot way more frequently than your average sporting arm. That being said there is nothing wrong with a beginner starting out with a Mossberg. Cost of outfitting a beginner is held to a reasonable amount and the options ( slug barrels , chokes , rifled slug barrels, and even a blackpowder barrel ) are almost endless.

Your choice of 20 gauge is perfect for a beginner. The old adage used to be 410 for a beginner. anyone that has patterned shotguns will tell you 410s should be an experts gun.

Any of you guys remember the bolt action shotguns our dads started us out on? Or the cheapo single shots. My first gun was an old savage single shot with a 28 inch modified barrel and was a 410. I killed some game with it but when I graduated to a 20 ga my kill ratio soared. First 20 ga was a remington model 11 sportmen 3 shot auto
I picked that gun out in 1965 and I still have it today.


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## H2O Mellon (Apr 5, 2004)

No, heck no I dont sell @ Walmart. I have been out of the business for a while. I respect what you guys said, but I dont think anyting Mossberg made in the last 10 years is junk. I personally like BPS's over the Ithica's, however it's hard to beat an old model 37 (I think thats the model #). I did happen to see an Ithica that I liked, it was called a guide gun. 12 ga, model 37 (again I think) 20 inch barrell.


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## squid_1 (Jun 2, 2005)

Got a deal last nite at Walmart. Like you I was looking for a shotgun for my son and have been pricing for weeks. The NEF Pardner pump at Gander looked like a bargin...however its a Chinese ripoff of the 870. Well anyway walked in Wally World last nite and they had a Winchester 1300 20 ga youth with the choke set for $150. This gun was just $235 last week. Maybe you can find one at a Wally near you. Made in the U.S.A.!


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## Hoss5355 (Apr 9, 2004)

Doesn't matter which gun you pick up, if you are staying around that class, they will all do your kids fine. I have had a couple mossbergs, but didn't like the way they feel....aka too loose. Had a remington express that was pretty bad too. I have 2 ithica 37 featherweights in 12 gauges and they are awesome guns. The older they are, the better in my opinion. Also the 870 wingmaster is a gun I will never part with. Out of all the lower priced guns, the winchester 1300 has been my favorite. I have that in a 20 gauge, and it is a nice gun. Shorter pump stroke than the remingtons, tighter than the mossbergs. If it was me, that's what I think I would spend my dollar on for my kids. Also, if you wanted to sell it someday, the name winchester will bring a few bucks more than mossberg. I'm sure before long they will want to move up to a big gun and start slinging the 3 inchers like most teenagers. 

Kevin


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## bkr43050 (Apr 5, 2004)

Thanks guys for all of the feedback. I kind of figured that I would get varied opinions and preferences with the manufacturers. That is true with all things. Actually after posing the question I realized that I had a very good source at work to ask that question to. I had forgotten that he once worked in a gun shop and did repairs, modifications, etc. His shop was a certified repair shop for Mossberg as well. He says that his opinion is that the guns they put out now are pretty good quality. Several years back they had some major issues with their 12 guages (jam issues) but these have since been resolved. I agree that there probably are other guns out there that are higher quality but it becomes a matter of trying to make the price fit as well. I have not made the final decision on what to get but at this point I am actually less hesitant to buy a Mossberg than I was before asking around.


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## H2O Mellon (Apr 5, 2004)

Squid, I've heard good stuff about the NEW ENGLAND pumps


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## bkr43050 (Apr 5, 2004)

I went today and bought the Mossberg 500 20 guage combo kit from Wal Mart. The combo comes with the rifled slug barrel and and shotgun barrel along with the 3 choke tubes for $259. It was a pretty good price when I checked around. Fin Feather & Fur wanted $269. Vance's wanted $299 and they had none in stock.


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## Darwin (Apr 12, 2004)

I am sure he will be thrilled with that gun [email protected] Did you give it to him yet? I am in the market for one for my oldest son but am in no hurry for it. I would like to get him one by next summer and will definately be checking out the Mossberg 500 20 myself!
I have the 835 and it is a very dependable well made gun.


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## bkr43050 (Apr 5, 2004)

Buddy Punk said:


> I am sure he will be thrilled with that gun [email protected] Did you give it to him yet? I am in the market for one for my oldest son but am in no hurry for it. I would like to get him one by next summer and will definately be checking out the Mossberg 500 20 myself!
> I have the 835 and it is a very dependable well made gun.


 Yeah, we had it out last night handling it a bit. It was too late by then to shoot it but that comes tonight. He was pretty excited. I told him that this gun is not exactly his gun but will be for the next couple or three years until my second oldest boy is ready for it. At that point I will graduate him to the world of 12 guages.


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