Rem 870 vs Mossberg 500

[fasteddie]

https://www.fieldandstream.com/guns/remington-870-vs-mossberg-500/?utm_source=Camden+Contacts&utm_campaign=66ca18743c-FAS033022&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_387276506e-66ca18743c-511794286#affinity=shooting

[Splitear]

We have both for 4-H program guns. We have bought several 500's because they are inexpensive (though recently we've moved to Tri-Star). I don't remember the last time we bought an 870, primarily because we don't have to replace them. The 6-10 that we have are still running strong and never need to make a trip to the gun doctor. On the other hand, I just had an instructor let me know that one of the Mossberg's malfunctioned last night, and after getting it cleared, they weren't able to get it back together. I'm not sure what's wrong with it, but the Mossberg's, though great on the budget, don't hold up as well. I'm sure other's have the opposite experience though. 

[airedale]

When I was a kid the Winchester Model 12 was touted as being quality and design wise the best pump action shotgun made. Their stellar trouble free performance record on the Trap and Skeet fields had a lot to do with that notion. The Ithaca Model 37 and Remington Model 31 slide actions were and are not too shabby in their own right.

The article posted above about the Remington 870 and the Mossberg 500 is pretty much right on the money, they are both proven to be great designs and have good records in the field. If I was pinned down and had to pick one it would be the Remington 870.

Al

 

[Larry]

Both the 870 and the 500 are good guns I have 2 500’s and 3 870’s.

My first pump shotgun was a 500 I bought a FW Woolworth’s for 99 dollars. What was cool about that gun you could slam fire it; it had a fix modified choak. I still have it. then I got an 870-wing master I won an 870 deer gun at a raffle I did work on that gun. I had the scope mounted to the receiver then I put a 24” Mossberg 870 barrel on it and screwed it to the receiver. Then I picked up an 870 20ga that has become my turkey gun and small pond duck gun. I still have all of them.

[Kmartinson]

24" mossberg 870 barrel? I'm confused by this? I think 870 is better,  old 500s were clunky and made noise when the breach is closed. 

[wolc123]

My pump shotgun experience includes a 1960’s 16 ga Ithaca model 37 featherlight (which I will never voluntarily part with),   A mid 1970’s Remington 12 gauge 870 Wingmaster, that I owned for about 20 years, and a mid 1990’s Remington 12 gauge 870 Express.  
 

Several of my friends had/have Mossberg 500’s, which feel “chincy” in comparison.  Several of them were held together with baling wire or welds.  Most of them still work pretty well though.  
I like pump shotguns mostly because of their reliability in all weather conditions.

 I have never handled a smoother operating gun, of any action type, than my old Ithaca 37.   All hand fitted, machined components made by skilled gunmakers is tough to beat.  My brother has an early 1990’s 12 ga Ithaca model 37, which is not as smooth.  By that time, the Ithaca 37 pump had “interchangeable parts”, but they gave up some of that “smoothness” to achieve that.

Remington was able to keep most of the smoothness, and keep the parts interchangeable, with their 870 Wingmaster.  I used one for trap shooting.  It came with an 18” smoothbore deer barrel, with rifle sights.  That barrel has brought down each of the 6 or 7 deer that I shot it at, and only one took more than one shot.  Although I sold the Wingmaster, I kept the short barrel and I still use it on my Express, when weather conditions are not good for a scope.  
 

The first extra barrel that I bought for the Wingmaster was a 34” fixed full choke.  That made for a crazy long gun, but it really shot a tight pattern.  You could powder clays at 50 yards with it.  I missed more than I should have in close though, so I sold it and got a 30” fixed full.  That was just right for trap shooting and went with the gun when I sold it. 
 

Early in my career, I worked on a recoil absorbing system for shotguns and we bought two 870 Remington Express shotguns to test that system.  One was modified with a slide mechanism in the stock and the other was unaltered.  I kept that one when we finished the project.  It felt just as smooth as my Wingmaster, so I sold that, when I quit shooting trap.

I still have the 18” smoothbore rifle sight barrel and the original 28” screw in choke barrel for the Express.  I killed my only turkey a few falls ago with that and an extra full choke.

For a few years, I used a Hastings a paradox rifled barrel, with a cantilever scope mount, on the 870’s for deer hunting.  That was a bust, and I missed a few, killed 4 or 5 (one was my only 10 point) and wounded one with it.  Eventually, I determined that the point of aim would change with changing temperature, probably due to the cantilever scope mount.  I traded that barrel in towards my T/c Omega. 
 

I used the 870 with short barrel for backup, during regular gun season (shotgun zone), for the Omega, and took several “doubles” with that pair over a span of about 10 years.  Now I get by with a scoped “3 shot” rifled bolt action shotgun that is as accurate as the Omega but packs three shots, each with double the wallop of the Omega.  It is much nicer carrying just one gun. 

Edited April 15, 2022 by wolc123

[Buckmaster7600]

I wouldn’t give up any of my 870’s for a 500.


If I was buying a pump shotgun today and if I had to pick between the two it would be a 500. As a life long Remington fan I’ve completely lost faith in the name on anything coming out with the Remington stamp on it now, unfortunately!


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[doebuck1234]

Grew up mossberg so gunna have to go with that.Haven't let me down yet

[Larry]

Mossberg made 870 fully rifled deer barrels at onetime I liked the longer 24in barrel it also had a faster twist rate at 1in 33 instead of 1in35 the Remington’s had at the time.

[Kmartinson]

5 minutes ago, Larry said:

Mossberg made 870 fully rifled deer barrels at onetime I liked the longer 24in barrel it also had a faster twist rate at 1in 33 instead of 1in35 the Remington’s had at the time.

Mossberg made barrels for Remington 870s? 

[Larry]

yes

[suburbanfarmer]

2 hours ago, Kmartinson said:

Mossberg made barrels for Remington 870s? 

Yes, always saw them at GanderMountain..

[sbuff]

13 hours ago, doebuck1234 said:

Grew up mossberg so gunna have to go with that.Haven't let me down yet

Kind of my thoughts , and mine has that same white-ish spot on the stock too.

[G-Man]

I never cared for Remington,  mossberg  has made quality guns and makes the best turkey guns.   

If I'm going more upscale I'll take a browning shotgun over any other.  Between 870 and mossberg  unless you going into a better model 870  I'll take a mossberg every time. 

[518BowSlayer]

I have 2 500's, 12 and 20. Wrapped both with the mossy oak gun wraps and have truglo reflex sights. The 20 was a gift from my father (shot my first and biggest turkey with it) then I bought the 12 and gave the 20 to my wife for a turkey gun. After 1 season she gave up interest in turkeys so i think I'll make the 20 my official turkey gun and remove reflex sight on the 12 and try waterfowl with it. Haven't ever hunted waterfowl but it looks like loads of fun. Never owned an 870 but my mossberg's have never let me down yet. Hope I didn't just jinx it

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[Grouse]

I have had a couple of Mossberg 500's and now have a model 835 in 3.5 inch that I bought almost 40 years ago.  Never had a single issue with it.

I also have this Model 590 with a "Double Action Only" trigger that is a tactical weapon.  It has also never had a problem.

Mossberg makes some serious pump guns.

 

[Splitear]

1 hour ago, Grouse said:

I have had a couple of Mossberg 500's and now have a model 835 in 3.5 inch that I bought almost 40 years ago.  Never had a single issue with it.

I also have this Model 590 with a "Double Action Only" trigger that is a tactical weapon.  It has also never had a problem.

Mossberg makes some serious pump guns.

 

Those bayonet lugs are pretty cool. Did you make those or do they sell them for the Mossy?

[Grouse]

They come on the 590

[Splitear]

2 minutes ago, Grouse said:

They come on the 590

Very cool, never seen one before today. 

[Grouse]

That's an M9 bayonet.  It's hard to find one for less than $100 now, and those are commercial copies.

[LET EM GROW]

I own both, in 12 and 20ga and 410, Remingtons have a tad better quality in terms of fit and function. I purchased an 870 20ga express 2 years ago and it took me about 5 hrs to reassemble after taking it down and cleaning once i got home.. The quality must have slipped that day at the factory.. Im afraid to take it back apart or it may need to have parts replaced.. The only flaws i found in Mossberg 500 is the fore end rattle, the finish on the aluminum receiver for durability, and the safety tends to fail over time and only needs a cleaning to make functionable again.   I wouldn't hesitate to buy either.

Both Cheap, typically easy to fix and function shotguns..  

[MPHunter]

On 4/16/2022 at 7:20 AM, sbuff said:

Kind of my thoughts , and mine has that same white-ish spot on the stock too.

My 500 does as well. I've never seen it in any other gun's finish. Always wondered what caused it. 

[Grouse]

A new retro version of Mossberg's 590A1.  I would just move the front sling swivel back on to the bayonet lug.

[sbuff]

On 4/18/2022 at 10:48 AM, MPHunter said:

My 500 does as well. I've never seen it in any other gun's finish. Always wondered what caused it. 

Me too

[suburbanfarmer]

1 hour ago, Grouse said:

A new retro version of Mossberg's 590A1.  I would just move the front sling swivel back on to the bayonet lug.

I want one ...lovely