Recommend a budget muti-purpose shotgun

[Atroxus]

I am considering buying a shotgun, and looking for recommendations. I will be looking for something inexpensive, but not a total piece of garbage, preferably that comes with both smooth bore and rifled barrels. Is there anything in Washington that I would not be able to hunt with a 16 gauge? Or should I go for a 12? Anyone have any advice?

[ellensburgpo]

Carp sniper is selling a mossberg combo tht sounds like what you're looking for. It's in the classifieds. I have a 16 gauge and love it for upland. All in all a 12 ga is the better purchase if you can only have one shotgun.

[Curly]

On a budget, go with the 12ga. 

I think a Rem 870 Express is the best shotgun for the guy on a budget.  You can find every barrel imaginable that will fit an 870.

[DoubleJ]

2nd the 870 12ga.  A 16ga is nice to shoot but ammo selection is sparse.  Stick with 12ga.

[DoubleJ]

and I saw an 870 Wingmaster (better construction than the Express) at Cabelas in Lacey on the used rack.  Serial number UU (built in 1949) and in good condition.  A little rust on the exterior but not much.  Action was very clean.  Had a 28" barrel on in.  They were asking $179 for it

[carpsniperg2]

thx ellensburgpro.

I have the perfect combo in a 12g mossberg 500 at a great price in the classifieds if you are interested. I would go 12g makes everything simple and you can always find ammo.

[D-Rock425]

find an old 870 at a pawn shop.

[Button Nubbs]

870

[Widgeondeke]

x5 on the 870 or x3 on the 500. Both good all around scatter guns 

[Huntbear]

Stay away from 16 ga. unless you really like being a super detective for shells..

870 is always first choice for me...

Mossberg 500 is second..  that combo of Carps is an awesome set up..   Have thought about it myself.

[Atroxus]

Thanks for the info everyone. That mossberg sounds like quite a deal carp, just wish we lived closer. 

[brokenvet]

I would go with Mossberg 500.

Here are some reasons why: 
                     Barrel selection 18.5"  20" 22" 24" 26" 28"
                     Black powder barrel is available
                     Rifled barrel available
                     Camo or blue

The 870 Wingmaster is great shotgun;  870 Express I am not a fan of.
I have owned all three shotguns and the only one I dislike is the Express. 
                       

[carpsniperg2]

Thanks for the info everyone. That mossberg sounds like quite a deal carp, just wish we lived closer. 

I have a buddy up in Seattle area. He goes back and fourth a lot from here. For a couple of bucks I am sure we could bribe him into a delivery, if you wanted it. It really is the perfect combo. Both 24" barrels If you are not in a hurry for it.

[rebal69972]

I love my 870 but the 500 is a he** of a good shot gun to.

[brew]

i'm selling a mossberg  835 in the classified section.....it's chambered up to 3 1/2's with a 28" barrel.  asking $200 for it. 

[Atroxus]

Thanks for the info everyone. That mossberg sounds like quite a deal carp, just wish we lived closer. 

I have a buddy up in Seattle area. He goes back and fourth a lot from here. For a couple of bucks I am sure we could bribe him into a delivery, if you wanted it. It really is the perfect combo. Both 24" barrels If you are not in a hurry for it.

I am in no rush. I was mainly just starting to research, it would actually be a few weeks before I could come up with the cash. If you are willing to wait, and can get your buddy to play courier I'll buy it though, it's too good of a deal to pass on if I don't have to drive 8+ hours round trip. 

[carpsniperg2]

Not a problem. It would be a few weeks before I could get it up there anyeays. Glad to help ya out

I will send ya a pm.

[Bob33]

Is there anything in Washington that I would not be able to hunt with a 16 gauge? Or should I go for a 12? Anyone have any advice?

You cannot hunt elk, moose, and sheep with a shotgun smaller than 12 gauge.

[Atroxus]

Not a problem. It would be a few weeks before I could get it up there anyeays. Glad to help ya out

I will send ya a pm.

My wife just reminded me I gotta get her car tuned up and emission tested. I am not sure how much that is going to cost so it may delay my funding more than I thought. If you get another offer before I can come up with the money I won't be expecting you to hold it for me. I will update as soon as I have the money in hand though. Hopefully before somebody else snatches it up.

Sent from my DROID BIONIC using Tapatalk 2

[hillbilli]

as the guys have said- a decent quality pump is the way to go.. but like the ford/chevy thing, everyone has their brand preferences. what matters is changeable chokes and 3" magnum chamber-(so you can use 3" or 2 3/4") the old wingmaster someone mentioned is probably not a 3" magnum chamber. as long as you get a common brand, you can pick up a rifled barrel later if you want, for that matter you can shoot slugs (just not sabot type) out of a stock barrel and kill stuff out to 75 yards or so. i can consistently hit a clay pigeon on the ground with mine out to about 85 yds- when i realized that I quit worrying about a rifled barrel. The 835 mossberg someone mentioned is an exception, as it has an overbored barrel and is not for use with any slugs unless you have a rifled barrel for it. i also have a preference for barrels not longer than about 24", as it makes the gun a lot handier in and out of the brush/duck blind/hallway in the middle of the night... and doesnt affect my wingshooting, (and on a modern shotgun the choke determines pattern, not barrel length, whick is why your 'turkey specials' are about 22")
   the Mossberg 500's come with 5+1 mag tube, the 870 with 4+1, the remington is abou a lb heavier, as it has a steel, not aluminum reciever..these are some of the minor differences- at the end of the day it doesnt matter much if you get a rem 870, mossberg, a discontinued Win 1300, or even a benelli nova you just found a great deal on.. get a decent brand, changeable chokes, 3" chamber, and yes rifled barrel if shooting past 75 yards is important..

[Bofire]

   10 million 870's can't be wrong!
Carl

[bearpaw]

I will echo many of the comments.

My profile says I am 102, that may be a stretch but my hair is mostly salt with little pepper.    When I was 12 my mom let me buy an 870 for trapshooting. That gun has had thousands and thousands of shells through it and it still shoots good. I took it to a gunsmith once for a 2nd bead on the barrel, it has never failed me, I still occasionally shoot trap with that gun.

I also have had a couple mossbergs, a 500 and an 835 which are a little cheaper and a good gun for the money, both have had small repairs after several thousand rounds but both still going strong after those minior repairs. I would buy another mossberg, in fact I wished carps 12 gauge combo was an 835.

If you don't want to shoot 3 1/2 shells that gun of carpsniper's in the classifieds is a good gun to get with both barrels. Otherwise go for a 870 with multiple barrels. Any Cabelas has the rifled 870 barrels and various lenght shot barrels in stock at the store or they are easy to get online from many different sources.

[Atroxus]

I will echo many of the comments.

My profile says I am 102, that may be a stretch but my hair is mostly salt with little pepper.    When I was 12 my mom let me buy an 870 for trapshooting. That gun has had thousands and thousands of shells through it and it still shoots good. I took it to a gunsmith once for a 2nd bead on the barrel, it has never failed me, I still occasionally shoot trap with that gun.

I also have had a couple mossbergs, a 500 and an 835 which are a little cheaper and a good gun for the money, both have had small repairs after several thousand rounds but both still going strong after those minior repairs. I would buy another mossberg, in fact I wished carps 12 gauge combo was an 835.

If you don't want to shoot 3 1/2 shells that gun of carpsniper's in the classifieds is a good gun to get with both barrels. Otherwise go for a 870 with multiple barrels. Any Cabelas has the rifled 870 barrels and various lenght shot barrels in stock at the store or they are easy to get online from many different sources.

Cool, I have talked with carp in PM, assuming someone else doesn't beat me to the punch, I will likely be buying his Mossberg either on my next pay check or the following one.