Upland gun - under 700$

[MtnMuley]

the ol 870 remington no need for anything more...

[RadSav]

A friend of mine just told me he's selling a Benelli 12ga semi-auto for $800. It's appraised at $1200 but he just needs to get rid of it -divorce!

That's a good deal.  But, does it come with it's own Mexican to pack it up and down the chuckar hills?  I'd die if I had to carry that thing all day after upland game. 

No that's not being a sissy...It's called maturity!  You'll understand when you become a middle aged cripple like me.

[gallion_t]

Im with everyone else saying the 870. ive only had mine for about 5 years, but love the thing. If you get the super mag version its very veritile too. will shoot anything from the light trap loads up the the 3.5 turkey and goose loads.

[Curly]

A friend of mine just told me he's selling a Benelli 12ga semi-auto for $800. It's appraised at $1200 but he just needs to get rid of it -divorce!

That's a good deal.  But, does it come with it's own Mexican to pack it up and down the chuckar hills?  I'd die if I had to carry that thing all day after upland game. 

No that's not being a sissy...It's called maturity!  You'll understand when you become a middle aged cripple like me.

It depends on which Benelli model it is......they have a couple that are light:  Benelli Ultra Light at 6lbs or Vinci at just under 7 lbs.  (But I'll admit that 7lbs is getting a little on the heavy side for packing around for upland but that is still a little lighter than a 12 ga 870)

I prefer my 20 ga Rem 1100 youth that I got for Christmas over 30 years ago; that or my 870.  I do have a Franchi that is too pretty to take out of the safe and shoot though......

[halflife65]

I have a Benelli M1 Field that's not too bad for packing around.  It's about 10+ years old and I bought it right before they started making them with the 3 1/2 mag. Mine still only holds 3" shells.  But it's not that heavy.  I had a S&W Model 1000 and a Beretta that were both heavier before the Benelli.

My first gun was an old 2 3/4" only 870 Wingmaster, probably from the early '80s, with a fixed-modified choke barrel (it originally had a smooth barrel and I traded it for a ribbed barrel) and I REALLY regret selling that thing.  I was only about 18, though, and couldn't afford to buy another gun without selling one.  Oh well.

I wrecked a '67 Mustang about that time, too.  God I was dumb...

[westside103147]

wow thanks for all the info.

for those saying the 870 express or wingmaster?

[gallion_t]

wow thanks for all the info.

for those saying the 870 express or wingmaster?

mechanically they are the same gun. all the same parts. the difference is the wingmasters have all the blemishes and machine burs removed along with walnut stocks comparred to the laminated birch or synthetic stock of the express. They will both work great for years and year its just depends on if you want to fork out the extra money for the looks of the wingmaster.

[westside103147]

thanks gallion, im gonna look into it more but the express sounds like a damn good deal.

gonna go to cabelas and take a look at one soon.

[halflife65]

If I was just using it as a utilitarian gun (ie. hunt with it, take it in the field, fall down on it, scratch it crossing a barbed wire fence, sit in a muddy blind with a dog) I think I'd be getting the Express.  It's a bit less expensive, works great and won't make you cry the first time you ding it up.

[CP]

I owned an 870 express for a few months, total POS - jammed about 1 in every 5 shots.  I couldn't get rid of it fast enough.

[marlin]

yeah I used to have a 870 express.. Sold it. Everytime I would camp with it overnight it would be all rusty in the morning because of the crappy matte finish. High Brass shells would often get stuck in the chamber too.  The wingmaster is a way nicer 870, but yeah if youre not wanting the hassle of keeping a pretty gun pretty the express is ok. Id rather have a mossberg 500 field than the express.

[MtnMuley]

I owned an 870 express for a few months, total POS - jammed about 1 in every 5 shots.  I couldn't get rid of it fast enough.

Ive owned 2 expresses and 4 wingmasters, and maybe had 3 jams over 10,000 shots. You must have got a cull.

[westside103147]

have any of you guys owned or shot a nova?

[RadSav]

Been around an awful lot of 870 shooters both Express and Wingmasters.  I can't recall ever seeing a failure that wasn't the result of someone not slamming the action back hard enough.  Sounds like you guys are just lucky or unlucky as the case might be.  Mossberg is a darned good gun if you tend to get your gun muddy or shoot in the freezing rain.  But, I'm not sure I would carry one for chasing chuckar.

Curly - I have a beat up field grade Franchi 720 I'll trade you straight across for the pretty one in your safe!  That way you won't feel guilty about scratchin or getting it dirty.  Damn shame to have one of those guns and not knock down a few feathers each year.  Best dang semi I have ever shot.  And you can carry with little discomfort all day chasing chuckar.

[westside103147]

My only concern with the 870 is the finish.