X2 this one^^Quote:
Originally Posted by topher
Great gun
X2 this one^^Quote:
Originally Posted by topher
Great gun
I will tell you why you hear bad stories about the 870, because there are so many made every year there is bound to be a problem with a few. People tend to about problems but don't really go out of the way to post when they are happy. I have an 870 and just bought an 1187 because the chokes are interchangeable and the gun as a whole shoulders and feels like the 870. I guess I own the 2 worst guns ever made;) The most important reason is because they both fit me and hit the target I'm looking at.
No doubt there are many happy Remington 870 owners out there. An 870 combo would probably give years of good service.
On the other hand, there is no getting around the fact that the 870 Express is cheap for a reason, nor that Remington's overall quality is not what it once was. I guess my take would be that if you get a combo, chances are you will eventually want to replace that gun and move up-market, by choice if not by necessity.
I feel the best option is a quality pump like the BPS as an all-round gun, and then a dedicated slug gun for deer. Other options are correspondingly more expensive, so it depends on your budget. Re semis, I will (again) raise my well-worn objection that a semi is not a great choice for a first gun, because a gun that automatically loads the next round offers an opportunity to make a life-changing mistake; better to learn good handling habits on a pump or break-action gun first.
I messed around with quite a few different setups over the years and was never quite satisfied until I had a "dedicated" slug gun for deer and another shotgun for everything else. It will be a little more expensive than a combo at first. Make your decision based on how much hunting of each particular species you might do. If you will do a lot of deer hunting, go with a slug gun and a bird gun. If you will only deer hunt a couple of days a year at most, the combo might serve you just fine.
Welsh,Quote:
Originally Posted by welsh
You've summarized my predicament best...I'd like to jump one level in having to replace my first gun only couple years after I buy it just because I found better though slightly more expensive options. If it cost a bit more now, but saves me more on long run I feel it is a better to get it from the beginning.
That said and based on what others have posted here...how about this option:
- Browning BPS to go after most things but the deer. Spare option here would be Remington Wingmaster (if I can find reasonably priced good used one). By the way are the new Wingmasters affected by the same decline in overall Remington quality of used vs. newer models?
- Savage 220F for dedicated slug gun - haven't even considered it up until now, but am impressed by what I've read after few people mentioned it.
Would this be best 2 guns combination to achieve the type of hunting I am after?
Cheers,
Ice Fisherman
Many varied options for what you want to do.
Discounting the Rem 870, or Mossberg 500 as entry level guns which you MAY want to upgrade from isn't necessarily true.
I own a number of shotties ( 7 actually), they range from higher priced O/U guns, SxS, nicer semi-autos, etc. Last year I bought a 20 gauge Mossy 500 combo, in camo, with the 3 barrels.
Let me safely assure you that it actually is my go-to gun when going afield more and more. I have no interest in "upgrading, as I already have them.
The slug barrel for the Mossy has open sights ( my choice) and is dead accurate out to about 150M. It's my official back up gun during deer season. Or my first choice when driving the bush.
Get out to a place like Epps, and handle a few. Get out to a club and shoot a couple is even better.
Look up Triggers & Bows/Landsborough Auctions. They're located at the corner of Bishopsgate and Colborne St West in Burford which is 10 mins west of Brantford and about 10 mins from the 403 exit at Rest Acres Rd (Hwy 24 South). Phenomenal customer service and they have gun auctions every few months. If you call and tell them what you want, they can usually get it for you or at least let you know when they're holding an auction that includes what you're looking for.Quote:
Originally Posted by icefisherman
I used to go to their semi annual gun auction in Paris ON frequently. Have you been recently? The last time I looked it seemed like prices had skyrocketed. Almost retail or more for a lot of the stock they had....Quote:
Originally Posted by WayneGretzky99
It may have just been the one auction, but it always was the same, the Spring auction had better prices than the Fall one.
Haven't been one in a few years. Last time I went my buddy got a Wingmaster from the late 80's for $300. He just bought newer barrel that accepted remchokes and then bought a slug barrel. This is the only gun he owns and he hunts religiously and to my knowledge has never had any issues whatsoeverQuote:
Originally Posted by Bluebulldog
That would be a good value buy right there.
Amazing how some guys look at the high gloss wood and metal that was used in most guns in the 80s and automatically discount them.