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Posted: 8/22/2013 5:25:43 PM EDT
| between a 870 and a thunder ranch 500. I am looking for a shotty on the EE. |
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I was going through the debate myself about 6 months ago and here is what I found.
Mossberg 500: Aluminum Receiver 2 Extractors User Replaceable Ejector Tang Safety Rear of Trigger Guard Slide Release Shell lifter is always up Remington 870: Steel Receiver 1 Extractor Factory Replaceable Ejector Crossbolt Safety Front of Trigger Guard Slide Release Shell lifter is always down There are lots of aftermarket parts for both. Sometimes it seems like there are more for the 870. Like the Magpul stock is out for the 870 but not the 500 yet. Pistol grip stocks will work better on the 870 due to the position of the safety. The 500 overall feels more ambidextrous, the safety and the slide release are easy to use both ways. Smoothness of the slide is subjective. I have felt rough and smooth on both but out of the box the 870 is smoother. A good cleaning, racking the slide a hundred times then another cleaning will make either one smooth. The shell lifter being up up on the 500 allows for easier loading and less pinched fingers. Also people have had issues that when the 870 double feeds it jams the shell on top of the lifter and a knife is needed to get it out. The 870's lifter had a slight redesign and is supposed to happen less. After all that information, youtube comparisons and handling them, I went with the 500, more specifically the 590A1. I just wanted the metal parts, thicker barrel, ghost ring sights and the bayonet lug. Everything else is the same. The action is perfectly smooth and everything works everytime. I am very happy with my decision and feel confident every time I pick it up. I'm even looking into another 500 for hunting. Remington does made a good shotgun and it may be better suited to your needs. There is not really a wrong choice here. The 500 had the features that I required. Think about what your ideal shotgun would be and get the one that is closest to that. Feel free to shoot me a PM if you have any other questions. |
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