Give me your opinions/comments please!

In semi auto the Benelli M1 Tactical shotgun with pistol grip and ghost ring sights cannot be beat.

In a pump action, I prefer the Scattergun Technololgies Standard model with 7 round magazine tube and forend mounted light.

Strictly my opinion but I have a feeling that others will agree.

Hey tactical shooter where are you from? I'm in blacksburg, VA, takin a year off from VT.

Do they make -just- a pistol grip (no butt) for the M1?

I like the Benelli M1 S90 too, but I don't like the pistol grip, I have the straight stock on mine.  Try before you buy.  I couldn't get the sights to instantly line up for me on the pistol grip version.

Never seen a Benelli without a stock.  Nor would I want to see one . . .

Remington 870 express. Paid $234.00 for one in sept. Magazine extensions are about 30 bucks.
For under $300 you can have a reliable shotgun,ready to handle just about any situation.

My dad has a Benelli M1 S90 in the regular stock with ghost rings.  He bought me the foregrip with a surefire light and pressure switch for Christmas, since I had a hunger for hunting hogs at night.  Never did get one though.  Oh well expensive toy.

Unless you want to spend the money for the auto-loader (I think it’s unnecessary) go with the 870. I have the marine version I could not be happier. If you do what an auto-loader I like the Remington 1187. I got it taken down to 14" and put on a speed feed pistol grip stock, but that is big money in comparison. Go with the 870.

I just read in the April 2002 Guns and Weapons For Law Enforcement magazine The California Highway Patrol uses the standard Remington model 870 with an 18 inch barrell in there cruisers. There is a whole article write up for training and techniques for mastering the police shotgun starting on page 64. I myself am looking into getting a tactical shotgun for 3 gun tactical shooting matches. I have also heard that mossberg makes good shotguns also. Plus remington and mossberg are pretty inexpesive. Hope this helps.

I just spent two days in a shotgun class with Hershel Davis at Halo group in CA. There were only 7 in the class, but we put 350 rounds down range, and I got to see several combat shotgun types in action.

My observations:

Benelli auto-loader - FAST, FAST, FAST. 5 shots on metal poppers at 10 yards in just under 2 seconds. However, it was very picky about ammo, would not cycle some low base shells reliably, would not cycle federal premium slugs, and shot high and right all weekend, even with the site adjusted all the way down.

Vang Comp Remington 870' (3) - Nothing patterned better out to 35 yards than these shotguns. One of them was still holding 4" at 35 yards with 00 buck. 1 had feed problems with the extended tube, consistently sticking. The follower would stick compressed and would not feed shells. This is pretty easily rectified with a little smoothing of the tube, but for the price, should not have been happening. I do not know why, but neither Vang Comp'd 870 on the line ran real fast in the speed drills. The third one was operated by a guy that was a bit older and not real fast anyway.

Mossberg 500 - Plain jane (mine and one other). My pump was the fastest on the line, however it patterns pretty wide, forcing a swap to buck at 10 yards, and slugs at 25. No rifle sites on mine either, making long slug shots harder. Nothing on the line was more reliable. No problems all weekend with either Mossberg.

I would look for the following, no matter what the brand:

Ghost Ring sites
18 - 20" cylinder bore
Pump action
Extended magazine tube (more than 5 on an autoloader makes it a AW, BTW)
Good sling loops and a sling
Side saddle shell holder
Plastic stocks and forearm. No wood.

Nice to have but not absolutely necessary:

Compensated barrel
Worked barrel to improve pattern and accuracy (Vang Comp or Scattergun seem to be popular and effective)
Flashlight forearm

If you buy a Remington 870, make sure to get the short forearm version so it does not interfere with adding a side saddle and cause some other problems when used as a defensive shotgun.

Check out www.vangcomp.com for a good price on a modified Mossberg 590A1 that is on sale right now.

The 590A1 would be my choice at the sale price listed. Heavy barrel, Ghost Ring sites, compensated and tweaked for pattern, all metal trigger group parts, extended magazine.

Ray

Thanks so much for your valuable suggestions. I'll be sure to know what to look for now :)

Good post Ray...!

A couple of months ago I picked up a Remington 11-87P with ghost ring sights. It's already to shoot right out of the box (IMHO). 18" tube with 8 rounds available.

Specs on mine... M1 Super 90 Tactical with tritium ghostrings, choke tubes, Surefire forend, pistol grip stock, oversize safety from Brownells, mag spring from Wolff, Eagle Industries buttstock ammo carrier.



I had a sidesaddle on it, but took it off due to functioning problems.

I've got an extra Franchi LAW 12 (nine rounds, pistol grip, threaded bbl, evil looking)that is pretty damn fast.
I'd trade it for something cool of equal value, or I'd let it go for around 5 B. Franklins. Not as cheap as an 870, but its sure to go up in value.
I'd like to have a preban shorty A2/A3 upper in .40 or .45 w/ some factory hicap mags and block for my bushy.

If you want to save an arm and a leg then you can look at these. www.fultonarmory.com &look for the link for the police shotgun. Its NICE.

you can also try www. castlearms.com the have a nice pistol grip shotgun. the price isn't listed with the shotgun though, you have to look on thier order form.

I have a Benelli M1S90 Combat with ghost ring sights and pistol grip.The ghost ring sights are so accurate I deer hunt with it.I am extremely happy with it, so happy I bought another M1S90 field to hunt ducks with.

Neither shotgun has had any cycling problems and I've fired them both in many odd positions trying to get them to.

I had a side saddle on the combat model, but every time i pulled the trigger all the rounds would fly out of it ( I can't remember the brand).

I've kept a pump shotgun over my bed all my life. I've had a lot of tricked out guns but have kept an 870 forever. 20" barrel, light and nothing special. I keep a variety of loads near it along with a cell phone and a sure fire light. Would use that over a hand gun any day.

I thought you could have more than 5 rounds in an auto loader shotgun as long as you had no pistolgrip?

Vang Comp Mossy 590:



Worked barrel to improve pattern and accuracy (Vang Comp or Scattergun seem to be popular and effective)


Wilson Combat does not lenghten forcing cones nor do they port barrels.

Another vote for the Benelli Super 90 M1.  Here's mine with a 14" entry barrel:




Semper Fi
Jeff

If you're a lefty, the Ithaca 37 with the bottom ejection has it's advantages.  It's also a pretty light gun if you need low weight.  I had a Mossberg 590 and it was all the ads say it is.  One good shotgun that's hard to beat.  The Remington 870 is great in terms of quality and the best in terms of aftermarket goodies avaialable.  I ran though all three of the above until I settled on the Benelli M1S90, ghost ring sights, conventional stock, extension tube.  On a post-ban you can only have either the pistol grip or the extension, not both.  I like conventional stocks, so the choice was easy for me.  I chose the Benelli because I wanted a quality auto loader.  It came with all sorts of different chokes, so it's really become the one shotgun for all reasons for me.  Mine cycles fine with the inexpensive Sellier and Belliot 00 buck, so I get to shoot it alot for cheap.  Here's a picture of Miss Magnum with my Benelli at last year's Ohio Bulletfest.

For an auto, I'd go with the Benelli.  If you want a pump, I'd probably go with the Remington 870 or the Mossberg 590.

Ross

I have Mossberg 590A1.  I have the 9 rds version.  But you should consider 6rds version for easier handling in tight space.  I can mount a bayonet if I want too.  Accessories are readily available for Mossberg 500/590 shotguns.  I haven't shot much because its primary a home defense gun.  I can't say much in terms of accuracy and reliability.  Only problem I found was that it takes considerable amount of force to disengage the safety.  Applying some lube helped a lot.  GunTest magazine did a review on Mossberg 590 and they didn't complain about the safety being too stiff.  So my guess is that this is unique to my Mossberg only.  Something you might want to look out for when purchasing the Mossberg 590A1.

I am in a hunt for a shotgun as well and have narrowed it down to 3 different shotguns, Benelli Nova in 18 1/2 " , Hk FP6 , Mossberg 590A1.