Home Forums Birds & Dogs Shotguns Mossberg 500 or 870 Express

I decided to get a 12 gauge with 3" capability and because of price its come down between these two. Any reason to pick one over the other?

I have had both models and they always worked fine. I prefer the Mossberg tang safety over the Remingtons design because it is quicker and more natural for me to disengage it.

870 by a mile!! In fact find a used Wingmaster and you will be even further ahead, extra points for a chrome lifter.

870, Hands down!

The 500 is better by a mile than the 870 Express. The Express will rust right before your eyes if you stare at it hard for 5 minutes. My 30 year old Mossberg ain't got a speck of rust on it and I once forgot and left it out in the yard on the picnic table for 3 days. Normally not a big deal but it snowed 6 inches the first night so it sat there buried in snow the whole time. That gun has been fired 10's of thousands of rounds since with never a hiccup or breakdown of any kind. I have a Browning BPS and an Ithaca 37 too but the 500 is still the one I use the most.

The used Wingmaster is the way I'd go.

I've had Wingmasters all my life. And always in 2 3/4". I'm not putting out the money for a 3" Wingmaster.

? Well all I can say is if you already have the gun just get another barrel and call it a day

Except the 3" barrel won't work on a 2 3/4" receiver unless you replace the ejector, which is a PITA due to the fact that it's held in with a rivet that goes through to the outside of the receiver. That of course means a complete reblue of the receiver/mag tube assembly is in order after replacing.

Thats right! Forgot about that. I would still do it and not slum a Mossberg.....

I wouldn't slum a Mossberg either. I've had friends with them and they are noisy pos sob's. Kind of like the old Maverick 88's. They are cheap in comparison to the 870. Life is to short and precious to use an ugly shotgun in the field. The same has been said about rifles.

Actually they're a well designed gun and in fact it could easily be argued that it's a better design than the 870. They also can easily be tightened up to eliminate slide rattle if you have half a brain and 15 minutes of spare time. Ithaca 37's are just as loose as a Mossberg but are generally considered to be a fine shotgun. They too can easily be tightened up to eliminate slide rattle. I've done both my Mossberg and my Ithaca and both are now tighter than a stock 870. There is a deluxe version of the 500 {called the hunter classic} with cut checkered, black walnut stock and forend and high polish blue that can be had for about the same price as that huge POS, rust bucket 870 Express. No question which is the better, nicer looking gun between those two.

Sooo... you're going with the Express? That's any better looking?

Wingmaster or 500. Skip the express. A mossberg might be a pos but it's a pos that will last forever. The wingmaster is nice but if it was a gun I was gonna turkey hunt and waterfowl hunt with I'd go with a beater. The 500 is solid, rattley but solid.

Would you explain how to do this tightening job? I've got a couple that could use it. Thanks.

I've been using 870s for over 30 years and never had a problem with them so I would get the 870 Express. Never owned a Mossberg except for a 144LS rifle.

I don't understand this talk about 870 Express guns rusting. Mine was bought in the late eighties and has been used a lot in the field yet over the years I have only found a few small specks of rust here and there. No more or less than you would find on any hunting rifle or shotgun regardless of the type of finnish. Maybe there is a problem with the newer made guns but then again I never left a gun outside for 3 days either.

IMR4350, I have an early 870 Express too and have had no rust problems but the later ones seem to rust by just looking at them. If I bought a later Express I'd strip all the oil off of it and treat it with Eezox.

The only thing I don't like about a Mossberg is dealing with the shell stops when you take them down.

If I was looking for a Turkey gun I'd find an Ithaca 37 30" full choke and go hunting. Where I turkey hunt is in woods and not fields so 40 yards is a longish shot.

Whatcha doing with it?

Turkey only probably since there are no pheasants here and I haven't seen any grouse.